Lee Brice – “Love Like Crazy”

The line between a good country song and a bad country song is often thin, is difficult to describe and is unique to every piece of music in the country music songbook–a fact that is sometimes frustrating to readers, since the metrics we use to judge songs seem to change arbitrarily. Why does one track score a Thumbs Up when it contains many of the same elements that caused another song to be panned?

The balance is shifted by the slightest variables. A mediocre or even bad lyric can be overcome by a moving performance, and a great song can speak to us even when the singer seems disconnected. The metrics matter, and we spend a lot of time going over construction, production and context. At the end of the day, however, we are left with a few essential questions; ones which the metrics inform rather than override. Does it rock? Is it beautiful? Do we hear it and get a feeling in our gut that reminds us of the first time we heard a song that affected us?

Because if the answer isn’t yes to one of those types of questions, who cares what the metrics say?

Earlier this year I panned the Lee Brice co-write “What it Takes” (Adam Gregory) in what is now considered one of my most epically scathing reviews. That song was full of clichés and rudimentary lines. So too is Brice’s new single as an artist “Love Like Crazy.” And some readers will no doubt be confused as to why I hated “What it Takes” but absolutely love “Love Like Crazy,” when at a glimpse the later fails to bring much artistically compelling material to the table.

Indeed, “Love Like Crazy” does little that hasn’t been done before. But the lyric is endearing in spite of the fact that is is a typical story in a typical narrative setting. It’s focused, a cozy little tale of a hard working man who takes on country music’s familiar advice-giver role. His advice, common as though it may be, is honest and unpretentious. And instead of feeding us a bunch of meaningless lines about abstract philosophical ideas related to love and a woman’s needs, the song reminds us to tell our lover that we love her, to the tell the truth, to do our best and to pray.

And then there’s my favorite nugget: “Always treat your woman like a lady/Never get too old to call her baby.” As cliché as it might be, there’s not one of us that wouldn’t do well to remember it.

Sure, this could be a Rascal Flatts song, or a Martina McBride song. Sure. But it’s tight as hell. And Brice’s voice soars.

“Love Like Crazy” won’t change the world. But the world would be a little better if we all loved like crazy.

Listen: Lee Brice – “Love Like Crazy”