Craig Morgan, ‘This Ole Boy’ – Song Review

A good summertime Craig Morgan song fits like the perfect swimsuit. There is enough utility that one isn't afraid to show it off, but it's sassy enough to be exciting.

The 'That's What I Love About Sunday' singer has really only released one true summer song -- 2005's 'Redneck Yacht Club' -- but hits like 'Little Bit of Life,' 'Bonfire,' and even 'International Harvester' filled the niche quite nicely. His new single 'This Ole Boy' wants to be another in a long line of roll-the-windows-down-and-crank-it-up-anthems, but ends up sounding more like Craig Morgan imitating Craig Morgan at open-mic night.

'This Ole Boy' is Morgan's first release with the Black River Music Group after spending three years with BNA records. He tells Taste of Country the new album is "more of the same [music] that people love," and indeed there is no shortage of down home country imagery, including hay fields, drives down country back roads and a girl who's "hotter than South Georgia in July." A great Craig Morgan song has always been on the right side of corny. Drawing from the same vocabulary list once again, Morgan pushes 'This Ole Boy' over that line.

"She sweetens my tea and butters my biscuit / I am who I am and buddy she gets it / I ain't gotta change a thing / I don't know if it could get any better but man if it doesn't I reckon I better / Get to pickin' out a ring," Morgan sings before beginning the second chorus. The rapid pace of these lyrics grabs one's attention, but the words aren't memorable.

"This ole boy got it going on / Got the good Lord smilin' on me / Her big blue eyes and the sweet red wine / Got me buzzin' like a bee / She's got her pretty little head on my shoulder / No one else gets to hold her / But this ole boy." The chorus is sweet and unoffensive. In fact the whole song is sweet and unoffensive, but it's too familiar for a man who's beginning a new chapter of his career. No one is hoping he'll rap like Colt Ford or Jason Aldean, just that he'll change his patter enough to make his next album as much of a must-have as his previous albums.

Listen to Craig Morgan, 'This Ole Boy'