Song Review – Brad Paisley’s “Gold All Over The Ground” Written By Johnny Cash
What is Brad Paisley to country music in 2017? Is he a hot shot guitar player? Is he mainstream country’s funny man? Is he a performer or songwriter first? Is he slowly morphing into what could be considered a modern-day traditionalist after the rest of the genre has shifted so far from its roots? How will history measure Brad Paisley?
All of these questions swirl around the Paisley name after his output over the last few years has ranged from traditional to contemporary, trend-chasing (“River Bank”) to awkwardly-political (“Accidental Racist”) and everything in-between. What Paisley may be ultimately known for still feels like it’s yet to be determined, and may be dependent on his next couple of albums, making them more important than just the mild output of an artist at the tail end of his career arc.
The truth is Brad Paisley is only going to have a few more years of mainstream relevancy left with the way things are going. He hasn’t had a real hit since 2011, and his last record Moonshine in the Trunk hasn’t sold 200,000 copies. These are usually damning metrics for a mainstream artist. Brad’s still doing fine, has made a ton of cash in his career, still draws well live, and if he plays his cards right, he can transition to a legacy act while he’s still on top. But the fundamental question that remains is, what is Brad Paisley’s legacy?
Ahead of his 11th album Love and War, Paisley has released multiple songs, including a lead single “Last Time for Everything” that leans on nostalgia, and features Brad Paisley’s blazing guitar playing and notoriously bad tone. But he’s also thrown us a curve ball by releasing the song “Gold All Over The Ground”—a starkly traditional tune with lyrics incorporated from a poem written by Johnny Cash.
The poem “Gold All Over The Ground” was first composed in March of 1967 about Johnny Cash’s wife June Carter, and was published in 2016 in the posthumous Johnny Cash poetry collection called Forever Words. The words are from an era and a perspective when chivalry and romance still thrived, and the poem carries a sweetness reserved exclusively for old lovers. Today’s irony-filled and self-centered perspective could never compose such a thing, and if it did, it would be laughed off as saccharine pap that’s too direct to be potent. Only the imposing stature of The Man in Black allows the modern perspective to see the beauty in the turn of phrase, and the sincerity behind Cash’s literary illustrations.
It’s not just Johnny Cash’s 50-year-old words, or the snippets of Cash audio bookending the track that make Brad Paisley’s “Gold All Over The Ground” traditional though. Tasteful mandolin, acoustic guitar, and a spirited steel handling the solo make “Gold All Over The Ground” one of the most traditionally-steeped songs from Paisley in some time. Brad also deserves credit for finding the right melody and phrasing to do Cash’s poem the proper justice.
Of course “Gold All Over The Ground” will not see the light of day as a single, and the fate of most album cuts in this age of streaming is to go relatively overlooked. All the more reason to release this song before the record proper, like Paisley did here, to give it a little chance to be heard and cherished as it deserves. Though all the right pieces are here for a great song, “Gold All Over The Ground” feels more good than great, but it’s still great coming from a major label-signed mainstream artist.
Don’t expect some big traditional shift or reset in Paisley’s upcoming album Love and War, but don’t expect him to go too far chasing trends either. Will Brad Paisley ultimately be a Hall of Famer? Will he still be hosting the CMA Awards in 10 years? How long will he be considered part of the A-list crowd of country stars? A whole lot of that is going to depend on how Love and War is received, which is all the more reason to show extra care with what you decide to include in the track list. Taking a Johnny Cash poem and lovingly composing it into a song exhibits that extra care.
April 17, 2017 @ 9:32 am
Don’t get too excited. This song and his collaboration with Bill Anderson are sandwiched between two Timbaland features on the album.
April 17, 2017 @ 11:25 pm
Amen to that. I love the music Brad Paisley typically makes, but I hate the disgraceful hip-hop industry. I spend time studying that stuff and working with it professionally, and hip-hop is some of the worst stuff out there.
April 17, 2017 @ 9:36 am
If album cover art is any kind of barometer for music quality, I don’t have very high hopes for this one.
April 18, 2017 @ 8:35 am
I thought the same thing. As a professional designer, I thought this album cover was God-awful. His last decent one was This is Country Music.
May 4, 2017 @ 7:05 am
I just went back over his album covers, and is there an artist out there with worse album covers over the course of his or her career than Brad Paisley? I’m not sure. Brad’s are REALLY bad. They remind me of terrible 80s/90s R&B album covers. I think the all-time worst has to be “Wheelhouse,” though. That’s genuinely one of the worst album covers I’ve ever seen.
April 17, 2017 @ 10:17 am
Let me guess – there will be a ‘cutesy love song’ followed by an ‘attempt at being funny’ song. Rinse and repeat ad nauseam. Paisley’s not a bad guy and he sure is talented at playing musical instruments. He’s had a lot of great songs over the years but I’ve grown tired of his same old routine.
April 17, 2017 @ 10:59 am
You’ve kind of hit on what I personally think Paisley’s legacy will be. To many people, he’s the “Ticks” or “Whiskey Lullaby” guy. “Accidental Racist” caused a stink but he rebounded decently from it and really, the album it was on was a bigger problem than the song itself — such a strange hybrid would never have featured on any of Paisley’s albums pre-Wheelhouse. Beforehand he was officially known as country music’s “Good Guy”, who always straddled the line between authenticity and mainstream sensibility quite gracefully. But that talk has mostly died down since that fateful 2013 album. Ultimately, though, I think the term still fits, though not quite in the same way as before. He’s always had a milquetoast air about him that he seems cognizant of and consciously funnels through his lyrics with a tongue-in-cheek sensibility. But often it’s apparent he’s trying to be cute, which turns some folks off. Trigger rightly points out that Paisley is almost TOO sincere; I’ve had more than a few people tell me his songs are schmaltzy or stupid (or both). But in many ways, he’s always been the throwback artist, including country greats like George Jones, Buck Owens and others on albums in surprising ways and even infusing trite pop compositions with some instrumental flourishes that are very much classic country in aesthetic.
I haven’t liked his last few albums, but he has my respect, and I’d argue that he deserves it from most country fans (even if I’m not nearly as excited for his newer output as I once was).
April 17, 2017 @ 10:27 am
The entire song, lyrically, melodically, and instrumentally, I think is really well done. Obviously he’s been given a great template with Cash’s words, but this song as a whole is reminiscent of Brad’s older works, particularly “Who Needs Pictures” – which I love. Paisley and Johnny Cash’s son, who produced the song, John Carter Cash, are also making a video that is located at Johnny’s cabin where he wrote the majority of his songs, which features a lot of family photos and memorabilia that will, hopefully, be showcased. Maybe that will help expose more audiences to this song that will, sadly, be an album cut.
Thanks for the review!
April 17, 2017 @ 11:04 am
Nathan Rabin wrote an invigorating weekly series in 2009 called Nashville Or Bust for The A.V. Club, in which he examined oodles of country artists, old a new (he ranged from DAC to Willie to Toby to Garth to the Dixie Chicks, for instance, among MANY others). He’s a self-described fan of hip hop first, so his insights and appreciations concerning the artists were always interesting to see. His take on Brad Paisley, while obviously a bit dated at this point, is rather apt: http://www.avclub.com/article/week-48-brad-paisley-guys-guy-48388
April 17, 2017 @ 11:41 am
“Today’s irony-filled and self-centered perspective could never compose such a thing, and if it did, it would be laughed off as saccharine pap that’s too direct to be potent.”
That’s exactly right. Thus, romance for today’s country artists is drinking moonshine on a tailgate by the river, hoping to “get some.” God help us!
April 17, 2017 @ 12:22 pm
I wish Brad Paisley would make an album worthy of his talents. It is easy to say Brad is the modern day Roger Miller with many of his novelty songs. At other times, he reminds us of Vince Gill. “Whiskey Lullaby” was one of the best performances of his career, but I have not heard another song from him of that caliber. I think “Today” is a step in the right direction. After an artist gets to a certain age in their career and life, I like to hear a more adult sound. Why can’t more artists follow the George Strait footprint and realize that all that matters is a great song and a winning performance. Brad is never going to be played on pop radio, so why have a song with Timbaland? I am all for singers stretching out, but I would rather hear a song by Lori McKenna (look what “Humble and Kind” did for Time McGraw) instead of a pop-leaning producer/writer.
April 17, 2017 @ 12:59 pm
That’s good stuff. Paisley, when he’s right, is high quality.
April 17, 2017 @ 1:03 pm
“notoriously bad tone”
Wut?
“the poem carries a sweetness reserved exclusively for old lovers”
Sad, if true.
“Today’s irony-filled and self-centered perspective could never compose such a thing, and if it did, it would be laughed off as saccharine pap that’s too direct to be potent.”
I see it a little differently. Irony and self-centeredness are often ways people try to defend themselves. They’re barriers people throw up in order to keep other people at bay. They almost always indicate some kind of fear. The love of Johnny for June was one of the greatest love stories of the twentieth century, and Johnny was up front about it. If people have a problem with that? They don’t just have a problem with Cash, they have a problem with love.
That said, I think Brad overplays on this song, and the Cash overdubs are a mistake because they make it real clear the gulf between Brad’s still-youthful enthusiasm and Johnny’s deep profundity. Brad’s best recent moment is “When I Get Where I’m Going,” because when he sings about his grampa, he’s singing from where he *is,* not from some position he merely admires. So in that song at least, he sings from a position of strength.
In the end, why not just let Brad just be who he is. He’s a John Mayer type: suburban kid, great guitar player, clever, likeable guy — but someone who is still looking up to his heroes just a little too much to become an American Icon himself. He has written some damn fine songs, though. My money though is on “Behind the Clouds.” That song doesn’t seem to have been written by anybody in particular: it has an inevitability that makes it seem it was just waiting there to be discovered.
April 17, 2017 @ 3:28 pm
His ticket to the hall is already stamped folks. Mark my words on that. He string of No. 1 in the first decade of this century secured that.
He’s a guy who has a hand in writing most of his stuff. When he’s good, he’s great. When he’s bad, he’s still better than 75 percent of the mainstream.
April 17, 2017 @ 3:37 pm
As for his eventual HOF induction, I think that’s gonna happen. He put out great songs in his career, he had great commercial success (#1 singles, platinum albums, Grammys, CMAs, ACMs) and he’s well respected for his guitar playing and his often witty and unique songwriting.
At some point the HOF will have to induct some late 90’s/early 00s stars, and Brad will be one of the first to go in, just like Alan Jackson was for the late 80’s/early 90’s generation.
They’ll probably induct Brooks and Dunn and Tim McGraw before him.
April 17, 2017 @ 5:02 pm
“Love And War” will be released on my birthday, so it had better be good!
April 17, 2017 @ 5:42 pm
Brad has always been one of the good guys, despite some missteps.
April 17, 2017 @ 6:09 pm
At least compared to his peers on the radio, I find Paisley’s stuff to be among the “most country” or organic sounding. If it were 2005, it wouldn’t stand out to me probably, but it’s refreshing compared to Thomas Rhett and others. I think Brad should look to what Tim McGraw has done with his last few albums as an example of how to gracefully take a half-step out of the spotlight while keeping quality up.
April 17, 2017 @ 6:18 pm
“Notoriously bad tone” perked my ears up as well. I’ve always liked his tone.
April 17, 2017 @ 6:22 pm
I don’t think you can turn the deeper feelings needed for good music on and off.
Generally speaking these days, either you’re trying to do something deeper than selling tunes and make hits, or you’re not.
This rendition of the song is ok, but really, it’s ho hum, compared to most of the music featured at SCM.
April 17, 2017 @ 9:49 pm
If I had never heard brad paisley when I was flipping through the radio, I don’t think I would be listening to country music today. I bought all his cds and through brad paisley I found George Jones and through Jones I found Hank. He was like the gateway country drug. Now I can’t stop listening to Jones and hank.
April 17, 2017 @ 10:22 pm
I love Cash and don’t dislike Paisley (but I don’t buy his stuff either) but this song is unfortunately unremarkable despite the interesting concept.
April 18, 2017 @ 5:18 am
Paisley “The Great Pretender” fraud!
April 18, 2017 @ 6:20 am
To me Paisley’s legacy will be that he’s a likable guy and one of the great guitarists we’ve seen but ran out of new ideas relatively quickly and got stuck in a rut of doing the same things over and over. He’s going to be a hall of famer but won’t be thought of as quite reaching the very top tier with George Strait and Alan Jackson.
April 18, 2017 @ 6:40 am
I have always thought of him as a B level talent. He’s not a great singer, his guitar tone is bad and his playing is like the country equivalent to ’80s glam/hair metal jacking off with way too many notes. “When I get Where I’m Going” is an excellent song written by someone else. I just never got Brad’s vanilla music. I think it’s wrong of Cash’s son to be giving out these poems. There are more songs written to Johnny’s poems coming.
April 18, 2017 @ 9:30 am
Brad Paisley’s a badass.
One of the greatest living guitar players in any genre.
The guy could hang with Eddie VH,no problem.
And for the most part when not exploring other styles of music, is still pretty much rooted in his neotraditional sound.
As for not having a real hit since 2011…10 top forty singles in the last 5 years with a few in the top ten is not too shabby.
While not setting the world on fire, I view him as one of country musics more dependable artists.
Like your local pizza joint…sometimes it’s great…,sometimes it’s just okay.
But it’s rarely ever bad.
April 18, 2017 @ 9:48 am
Paisley’s always been one of those guys that never released his best stuff as a single. Typically his love songs are second to none; New Favorite Memory from This is Country Music comes to mind, or Oh Yeah, You’re Gone from American Saturday Night.
April 20, 2017 @ 2:49 pm
Those are 2 great songs. His love songs are right on most of the time.
April 18, 2017 @ 10:31 am
Sure Brad has had some bad songs along the way but I’ve always been a fan. Good song, and maybe I’m tone deaf but his voice sounds pretty good to me
April 18, 2017 @ 12:32 pm
i’ve been a big fan of brad’s for a while but every album since this is country music has been a bit of a letdown, wheelhouse had its moments but it was a mess while moonshine in the trunk was just bad but the last 2 tracks i’ve heard from love and war feel like a bit of a return to form for me at least.
last time for everything (which was co-written by mike ryan) has a nostalgic feel but at the same time feels refreshing and should have no problem finding a place at radio and gold all over the ground is i would say his best album cut since a man don’t have to die (still furious that was never a single) from this is country music and the music sounds like brad when he was just getting started, it would have fit just as well on his first album who needs pictures as it does on this one
April 18, 2017 @ 3:46 pm
Notoriously bad tone?
April 19, 2017 @ 11:00 am
Personally, this song is wonderful. I think the poetic genius of Cash brings me back to it, again and again. I would however stress that that is what makes this song good for me. There is no doubt that Brad performs in wonderfully, aranged it wonderfully. But it can’t just be me who thinks George strait would do a hell of a job if he sang it. On brad, though, if he makes it to the hall of fame, good on him, but unless he starts to churn out some memberable, classic tunes between now and the end of his career, there is no way he can be mentioned in the same sentence as Possum, Willie or Merle. Forget about awards, album sales, we all know that doesn’t equate to a lot when we strip away the bullshit. I think he tried too hard to be contemporary. And with that he lost a lot of what drew me to him in the first place with songs like ‘we danced’ ‘then’ and of course the excellent ‘whiskey lullaby’. I’m sure he’s a good guy, as many have pointed out, (they must know him personally), but not a legend, never will be. When we look back in 40 years and someone says, do you remember brad Paisley? I’ll say damn, Whiskey lullaby was something wasn’t it? and then… what else?
April 20, 2017 @ 7:40 am
Brad’s turning point was his marriage to Kimberly Williams. After that, he went a little “Hollywood” and let those influences move him further away from traditional country. You could see him struggling to earn his liberal bona fides with some of the references and messages in his songs, and it just seemed awkward.
I would love to see Brad and Carrie Underwood record a few traditional country duets, with old-school production. They are two country artists who I feel have really let the genre down with their career directions, despite their respect for its roots.
April 24, 2017 @ 2:52 pm
One assumes Brad knows Mick Jagger is a satanist; that’s no secret to us old enough to remember the 1960s and 70s. What in the wide world is Brad doing, inviting a satanist into his home and onto his CD?
April 21, 2017 @ 2:48 pm
I hope someone does this song and it doesn’t sound like a shitty radio songs. These words deserve much better.
April 21, 2017 @ 6:04 pm
Don’t judge the Timbaland tracks too quick like I did, while I have always hated the hip hop country mixing, these two tracks are not over done like the rest, I couldn’t name you any other timbaland produced song, however, these too don’t sound R&B at all, as a bluegrass guy, I think they did it right. That being said, I am a fan of the album as a whole.
August 4, 2018 @ 10:02 am
Definitely one of my favorite tracks from Love And War. Beautiful lyrics, performance, and production.