When I heard Martina McBride was releasing a cd of classic country songs, nobody was happier than I. Martina is an incredible vocalist and I think has wasted her time doing those crappy, sappy, pop-schlop numbers she's been so fond of in recent years. (If I hear one more song about a daughter, I will shoot myself)
I'm all about old country music. The crap that comes out of Music Row today is so lame. (ex. Badonkadonk and Ms. SugarPits Girl) Stand any of the garbage Music Row produces today up against a Hank, Sr. song, or Hank Snow or Buck Owens, etc. they would kick their ass.
So I get this cd and look at the titles, which happen to be some of my absolute most favorite songs ever written: "Today I Started Loving You Again," "Help Me Make It Through The Night," "Once A Day," "You Aint Woman Enough," and a bunch of others. I am pumped. She even had Marty aka "Dandalion" Stuart write the liner notes....Dolly and Dwight both throw a little harmony in there. The stage is set for brilliance. So why am I left thinking "Ok, it's going to get really good in a minute?"
The tracks are great, her voice is great...but she sings so perfectly that it's like she went off and left her soul home that day. Her version of "You Aint Woman Enough" sounds exactly like what it is: a white, middle class girl from the Midwest, singing a Loretta Lynn song. Hear me, I'm not trying to compare Martina's recordings to the originals......no way. I'm all for different interpretations of art and love to hear different takes on stuff. (Unlike moldy, old figs who are anti anything done in the last 40 years).
It's so stinkin' flawless and perfect. Maybe I have an inner, subconscious thing against Martina because everything about her is so seemingly perfect?? Yeah, that's it. She's got the husband (ok I have one of those too) the three little cherub kids (I got them too) this amazing voice and pencil thin figure (I have a "decent" voice at best and the only thing pencily about me is, well, nothing.)
Maybe that's why my favorite singer types are the ones that aren't so perfect....like Skeeter Davis, for example. How she made a long, succesful career as a solo artist is a miracle but she was one of the best. She made ground-breaking records that crossed over the oceans and the charts. She didn't make the best choices in men (She married Ralph Emery, for the love) she got kicked off the Opry once for badmouthing the Nashville Police Dept. for arresting Jesus Freaks. She was this hip, unique, Buddy the Elf type of person who I miss.
Like Larry the Cable Guy said, "Martina McBride can sing but she aint no Skeeter Davis."
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