Kenny Chesney Selects Travis Meadows’ “Better Boat” As Next Single
When we first heard Kenny Chesney’s version of “Better Boat,” first written and performed by acclaimed songwriter and performer Travis Meadows, and co-written by Liz Rose, we were surprised by the leadership Chesney was showing by recording a song of such substance after his recent output over the last few years. Coupled with Chesney’s cover of John Baumann’s “Gulf Moon” and a few other quality selections, it makes Kenny Chesney’s new album Songs for the Saints arguably one of the best efforts of his career.
However an album cut is one thing, especially in 2018 when most fans don’t even buy records anymore, and instead stream the top singles on Spotify or Apple Music, and ignore the rest. The real test would be if Chesney had the fortitude to release “Better Boat” as a single. After all, it was the final track on Songs for the Saints. Often in the mainstream album formula, the ending song is usually the best song on the record, but the one least likely to perform well commercially or be released as a single.
But following Chesney’s pattern of behavior of being full of surprises when it comes to Songs for the Saints, he’s decided “Better Boat” will be his next single, after the first single from the record “Get Along” reached #1, as did the Songs for the Saints album during its debut week.
“Travis Meadows and Liz Rose really captured that raw edge that comes from being overwhelmed and unsure of how you’re going to get there, but finding the faith to hang on,” Chesney says. “We’ve all been there in one way or another, but it’s the ability to trust what you can’t see when you’re sure you can’t take anymore that is so impossible to find sometimes. They not only put it in a song, but they put it on a song with a melody that feels like everything the song is trying to convey.”
“Better Boat” doesn’t just give a bump to Travis Meadows and Liz Rose, it’s also a duet with another acclaimed country songwriter, Mindy Smith. While most mainstream males are partnering with pop stars as duet partners, Chesney chose to utilize someone within the country genre who could benefit from the recognition. Proceeds from the Songs for the Saints album are also going to benefit hurricane relief efforts for the islands the album is named for.
“Of all the songs on ‘Songs for the Saints,’ ‘Better Boat’ really captures the emotion of that moment – and the months following Hurricanes Irma and Maria,” Chesney says. “There’s an acceptance it takes to face those challenges and all that uncertainty, something I know I’ve never seen in my lifetime. There’s a lyric that goes, ‘I ride the waves I can’t control…’ And that’s exactly how this was, and in some ways, still is.”
With his barrage of beach songs and other missteps over the years such as “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy,” Chesney became a bulls-eye for many of country music’s purists. And though on the surface Songs for the Saints may seem like much of the same, when you hear a song like “Better Boat,” it’s hard to not recognize that Chesney has gone through a sea change, at least on this album.
August 8, 2018 @ 8:24 am
Every couple years, Chesney releases a rather high quality (at least compared to his other work) “Hemingway-esque” sounding album. Life on A Rock was his last one, one of my favorite albums by him. It seems that this is the music he gravitates towards, and his label packages up the songs with a mainstream catchy pop tune to service to radio as the debut single, like Get Along or Pirate Flag. I wonder as his career settles down if he’ll continue going this route or keep this sound as a side project every couple years.
August 8, 2018 @ 8:39 am
Kenny seems to appreciate a great ‘ message’ …a song with substance ….even if the treatment is often throwaway and trendy . I suspect , as you’ve mentioned Andy , that left to his own devices Kenny would be releasing among the BEST records around every time out . Gotta play the game , though , if you have a ‘deal’ . And I’d suggest you’d find that with McGraw and many many others whose creativity and LOVE of great songs is consistently compromised by labels and radio .
August 8, 2018 @ 8:35 am
”especially in 2018 when most fans don’t even buy records anymore, and instead stream the top singles on Spotify or Apple Music, and ignore the rest. ”
……and THIS is what I’m bewildered by……Why , in these times with an absolute glut of music out there from innumerable sources , not to mention our own burgeoning ‘ record ‘/mp3 collections , are artists still releasing full albums of anywhere from 10 to 16 songs ?? I get that there is ego involved …but wouldn’t labels in these times be less and less interested in paying for , producing ,marketing and physically manufacturing full collections by a given artist knowing how poor sales are for albums ( relatively speaking ) ? Even the absolute BEST OF THE BEST artists have tons of filler and sub -par material thrown onto an ‘ album ‘.
Educate me please ….someone …anyone .
And yes ….VERY encouraging to see KC release this one to radio .
August 8, 2018 @ 9:10 am
Real artists know the importance of The Album. Just like real fans. The album being a statement of where an artist is musically at any given time assuming of course they wrote most of the songs on it. In my opinion 1 song (released as a “single” 99% of the time) is meaningless especially if said artist didn’t even write it. I personally don’t listen to “songs”. I listen to Albums or at the very least EP’s (4-5 songs) which are fine as well. To make my rotation either must be very good. Even if I have to rearrange or cut a track or two. I like this song but the Chesney album won’t be in my rotation. Long live The Album!!!
August 8, 2018 @ 7:03 pm
”at the very least EP’s (4-5 songs) which are fine as well. ”
my comment should have indicated that I was talking about mainstream-type label -directed artists , for the most part..The EP makes far more sense to me with acts like that .
I understand how an album of 12-16 songs may represent where an artist is at …..but I’d challenge anyone to show me a 16 song album that wouldn’t have been a superb , more solid representation of even a REAL artist with half as many songs ……or as you suggest an EP . My quandary is more to do with why a label would even still be interested in financing a 16 song album in these times when sales don’t seem to justify that and listener interest certainly doesn’t seem to demand that.
August 9, 2018 @ 7:45 am
Personally, I don’t mind a long album. Yes, it may be stronger if some songs are cut… but your opinion of which songs to cut may be different than mine, or someone else… you get my drift. So if a handful are cut, I may think ‘This is a great album!’ But if your strong points are cut, you may think it is underwhelming.
In the big picture, you are probably more correct than I am, especially because of the stream culture (lack of album sales) that you mentioned. But I just thought I’d chime in.
August 10, 2018 @ 4:39 am
I can name several such albums.
August 8, 2018 @ 9:18 am
Maybe some artists still consider themselves artists and want to create art rather than just chasing money at the expense of their integrity? I don’t know though, just spitballing an idea.
August 8, 2018 @ 9:22 am
And also, where you said, “Even the absolute BEST OF THE BEST artists have tons of filler and sub -par material thrown onto an ‘ album’,” I disagree. The entire career output of the Turnpike Troubadours is the evidence I’ll submit for consideration.
August 8, 2018 @ 7:09 pm
I respect that thought about TT ,James ….but it IS a matter of taste and opinion . i LOVE the classic Beatles’ white album but its filled with a lotta …..ahem….crap… in my opinion . I’m a recent follower of TT but I like about half of what I’ve heard by them …….REALLY like ,though . Again …I’m more curious about WHY acts/labels still release full albums when attention spans and interest are not what they once were…… for the most-part .
August 8, 2018 @ 9:11 am
I love Travis Meadows. His last three records are still regulars in my weekly rotation. This is a win in my book.
August 8, 2018 @ 9:45 am
Great choice!
Best Kenny Chesney song in years.
With all the cheap as…well…subpar songs on radio (& the charts) “Better Boat” is a highlight.
“Better Boat” is on my current playlist. A KC track on my playlist! Mindy Smith is helping a lot.
My current #1 song: Beccy Cole – “Lioness” (Album Release Date: 08/24)
August 8, 2018 @ 10:35 am
Legit question, do you think Chesney chose to have higher quality material on this album because he knew in advance he wanted the proceeds to go to rebuilding the area? To me it’s one thing to make that statement and release a mediocre album that looks good on paper, but quite another to release by all standards probably one of his best albums in years knowing that the charity of the album will bring some people in, but the material will keep them and spread the amount he could donate.
August 8, 2018 @ 11:44 am
That’s a good question. I do believe there’s a story to be told behind “Songs for the Saints” that hasn’t been said completely yet. I keep pointing back to how Chesney switched his label of 25 years right before releasing this record. It may have been inconsequential, but I think it could be a symbol of how he wanted to do something bold and in a different direction, damn what the suits thought. And by the way, the album sold well upon debut and has a lot of positive buzz behind it. Let’s not fool ourselves, the charity work big celebrities do is just as much a part of their marketing as anything. But the way Chesney did it here and tied it to the music and his personal passions so well resulted in something that feels sincere and important.
August 8, 2018 @ 2:09 pm
Well, that label’s Nashville management also lost Carrie Underwood to Capitol so I actually think it’s more they weren’t totally interested in “aging” artists (despite re-upping Paisley and Miranda, signing Hill/McGraw and keeping Kix Brooks on a label). Sony Nashville has a roster of largely younger acts now. More resourses devoted to the that. Both Chesney and Underwood’s deals were up. They were free to move and while it seems odd for them to do so, they both were able to go to places that seem to value superstar talent more. It’s extremely rare for country acts to remain on one label for ever anyway. Strait is by far the main outlier there.
August 8, 2018 @ 3:35 pm
I feel the same way about Chesney’s album as I do Carrie Underwood’s with her in the seat as a producer. We still have to hear Carrie’s album, but there’s promising signs. I think they both used the opportunity at the end of their contracts to leverage a little more creative freedom by negotiating with various labels for better terms. It’s totally a hunch, but if it results in more creative freedom and better music from them, I think we may look back on it as a turning point for these two artists. And if their numbers are good (so far Chesney’s debut has been pretty impressive), it may not be at the expense of commercial viability.
August 8, 2018 @ 3:04 pm
I really like this songs. Usually I skip Kenny but the Travis connection interested me and I’m glad I listened.