Scotty McCreery’s “Southern Belle” Just Won’t Die
Scotty McCreery’s “Southern Belle” is the single that just won’t die. Originally released in mid August as the lead song from his TBD 3rd album, the song never gained any traction whatsoever, and now is apparently trying to be resuscitated with the release of a new video.
Whenever you’re out in front of a release apologizing for it, it’s never a good sign. “This is probably about as far left as we’ll go,” McCreery announced ahead of “Southern Belle,” tipping listeners off that this was going to be the moment the 22-year-old tried to make a big splash on radio in lieu of sticking to sometimes more traditional-leaning material that compliments his deep country tone. Then they threw a big unveiling party on the Fox & Friends morning show complete with Scotty unabashedly performing the song to an obvious backing track, and the whole thing just fell flat.
McCreery himself knew he was striding out of his comfort zone and established sound with “Southern Belle,” but like we’ve seen play out so many times in 2015, the result did Scotty absolutely no commercial good. “Southern Belle” scratched out a meager #48 showing on the Country Airplay chart, and that was it. And now it’s just re-entered the Mediabase Top 50 upon the second push, but does anybody really think this is going anywhere?
On “Southern Belle,” Scotty proves he can be just as objectifying as the rest of country music’s major label male stars. The song plays out like a high school wet dream, not saying much aside from crushing on hot chicks from the South with cliché lyrics about sweet tea and honey biscuits that interchange food products for female body parts, because in the end they’re all just a bounty for Scotty to feast on. Then a line about “blue jean dreams” emerges, and then “My baby swingin’ low is makin’ me high” which I’m just going to puff my chest out and unabashedly assert is McCreery code for oral sex and see if anyone has the material basis to challenge me. It all got this music listener pretty hot and bothered, but not for the intended reasons.
“Southern Belle” is nothing more than a dance song with a bass beat, a token banjo part, and an acoustic facade, but there’s this descending chord part at the beginning of the verses that may have some considering it as slightly redeemable. However this exact descending chord progression was first used on the song “Collage” from the Joe Walsh-fronted project The James Gang. Frankly I’ve always considered “Collage” to be Walsh’s greatest songwriting accomplishment. Brilliant lyrics are complimented by the cascading chords in a collaboration of sound and sentiment. Lifting that chord structure for this “Southern Belle” mess is like musical heresy.
The video for for song reinforces all the concerns about it, and once again Scotty is out in front of it trying to play spin doctor. He said he didn’t want the girls in the video to be “eye candy,” and says, “Obviously they’re pretty and everything, which is awesome, but it’s showcasing how strong they are.” Oh come on Scotty, if you’re going to release a booty shaker, and least freaking own it. Are you really trying to say this video is complimentary to these girls’ “strength”? There’s exclusive, gratuitous ass and thigh shots. Hey, I like pretty girls too. Lots of folks do. But I’d have more respect for it if you’d just call it what it is.
The worst part about “Southern Belle” is it’s not Scotty McCreery and he knows it. It doesn’t matter how catchy a beat is, how buzzy the buzzwords in your lyrics are, or how fetching the cheerleaders look in your video. If you’re being disingenuous in 2015, the country music public is going to sniff it out. Florida Georgia Line and Thomas Rhett can get away with this stuff because they don’t know any better. Scotty McCreery does, and so do his fans. We’ve seen this play out with Eli Young Band, The Band Perry, Gary Allan, and half a dozen others. Just going pop is not a guarantee of success. In many cases, it’s a recipe for failure.
Now, just like other projects with lead singles that flopped, McCreery’s new album is in indefinite TBA stasis. We’re not talking about a brand new artist trying to gain traction. We’re talking about an artist with an established career and a grassroots fan base that can’t crack the Top 45.
There’s lessons all over the place with these failed lead singles in 2015. The question is, will anyone listen to them, or just like these singles, will they go ignored?
November 12, 2015 @ 10:50 am
I spent eight minutes or so just trying to come up with a witty or sarcastic comment, but I came up with nothing. This is just inexcusable, especially coming from someone who, while adding nothing of value to the genre, at least wasn’t as bad as his peers.
November 12, 2015 @ 10:53 am
His smirk/smile on the still picture for the video reminds me a little of Dubya.
November 12, 2015 @ 5:18 pm
no wunder hes so good
November 12, 2015 @ 5:28 pm
He reminds me of the character on the cover of those old Mad magazines.
November 16, 2015 @ 11:09 am
He does look a bit like Alfred E. Neuman. I’ve been trying to decide who he reminded me of ever since he became famous.
November 12, 2015 @ 11:00 am
I’ll never understand why these “artists” try to keep breathing life in to songs that are dead. First the band perry and now scotty. Several country greats made stupid songs and in the wake of it put their head down and moved forward. Though I assume that these days it’s not really up to the performers what happens with their songs.
November 12, 2015 @ 11:20 am
The lead single for an album is considered vital these days by labels. If it doesn’t take off, many times the labels refuse to release the record. If you’re a Top 25 name in country music, your lead single better crack to Top 5 at least, if not be a #1. Everything is set up to do so, and if it doesn’t even reach the Top 25, it’s an unmitigated disaster.
November 12, 2015 @ 11:42 pm
Explains why Josh Turner’s album is on delay.
November 12, 2015 @ 11:25 am
I’ll never understand why with so many incredibly GOOD songs around there are so many ‘strawgraspers’ who can’t seem to find them . Man if you don’t know a good song from a bad song you are in the WRONG business . If flogging a dead horse is more fun to you as an ” artist’ than taking the time to find and record quality material then man ….knock yourself out .
November 12, 2015 @ 11:11 am
I’ve always liked him.
He comes across as a real class act of a kid.
However, his music has sucked.
He has such a great voice and potential.
Material has just been terrible.
He’s young, but IDK.
I do wish him the best.
November 12, 2015 @ 11:21 am
He has nothing to sing about that is worth listening to , he has no experience. He took the bad route of going through a talent show on tv and is letting people tell him what to do.
December 7, 2015 @ 2:57 pm
Yet you probably still like the country singers from ‘The Voice.’
November 12, 2015 @ 11:54 am
He has good voice but he is talentless. He is the Tom Jones of country music : A young man singing ”country” music entertaining old ladies.
November 12, 2015 @ 2:53 pm
This guy is no Tom Jones. Go way back for Tom doing “Detroit City” and others. Also he, like most of the older singers from the UK ( Van Morrison, Elvis Costello, Keith Richards) has a tremendous knowledge and respect for country music. Oh yeah, I couldn’t get through one verse of this song.
November 12, 2015 @ 5:05 pm
Tom Jones is the fucking man
November 13, 2015 @ 12:13 pm
‘Tom Jones is the fucking man ‘
Listen to his latest album . Tom Jones IS the fucking man !! More soul , more emotion , more talent and more entertaining than a circus Volkswagen full of Bro clowns .
November 13, 2015 @ 12:16 pm
BTW …what the hell is that mess Brett Elderidge has out ? Does NOBODY at a label or at management level no ANYTHING about songs anymore ?? This is one giant turd of a tune lyrically AND arrangement -wise if I’ve ever heard one
November 16, 2015 @ 11:12 am
You mean he stuffs a rolled-up tube sock down his pants? I guess I never noticed, being a straight male and all.
November 12, 2015 @ 11:19 am
Poor man’s Josh Turner to me. Move along McCreery.
November 12, 2015 @ 11:20 am
Scott McCreery is kind of a guilty pleasure of mine, but this song needs to go away.
November 12, 2015 @ 11:27 am
Dude’s got a great voice. But he’s like Trace Adkins. He can’t find a good song to save his life.
November 12, 2015 @ 11:52 am
I listened to some of his album material. There’s good songs there such as Carolina Moon ft. Alison Krauss. IMO he is better at singing traditional leaning material. The problem is that this type of music doesn’t do well on current radio. A label usually wouldn’t release these types of songs as singles especially in the current country climate. Also, I assume since he’s a relative new artist that the label picks his singles & he has no say in what gets released.
November 12, 2015 @ 12:21 pm
Looking back, Trace Adkins had some songs I definitely liked, but for the most part, he just had a good voice, which elevated (almost) whatever he did to okay.
November 12, 2015 @ 11:25 am
I agree that this song isn’t what I would expect from him, but neither was “Feelin’ It” which radio did play & it was a hit. I didn’t think the hit was something Scotty would sing. I gave up awhile ago predicting what country radio will or won’t play.
November 12, 2015 @ 11:33 am
I am a fan of Scotty but this song is not his best that he put out. He needs go back to his deep voice and sing good songs like his first album and American Idol. He voice sounds just like Josh Turner in a way.
November 12, 2015 @ 11:56 am
Collage…seriously Trig? Rocky Mountain Way is pretty much the national anthem!
November 12, 2015 @ 12:13 pm
I think “Collage” is awesome and I don’t care who knows it. Most of those big Joe Walsh singles have been so run into the ground by Clear Channel, I don;t want to hear them ever again.
November 12, 2015 @ 12:04 pm
These are all terrible artists who just benefitted from the country boom of the past few years…but that boom has went bust,and they are all where they belong now
November 12, 2015 @ 12:04 pm
I thought he was working on some very traditional sounding stuff a while back, I wondered what happened with that?
Scotty has a great voice and I would love to hear him sing real country music. Recently he’s sung Hello Darlin’ and The Grand Tour on the opry and those performance were great, he definitely needs to go the more traditional sounding route and find really great country songs to cut, Southern Belle is just not great at all, he needs to record songs in the opposite direction of this.
*** Off topic***
Joey + Rory’s beautiful song “When I’m Gone” is currently #7 on US iTunes.
It would be great if you all could purchase this song and spread the word.
The music video is just heartbreaking:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcpjSMmWUDw
November 12, 2015 @ 7:51 pm
That’s a beautiful and heartbreaking song. Thanks for sharing. I am pretty new to Joey & Rory’s music, and I really like what I’ve heard. Such a sad situation, and their unwavering courage and faith through it all is amazing to witness.
November 12, 2015 @ 12:12 pm
Thanks for the reminder to listen to the James Gang. Good stuff.
Southern Belle just sounds so old and tired and generic, I can hardly even get mad at it. I just feel kind of sorry for all involved.
November 12, 2015 @ 1:40 pm
Besides the puerile, sexually-repressed lyricism, my biggest beef with this single release is that McCreery’s vocal capacities are completely wasted and undermined by Audio Wars outside the first verse.
McCreery is rendered almost completely unintelligible in the chorus beneath all the wall of sound. I know for a fact he has an above-average vocal because I’ve heard him sing on “American Idol” and he has sporadic album tracks that allow him to shine including “Carolina Moon” with Alison Krauss, “The Dash” and “Feel Good Summer Song” (NOT to be confused with his similarly titled, terrible previous single “Feelin’ It”, the song I’m referencing is actually dark and has some real punch). But you wouldn’t know it if you were listening to this and are unaware of his broader career. The vocal production on this song is even more atrocious than the musical production as a whole (the chorus sucks, but the verses are alright).
And what also irks me about McCreery is very similar to what irks me about Blake Shelton. Here they both go cutting shallow songs that deliberately pander to the bro-country crowd, but then next thing you know they’ll have tracks lamenting the lyrical shallow trends in country music and calling for a turn to more substance. McCreery commits this hypocrisy by having his last album close with “Something More”.
So McCreery has absolutely no credibility in my eyes presently. He’s trying to have it both ways and is talking out of both sides of his mouth. And he has done this yet again in a press release accompanying the release of “Southern Belle”. He vowed this would be the anomaly of the album, yet is doubling down on this anomaly like it’s a career record in his eyes. Why would you do that if it doesn’t reflect your album as a whole whatsoever?
And this isn’t going to be a hit no matter what they try. So will McCreery walk back his earlier assertion and hop on the R&B trend? Or play a ersatz-Stapleton traditional angle?
That’s my issue with McCreery. He has no conviction or compass. He’ll capitulate to all these various angles in the hope one or more of them yield gold. We know there is traditional musicians among his influences and he tries to articulate that in choice album tracks, but it usually doesn’t feel authentic. And the longer he goes purporting himself more as a salesman than someone personally invested in his music, the less likely he’ll ever carve out a career niche that can sustain itself.
This is getting a Strong 1 to Light 2 out of 10 from me.
November 12, 2015 @ 1:48 pm
At least he covers actually country songs rather than pop/rock/rap/whatever songs like everyone else. Scotty was opening for Dierks Bentley along with Cole “Swindle” and other talentless hacks. Of course Cole and them were horrible, so that’s not even worth reflecting on. Scotty came out there and said he was about to play some stuff that the audience might not be into, and what he played was “Hey Good Lookin’,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Mama’s Don’t Let…,” “Check Yes or No,” and others. He said he was country, he loved country, and he would never turn country into pop like everybody else was doing. Then out comes Dierks. He was great, don’t get me wrong, but he covered that “We’ll be Countin’ Stars” song or whatever it’s called. I’ll always respect Scotty for respecting country music enough to pay homage to the country greats rather than play popular non-country songs.
November 13, 2015 @ 10:00 am
There are definitely more ass holes on here than anything else. Stop picking on Scotty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. My gosh after all he is only 22. He is the most talented singer out there !!!!!! Ya’ll are just plain idiots!!! He doesn’t have the final say so on what songs he does. Why don’t you put the blame where it belongs.? Start picking on the record labels. You can say all the mean things you want to, but you won’t change the minds of Scotty’s fan base, which by the way is huge!!!!!! Why don’t ya’ll just give it up. The only people that are climbing the charts so fast don’t sing country. For instance I have never heard Carrie underwood sing a real country song. Scotty has been working his tail off ever since American Idol. He is going to be a legend someday!!!! Ya’ll are going to eat your own words someday and Scotty is going to have the last laugh. And by the way Scotty just needs to be his sweet self. This site needs to be abolished!!!!!! There is so much jealousy shown on this site that it’s pathetic. Actually all the criticism is jealousy. EVERY NEGATIVE PERSON ON HERE NEEDS TO SHUT UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 13, 2015 @ 10:27 am
actually he’s 23.
The most talented living singer is Colm Wilkinson, according to Rolling Stone magazine.
If Scotty’s fanbase is so huge why is he second banana to practically every other country singer?
Criticism isn’t jealousy. Criticism is a case of pointing out areas for improvement, if nobody ever told Scotty how to improve, he’d never improve. I’m sure you want him to be the best, and how will he do that if nobody helps him?
Did the exclamation points make you feel better?
November 13, 2015 @ 11:53 am
This is a bloke taking the piss, and it’s priceless. If not, please Jane C, I want more of your wisdom.
November 13, 2015 @ 5:24 pm
“He doesn”™t have the final say so on what songs he does.”
Why ??????
Because he gave that right away when he signed with a label who wanted to make him ‘ marketable’ rather than sticking to his gut and his guns . If an ‘artist’ is a true ‘artist ‘, he has something to say and doesn’t let someone else determine WHAT that something is and HOW he should say it just for $$$ and any fame that may accompany that . If you don’t stand for something , you’ll fall for EVERYTHING .
November 12, 2015 @ 2:23 pm
This is such BS and absolutely disgusting!
November 16, 2015 @ 11:16 am
What does Blake Shelton have to do with it?
November 12, 2015 @ 2:30 pm
Keep in mind that it was in the previous decade, but Blake Shelton had chart success with covers of George Jones and Conway Twitty. Ol’ Red hit #14 in 2002 and Goodbye Time his #10 in 2005. This is before Blake was a superstar.
What I’m suggesting is that Scotty go a similar route. He can cover the classics and there is a demand for it. Coincidentally, he has had big YouTube hits covering Jones and Twitty, both uploaded by the Opry. His Grand Tour cover, uploaded 4 months ago, has nearly 900,000 views. His Hello Darlin cover, uploaded 9 months ago, has 2.5 million hits. While more modern but not pop by any means, Scotty’s cover of The Dance (Lee Ann Womack) has 2.1 million views.
Again, these views have come from pure consumer demand. McCreery is not promoting them. His label isn’t. The Opry isn’t either. Go bold Scotty, put these songs out as singles!
November 12, 2015 @ 3:16 pm
I am just going to go on record and say that the James Gang is my favorite band of all time. I have more fun listening to them than just about any other band. I love Walsh’s solo stuff too. The stuff the JG recorded with Tommy Bolin was also really really good. I would even go so far as to say that Bolin’s album Teaser is “the best rock album no one has ever heard”.
November 12, 2015 @ 3:52 pm
I have read all of these comments and the article. This is nothing more than a hate site. But, before I leave all of you so called music experts, my question is this. You all know so much about music, then why in the hell don’t all of you jump up on the damn stage and show this young man how it’s done. HUH!! How about it, jump your ass on up there, intelligent assholes.
November 12, 2015 @ 4:59 pm
I’ll answer your question.
1. You would be quite surprised how many posters here perform and write.
2. We are just as entitled to our opinions as you are.
Now, I have a couple of questions for you.
1. If you’re leaving, why the hell do you care what we talk about?
2. Do you always get so bent out of shape when someone’s opinion runs contrary to yours?
I’ll await your answer…asshole.
November 12, 2015 @ 5:06 pm
I gave you a “like” for the smile you put on my face.
Thanks, Scotty’s Mom!
November 12, 2015 @ 5:24 pm
You should see when we talk about Luke Bryan or Jason Aldean , now that’d be an eventful evening for you!
November 12, 2015 @ 7:36 pm
The typical 2015 internet fanbot response. Artist X is so great and cannot be criticized.
I really don’t understand why critical commentary has become such a hot button to some. For me personally, I search out well reasoned and truthful commentary over the music sites where every song is wonderful.
November 12, 2015 @ 5:01 pm
Truth is important. It sheds light, which brings positive change. There is no honor in deception. I appreciate the thoughtful, well worded commentary.
November 12, 2015 @ 6:14 pm
Why Scotty Why!!!
November 12, 2015 @ 11:38 pm
Scotty is a great singer that’s why.
November 12, 2015 @ 10:50 pm
This is a stupid and asinine article written by “Trigger” (someone who isn’t even brave enough to give us his/her name). This isn’t a music review or commentary – it’s someone’s idiotic opinion. Why is it idiotic? Because it doesn’t actually have anything factual to say.
Have you seen the country music charts this year. Every song is moving slowly except those from superstars like Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood. McCreery’s song is moving no more slowly than dozens of other songs on the charts.
Most country artists these days aren’t putting out music videos until 2 months or so after the single is first released. If McCreery released in late August, then a video in early November is pretty close to that 2 month norm.
How is saying “this is about as far left as we’ll go” an apology? It’s a descriptive statement about the direction of his album. There’s no apology there – implied or stated.
How in the world did this poster come up with the idea that the chorus is about oral sex? That may be the dumbest thing I’ve read this month. I think Trigger needs to look in the mirror and figure out his/her own issues if this chorus makes them think of oral sex.
Why is it wrong for McCreery to say the video is about strong women? Is Trigger saying strong women can’t be beautiful or sexy?
It’s obvious Trigger doesn’t like the song. That’s fine – everyone has a right to their opinion. But to write untrue statements that don’t reflect reality is not music commentary.
Trigger is an idiot.
As for me – I like McCreery and his song. It’s not the greatest thing I’ve ever heard, but it is fun and enjoyable to listen to.
November 13, 2015 @ 8:28 am
The problem with the music video, in my mind (and I’m known for disagreeing with Trigger) is that it is just as degrading as a Thomas Rhett video, in which the women are quite literally eye candy.
The songs are moving slowly because radio is completely out of touch with consumer wants and interests. The labels are pouring money into these songs to move them up the charts. The era of listeners calling and requesting songs and songs becoming hits because people liked them are pretty well finished.
The “far left” thing, I would say, illustrates a problem with Country stars in general. Many of them start making pop-infused or outright pop music (see: The Band Perry) to try and gain new fans, but the change in image and sound doesn’t gain new fans, it alienates the original fans who liked them the way they were. Maybe it’s not an apology, but it is an illustration that he’s doing things that people who normally listen to his music might not appreciate.
Dude, everything is a metaphor for sex now.
November 12, 2015 @ 11:45 pm
Scotty needs to follow the example of his hero Josh Turner and not sell out. Courage of convictions. There is a long black train in country music and Scotty just purchased a 1st class ticket.
November 13, 2015 @ 8:21 am
I made it 0:48 into the song and had to cut it off.
November 13, 2015 @ 7:25 pm
I wish he’d read this. Hard to come back from really, but it is painfully obvious to even a deaf country music fan that this is not in his wheelhouse. Kinda like FGL trying to sing country music, like George strait, and not do a ghetto rap remix, just put their vocals on it. Wow terrible
November 13, 2015 @ 9:53 pm
I guess Scotty’s fans really do not respond well to constructive criticism.
November 14, 2015 @ 8:45 am
I liked this song better when it was called “Southern Girl” and sung by Tim McGraw. And I didn’t really like the McGraw song that much.
It is true that backflips, etc., require strength and hard work to master. But the video isn’t about that. This song and video just reinforce the stereotype of young Southern women as airheads with nothing on their minds except makeup and cheerleading.
November 14, 2015 @ 2:51 pm
At least Scotty didn’t sing “Donkey”!
November 16, 2015 @ 9:27 am
There are worse things than this going on. We need a rant for Chris Lane’s EP, Fix. It is really and truely the worst album I’ve ever heard and I will stand by that statement until I hear something worse. It is the most phony, overly produced, commercially packaged, desperate, panhandling pile of garbage I’ve ever heard. I actually can’t even believe FGL would involve themselves or attach their name to such an endorsement but they were probably pressured to do so by Joey Moi so he can try to recreate a single artist version of them.
November 16, 2015 @ 6:27 pm
My impression of the song was that it was a string of cliches in trademark Scotty bubblegum. The video definitely shows a lot of thigh and fanny shots! He doesn’t really have much to draw on for writing because his life is child’s play.
Some of his die hard fans are convinced that he’s being conspired against. I disagree, but I’m curious if anyone knows; how is he perceived in Nashville?