Granger Smith, ‘Bury Me in Blue Jeans’ – ToC Critic’s Pick [Listen]
With ‘Bury Me in Blue Jeans’ Granger Smith has taken the contemporary country song and turned it on its head in a refreshingly traditional way. In a market saturated by lots of songs that seem to sound the same and talk about the same thing (so much so, that we’re actually beginning to poke fun at ourselves), Smith’s latest track off his ‘Dirt Road Driveway’ album is a breath of fresh air. And it accomplishes this without straying so far from the path that it becomes obsolete or inaccessible.
‘Bury Me in Blue Jeans’ is nowhere near as morbid as the title suggests. It’s really a tribute of sorts, to the family and the influences that made Smith the man he has become. Written by Smith, the lyrics are heartfelt without feeling hokey and reveal an introspective writer who isn’t satisfied with cliched metaphors or a formulaic sound. Instead, Smith weaves together country themes listeners will be familiar with: blue jeans and guitars and “shirts with little the pearl snaps,” in a way that manages to sound different from anything currently buzzing around country radio.
“Couldn't be a cowboy, I'm a hundred years late, / I’m a six string poet and a radio slave. / I never ask for too many things, / Just bury me in blue jeans,” Smith sings in the second verse, giving voice to something revealed in the song itself: he may be part of a modern country music climate that favors pop-heavy hooks and fanfare, but he’s a classic cowboy at heart.
Sonically, ‘Bury Me in Blue Jeans’ accomplishes the same thing as the lyrics in revealing a song (and an artist) that is much more layered than we'd expect. The rambling guitar is there, and so is the catchy chorus sung with just the right amount of twang that will give this track a clear path to country radio. But with a simple mandolin progression as the foundation of the song and even a hint of accordion (yep, we said accordion!), ‘Bury Me in Blue Jeans’ is delightfully complex while still maintaining a feel-good sound that can be listened to on repeat.
The latest Smith release is equally sincere and silly; equally heartfelt and fun. It’s not a pop-country single sounding like everything else on country radio. It’s not a power ballad begging us to feel something. It’s just a darn good country song. If country music truly is about simple songs speaking to the truth of life and preformed by talented musicians, then Granger Smith certainly is a country entertainer.
Why Fans Will Love It: 'Bury Me in Blue Jeans' is a well-crafted song that blends the contemporary sound listeners are used to hearing on country radio while creating something new. But really, it's really just a fun and optimistic and feel-good song that fans will want to listen to on repeat.
Key Lyrics: "And I know, I know that's so far to go / Got the roots of an oak and a tumbleweed soul / When my time's up all this good ol' boy needs / Is to bury me in blue jeans."
Did You Know? Granger Smith may be sincere and introspective on 'Bury Me in Blue Jeans,' but that doesn't mean he takes himself too seriously. The country singer actually has a silly alter-ego named Earl Dibbles, Jr. Mr. Dibbles makes an appearance at each of Smith's shows and actually has quite a following of his own.
Listen to Granger Smith, 'Bury Me in Blue Jeans'
Earl Dibbles Gives Us a Tour of the Tour Bus