Single Review: ‘1994’ – Jason Aldean
12 years ago Liv Carter 4
Songwriters: Barry Dean, Luke Laird, Thomas Rhett
Jason Aldean kicked off his Night Train Tour this week and released his new single, ‘1994,’ to radio. I wouldn’t want to underestimate the depths future releases might sink to, but this must be a contender for dumbest radio single in 2013.
Before I break out the artillery, I must make one important point. Having gained a little bit of insight into Music Row songwriting, I don’t want to point the finger of blame too hard at the song’s writers. They have the right to goof around and write silly songs. If I may paraphrase Voltaire, I may not like what they have written, but I will defend their right to write it.
And the song does have some clever ways of working in Joe Diffie references and some cute lines. I am totally stealing ‘let me put a little shimmer in your atmosphere’ for next time I need to help cheer someone up. Silliness at that level can bring a smile to your face.
A not significant number of Thomas Rhett fans are commenting that he does this better, and I agree. I still don’t like the song, but Rhett clearly has fun with this, which is necessary if you’re going to pull off lines like this:
‘Baby, if you’re looking for a good time
Let me take you to the C-O-U-N-T-R-Y
Now baby let’s go, holler if you’re with me
Hey Joe, come on and teach us how to Diffie’
The need to have fun is a point this self-serious rendition misses so hard, it is in danger of sounding like an intentional parody of the country-rap subgenre. While the premise of the song is a good idea, it is largely left unexplored in favor of easy phrases and clichés. If meant as a nostalgia trip to 1994, why not include references to things other than Diffie songs?
With the momentum Aldean has at radio, this is no doubt set for a decent chart run after ‘1994’ impacts radio on March 11, 2013.
Liv Carter
She holds several certificates from Berklee College of Music, and a certificate in Positive Psychology from UC Berkeley.
Her main influences are coffee, cats, and Alexander Hamilton.
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