Comments on: Brad Paisley – “I’m Still A Guy”

By: mel

mel — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:57:36 +0000

i love this song this was the second most play on the radio last year i love it Brad what can i say it awesome it funny if u don’t like this song then u don’t have a sense of humor

By: Anne

Anne — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 22:15:07 +0000

Yes, it’s a novelty song. And yes, it’s a little stereotypical. But it’s all about presentation, and this song is FUNNY. When you just sum it up into its major points, you lose something of it. Speaking for myself, I laughed till my stomach ached the first time I heard this song.

After all, “There is a current trend toward male concern for appearance, which is contrary to the traditional idea of manhood,” sounds so much better as, “These days, there’s dudes gettin’ facials…” It’s not making a point. It’s making laughter. And the world could use some of that.

By: Mike Parker

Mike Parker — Thu, 29 May 2008 02:00:14 +0000

I love the convention in the song… and the commie/jew line is fantastic. But for me that was the best joke in the song. Again, I really like the song, but it’s the melody/arrangement that keep me from enjoying repeated listens.

That song SLMFJ, also reminds me of Charlie Robison’s “The Preacher.” Don’t know if he wrote it… and can’t find that info off hand- but it’s definitely in the same ballpark as SLMFJ.

Well he drove a Ford Fiesta
What the hell kinda car is that
Well he’d drive around here tryin’ to flush out a queer
Or the man that ran over his cat
But his heart couldn’t take all the pressure
Tryin’ to find what I already know
And my face has gone pious to cheshire
Cause my sins went with him when they put him in the hole

Genius…

By: Stormy

Stormy — Wed, 28 May 2008 19:45:42 +0000

But the place where to this song fails, where SLMFJ suceeds is that I’m Still a Guy has a single layer and it goes in a predictable direction that assumes that you are stupid, or at least that you do not want to think very hard. SLMFJ can throw out a line like “I’ll be that he is a commie, or even worse yet a Jew” is that its funny because the protagionist is prejudice, but the song also assumes that you are smart enough to get that Jesus was both Jewish and had many communist-like beliefs. And I think that one of the things that people are getting tired of in the mainstream is an assumption that things have to be dumbed down for us.

By: Mike Parker

Mike Parker — Wed, 28 May 2008 18:55:58 +0000

thanks Kelly. Good to know.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Wed, 28 May 2008 18:48:31 +0000

Mike, as much as you have worn out “Trouble in Mind”, you will likely get the same mileage out of Carll’s “Little Rock” cd. “Wish I Hadnt Stayed So Long”, “Hey Baby, Where You Been”, “Down the Road Tonight” and the title track are highlights for me from that amazing disc.

By: Mike Parker

Mike Parker — Wed, 28 May 2008 18:47:57 +0000

That’s one of the drawbacks of being so mainstream and having the media image he’s created. I don’t think his bus songs would go over as well as Toby Keith’s. It’s hard to know what’s going to bring down the wrath of the media. “Goodbye Earl” (which wasn’t even that good of song) caused quite a stir, but really no damage to the Dixie Chicks fan base. I’m willing to bet Paisley’s got some off-color songs and just isn’t at a point where he can release them. As for Everybody Loves Raymond- at least you didn’t compare it to According to Jim…yikes.

I enjoy caustic humor too… Shoot, between Todd Snider and Robbie Fulks I pretty much submerge myself in it daily.

By: Stormy

Stormy — Wed, 28 May 2008 18:38:10 +0000

I like the caustic humor. I rather think one of the things holding Brad Pailsey back is the fear that something might offend someone so his songs are the equivilent of an episode of Everyone Love Raymond.

By: Mike Parker

Mike Parker — Wed, 28 May 2008 18:29:55 +0000

Actually I think “Ticks” and “Online” are better than “She Left Me For Jesus.” SLMFJ has a few funny punchlines, but beyond that, it is musically kind of stale for me. “Ticks” and “Online” (and “Still A Guy” even) have more interesting melodies and/or arrangements than SLMFJ that I can get into even when the lyrics get a bit stale. Plus the humor (or attempts at humor) aren’t as caustic.

I just discovered Hayes Carll, and will definitely be buying his back catalog. I’ve about worn out my Zune the last month or so listening to Trouble In Mind. His sense of humor is a bit more sarcastic than Paisley’s. Paisley is more akin to a modern day Roger Miller and Carll is a honkey tonk Todd Snider. I love all those guys, so I’m not complaining…

And to ramble a bit further… SLMFJ seems to me a runner up to Snider songs like “If Tomorrow Never Comes” and “Happy New Year.”

By: Stormy

Stormy — Wed, 28 May 2008 18:19:23 +0000

Better than She Left Me for Jesus?!