“Tailgate” is RaeLynn Heading in the Wrong Direction
What we need in country music is more gender equality dammit. It is sexist that only bros have been able to reap the rewards of Bro-Country over the last half decade. We’re all tired of the men of country objectifying women. After all, it’s 2018. And so it’s about damn time that the women of country music were given the same equal opportunity as the men to objectify themselves in songs with lyrics about tailgates and dirt roads that drop the names of domestic-made full size pickup trucks.
Let’s give Raelynn credit for her leadership and bravery here. Why outsource for some hussies in daisy dukes to dance in the bed of a pickup truck in a music video and clank red solo cups around a bonfire on a backroad when you can do it yourself while singing lines like, “Slippin’ off clothes, and nobody knows…”
Written by none other than Bro-Country Godfather Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line, along with mainstream country also-ran Canaan Smith, and Cory Crowder, “Tailgate” is about as terrible as you conceive simply from seeing the title, and should be put in the pantheon of songs like Maggie Rose’s “Girl In You Truck Song” for slavish and naked attempts to exploit the Bro-Country trend by a woman. Unfortunately for Maggie Rose, that song skidded off in the ditch, and unfortunately for Raelynn, the sway of Bro-Country upon the pliable mind of mainstream country music fan has long since come and gone.
The biased embeds in mainstream country media will all talk about “empowerment” when it comes to this song (like they do about every song from a woman), and how it breaks down boundaries because it features a women speaking about her own sexuality. And rest assured if you show any concern for this song, it will be cast off as you demeaning women. But trust me, the only reason a woman is singing this song is because when Tyler Hubbard wanted to record it for Florida Georgia Line, the label heads said, “Eh, not the right environment right now.” But from a woman’s perspective, the #MeToo implications are insulated. Leave it to Music Row to not let a bad song go to waste.
It’s not even that the premise of “Tailgate” is terrible on the surface, or that the song doesn’t have a small element of wit to it, or even that the nostalgia factor won’t score some points with certain people. But yikes, “Tailgate” is so transparently throwing a Hail Mary for radio play here, you almost feel embarrassed for Raelynn. Yes, it would be great to see even a semblance of gender balance return to the country radio dial, but not by trying to beat the bros at their own game, and while someone like Tyler Hubbard who got us into this mess in the first place is pocketing mailbox money from it via songwriting credits.
Raelynn is far from the worst the mainstream has to offer, but this song (and video) is by far the worst offering from her career. Quit trying to court the mainstream with a strategy that won’t be effective anyway. Sing your songs, in your style, like “Love Triangle,” which did surprisingly well for an under-the-radar artist singing about serious, heady subject matter. Showcase what makes you different, better, and more special than the bros instead of stooping to their level. Secure your own fan base by delivering substance as opposed to reaching for radio superstardom. Otherwise you might end up just being another girl in daisy dukes dancing on a tailgate, as opposed to singing your own song with the audience starring you straight in the eyes.
Don’t join ’em, beat ’em.
October 11, 2018 @ 10:43 am
I was disappointed with the amount of pop influence on her debut, and this definitely doesn’t sound a course correction. I cringed at the shots of her dancing in the truck bed. She’s capable of so much better than this.
October 11, 2018 @ 10:51 am
This sucks. Her ghetto gyrating and annunciation (lack of) is typical and revolting.
October 15, 2018 @ 8:38 am
I’m confused–what did she fail to announce?
October 15, 2018 @ 8:41 am
[sic]
October 11, 2018 @ 10:55 am
I agree she is capable of better but to use the word cringe to describe any shot of her. I can’t agree with you there.
October 11, 2018 @ 3:34 pm
This song and video are the epitome of cringe.
October 11, 2018 @ 10:58 am
Sad. 🙁
October 11, 2018 @ 11:03 am
In theory, I completely agree with you. I, too, think that RaeLynn has more to say than this. But I also feel like in the realm of pop-country, I’m pleased that this is at least GOOD pop country. It has a real hook, a real vibe, and real catchiness. (I do think the FGL guys have a knack for melody.) And something about the idea that the back of a truck might sentiently share secrets about her covert hook-ups amuses me. It just kind of hits me in a pleasant way that so many radio songs do not.
My least favorite part about the fusion of pop and country has been this lifeless, midtempo, horrible sound composed of electronic snap tracks and the same sad electric guitar riff that’s been propagated by the likes of Dustin Lynch and Jason Aldean for years. It’s zombie music. Something about the drum kit and piano in ‘Tailgate’ at least makes this feel a bit more alive. And while her voice will always polarize, I think her delivery is great here.
I dunno, I just kinda like it!
P.S. I heard ‘Ramble’ by Chris Hennessee the other day and thought I’d discovered something new. And of course you had already covered it months ago. Thanks for all your perspectives! This one included.
October 11, 2018 @ 12:00 pm
Abysmal.
I wonder what kind of books Tyler Hubbard reads.
October 11, 2018 @ 6:31 pm
I’m pretty sure his favorite book is “Everybody poops” but he might read “Fifty Shades of Gray”
October 11, 2018 @ 12:22 pm
Always respect your opinion Grady.
I agree, Tyler Hubbard is sinister as a melody writer, and as much as people want to shake their fists at “Cruise,” this attribute was the reason the song resonated so resoundingly among pop country fans. I also agree that the “hook” of “Tailgate” is effective, and gave it credit in the review. But everything else is so poorly done, and it’s so transparent that they didn’t want a guy releasing this song and RaeLynn stepped up to the plate, I felt like this needed to be addressed not just due to the poor quality of the song, but the implications of how and why it was being released.
October 12, 2018 @ 3:21 am
Why is hook in quotes, as if that’s not a monster hook? And the WHOLE SONG is the hook, so what was so poorly done other than the hook? The 3 second intro? I love it when you write 6 paragraphs about a harmless pop song on the radio. It’s truly the funniest thing.
October 11, 2018 @ 11:12 am
I think the real question is was RaeLynn ever heading in the right direction? I really don’t like her voice. It’s just flat out obnoxious. No nice way to say it. As for the song…yikes. Then again, what do I expect from someone who was coached by Blake Shelton. ????
October 11, 2018 @ 11:19 am
She’s playing here tomorrow night and Whitey is playing Saturday night. Guess who I’m going to see?…….Go on guess. 🙂
October 11, 2018 @ 2:23 pm
I would hope to God it’s Whitey. Hell, I’m a female and the most enjoyment I’ve gotten from RaeLynn’s music is really liking “Love Triangle”. Solid song. I’m all for more women on mainstream country radio, but I’d like to see more like Ashley Monroe, Kacey Musgraves, Miranda, Carrie, Maddie and Tae, and Runaway June, and less Disney-fied music like RaeLynn.
October 11, 2018 @ 5:34 pm
Of course I’m going to see Whitey but to be honest if I wasn’t working early Saturday morning I’d mosey on over to Joe’s Live (which is like “Cheers” to me) to see her for the hell of it. I go see everyone and anyone there, I don’t discriminate unless there’s something better somewhere else.
October 11, 2018 @ 11:34 am
“Tail gate don’t tell on me.” The song is awful, but the Country Music Illuminati has revealed itself. Songwriters, go out to your vehicle and observe how many unique parts are on it. Go to Synonyms.com. Now write me song!
October 11, 2018 @ 11:48 am
Garbage.
October 11, 2018 @ 12:35 pm
yikes…..I don’t know what to think of this. the 18 year old kid inside of me wouldn’t kick her out of my truck for putting her feet on the dashboard, but the current me wants to slap the taste our of her mouth for making such a stupid song and video. #conflicted
October 11, 2018 @ 12:42 pm
Asking either dork from FGL to write a song that doesn’t include a tailgate or some allusion TO a tailgate is like asking the sun not shine in August. It is impossible.
I will be so glad to see this bro-country bullshit lingo infused nonsense over and done with.
October 11, 2018 @ 1:15 pm
Well, it’s their own faults when they put out trash like this. They are digging their own hole. Don’t feel sorry a bit for them.
October 11, 2018 @ 1:26 pm
When it comes to making a quick buck, these modern so-called “artists” suspend all integrity or what little they have. Not just in so-called “country music” but all music genres. This is the absolute worst period in music history.
October 11, 2018 @ 1:55 pm
We’ve seen Raelyn twice – surely that’s not her in the video? She’s tall and thin with long dark hair. She put on a great show both times I thought. That is an awful song but I guess a girl’s gotta make a living.
October 11, 2018 @ 2:21 pm
When I was a teen in the 60’s it took time and effort to find good recorded roots music of any genre. With all the tools available now that makes virtually all recorded music from the 1920’s on, one can access anything from your home online. Can someone explain to me why anyone over 16 years old has a need to listen to this kind of crap. How dumbed down does this stuff have to be to appeal to the masses? Seems like most people consume music like people eat cotton candy. No sustainable nutrition, just a gooey sticky mess that eventually will make you sick to your stomach.
October 11, 2018 @ 2:28 pm
ain’t she like 13?
October 11, 2018 @ 2:32 pm
Sometimes it’s so hard to be a country music fan…
Pretty sure even RaeLynn will find a talent & a path she can follow. Singing is not one of her talents. After watching the video…well…performing in front of a camera is not an option for the future too.
October 11, 2018 @ 3:51 pm
got about a minute in and pretty -much knew why the 1 3/4 guns down …..I shut it off.
sucks ….sucks bad . are things so desperate economically for these ‘ artists ‘ that they need to stoop to these levels periodically ?? I mean it seems that even the ‘good ones’ jump into the bro fray once in a while . Why ? …..it certainly isn’t the mindless songwriting …..
October 11, 2018 @ 5:09 pm
She’s so unremarkable in the first place. It’s hard to see much in women with ashtray voices when there’s music by Janis Joplin out there to be listened to instead
October 11, 2018 @ 6:21 pm
Me: “We need to fix the issue of poor quality before we fix the representation issue”
other people: “we want more women now”
women singers: “release a shitty song”
other people “This isn’t what we meant”
me: “We should have fixed the quality issue first”
other people “more women now”
As for me and my house, I don’t really care what twenty-some-odd year old women want to sing about, because none if it relates to me.
October 11, 2018 @ 6:35 pm
Fuzzy TwoShirts,
An excellent post. Nothing to add.
October 11, 2018 @ 8:05 pm
Why review this song now? It’s been out for months.
As poppy as her debut album was, she definitely showed potential. This on the other hand is just bad. It’s really a shame.
October 11, 2018 @ 8:23 pm
The video was just released for it. Had been wanting to review it even before. I can’t review every song, but I like to select ones that allow a deeper discussion on current trends in mainstream music. This one makes a good test case.
October 12, 2018 @ 3:18 am
I dunno, i thought it was a fun song.
Ya’ll are so serious.
Lighten up and crack open a bud lite lime from time to time.
Oh, shit, did i just write another country hit? Probably.
October 12, 2018 @ 9:27 am
Shitty beer with a shitty song? Sounds like a GREAT time…
October 12, 2018 @ 10:46 am
It’s like the occasional hot dog. They’re gross but, somehow, we endure.
October 13, 2018 @ 7:33 am
key word is ‘occasional’, BB . If this kinda mainstream stuff WAS occasional it could slip under the radar….but damn …every one of these crappy nursery rhymes means that much less exposure for something far more worthy .
This song is just really bad .
October 12, 2018 @ 6:51 am
A song about tailgates? This just…might…work:
https://www.lyrics.com/lyrics/tailgate
October 12, 2018 @ 7:57 am
It’s just a fun, non serious pop country tune. everyone is so damn serious and hung up on the statement a song makes or a woman singing a “bro” country song. Two things: 1) quit being so damn serious and offended by a damn song or the fact that she’s dancing in the back of a pick up. If she doesn’t care about portraying herself in the vision you want to see women in country then just shut the #%^& up. 2) Let’s put the rest this dumbass “bro country” term all the pretentious music “experts” and reviewers use. It’s pop country songs and the way you snobs get so bent out of shape about it is ridiculous. There’s plenty of room for all types of country music and guess what…male country artists have been writing about whiskey, beer, trucks, women and partying for 50 years. You hate on Luke, Blake, Aldean, Kenny, etc… for singing about these topics because you’re a snob. It’s good to have variety in this genre. You just come across as an angry, snob reviewer who can’t accept other people’s taste in music.
October 12, 2018 @ 9:59 am
I kind of like Kenny’s new album…
October 12, 2018 @ 11:42 am
I was wondering when we’d get a butt-hurt fan comment. What kept you?
Variety is good… but not when it keeps legitimately country music out of the equation. You’re correct that country music has always taken cues from pop and that country music has always had partying songs. However, it’s never gotten to the point where virtually every song had so much pop or rock influence that it could no longer be recognized as country by someone with any knowledge of the genre. It’s not “variety” when every other song is tailgates/beer/cutoff jeans and every other song is EDM/rap infused (or a combination of the two). Luckily things are improving as far as true variety goes and this RaeLynn single will likely bomb the same way “Girl in Your Truck Song” did.
And by the way, no one’s pointing a gun at your head forcing you to read this website. Trigger has a right to his opinion as much as you have a right to yours.
October 13, 2018 @ 7:41 am
I’m totally fine with folks like Jim ( pop country fans ) visiting here and voicing an opinion because it gives REAL country fans yet another opportunity to reply as you did Chris and , perhaps , drive home those great points . Its not about slamming music so much as its about slamming music that CLAIMS to be country while the mainstream media ignores ACTUAL country . If ONE of those pop-country fans ‘gets it’ , mission accomplished …..no ? And also …..some of these pop-centric ‘country’ songs really are just terrible songs .This is one of them …….
October 13, 2018 @ 8:32 am
All I’m saying is there is room for both. I like a lot of old school country and I like singer/songwriter stuff as well as some of the more poppy tunes that come across every once in a while. I’m just annoyed with people who dismiss some of the poppy stuff as crap and not country. Country music is not just the sound but the attitude, lifestyle and lyrics. The term Bro Country annoys me that’s all. Who are you or Trigger or anyone to say EXACTLY what is or isn’t country. I firmly believe Chris Stapleton and Kacey and Blake are 100% country and it seems that others have a hard time putting them in this genre. Kacey loves old school artists and you can tell by the way she chooses her cover songs as well as the artists who ask her to do duets (Willie, Ronnie Milsap).
October 13, 2018 @ 7:08 am
Jim, seriously. Don’t be that guy. No one likes that guy
October 13, 2018 @ 8:35 am
Mike, What Guy? See my comment back to Albert. I think you are probably misunderstanding my post.
October 12, 2018 @ 8:01 am
Turned the song on and immediately had to shift my attention to something else, while the song played in the background. From that vantage point, it wasn’t too bad. Harmless, catchy, easy listening. Not really country in any meaningful way, but not terrible.
But listening to it a second time, actually paying attention, it was awful. The lyric is total trash. My 5th grader could write a better lyric. The video is everything you’d expect from bro country, except it’s the girl leading the way this time. She has nice legs I guess, but what does that have to do with the music again?
October 12, 2018 @ 8:04 am
Love to see more women with talent in the spotlight! But this…excuse me, where’s the restroom?!….blahhhh!
October 12, 2018 @ 1:45 pm
I don’t get it. If that tail gate ever tells? Huh?
October 13, 2018 @ 7:44 am
yeah …..wtf ?….what label genius thinks this is a song worth recording ?
October 16, 2018 @ 1:50 am
Presumably this will go to #1 on the Country Charts (whatever that signifies) and then it will be forgotten very quickly. Well, hopefully.
August 29, 2019 @ 1:11 pm
I hope RaeLynn gets throat cancer so she stops producing the garbage she calls her “music”.