Country music from a fan's point of view since 2008
After seeing the top 5 for the first time in six years with “I’m Gonna Love You Through It,” Martina McBride seems poised for a comeback at country radio. And “Marry Me,” her duet with Pat Monahan of Train, is the best vehicle to make that happen.
A lush re-working of Train’s mega-hit from 2010, “Marry Me” owes more to pop than country, even though a faint sprinkle of steel guitar can be heard throughout. But the song compensates for its lack of down-home appeal with committed vocal performances that perfectly convey the romantic lyrics.
“Marry Me” is a classic tale of boy meets girl in a café where both develop an instant attraction to each other. The original recording was good, but the lack of female perspective made it feel one-sided. Turning the song into a duet gives us both sides of the story, without having to amend any of the lyrics.
This is best exemplified on the bridge, the track’s crowning achievement, as both characters are singing directly to each other before coming together on the final chorus. In the liner notes from Eleven, Martina praises the un-traditional aspects of this duet, mainly the separation of their voices until that final chorus. By holding off singing together they only increase the love at first sight aspects of the story, which adds another layer to the song.
That being said, “Marry Me” is still one of the safest singles lyrically, but especially vocally, that Martina has released in years. But in the current climate of country music, that’s the main ingredient for heavy rotation at radio.
Grade: B+
My Kind of Country 
I haven’t liked most of Martina’s recent efforts but I do like this one. It’s one of the better offerings from her current album.