Classic Rewind: Don Williams – ‘Good Ole Boys Like Me’

Single Review: Reba McEntire – ‘I Keep On Lovin’ You’

The title track and third single from Reba’s comeback album has a lot to live up to, as the follow-up to her latest #1 hit. I admit I never expected radio to be as receptive to Reba after such a long layoff as it has proved to be, but it looks as if the concessions Reba and her producer made to contemporary tastes have paid off handsomely in commercial terms. Two uptempo numbers have given her airplay, and now she changes the pace by showing off her interpretative ability to a new radio generation on a ballad. To say this song provided one of the better moments on Keep On Loving You may come close to damning it with faint praise because I was disappointed by that album as a whole. The release of this as a single gives me a chance to reassess it on its own merits.

Written by Ronnie Dunn with his regular songwriting partner Terry McBride, the song bears many of the hallmarks of a Brooks & Dunn ballad and I can imagine Ronnie singing it himself. The tune is very pretty, and help to lift a first verse which offers a few platitudes about having faith. The lyrics of the central part of the song, however, are genuinely interesting, offering an unusually mature attitude about a longterm relationship which has endured its share of ups and downs. The protagonist is almost obstinate in the way she is holding on to love through fights, repeated (probably broken) promises, and pleas for forgiveness:

Sometimes I swear it might be easier to throw in the towel
Someday we’re gonna look back and say look at us now
That’s why I keep on lovin’ you

It is not a romantic picture, but it does feel very real. I do wonder how younger listeners with a more idealistic image of love may respond to it. On the whole, then, this is a very good song.

Reba’s version opens very nicely indeed, with some subdued steel and an effectively restrained, reflective vocal in the first two verses and first run-though of the chorus. I really enjoy listening to the first half of the song. Unfortunately the production builds into a big ballad with heavy production as the song progresses, and some totally unnecessary electric guitar rises way too high in the mix from the second chorus (exactly halfway through the song) onward. I think perhaps this may be intended to indicate triumphing against the odds, but that is not really borne out in the lyric. Reba’s voice (still one of the best in country music) is strong enough not to be completely overpowered, but in order to do this comes close to oversinging at times, particularly in some of the repeats of the title line. Furthermore, the build from the first half of the song to the second does not really sound organic, making this feel somewhat disjointed – as though Reba is trying to appeal to two bases simultaneously.

While the lyric is mature and definitely grown up, the production of the second half is clearly aimed at the mainstream sound on today’s country radio. It should follow ‘Consider Me Gone’ to the upper echelons of the chart. The coincidence of almost sharing a title with a song currently on the charts, labelmates Steel Magnolia’s top 30 hit ‘Keep On Lovin’ You’, is unlikely to harm the chances of Reba’s offering. The songs are dissimilar enough that there is no risk of confusion between them, and not only is Reba a much bigger name and on a hot streak at the moment, but this is a better song. While the production is flawed, this will not hurt it at radio.

Grade: B