Craig Campbell, ‘Fish’ – Song Review

Craig Campbell's second single from his self-titled album passes the "Grandma test," but barely. What's the "Grandma test," you ask? Try reading the opening lines of 'Fish' to your Grandma. She'll soon be reaching her hand back to smack you upside the head.

"The first time we did it I was scared to death / She snuck out in that cotton dress / Jumped on in and we drove to the lake / Put her hand on my knee and said, 'I can't wait' / I had everything we needed in the back of my truck / Turns out my baby loves to..." he sings.

Grandma will ease up, albeit with shrewd suspicion, as she hears the chorus: "Fish / She wants to do it all the time / Early in the morning, in the middle of the night / She's hooked / Now she can't enough / Man that girl sure loves to fish."

Campbell's song will be compared to Brad Paisley hits like 'I'm Gonna Miss Her' or 'Ticks.' No one in the genre is better at giving Grandma's arm a workout than Paisley, but he never feels her wrath. The 'Family Man' singer gives a pretty good effort with this swampy-blues number. At certain points he may cross the line: "She always wants to go down by the dam / And I love how she looks with that rod in her hand." Maybe he's just hoping Grandma has fallen asleep by that point.

"I love to see her silhouette reflecting off the water / With her hooks and her sinkers and her pretty pink bobbers / First time I saw her / I knew I was in love / Cause I found a girl who loves to fish," Campbell sings.

'Fish' is laugh-out-loud funny, and it promises to catch on quickly with less conservative fans. Minus half a star for taking the joke a smidgen too far, but it's otherwise a wonderful effort for Campbell.

Listen to Craig Campbell, 'Fish'