Maddie & Tae, ‘Girl in a Country Song’ – ToC Critic’s Pick [Listen]
It’s doubtful country newcomers Maddie & Tae will ever be invited to tour with Chris Young. Their debut single ‘Girl in a Country Song’ takes direct aim at the 'Aw Naw' singer, as well as a half-dozen other major country men.
Really, these two 18 year olds are firing a shot across the bow of the country sub-genre known as “Bro-Country.” Songs by Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton and Thomas Rhett are three others Maddie Marlow and Tae Dye (plus songwriter Aaron Scherz) call out specifically, and one could make a strong argument that they slap Luke Bryan and Billy Currington, as well. This kind of thing simply does not happen in country music. It’s shocking!
“Well, shakin’ my money maker ain’t never made me a dime / And there ain’t no sugar for you in this shaker of mine / Tell me one more time you gotta getcha some of that / Sure I’ll slide on over, but you’re gonna get slapped,” the girls ... err ... women sing late in ‘Girl in a Country Song.’
Here are a few other gems from this sharply-penned track:
“‘Cause I gotta name and to you it ain’t / Pretty little thing or hottie or baby / Yeah it's drivin' me red, red, red, red, red, red redneck crazy.”
“We used to get a little respect / Now we’re lucky if we even get / To climb up in your truck keep our mouth shut and ride along / And be the girl in a country song”
“Aw naw, Conway and George Strait never did it this way / Back in the old days / All y’all we ain’t a cliché that ain’t no way to treat a lady like a …”
Insulting the format’s top singers and songwriters isn’t the conventional route taken to begin a career (or to launch a record label), but Maddie & Tae are going to get the attention they're seeking. Once the shock of this reckless narrative wears off, one is forced to ask if the duo have indeed written and recorded a quality country song.
They have. Maddie and Tae have managed to put a beat around a sentiment popular amongst country music fans, even if the anger toward bro-country is partially a creation of the media. The song is clever, and the production is a clean mix of traditional and modern country values. Not since Gretchen Wilson has a female artist come out throwing punches like these.
Key Lyrics: "Bein’ the girl in a country song / How in the world did it go so wrong / Like all we’re good for is lookin’ good for / You and your friends on the weekend, nothin’ more"
Did You Know?: Maddie and Tae have been traveling together to Nashville for three years. Maddie is from Sugar Land, Texas (home to Katie Armiger) and Tae (Taylor Dye) is from Ada, Okla. (Blake Shelton's hometown).
Listen to Maddie & Tae, 'Girl in a Country Song'
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