Jaron and The Long Road To Love – “Pray For You”
Way back in the year 2000, Jaron Lowenstein and his twin brother Evan had nearly every love-struck, googly-eyed teenage boy with a guitar singing along to the chunky rhythm of the ubiquitous pop hit “Crazy For This Girl.”
The duo’s star burned bright but burned out quickly. The single was a smash, but Evan and Jaron had the misfortune of dropping their self-titled album smack dab in the middle of the Napster debacle. The disc sold peanuts and the Lowensteins were never heard from again.
Well, that’s not exactly how things went. A 2004 indie album was recorded but registered zero impact. They portrayed the Everly Brothers on the short-lived drama American Dreams. They popped up on American Inventor with a device called the Pit Port (it was a container for saving seeds and pits). Needless to say (or, if I dare, seedless to say…), none of these endeavors led to renewed success, acclaim or celebrity.
And then, in 2009, came Jaron and The Long Road to Love–which is, evidently, just Jaron. Fortunately, this “just Jaron” has grown far from the roots that trace back to the perfectly preened hair and sufficiently-vague lyrics that defined the Dawson’s Creek generation. Debut solo single “Pray For You” (which is being worked to country radio by Quarterback Records), demonstrates a delightful disdain for mainstream protocol–the song is sinister, and that’s a wonderful respite among a seemingly never-ending pipeline of songs that heavy-handedly tell us how to live and what to believe.
“I pray your brakes go out runnin’ down a hill/I pray a flower pot falls from a window sill and knocks you in the head like I’d like to,” Jaron sings. Later, he continues: “I pray your birthday comes and nobody calls.” Now that’s cold.
It’s a clever but somewhat obtuse song that is mostly effective due to shock factor. What starts out sounding like yet another lesson in morality unexpectedly turns to an unforgiving romp through bitterness. Call me evil, but that’s strangely satisfying—even if the final execution of the songwriting ends up at a level below “masterpiece.”
“Pray For You” is surely going to rub some folks the wrong way. So, if you play this for your friends, family or country radio colleagues, be prepared to smell the bitter stench of hypocrisy—after all, it’s OK to destroy personal property, blow things up or shoot people, but it’ll be a cold day in hell before today’s country radio touches something so emotionally aggressive.
Too bad, because just like the chick (or dude) in this song, the format could use more than a Swift kick in the ass.
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February 9, 2010 at 4:39 pm
I’m with ya on this one, Jim. I heard this on XM the other day and after the shock subsided, I was smiling. That verse after the first chorus is sooooo un-country radio.
February 9, 2010 at 5:10 pm
On the hostility scale, how would you compare it to “Sweet Mental Revenge” or “I’ll Think of a Reason Later”?
February 9, 2010 at 5:21 pm
Waylon’s is more metaphorical and Lee Ann’s is more playful and forgiving. Both are better.
February 9, 2010 at 5:31 pm
I’ve heard this song a few times already. At first I liked the song but it quickly grew old on me and the shock value went away.
February 9, 2010 at 6:04 pm
It appears Scott “Fast Ryde/Taylor is an Emotional Singer” Borchetta is backing Jaron with his Big Machine label! Here’s a quick press release from AllAboutCountry:
“Big Machine Promotes Jaron And The Long Road To Love: The New Artist’s New Song Is “I Pray For You”
Big Machine Records has begun their journey of bringing a new artist, Jaron And The Long Road To Love, to COUNTRY Radio. (That’s “AirHead/BrainDead Top 40 Mainstream Country Radio” to newbies here.)
According to Big Machine the track was “leaked” to COUNTRY Radio late last year and has been “gaining traction” since. Many morning shows (ie “humor oriented”) have played the song, we’re told.”
Rick’s comment: I could see how the “shock factor” could jolt sleepy morning commuters like an extra cup of java. Personally I don’t see how a song that even jokingly advocates violence from a man towards a woman would sit well with soccer Mom’s driving a minivan full of ‘tween girls. Taylor Swift played it safe by burning her ex’s picture in effigy.
I think this song would do really well at Top 40 country radio if it got enough airtime exposure, but the shock factor cuts both ways. It will be interesting to see what happens…
February 9, 2010 at 6:22 pm
For me, there’s not even any ‘shock factor’. It’s just a bad song. Too bad, because I like his voice.
February 9, 2010 at 8:13 pm
Funny thing is that the song has been building buzz for MONTHS now and it has been getting airplay, more than what Big Machine is ‘hyping’ it to have gotten. The song actually is Top 50 in 10 weeks being self-released. With Big Machine and Universal Republic behind the song, I’m sure it can do exactly the opposite of what you think Jim. It provides some clever levity on the airwaves and is a smart little ditty.
Radio actually is getting GREAT listener responses to it as well.
February 9, 2010 at 9:20 pm
I kinda like it. For a novelty song, I think it’s fairly well written. As far as the violence it advocates, I think it’s just enough tongue and cheek to get a pass.
February 9, 2010 at 9:58 pm
My initial impression was “too pop for country, and too church-y for pop” but who knows. I’ve heard that it’s spinning up north here, but I can’t see us ever touching it. Too poppy and too violent.
February 10, 2010 at 2:09 am
Hey Jim the song is called “Pray for You” not Pray out Loud.
Might want to fix the article, thanks!
- Shinobi
February 10, 2010 at 4:09 pm
“Pray for You” is a blast of fresh air and exactly what Country music needs. There is a growing demand for “less country” in country music nowadays and many of us don’t want to listen to the twangy, banjo music of yesteryear.
Why is it when an artist releases a song that’s a little “out of the box”, it gets critized? Why can’t we all just loosen up and enjoy some witty lyrics? “Pray for You” isn’t condoning violence or going against the church…it’s simply acknowleging the crazy thoughts we’ve all had at one time or another…
Fans are going crazy for Jaron’s music and rightfully so. He’s an amazing talent and deserves the chance to be recognized.
February 10, 2010 at 4:28 pm
I love people who think there hasn’t been country in country for a long while. Get outside the box and listen to some modern day real country.
February 10, 2010 at 6:14 pm
There is a growing demand for “less country” in country music nowadays and many of us don’t want to listen to the twangy, banjo music of yesteryear.
In other words, we’re supposed to accommodate the tastes of people who don’t like country music? What is this twangy banjo music of which you speak? If you’d spent any time at all listening to the “music of yesteryear”, you’d realize that the banjo was not a prominently used instrument in mainstream country until recent years.
February 11, 2010 at 11:34 am
I’ve listened to this song multiple times. Hasn’t grown on me yet…
February 12, 2010 at 8:25 pm
I don’t know — all of my buddies who disdain current country and love all of the alt country folks and classic country still love this song and it seems to be catching on these parts — heard it on the mainstream Clear Channel station on satellite radio yesterday. I really like it, but mainly because it expresses my current mind set! (and it has kind of a Beatle-ish vibe near the end). A good “anti-Valentine’s Day” song.
March 15, 2010 at 5:35 am
I think the piano was what made me think of it as more pop than country. His voice isn’t a “country” style either, not rough or accented. And I always thought that Jack Ingram’s “Love You” was rather tongue-in-cheek.
March 27, 2010 at 5:25 pm
I like it. I think the song is clever and very catchy. As for the ‘violence it advocates’, I think that is a joke. If people have nothing better to do than get up their own ass about a tongue-in-cheek song like this, I feel sorry for them.
March 27, 2010 at 6:33 pm
I heard it a few days ago and thought it was funny. I can think of a couple of people I’d like to dedicate it to. LOL! It’s not country to me, though.
March 27, 2010 at 7:11 pm
…dilemma drill for the christian country radio dj’s – you should see the grin on my face.
April 18, 2010 at 10:50 am
I have loved country since the 80′s and Alabama. I just heard “Pray for You”. My initial reaction was that I liked Jaron’s voice and then I listened to the lyrics. This song is horrendous and against everything that country music stands for. I emailed the local country radio station and begged them not to stoop to giving it air time. It gives country a bad name and I pray this group fades into oblivion.
May 3, 2010 at 8:09 am
this is the funniest song EVER!!!!!
May 21, 2010 at 2:03 pm
I love this song…only wish my daughter would have sent it to her ex.
I would really like to get a copy of the lyrics…how do I do this….Thanks so much and keep writing…you know how to reach out where others may not dare.
June 1, 2010 at 5:54 pm
This song has violence? Hadn’t noticed, too busy hearing all the chick country bands talking about killing their husbands with gunpowder and lead. Maybe thats why its ok, anything that uses guns is fine, yeehaw!
June 1, 2010 at 7:52 pm
To Jimmyhat: lol
I personally believe there should either be more revenge tunes from the male perspective or fewer from the female; something needs to be done to equal things out.
September 3, 2010 at 9:56 am
This song is clever and creative, yet nothing special. Jaron’s writing style, while funny, doesn’t sit well with me. The whole intro part is dragged out, and almost makes you want to turn the song because of how long it is. While necessary to the rest of the song, it could have been summed up in about half the words. Also, his wording is a little akward, it seems like he sacrifices substance in order to set up a perfect rhyme, this is especially demonstrated on several of his other songs on his album. And what’s up with the solo break after, “I pray you pass out drunk with your best friend and wake up with his and her tattoos”? Normally I would expect a solo like that to come in after some kind of valid clincher or bridge statement was made, feels a little off to me. All in all, it’s Catchy tune, funny concept, and not a bad song, just not a great song.
September 21, 2010 at 12:40 am
This song is whiney Emo and played out. the only novelty is the fact that is it mixes depravity and prayer on country radio (where it doesn’t belong musically or lyrically). I also find the violence towards women(?) aspect of the song in poor taste. I did turn it up to make sure i heard it right the first time i heard it but mild surprise that crap like this can be on country radio doesn’t mean it’s fresh or otherwise note worthy, after all crap is nothing new to country radio– look at carrie underwood’s apparent popularity.
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