TBT ~ Let's compare! 90s country vs Cole Swindell

Cole Swindell's "You Should Be Here" is this year's "See You Again."* A song inspired by the death of a real person that should resonate emotionally, but instead comes off bland and lacking despite whatever good intentions it might have. I'm not saying this to be a cynical bitch. I want songs like that to make me feel something. I'm begging you, elicit an emotion! But while these songs might not be doing anything for me, I guess they are for somebody, A lot of somebodies, actually, cause these are huge hits. Somebodies who like their grief on the shallow side. Grief Lite, you might say.

*a song so "memorable," I forgot the title and had to google it.

Cole Swindell and Charlie Puth are a perfect comparison, like comparing a loaf of Wonder bread with another loaf of Wonder bread. The fact that boring ass people like this can become famous makes the loss of Prince, Merle Haggard and David Bowie even more tragic. WHAT HAPPENED TO US?? I guess if you want a hit, make a damn generic death (or wedding) song that will somehow resonate with everyone despite actually resonating with no one. It's a phenomenon. I don't understand it. But was it always this way?

No. No, it wasn't. Okay, pop music has generally been on the shallow side. Every once in a while you'll get something with real emotional pull, like "Every Breath You Take" or "The Greatest Love of All." And even the latter you could argue is kinda motivational poster-level emotion, but Whitney Houston sings the hell out of that shit. End of story. And the former is a scary ass stalker, but he sells it man. So yeah, maybe "See You Again" is about as deep as pop's gonna go. It's not a song about underwear or ho's not being loyal, so I'll take it.

But that brings us to country. Country music, at its core, is not shallow. Sad country songs tend to be cutting. Genuine slices of life that make you feel, even if it's something you haven't experienced. You empathize. You feel like it could happen to you, because life.

I was originally going to compare "You Should Be Here" straight up with this, one of my favorite sad 90s country songs, a song that I can't listen to without crying. Hell, just thinking about it makes me tear up a little. But I'm going to include a couple others as well.



Everything about this song reduces me to a pile of goo, from the gut-wrenchingly specific lyrics to the pretty, simple melody, to Tim's heartfelt but not overwrought delivery. And that was when I thought the song was just about a marriage ending. Then I saw the video, which clearly indicates the woman died of cancer. SHIT. This is too much for me to handle. Okay, let's move on to another 90s gem.



*sniffle* This hits me on a personal level, but even if it didn't, the emotion is palpable. Reba kills this song, but the beautiful and undeniably real lyrics come in a close second to her delivery. And finally, the incomparable Patty Loveless.



What do all of these songs have in common, besides haunting vocals and my lack of ability to get through them without tearing up? They tell stories. They offer details of these people's lives that flesh them out, make them into real people you feel sad are gone. And I just... don't get that from "You Should Be Here." I feel like they held back, and it's really to the song's detriment. He sings, "it's one of them moments that has your name written all over it" without going into any specifics about said moment. The weather's nice and the bros are over drinking some beers. Okay? Is that really unique and special? It's like they're trying to appeal to everyone - "hey, I drank a beer outside with my dad once too! OMG it's like he's singing about me!" - without offering the little details that will actually cut you down, if you think about them. But it's mainstream country, who's thinkin'??

Bottom line: while I empathize with Cole losing his father, I did too, the song doesn't make me cry. AND IT SHOULD. It's not a bad song. But the fact that I even entertained the thought, "would this be better with Wiz Khalifa on it?" indicates it's not the anthem it wants to be.