Aaron Watson – “Hearts Are Breaking Across Texas”
Songwriters: Aaron Watson
It’s funny that a guy can sing Strait up country and actually be considered different nowadays. Such is the case with Aaron Watson, who displays the same keen knack as Alan Jackson for expressing meaningful sentiments in seemingly simple songs, and all the while, he features the fiddle and steel guitar as his musical accomplices. In fact, I have a feeling the fiddle would be prominently featured in his music even if it was outlawed and punishable by life behind bars.
Watson’s first single, “Hearts Are Breaking Across Texas,” from his upcoming album, Angels & Outlaws, is a wedding ballad without the overwrought sappiness of recent songs of its kind. That’s not to say it’s completely devoid of sugary sweetness, but what wedding ballad would work without a little tender sentiment. Watson tells his bride that the famous yellow rose of Texas ain’t got nothin’ on her as he sings about the tears that will be fallin’ and the hearts that will be breakin’ “from cowboys wishin’ it was them holdin’ you tight.” Like I said, it’s simple, but like Jackson’s music, it doesn’t have to be complicated or elaborate to be worthwhile and ultimately get the point across without pandering.
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20 Comments
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February 22, 2008 at 3:34 pm Permalink
What a great song. I don’t consider him to sound like Strait or have lyrics like Jackson. But I think he’s good. Whoever produced it did a great job too.
Where did you get that flash jukebox player from?
February 22, 2008 at 4:04 pm Permalink
Lucas, Watson’s style is different than most anyone in the Texas/Red Dirt scene that he’s a part of and it’s most decidedly country. When you look to mainstream artists, Jackson and Strait are the artists he most closely resembles. In the liner notes to Asleep At The Wheel’s tribute to Bob Wills, Ray Benson says that George Strait is single handedly responsible for bringing Western Swing back to the Country charts (it doesn’t get much better than “Big Balls In Cowtown”). In that regard, Watson and Strait are similar considering Watson’s dedication to swing. Ray Benson has produced or co-produced Watson’s last three studio albums, but I don’t know if he’s involved with this project as well or not.
I coded up the flash player myself.
February 22, 2008 at 4:29 pm Permalink
Aaron is what country music is all about. But his music would be unrecognizable to fans of the current pop mush.
February 22, 2008 at 4:35 pm Permalink
I get the connection in that case.
I think his traditional sound is exactly what would make him recognizable to today’s pop mush. He surely has a recognizable voice.
February 22, 2008 at 5:01 pm Permalink
If you like what you’ve heard, he’s offering songs from his past albums for free on his website. I put his song “Barbed Wire Halo” at the top of my best songs of 2007 list, so definitely give that one a listen.
February 22, 2008 at 5:07 pm Permalink
Shoot, you guys got me. This will be the first CD I buy due to critics. Darn-it anyway. In my defense, if this was given a bad review and that mp3 was there, I still would have bought it.
When does this CD come out?
February 22, 2008 at 5:11 pm Permalink
Heh, I can’t recommend his new album without giving it a listen, but it comes out on April 1; the same day as George Strait’s and Kathy Mattea’s new albums. I hope you have some money saved up ;)
February 22, 2008 at 5:21 pm Permalink
Just had to rub it in, didn’t you? I already feel like I’m being pulled over to the dark side! Pretty soon I’ll be wearing Keith Urban style clothes and growing my hair out.
I never understood (besides the big box stores putting CDs on sale on the same day) why people would come out with a CD at the same time as a country superstar.
February 22, 2008 at 8:58 pm Permalink
Wow, now that’s what I call an honest to God western country song! An excellent mix of both western swing and cowboy music (ala Chris LeDoux that is..). Texas is about the only state left in the union that still fosters the development of traditional artists with a unique twist like this.
Sadly eveything which makes this such a fine country song will also guarantee its being ignored by mainstream country radio. Top 40 radio allows this type of sound from George Strait ONLY because of his status as a hugely popular “legacy artist” like Alan Jackson. Other talented artists with a similar style in recent years that got ignored include Lane Turner, and Nashville Star alumni George Canyon and Jason Meadows. Trent Willmon is in this niche but doesn’t have the talent of Aaron and makes up for it with perserverance.
The real problem with a song like this is when it gets played next to the cheesey pop-rock crap that infests country radio today it starkly reveals how weak and shallow those other songs are. Here’s my challenge: Listen to this song then immediately listen to Taylor Swift’s “Picture To Burn” and see your reaction! I call it “ear puking” and that’s the last thing Top 40 country radio wants to happen to its brainwashed listeners…..
PS – I will be buying this album on CD when its available just based upon this one song alone.
February 22, 2008 at 11:29 pm Permalink
Honestly, I think if he was on one of the big labels, the stations would eat it up! He’d be numero uno by tomorrow morning! Ok, maybe not by tomorrow morning, but eventually.
February 23, 2008 at 5:25 am Permalink
Amazing how many of today’s best Country singers are named Watson: between Doc Watson, Gene Watson, Dale Watson and Aaron Watson you have four A+++ artists. The sad thing is that the average country music fan of today hasn’t heard any of them!
Aaron is the real thing
February 23, 2008 at 2:19 pm Permalink
I downloaded the free music from Watson’s website. Thanks very much for the tip. His songs are outstanding.
February 26, 2008 at 6:37 am Permalink
I’m trying to download the stuff from his website but I feel like I’m actually purchasing it. :( I didn’t get the coupon for it…suggestions?
-Joshua
February 26, 2008 at 7:29 am Permalink
Josh, it is kinda convoluted process. You just need to go through the process of creating a new account, but when you get to the payment screen where it asks for your credit card, there should be a box for a coupon. Put GETWATSON into that coupon box and update the order and it’ll knock the price down to zero, then you can check out without entering any credit card information. Remember, as long as you don’t enter any payment information, you can’t be billed, so it’s no big deal.
February 26, 2008 at 4:10 pm Permalink
Brady,
Thx for clearing that up. :) Am listening so to type…
-Joshua
March 1, 2008 at 3:06 am Permalink
What a great song and performance. The Texas Country scene continues to kick Nashville’s ass when it comes to true Country Music.
March 2, 2008 at 2:23 am Permalink
He actually reminds me a lot of a young Clay Walker.
March 30, 2008 at 12:38 pm Permalink
I love Aaron Watson’s new song! I want to play it at my wedding next year!!!
July 13, 2008 at 11:55 pm Permalink
Okayy omg pretty much aaron watson is so amazingly amazing if that makes any sense. i love his cute slow love songs. because i totally know what he’s talking about. i just love the chill tone he sets. he definetely keeps me excited for upcoming country. sometimes i feel as if modernized country isn’t country, but his classic style makes me so happy!!! I LOVE YOU AARON WATSON ADN ALSO DAMIEN GREEN! JESUS YOUR SUPER HOTT!!
December 18, 2008 at 9:05 am Permalink
i have loved watson for a while along with most every other Texas country music artist. i grew up in Texas and it is huge where Im from, but Aaron is most def up there in my top 5 favs
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