James Otto – “For You”
Songwriters: Jim Brown and Liz Hengber
The prevailing line of thought says artists need to release singles during the summer that deal with having a good time, how great life is, or how much fun the party is; it seems marketing departments think the radio audience is willing to accept less substance during the summer for the sake of a good time. There wouldn’t be much wrong with that if the songs being released were generally of a higher quality, but summer releases seem to be mind numbingly aimless.
If James Otto were to follow prevailing logic, then “Ain’t Gonna Stop,” the obligatory homage to his MusikMafia connections on his latest album, or “Drink & Dial” would have been the next release. “Ain’t Gonna Stop” did appear to be headed to radio, but for some reason it was replaced, so, I gotta give him and his people props for going against the grain and releasing the slow ballad, “For You.” While it’s true that a couple of cuts on Sunset Man might have made for better releases, “For You” is a decent song in it’s own right.
For all intents and purposes, the song itself is fairly non-descript, but it has no pretensions of being more than it is. What really makes “For You” remarkable is Otto’s impressive performance. For the most part, many of today’s male vocalists are interchangeable without there being a noticeable difference in quality, but I’m having a hard time imagining anyone else delivering this song with as much emotion as Otto and that bodes well for creating an identity–something that used to be a requirement to get noticed. Whether or not it has a chance at radio is an entirely different matter.
Listen: James Otto – “For You”
Popular Stuff
Sponsor
Is Dave Haywood going solo? This and many other of country music's most pressing questions answered in the September edition of The 9513's world famous Mailbag!
Caroline Herring likes to sing songs about life in the South. No, not exactly like Justin Moore and Jason Aldean...
The 9513's resident historian Paul W. Dennis sits down for a chat with country music legend Gene Watson.
As much as we love girl singers, we love songs about girl singers even more. Here's just a few of the many tribute songs out there.
Step away from the river and up to a jukebox, because heartbreak is only temporary, but a good song about drowning yourself—like a diamond—lasts forever.
What do you think about music labels "testing the waters" with a single before providing access to an artist's entire album? 
What country artist, young or old, would you recommend as a must-listen artist to a newcomer on his/her journey through country music, and what would your essential song picks be?Tagged In This Article
Current Discussion
- Rick: Ashley Monroe, Sunny Sweeney, Elizabeth Cook, Megan Mullins, The Wrights, Amber Dotson, Lane Turner, Amy Dalley, Susan Haynes, The Jenkins, ...
- Jo Jo: Brooks & Dunn, Carrie Underwood, Reba McEntire
- highwayman3: George Strait, Reba, and Lee Ann Womack, oh wait, that's already happening, too bad they aren't coming anywhere near driving ...
- Mayor JoBob: Or Alan Jackson, Rodney Crowell and Marty Stuart with guest appearance by Jimmy Buffett!
- JCH: Jamey Johnson, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert. No idea where the heck that came from.
- Mayor JoBob: Brad Paisley, David Ball and Highway 101!!!!!!
- Noeller: Jamey Johnson, Randy Houser, Eric Church and Zac Brown Band. It's the Bearded Saviours of Country Tour - would ...
- Sparkles: OMG - have you seen this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYENOUcaAsM I LOVE DOLLY!!!!
- Ben Milam: On three alternating stages: the pogues mahone, steve earle, eric b. & rakim, the band, emmylou harris, the drive by ...
- Bob: Suzy Bogguss and Hal Ketchum
24 Comments
RSS for comments on this post | Trackback URI for this post
July 10, 2008 at 2:26 pm Permalink
I think we feel the same about the song, but you said it more positively than I did.:) Great performance, but the song wasn’t one of the stronger ones on the album.
July 10, 2008 at 2:36 pm Permalink
It’s a good song for sure… but it won’t get above #40 on the charts, and considering it’s following a #1 hit, it will be considered a failure by most.
July 10, 2008 at 2:54 pm Permalink
I like this song too. I like almost all of James’ album ‘Sunset Man’. I think the title track is the best song on the album. My daughter bought the cd a while back simply because DVincent Williams co-wrote the first single (my daughter loves DVW) and when I heard ‘Sunset Man’ I just stopped dead in my tracks and went “WOW! Now THIS is a great song!” But you’re right, James’ delivery of the songs add a great deal to the songs themselves, though for the most part, he has exceptional songs on the album.
I like ‘Drink and Dial’ and I think it is very radio friendly, but I’m glad he (or his people) chose something with some substance for the next single.
July 10, 2008 at 2:58 pm Permalink
I’e been a fan of “the Otto Show” since his original Mercury promo CD was sent to me (He originally recorded Jeffrey Steele’s “Gone” on it, not the “gone” that was on his released version).” That version of the album was alot more like this one. James is one talented dude.
I do wonder though, after having viewed the pictures of him from his record, if they really needed to airbrush the above photo as much as they did. It just looks strange to me.
July 10, 2008 at 3:37 pm Permalink
I LOVE this song. This was my favorite song off the CD the 1st time I listened to it. I LOVE James Otto. He is a fantastic person. Very nice and charming and very good looking. His CD is GREAT and I hope he isn’t one of these 1 hit wonders who has one #1 hit but nothing else. I hope he goes far in his career b/c he is very VERY talented and I love his voice. This is a great GREAT song and a GREAT CD.
July 10, 2008 at 5:31 pm Permalink
Yes, Matt B., it appears the picture was styled as an ode to Billy Ray Cyrus.
July 10, 2008 at 7:18 pm Permalink
Anyone else see a baby’s face in that picture with Otto?
July 10, 2008 at 7:23 pm Permalink
I see a pony, does that mean I win?
July 10, 2008 at 11:03 pm Permalink
I would like to hear Otto sing Jeffrey Steeles “Gone”, as I bet it sounded good. I DID enjoys Otto’s “Gone” on his first album. Even though it was the same concept, still a good song.
I listened to this CD and thought it was okay. Not as good as his first one. It annoys me when people call him a “New” artist. He has been around for a while not.
I also agree that the title cut is the best song on this album, and the one that stood out to me.
July 11, 2008 at 12:06 am Permalink
I’m sometimes completely puzzled by the songs the labels choose to release as radio singles. Bad choices for singles from new artists can absolutely kill their careers before they even get started. Two stand out debut disasters were Ashley Monroe’s “Satisfied” and Susan Haynes “Crooked Little Heart” singles. These were both title cuts of their debut albums, but it still doesn’t make sense to release songs radio won’t play!
Newly successful artists that had their debut singles make it into the Top 20 (or better) really need to release a follow up that will have the best chance of repeating that success or they might become one hit wonders (like Heartland) and be ignored by radio programmers. Luke Bryan went nowhere with “We Rode In Trucks” but is back on track with “Country Man” and Chuck Wicks is doing well with “All I Ever Wanted”. For James Otto’s label to release a middling cut from his album is disappointing. When new (to To 40 radio success) artists appear that I like, I want them to stick around…
July 11, 2008 at 6:11 am Permalink
Rick, I know that you are talking about those songs in a commercial sense, and I see what you are saying, but do you really see Chuck Wicks being much more than a interchangeable, easily forgotten pretty face? “all i ever wanted” should be the dictionary definition of “generic”. I do not think this particualr Otto cut is his strongest, but is far more distinctive and, in my opinion, deserving of the chart position that Wick’s ode to bland performing currently is enjoying.
July 11, 2008 at 8:44 am Permalink
Yeah, I’d take a weak Otto cut over a “strong” Wicks cut any day.
July 11, 2008 at 12:49 pm Permalink
A middling cut? WOW. This has been my favorite performance song from James Otto for YEARS. And I mean at least three years!!!!! I have been pulling for this song to be a single since the first time I heard James sing it.
I feel this song in my SOUL.
I also love that he and his label had the cajones to release it even though it’s one of the two cuts that he didn’t write or co-write. And I think that’s awesome. Sometimes, the better stuff isn’t always poured from your own pen. ANYWAY! I will continue to spin this on KiiM-FM and hope it picks up and at least pulls into Top 20. And if it doesn’t… well, that makes me sad for the state of country music. And then I guess we’ll get “Ain’t Gonna Stop” or “Drink & Dial” and have to get nervous about James turning over the very scary Trace Adkins card. Great singers who have to release not-great but very-catchy tunes just so radio’ll pick ‘em up.
Blech.
July 12, 2008 at 7:59 pm Permalink
Brady: A very menacing baby, if that is possible.
Run-of-the-mill song. Otto has a distinctive voice no doubt, but it would be served by more challenging material.
July 14, 2008 at 9:59 am Permalink
Labels think if they have a hit with a great upbeat song, they get a pass for that artist to release a boring ballad next.
So James Otto’s career stalls for a second time.
July 14, 2008 at 10:20 am Permalink
Frozenphan,
When was “Just Got Started Lovin’ You” a ‘great uptempo song?” Great? yes. Uptempo? Did you listen to the same record as I did? This will be a slow climb but it shouldn’t ’stall his career.’
July 14, 2008 at 11:55 am Permalink
I’m talking the impact it had here at our station. Great testing record. And still one of our top requests.
The new song ain’t goin on the air until the consultant makes us.
And yes, it sounded uptempo on the air.
July 14, 2008 at 12:03 pm Permalink
I think it’s telling that within four comments of each other, we have two different radio professionals voicing very different takes on the same track.
That doesn’t bode well in a format where programmers aren’t taking a lot of chances.
July 14, 2008 at 12:16 pm Permalink
I’m gonna have to agree with Matt B here (you know how I hate to do that:)) and question the upbeatness of “Just Got Started Lovin You.” Everytime I heard it on the air, I considered it to be mid-tempo at best. While I’m not loving this song, I don’t see how it has to stall his career. It definitely doesn’t seem like something that stations have to “refuse” to play. I’m assuming you played “Everyday” by Rascal Flatts before the consultants forced you to? I hope your answer is no though. I’d feel much better about radio stations in that case.
July 14, 2008 at 12:25 pm Permalink
We go by our ears. If it sounds like a hit, we’ll track it. We’ve been playing “Chicken Fried” for a month already.
And RF is a core artist. Just like Kenny C, it’s an automatic add. And frankly we’re not programming to snobs here, we need to get big numbers to make a living.
July 14, 2008 at 1:02 pm Permalink
Frozenphan, I completely understand and I don’t blame you (or others in your position) when I talk about radio not wanting to take chances. It’s true that I don’t think the format is in a very healthy state right now, but there’s no single factor which makes that the case.
July 14, 2008 at 1:07 pm Permalink
I understand Frozenphan’s position too.
Believe me, while I think “Bob that Head” is a horrid song, if I worked at radio, I’d be playing it multiple times a day, as soon as it landed on my desk.
July 14, 2008 at 1:44 pm Permalink
Still don’t know that I’d want that on my conscience.
July 14, 2008 at 2:00 pm Permalink
I wouldn’t want it on my conscience either, but I’d also want a paycheck!
I don’t think I could last more than a few years in a job where I had to play music I despised, as I’d have a hard time living with myself after a while. But I could do it for a year or so maybe.
I imagine many radio people play music they hate. One DJ who hosts a local “hot talk” show in my area used to work for a country station. He has said on air that he doesn’t like country music, and he didn’t like the listeners either, but he wanted to be in radio so badly that he took the job until something more to his liking came along.
It makes me wonder how many country DJs and PDs secretly hate country music and the listeners too. I’d bet a good bit.
Leave a Comment