Ricochet – “I Had To Be Me”
If you ever find yourself in the precarious position of needing to show your girlfriend/fiancé/wife that you are, in fact, “the man she really needs,” I would suggest you look to Ricochet’s latest single for examples of what not to do.
Point: I’m guessing that said female companion will probably not appreciate you forcing your hand through her open car door or window in order to grab the keys and “kill the motor” as she’s about to drive away. I mean, I’m no expert on the ladies, but that doesn’t exactly strike me as something most would find particularly romantic or endearing.
Likewise, I doubt that stalking is high on the list of activities best suited to win back her trust and affection.
“I Had To Be Me” finds the narrator–who can best be described as an emotionally cloistered man with jealousy and temper problems who shows signs of obsessive behavior–calling the woman’s phone over and over, only to hang up “before the second ring” every time, and it features a scene in which said narrator proclaims that, “All I had to do tonight downtown tonight when I saw her/Was just walk up and give her the flowers that I bought her/Instead of acting like I didn’t even see.”
Yep, it looks like we have all the ingredients needed for a big batch of creepy. After all, if the narrator hasn’t talked to the woman, how does he know she’s going to be downtown?
“It was a chance meeting,” you say. OK, I’ll buy that.
Then why did he bring her flowers?
As I said–creepy.
And then there’s the Heath Wright problem. Lead singer of the band that brought us such enduring hits as “Daddy’s Money,” and bastions of songwriting craft like “What Do I Know” (which actually contains a couple of lines that aren’t clichés), Wright’s vocals are so incredibly overbearing that he sounds like a caricature of a country singer, more like a cartoon version of himself than the real thing.
Listen: Ricochet – “I Had To Be Me”
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September 2, 2008 at 8:16 am Permalink
I had no idea that this group was even still around.
September 2, 2008 at 8:37 am Permalink
The new group only contains two of the original members.
September 2, 2008 at 9:37 am Permalink
It looks like his hat is too tight. I think the Toby Keith store will let him exchange it if he still has his receipt.
OK, I can see the music video of this song in my head. I see it as the narrator telling the story to his cellmate.
September 2, 2008 at 9:58 am Permalink
I’d never know that there were only two of the original members, because they never sounded like a vocal group anyway, just a lead singer with genaric background singers.
September 2, 2008 at 10:07 am Permalink
You must not have heard their acapella rendition of the Star Spangled Banner, then.
This song, however, sucks.
September 2, 2008 at 10:28 am Permalink
I have heard that, but I still don’t think their harmony was special. Genaric background singers can harmonize quite well, they’re just not unique. Much like this group. I bet this group in its new current form would sound much like the original group when singing The Star Spangled Banner, because the background vocalists aren’t unique.
I agree with you on the song though.
September 2, 2008 at 10:40 am Permalink
The best acapella rendition of the Star Spangled Banner is by far the Statler Brothers.
September 2, 2008 at 1:19 pm Permalink
I liked this band back in the day but this song reeked of something from their mid-1990’s era.
September 2, 2008 at 2:47 pm Permalink
This quote made my day:
“Yep, it looks like we have all the ingredients needed for a big batch of creepy.”
Nice.
September 2, 2008 at 3:22 pm Permalink
Glad to hear it Chris. I’m all about being a day-maker.
September 2, 2008 at 3:37 pm Permalink
I wish a quote could make my day too.:)
I, admittedly have their first album, but that’s when my music tastes were less refined.:) I also have James Bonamy, Perfect Stranger, Jeff Carson… Need I say more? Needless to say, those CDs never see the light of day anymore. They’re in a box somewhere, I think.
September 2, 2008 at 4:19 pm Permalink
Leeann, do you recall that dog in the truck song by James Bonamy? (I think that’s what it was about…)
My personal favorite from that era was Wade Hayes’ “On a Good Night”.
September 2, 2008 at 4:41 pm Permalink
Pierce,
Yeah, I remember that song. Ugh.
I still like Wade Hayes, actually.
September 2, 2008 at 4:58 pm Permalink
The MCHayes album wasn’t all that bad. I think Wade is an artist who has matured quite a bit since his early days, but he’s had a hard time bouncing back. This industry’s not big on second chances when your first one didn’t strike so well.
Bonamy had a solid voice and occasionally cut song decent material. I think of all the version of “Roots & Wings,” his is probably my favorite.
September 2, 2008 at 5:36 pm Permalink
I’ve never been big on the song, but if I had to choose, I prefer Doug Supernaw’s version.
September 2, 2008 at 6:05 pm Permalink
I agree with Jim, I like Bonamy’s version of “Roots And Wings.” I still think that song can be a hit if it were recorded and released by the right artist today.
September 2, 2008 at 6:21 pm Permalink
Matt, leave it to you to disagree with me!:)
September 2, 2008 at 6:22 pm Permalink
Of course! ;)
September 2, 2008 at 6:29 pm Permalink
Well, there was that one time we agreed…:)
September 2, 2008 at 6:54 pm Permalink
Grabbing the car keys, and stoppin the motor, would not get me interested in staying. It would get me interested in a restraining order.
Walkin into the place I’m at downtown with flowers would also be creepy….Very VERY creepy….Again that restraining order i was talking about would sound about right…
This song is perfect for all the abusive/stalker boyfriends out there.
September 8, 2008 at 2:28 pm Permalink
Hey, LeeAnn, I’ll take your James Bonamy album if you don’t want it. I’ve found 3000 copies of Roots and Wings at the dollar store but none of What I Live to Do. And I *really* want “I Don’t Think I Will” since it’s not on iTunes (strangely, only 70% of that album is on iTunes).
September 15, 2008 at 9:33 pm Permalink
OMG! These guys are great! If u have never seen them live u can’t be griping! They are some of the nicest guys you would ever meet & are AMAZING singers! —& no, I’m not related to them!
September 15, 2008 at 9:40 pm Permalink
Alright. So usually Iam not down for crap like this…but in this case..Iam!
Amazing, you guys would take a song and blow it totally out of the water.
I will full out admit I’ve known them for about 10 years, and you cant JUDGE on one song. In fact, I’ve known SEVERAL people who HATE county who have went to see their live show and come out a fan.
I bet if you went you’d come back saying the same thing.
Um, and another thing..the vocals and song are WAY better than bubblegum Taylor Swift or any of these other crappy singers out there.
September 16, 2008 at 7:50 am Permalink
Bobby, send me your mailing address at leeann@countryuniverse.net and I’ll be happy to send you my copy. I’m not knocking it, but I’m sure I’ve gotten as much use out of it as I’ll need.
October 31, 2008 at 1:06 pm Permalink
Well personally I enjoyed the song, I think you took it out of its context and misjudged it. Yes the group is not original, and there are some new members in there, but I think it still sounds good. Like someone else said getting tired of the bubblegum crap. So hey like all music either you can like it or you don’t either way my opinion matters more to me than yours does, to each their own
March 14, 2009 at 12:23 pm Permalink
Yeah, you got it wrong. This song is about a man not having the courage to stop his girl from leaving him and then trying to say he’s sorry.
I love it, it’s typical of most mens fears.
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