Song Review – Kenny Chesney’s “Get Along”
Whenever there are major calamities or cultural shifts in America, one question that always arises is how music and entertainment will react. Whether it’s a war, 9/11, the race riots in Los Angeles in the 90’s, or the now nearly historic political polarization of the United States and parts of Europe we’re in the midst of, you can always point back to an important moment, and 9 to 18 months later see the reaction through the songs that surface in popular culture and the sentiments they convey.
The predictions were the Trump era would see the rise of protest songs popping up in popular culture, and we’ve seen some of this bear out in hip-hop and other places, though probably not nearly to the degree some anticipated. Country music has always been one to bear the sentiments of the rural population in times of upheaval, whether it was Merle Haggard giving a voice to the Silent Majority during the late 60’s, or the genre stepping up most prominently after 9/11 with either the sabre rattling for Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue,” or the much more thoughtful and sentimental “Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning” by Alan Jackson.
Now that a year has passed since the American Presidential election, we’re beginning to see the fruits of those polarizing moments and reactions, and not just from a few outlier performers, but from many of country music’s major mainstream stars. As the rest of media and culture seems obsessed with sowing divisions, segmenting people into smaller and smaller groups and then pitting those groups against each other, popular country music is stepping up and attempting to appeal to the greater good in people to ratchet down the polarization in an incredibly divided world.
We’ve seen this recently from Luke Bryan, whose “Most People Are Good” has topped country radio for two weeks now. You can even see this in Texas music with Josh Grider’s “Good People.” And just as important, you can hear it throughout country music. Political sentiments are often polarizing in today’s society, but so are things such as electronic drum beats, and non country instrumentation in what are supposed to be country songs.
Roll your eyes all you want, pass it off as opportunistic fluff, tell yourself it’s only a passing trend, but the simple truth is that in 2018, country music is seeing a dramatic shift from its top tier stars away from electronic production, and back towards towards songs that are much more reminiscent, that carry a positive message of unity and/or acceptance, and are undeniably more country in both instrumentation and approach. Appeal is an entirely other discussion of course, but the shift at this point is undeniable.
The latest evidence of this shifting to a post Bro-Country paradigm is Kenny Chesney’s “Get Along.” Similar to Luke Bryan’s “Most People Are Good,” almost the entirety of Blake Shelton’s recent album Texoma Shore, it is probably the most country-style song Kenny Chesney has released since Obama first took office.
“Get Along” is also decidedly subpar when judging the song on its own merits. It wants to start off with a steady, half-time country beat, but then gets interrupted by unnecessarily busy drums. Everything “Most People Are Good” gets right in its chorus, “Get Along” gets wrong. It veers from universal positivity into “Buy a boat, drink a beer,” pulling it back into the consumer-driven motivations of so much of modern popular country. Acoustic guitar setting the song off, and the banjo are appreciated. But this isn’t enough to pull this song into positive territory.
And make no mistake about it, “Get Along” is answering to a trend. No different than Bro-Country or anything other previous era, country music remains a very copycat business. If something works, like Luke Bryan’s “Most People Are Good,” then everyone else will soon be trying their hand at it. In this instance, it just happens to be that the results of this current trend are more positive than negative in the effort to save country music because it’s pointed in a more organic direction, and serving more thoughtful lyrics.
But also don’t discount the true motivation welling up in the performers and the songwriters who compose these songs. They see the unnecessary division roiling society, and like all artists have done from the beginning of time, they’re attempting to step up and absolve people of their anger and fears, and push society in a better direction.
Of course for the forces who seek to benefit from the division of modern culture, these efforts will be seen as a belligerent act, cast off as objectionably sentimental, and crass in their own right by attempting to gloss over the serious issues and searing anger plaguing society. But all great art, just like all great leaders, seek to unite people. Kenny Chesney’s “Get Along” is far from great art, and it’s message may not be useful for anything more than passing entertainment for folks riding home from work. But that doesn’t mean the sentiment won’t still soak in, and ultimately put forth effort to soften hearts hardened by two years of nearly unprecedented societal polarization.
Setting what’s happening in country music at the moment into an historical context, when the 1992 race riots of Los Angeles exposed a racially divided country, performers from across the popular music panorama—from The Beastie Boys to Michael Jackson to Garth Brooks—released songs preaching unity across racial divisions, and sometimes they did so at the expense of commercial aptitude instead of for the benefit of it.
Songs like “Get Along” may not go far in solving society’s problems or to helping to save country music. But they also are not working against these goals. They’re a step in the right direction, and just like the songs say, we shouldn’t let our differences get the better of us, or allow us to not see the bigger picture. Society is changing due to the now institutionalized political division, and country music is changing with it. We may not be happy with what’s happening in our world, but we can be happy with how country music is headed to tackle it.
April 6, 2018 @ 10:57 am
5/10 seems harsh? I love traditional country, but nobody can deny Kenny has some awesome songs. This sounds like 00s Kenny. If this goes #1, it’s a win for country music. I don’t hear anything about tanlines, tailgates, moonshine, etc. Love the guitar and banjo riffs on display. We need more of this.
April 7, 2018 @ 7:04 am
I deny the hell out of any hint of KC awesomeness. If he were touched by the hand of God almighty and his wish for creating the best song he was ever going to be capable of creating was granted, that song would also get a 5 out of 10.
His only above average talent is for separating talent-deaf listeners from their cash.
And why is the banner ad constantly taking the focus away from the comment box?
April 6, 2018 @ 10:59 am
Been some decent singles from the older guys lately (Chesney, Shelton, Aldean, Bryan) as opposed to usual. Not incredible, but decent. Seems to be only the way newer artists that are putting out bad early 2000s pop music as their country singles.. I wonder if that’s intentional.
On a side note it’s a little weird to think of them as the “older guys”, as they’re what I thought of as “new pop country” as a kid.
April 6, 2018 @ 11:03 am
Kenny Chesney is now 50-years-old. He’s been in country music for 25 years. He is eligible for the Hall of Fame. He’s an older guy. It would be better if he started acting his age, and in some respects, that’s exactly what he’s doing with “Get Along.”
April 6, 2018 @ 1:12 pm
Well said. Great review as well Trigger.
April 6, 2018 @ 12:13 pm
Not sure Kenny Chesney is capable of much more than this. It’s a decent sounding, easy listening song, like a whole lot of his stuff. And that’s ok.
But I’ll stick with Sarah Shook for now.
April 6, 2018 @ 12:19 pm
Id take this any day over Most People Are Good. This coming from Kenny Chesney is a lot more believable than Luke Bryan singing anything.
April 6, 2018 @ 3:22 pm
Has there been a more milquetoast unoffensive song than “Most People Are Good”? Honestly, I can’t think of one, the song has fundamentally nothing to say other than everythings going to be alright. It’s almost worse than hiphop bro spoken word Sam Hunt bullshit. It’s a salutary exercise in mental masturbation to moral relativism.
No judgements — all moms are good, all love is good, all relationships are good, all choices are good. (Rather – most, not all) If you judge youre a bigot. Luke doesn’t judge, he just judges the next singles ability to generate shareholder profit for Capitol Records, while flashing his pearly Gary Busey’s and twerking.
Typical strong-armed hammer you to death ethics.
April 6, 2018 @ 12:24 pm
Is this bald beach bum still making music? ugh…
I never understood the appeal of him. This song is blahhhh. Well-intentioned but silly.
He should call it quits.
April 6, 2018 @ 12:33 pm
This would be great to have as the worst song in rotation at the radio
April 6, 2018 @ 12:40 pm
It’s nice to hear a banjo that isn’t digitally looped to death. Not a bad song at all. By the way Trigger, I’d like to take back my statement on an article earlier this week about the yodeling Walmart kid video not being super viral. There’s currently a petition going around my college campus to fly him out here to give a concert, it has nearly 600 signatures already. Little dude is crossing multiple generations.
April 6, 2018 @ 12:57 pm
“Lovesick Blues” is also on the uptrend on all the streaming services as well. I agree some of it is to make fun of it, which happens to all viral situations. But there is some real appeal going on here.
April 6, 2018 @ 12:50 pm
Not the biggest Kenny fan but I do like the message.
April 6, 2018 @ 12:56 pm
Awful. 1 out of 4 corncobs. Stringy, underdone, yet shoved in your face.
April 6, 2018 @ 12:58 pm
Up until his last album, at least Kenny Chesney was still releasing songs that sounded somewhat country in the 2010s like You And Tequila, Wild Child, and Boys Of Fall, all of which I really like. This is a decent song, and I think Kenny Chesney is definitely capable of being a force for good if he tries. His work in the late 90s and early 2000s had a lot of gems, and I’d love to see him get back to that. He was a master at melancholy and nostalgia.
April 6, 2018 @ 1:11 pm
Chesney delivers as long as, and when, you don’t expect that much from him.
April 10, 2018 @ 8:02 am
Agreed. In my opinion, Kenny has never been one of the terrible offenders in country music. Nothing like Sam Hunt, Fla/Ga Line, or Kane Smith. Is he groundbreaking? Nah, but nothing awful either and some songs are pretty good for their purpose.
April 6, 2018 @ 1:20 pm
Passable i guess.
However his best song Jones is the one that makes that great.
April 6, 2018 @ 1:37 pm
Honestly? For me, 5/10 is being generous. I don’t think this song rises above 2/10 or 3/10. It’s completely forgettable and whatever message it’s trying to provide, really doesn’t hit home or say all that much. I mean, when music is done right it can (and does) have a positive social impact. This is just a lazy way of attempting to address today’s political polarization. “Hey, let’s have a beer and everything we disagree about will melt away” is lazy songwriting and feels like an idea concocted by some Wall Street advertising executive trying to appeal to the Midwest. Blah. This is as lame as the countless Budweiser and Chevy Silverado ads that pretend to give a crap about Farmers, Construction Workers, or blue-collar laborers in a pathetic attempt to sell them watered down, flavorless beer and a truck they can’t afford.
April 7, 2018 @ 5:55 am
Agree, Mike. To me it comes across as shut up, get along and move on. I hear that all the time from my redneck brothers.
April 6, 2018 @ 1:57 pm
Kenny is a fake artist. He doesn’t want us to get along. He wants us divided so he can continue to release nonsense like this and laugh to the bank. The song is trash… so it’s pretty much guaranteed to go #1.
April 6, 2018 @ 2:20 pm
Yeah, sorry, I’m no Kenny Chesney fan and I really don’t care for this song….but come on. Kenny Chesney could care less if America is divided or not, as long he they keep giving him Stadium gigs and he can keep hanging out on his boat in the Caribbean he’s good. He’s releasing this because this is exactly the type of song Kenny Chesney has put out throughout his career. Completely forgettable, but it will do well with his fan’s and can be easily packaged as part of a beer or truck commercial. If America was one big love fest, Kenny would be releasing pretty much the exact same song he has released over the last 15-20 years anyway.
April 6, 2018 @ 2:18 pm
it’s country-sounding …musically .
it actually features trad instruments .
its not rappy phrasing -wise …
its a nice country groove …..
it fades out ( a lost feature of songs in general ..so a bit of a retro-thing there ) .
lyrically and melodically its sooooo cliche and soooooo boring . a list song ….with a nice upbeat sentiment….but a list song …here today , gone today ……..
April 6, 2018 @ 2:34 pm
I am glad Kenny has graduated from next-gen Jimmy Buffett to say something…different in a song. I have heard it a few times today. I think the new song could be a change in the right direction. I do not want to hear a 50-year-old singing about “bare feet on the dashboard.”
April 6, 2018 @ 2:47 pm
Your typical Kenny song. Watered down to shit and very forgettable.
April 6, 2018 @ 3:23 pm
why are these koombaya songs used as a sign of maturing? isnt it the college kids that smoke dope and say ‘cant we all get along mannnn’. a 50 year old writing a song about getting along with everyone? I thought growing up was realizing the world doesnt work that way. weird drinking and smoking all day at the beach songs from kenney cheesey,
April 6, 2018 @ 8:07 pm
I thank its good
April 6, 2018 @ 9:36 pm
Run along Cheeseknee.
April 6, 2018 @ 9:45 pm
Probably his most country song instrumentally since “Save It For A Rainy Day”. The lyrics are harmless at the worst and the song sounds country. Kudos for moving in the right direction Kenny Chesney. Again another mainstream artist with a solid single to the radio. Country singers sounding country. What is this world coming to? I give it a 6/10.
April 7, 2018 @ 7:22 am
Not a great song but still more country than Sam Hunt.
April 7, 2018 @ 8:19 am
Is Sam Hunt the new plumb line for assessing countryness?
April 7, 2018 @ 4:52 pm
Judging a song in comparison to Sam Hunt is a race to the bottom. I get the state of Country radio is depressing and terrible, but if the line for what is Country or “good” is Sam Hunt, everyone loses. It’s like someone in Alabama or Mississippi saying “well, we rank 48th and 49th in national livability/economic strength indexes, but at least we ain’t Louisiana (which this past year ranked 50th)”.
April 8, 2018 @ 6:38 am
Lighten up….it was a joke.
April 8, 2018 @ 2:23 pm
I will never again trust or listen to Kenny Chesney after “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright”
April 8, 2018 @ 5:27 pm
“We’ve seen this recently from Luke Bryan, whose “Most People Are Good” has topped country radio for two weeks now. You can even see this in Texas music with Josh Grider’s “Good People.” And just as important, you can hear it throughout country music.”
lmao!
April 8, 2018 @ 6:03 pm
It’s a bit of a sly choice of words that the writers of this song decided to build it around.
“Can’t we all just get along?” was a line that Rodney King said in front of TV cameras following the L.A. riots of 1992, which came on the heels of the acquittal of police officers of the beating of King during an arrest following a car chase.
After that, the phrase “Can’t we all just get along?” was frequently used, in a mocking manner, by conservatives, who believed that Rodney King–with his long rap sheet and resisting arrest–was hardly a fit symbol or spokesman for racial understanding, peace, what-have-you.
It’s sort of funny that Shane McNally and his co-writers chose to resurrect that “Get Along” phrase–absent the snark that has usually accompanied it.
April 9, 2018 @ 5:59 am
Hallmark country isn’t any better than bro-country. Tell me a story and let me arrive at my own conclusions.
April 9, 2018 @ 7:49 am
This isn’t a surprising message coming from a country music song, but it’s inherently flawed. You can’t “get along” with people who think you or your loved ones inherently deserve fewer rights than you do. It’d be easier to get along if people lived and let live, but often the ones telling us to “get along” are the ones who want to legislate other people’s personal decisions. So, it the message doesn’t work.
April 9, 2018 @ 8:19 am
I don’t know that we know how Kenny Chesney thinks about politics, or even tolerance. The one you portray is the stereotype. That’s probably the same stereotype one might portray of Luke Bryan, who proved something different when he released “Most People Are Good.” Maybe you’re right, but I’m not sure we can assume anything.
April 9, 2018 @ 9:47 am
I like the song. Especially when I am thinking about the sh*t he released the last 8 years. I am hoping he will find his way home where he belongs.
May 19, 2018 @ 6:59 am
Isn’t it interesting that Willie Nelson’s producer and Kenny Chesney’s producer are the same guy?
I know I’m a little late to the party lol I just got sucked down the glorious rabbit hole of savingcountrymusic.com
July 30, 2018 @ 4:26 pm
Sorry for the 3 month old response but I just heard this song and wanted to see if Trigger or anybody touched on the second verse of this song. Nobody did. It has absolutely nothing to do with the rest of the song. It is so random and judgmental I felt the need to look up the review of this song. Everybody get along, except for the phone sex girl, she must be put down even though all that is known of her is a picture on a billboard. I give the song 0/10.
August 2, 2018 @ 9:06 am
This “song” is boring. Monotone , strung-along repetitive phrases that sound like he maybe have spent 6 minutes at the max writing it for a quick buck. The whole Kenney Chesney barefoot beach bum, Bermuda shorts, and cowboy hat too big for his head image thing is played out..
August 19, 2018 @ 3:52 pm
Am I the only one who notices that in the video “Get Along”, which is about inclusion, there are little if no people of color. There are a plethora of white-skinned blondes. Though I thought the song was fun, it is not about inclusion. You can’t have inclusion, without well, including….!
August 19, 2018 @ 8:03 pm
It was taken at a Kenny Chesney concert, so the video is as inclusive as Kenny Chesney’s fan base.
February 23, 2023 @ 5:32 pm
What a stupid song, This is worse than acky breaky heart.