Daryle Singletary - “Jesus and Bartenders”
First of all, let me get something off my chest: I do not forgive you, Mr. Singletary, for your year-2000 massacre of Savage Garden’s “I Knew I Loved You.” Worst. Cover. Ever.
But on to the matter at hand…
The latest effort from the man who brought us “I Let Her Lie,” and “Amen Kind of Love,”– both charting more than ten years ago–is back with a prototypical country song that matches his voice well, but is generally underwhelming. “They both know a man in trouble, when they see one,” Singletary sings, as the lyrics fail to hold up the standards set by superior contemporary bartender songs like “When The Bartender Cries,” (Michael Peterson) and “Tattoos and Scars,” (Montgomery Gentry”). Singletary’s voice is still one of the best around, but even in today’s Nashville, it is always about the writing, and having no memorable lyrical or musical hook, this mid-tempo track, ripe with twang and the obligatory steel guitar licks, is destined for country music oblivion.
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Current Discussion
- northtexas: "There’ll be those out there that will love this song and defend it to death for the simple fact that ...
- scooter: Well if Carrie does shift more towards the traditional, she has to start somewhere. I think a better indicator of ...
- nm: I thought I heard quite a bit of wanting to sound like Waylon on Dierks's second album. I haven't ever ...
- Matt B.: Brady, you're right about North Texas' quote of my review. I said that because I knew there'd be people ...
- CMW: Dudley: You acknowledge that "the choice of 'I Told You So' has potential strategic implications for Carrie’s positioning in country music" ...
- Matt B.: I actually think this song was written quite well, regardless of what we interpret his intentions to be. And, ...
- Brady Vercher: I haven't seen anything bordering on outright hate for the song, but the converse of that statement also holds true ...
- northtexas: Matt B. summed up the reaction of some of the folks here with this line in his review: "there’ll be ...
- dudley: Stormy: My point is that Wilcox is accusing the Carrie camp of trying to claim the traditionalist mantle with the ...
- Gloria: I loved Carrie's performance and I loved the song! Rascal Flatts, well, that do nothing for me! I couldn't stand ...
20 Comments
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May 31, 2007 at 7:11 am Permalink
I remember hearing this song by another male artist a while back, but I have no idea who it was. It was also on one of Rebecca Lynn Howard’s albums.
The comparison between Jesus and bartenders is a little bit of a stretch, though. If you wanted to, I’m sure almost anything could be compared with similar qualities.
May 31, 2007 at 8:54 am Permalink
I think it’s an OK song, although Rebecca Lynn Howard’s version is better. Actually, Rebecca Lynn Howard’s version of everything is better.
(Pssst! I think that’s the wrong Singletary album cover. You’ll know his new one — it’s the one that looks like it was done on a home computer using a photo from Glamour Shots.) [I updated the picture - Brody]
May 31, 2007 at 9:38 am Permalink
Hm… borderline blasphemy in a country song? You guys are gaining ground in my music scope
May 31, 2007 at 9:43 am Permalink
That’s the picture. It just screams, “Happy anniversary, honey — tonight we’re going to Burger King!”
May 31, 2007 at 9:55 am Permalink
Haha. Personally, I believe he did an alright job on the song, but I doubt it will crack the Top 10 or 15 on the singles chart.
May 31, 2007 at 7:40 pm Permalink
I should make some snide comment about subjugating Rebecca Lynn Howard to Michael Peterson and Montgomery Gentry, but I’ll resist. Still, I don’t think this review is on target. “When the Bartender Cries” and “Tattoos and Scars” are very different songs from “Jesus and Bartenders.” The Peterson song is more about the sorrow of the singer than the bartender he confesses to, and the bar is really just a setting in the Montgomery Gentry song. “Jesus and Bartenders” is about bartenders themselves, and it’s somewhat novel but not very deep. This song wouldn’t seem so good if more things that sounded like this were getting played on the radio. Still, it earns a thumbs-up from me.
May 31, 2007 at 9:06 pm Permalink
You guys are right on — both of the songs I noted in this review are different from the Singletary, and they are different from each other. At their core, however, they are dealing with a common theme–the relationship between the bartender and the patron…even though those relationships are played out in different ways. At the ed of the day, they are still “bartender songs”, in the same way that love songs are “love songs,” even though the sentiment changes. Sure, we can debate whether or not the comparisons are on target, and I will leave that up to ya’ll.
As far as Howard…well, I love her to death, but she’s not above reproach, and let’s face it…a lot of Michael Peterson’s songs are a lot better than this ONE by Howard, even though I wouldn’t call him a better writer.
May 31, 2007 at 10:00 pm Permalink
She is too beyond reproach! You take that back!
June 1, 2007 at 5:38 am Permalink
I think Blake Shelton’s “The Bartender” is a MUCH, MUCH, Better song than this, even if Harlan Howard wrote it.
June 1, 2007 at 5:39 am Permalink
I should clarify “Even if Harlan Howard wrote “Jesus And Bartenders.”
June 1, 2007 at 6:24 am Permalink
Speaking of RLH, does anyone know if she is with a record label or if she is working on a new project of some sort?
June 1, 2007 at 9:02 am Permalink
I didn’t want to bring up that Blake Shelton song, which I’ve long held up as a prime example of everything that’s wrong with Nashville songwriting. That strained central pun just makes me want to break the CD in half. Written by Harley Allen, a brilliant guy who tends to write down to his audience.
RLH may or may not have signed with Show Dog Nashville (Toby Keith’s label) a couple of years ago, and that’s the last I’ve heard of her. She doesn’t appear to be on the roster now. Just as well, because that label is starting to look like a black hole.
July 1, 2007 at 4:11 pm Permalink
Daryle Singletary has one of the best voices in Nashville. Hes too country to be played on the radio, even though his voice is better than that of todays *popular* country artists. Im sure you all would much rather listen to the likes of Billy Currington or Rascal Flatts.
July 9, 2007 at 1:32 pm Permalink
Daryle does an d incredible job on this incredible song. He is the most underrated singer in country music. He is too country for radio, but yet he doesnt change what he does, and I respect that. A huge thumbs up for me.
July 24, 2007 at 9:29 pm Permalink
I saw Daryle last weekend at the Fauquier County Fair in VA…he told the crowd that he doesn’t compromise and doesn’t apologize for singing traditional country music. He is probably this generation’s best hope of perpetuating the sound of Jones/Haggard/Frizzell. I can’t speak for the song you’re reviewing because it just didn’t interest me, but every really traditional song that Daryle ever does commands respect - for the song and for his tremendous talent. Tune into XM and if you’re lucky you might hear “She Sure Looks Good In Black,” a song I predict that once it is released from the bonds of legal mumbo-jumbo, it might overtake “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” As for the other comments about other artists - well, there’s COUNTRY, and then there’s RADIO COUNTRY. I have room in my taste for both but I don’t equate the two. Daryle oozes COUNTRY…ain’t it the truth!
July 25, 2007 at 1:48 am Permalink
Even in his “prime,” Daryle was never much of a radio presence and today he is certainly not the generation’s best hope of resurrecting traditional country. Daryle is an unadulterated traditionalist with a great singing voice, but he’s essentially a cover artist. He’s never established much of an identity. “I Let Her Lie” is fantastic, but I can think of at least a dozen others who could’ve sung it, just like for his other radio hits. His two recent cover albums, while very genuine and enjoyable, only reinforce the idea that he’s basically a bar singer who got lucky.
July 25, 2007 at 10:00 am Permalink
I agree with Tina. Daryle is whats right about country. He doesnt give in to ” Radio Country”. He does what he does, and I respect him. ” Jesus and Bartenders” is what country is all about. Long live tradition!
December 17, 2007 at 7:13 pm Permalink
I think Tina’s got the right idea.I can’t beleive
the crap that passes for country music these days.
Todays country is a bunch of watered down 70’s rock.It’s full of artist to country to sing hard rock and with to much rock influence to sing real country.I think Daryle’s one of the best country singers of all time.Just because radio doesn’t wear out his songs by playing them every hour doesn’t meen he isn’t great.The song “She Sure Looks Good In Black” just happens to be the most requested song of all time on XM 10.I just heard the DJ on XM 10 say that the other day.Somebody sure likes him.
February 13, 2008 at 11:31 pm Permalink
Wow… Who ever wrote this review has no taste… Never post another review again. You’re terrible at it..
February 14, 2008 at 5:05 am Permalink
I think you were a little harsh - this is a moderate “thumbs up” in my book but certainly not his best effort.
I would rate Daryle Singletary as a very good but not quite great singer, but cetainly better than most of what’s played on country radio today
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