Single Review: Sugarland - 'It Happens'

Apparently Sugarland was just teasing us by releasing a video for the song ‘Love’, never intending for it to go to radio.  But, we still have an incredible music video of an epic song to watch.  And we have this one to hear on the radio for the next 20 weeks.  I can live with that.  The first time I listened to the Love On The Inside album, I knew this tune was destined for radio.  So, let’s talk about the song.

This girl is having one bad day.  Her alarm didn’t wake her up, so she got no coffee and no shower.  When she does get to work, she is doing the ‘walk of shame’ having arrived late.  And what’s worse, she has two different shoes on.  After a day like that, a girl needs to head to Wally World for some scented candles and a pink light bulb. Trouble is, her ‘trusty rust has a flat’.  No problem.  Just borrow the neighbor’s Caddy. Problem:  Ex and his new girlfriend hit her as she is running the yellow … um, red light.  Still this doesn’t deter the happy go lucky spirit of the singer as she merrily sings ‘sorry bout your neck, baby’.  With pluck like that, who needs coffee?

But all that action happens in the verses.  This seems to be Sugarland’s style to tell the story in the verses and just let the chorus soar.  Stringing together a long list of cliches akin to ‘life is like a box of chocolates’ makes the bulk of the chorus.  Nettles tries to subtly disguise that she is saying ‘shit happens’ twice in the song.  In the first chorus, it comes across ‘Pssh.  (short pause) It happens …’  But the second time she tries to mask the obscenity is at the end of the song.  This time she lets go and drops the short pause.  Good for you, Jennifer.  I say sing it that way everytime and change the title of the song.  Makes sense to me.

Word play aside, this tune is destined for the top of the charts.  The chorus is as catchy as ‘All I Want to Do’, without being as annoying.  And the storyline is downright endearing.  I want to be that girl’s friend.  Actually, I already feel like I am.  A step-up lyrically for Nettles and Bush and another smoking vocal from Jennifer Nettles.

B+

Written by Bobby Pinson, Jennifer Nettles, and Kristian Bush.

Listen to Sugarland – ‘It Happens’ on Last FM.

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