Do you ache to pierce your ears with a rusty fork at the mention of country music? Then you are going to make an exception for Brad Paisley. Among a slew of country artists singing about trucks and whatever else piques their redneck interests, Paisley does the impossible: blends emotion and humour to perfection, with his melodies living in your head long after the last note trails off. Here are three perfect examples of just how he does it.
‘Mr Policeman’
Be careful if you’re listening to this hopping number in the car; it kicks off with a police siren, duping you into believing just for a second that you are part of a car chase you never opted in to. Which, not incidentally, is exactly the subject matter of this foot-tapping Paisley track: a car chase journey with our hero baiting a pot-bellied policeman as he zooms off down the road. If a song could live and breathe what it was all about, this would be it. With a high-adrenaline bass line and a piano and violin spitting out notes as fast as the high-speed chase, enjoy the most thrilling music race you will ever go on. If you are already behind the wheel, don’t try to stop that left foot from tapping. It will be futile.
‘Anything Like Me’
In just four minutes, Paisley takes you on a simple parenting journey that packs an emotional punch. Beginning from the moment he learns he is going to be a father to a baby boy up until the point his son grows into a man and leaves home, Paisley – himself a father to two boys – pictures what his life will be like as a dad, wondering if his son will be “anything like me”. He imagines the many firsts his son will go through – skinning his knees as he plays outside, getting grounded as he skips class, and shaking hands as he leaves home for the last time. Weaving simple lines into a beautiful story set to the backdrop of a solid bass line, steady percussion, guitars and a sing-song violin, Paisley knows just what to do to switch on the waterworks. If you are a softie, you have been warned. Whichever side you fall on the parent-child relationship, this song will leave its indelible mark. Keep those tissues handy.
‘Catch All The Fish’
You don’t have to be an expert fisherman (fisherwoman?) to soak in this song about fishing. You just need to enjoy some really good music moving along at a pace that won’t quit. Paisley sings about filling up two shopping carts with all his fishing gear and disappearing for the weekend with his buddies to engage in some serious fishing without a care in the world. Want something to zap you in an instant good mood? This will be it. There is something about an interlocking piano and guitar melody playing at turbo tempo to stay with you for a long, long time.
