Chris Cagle - My Life’s Been a Country Song
By: Brianna Nightingale, Staff Journalist - 2/27/08
After just breaking up with your boyfriend or girlfriend, you’re driving home. You turn on the radio and your favorite love song is not even halfway finished. After the initial distress, you grab Chris Cagle’s new album, My Life’s Been a Country Song,and you put on track number two, “No Love Songs.” Instantly, the weight rises off your shoulders as you feel your heart begin to heal.
My Life’s Been a Country Song is a great collection of mid to up-tempo songs that all clearly mean a lot to Cagle. After all, he did give over 4,000 songs a chance to be on this album before deciding these definitive tracks. His passion and energy radiate throughout his song choices, bringing out the emotion that he feels in each song, which is exactly what an artist must do to create an album as outstanding as this one.
“This album is a snapshot of my life at this time,” Cagle said. “There are feelings in this record that you’ll ‘hear’ – feelings I have felt in my life through the process of living it.”
Many new musicians as well as the veterans from other Cagle albums helped put this compilation together, creating the sound we associate with this gifted singer.
The album starts out with “What Kinda Gone,” the first extremely catchy single that is currently out on the radio. This song, written by three talented songwriters, one who co-wrote Keith Urban's "Stupid Boy” and Rodney Atkins' "If You're Going Through Hell,” has spent more than four weeks on Billboard’s Top 100 at the time of this writing.
Cagle believes that “It’s Good To Be Back” will be a great show opener thanks to its attention-grabbing lyrics and instrumentals. This is the typical sound we are used to hearing from Cagle. Think back to the video of skateboarders circling Cagle while he belted out “Chicks Dig It;” it certainly fits his image. “Little Sundress,” co-written by Rhett Akins and Dallas Davidson, is also along the lines of the up-tempo songs we associate with Cagle.
“My Life’s Been a Country Song,” the title track, is an easy going tune that veraciously sums up a textbook country life. “It’s a song that makes me reflect on how I grew up and makes me wonder how I will be looked upon after I die,” Cagle said. Everything about this tune has the potential to make it to country radio and stay there for weeks.
“Now I know how Merle Haggard felt when he sang the words “Mama Tried” / And I’ve lived those teenage Friday nights, “the pyramid of cans in the pale moonlight” / And that summer Becky broke my heart, Alabama sang “Old Flame” burnin’ / I’ve danced to George Straigt, drank to George Jones / My life’s been a country song”
The seductive “If It Isn’t One Thing” and nostalgic “Keep Me From Loving You” are two great songs about love and memories. Cagle passionately sings “No turnin’, no runnin’, nobody, no nothing’s going to Keep Me From Loving You.’”
The lyrics in the last song, “Change Me,” reach desperately for help in the midst of beautiful imagery. It’s included on the album with the intention of creating the inspiration to love another not only for the listeners but also for Cagle.
As far as the break-up songs go, after listening to “No Love Songs” and “Never Ever Gone,” finish the healing process with “My Heart Move On.” This one is supposed to offer closure. If that doesn’t work, though, go to “I Don’t Wanna Live” and try the relationship one more time.
After just breaking up with your boyfriend or girlfriend, you’re driving home. You turn on the radio and your favorite love song is not even halfway finished. After the initial distress, you grab Chris Cagle’s new album, My Life’s Been a Country Song,and you put on track number two, “No Love Songs.” Instantly, the weight rises off your shoulders as you feel your heart begin to heal.
My Life’s Been a Country Song is a great collection of mid to up-tempo songs that all clearly mean a lot to Cagle. After all, he did give over 4,000 songs a chance to be on this album before deciding these definitive tracks. His passion and energy radiate throughout his song choices, bringing out the emotion that he feels in each song, which is exactly what an artist must do to create an album as outstanding as this one.
“This album is a snapshot of my life at this time,” Cagle said. “There are feelings in this record that you’ll ‘hear’ – feelings I have felt in my life through the process of living it.”
Many new musicians as well as the veterans from other Cagle albums helped put this compilation together, creating the sound we associate with this gifted singer.
The album starts out with “What Kinda Gone,” the first extremely catchy single that is currently out on the radio. This song, written by three talented songwriters, one who co-wrote Keith Urban's "Stupid Boy” and Rodney Atkins' "If You're Going Through Hell,” has spent more than four weeks on Billboard’s Top 100 at the time of this writing.
Cagle believes that “It’s Good To Be Back” will be a great show opener thanks to its attention-grabbing lyrics and instrumentals. This is the typical sound we are used to hearing from Cagle. Think back to the video of skateboarders circling Cagle while he belted out “Chicks Dig It;” it certainly fits his image. “Little Sundress,” co-written by Rhett Akins and Dallas Davidson, is also along the lines of the up-tempo songs we associate with Cagle.
“My Life’s Been a Country Song,” the title track, is an easy going tune that veraciously sums up a textbook country life. “It’s a song that makes me reflect on how I grew up and makes me wonder how I will be looked upon after I die,” Cagle said. Everything about this tune has the potential to make it to country radio and stay there for weeks.
“Now I know how Merle Haggard felt when he sang the words “Mama Tried” / And I’ve lived those teenage Friday nights, “the pyramid of cans in the pale moonlight” / And that summer Becky broke my heart, Alabama sang “Old Flame” burnin’ / I’ve danced to George Straigt, drank to George Jones / My life’s been a country song”
The seductive “If It Isn’t One Thing” and nostalgic “Keep Me From Loving You” are two great songs about love and memories. Cagle passionately sings “No turnin’, no runnin’, nobody, no nothing’s going to Keep Me From Loving You.’”
The lyrics in the last song, “Change Me,” reach desperately for help in the midst of beautiful imagery. It’s included on the album with the intention of creating the inspiration to love another not only for the listeners but also for Cagle.
As far as the break-up songs go, after listening to “No Love Songs” and “Never Ever Gone,” finish the healing process with “My Heart Move On.” This one is supposed to offer closure. If that doesn’t work, though, go to “I Don’t Wanna Live” and try the relationship one more time.
