Kicking off our list of the Top Country Songs of 2010 is "Gimmie That Girl," a song on which Joe Nichols urges a love interest to put away the fancy clothes and makeup and just be a regular girl. "Gimmie that girl with the hair in a mess / Sleepy little smile with her head on my chest / That's the you that I like best."
Few things signify mainstream America these days as much as NFL football. Kenny Chesney's 'The Boys of Fall' is an ode to the players who entertain us on the gridiron. The music video for 'The Boys of Fall' premiered on ESPN and fans pushed the song to No. 1 on the country chart, giving Chesney at least one chart-topper per year in ten straight years.
"You're a big old wuss if you don't jump in the water," declares Brad Paisley on 'Water,' a simple song about his favorite aquatic activities, which include kiddie pools, spring break on the beach and skinny dipping. Appropriately, the song hit No. 1 in July, perhaps the biggest month for summer beach action.
Here's the theory, as postulated by the top country songwriter-agriculturist on our list: "Rain is a good thing," because "rain makes corn, and corn makes whiskey, and whiskey makes my baby feel a little frisky." Off Bryan's sophomore album, 'Doin' My Thing,' the song was written alongside best friend Dallas Davidson, in efforts to make them feel better about unexpected rain.
How do you follow up a Grammy win for Best New Artist? How about with a new album and single that both hit No. 1? The Zac Brown Band accomplished the feat with the album 'You Get What You Give' and its single 'As She's Walking Away,' which showcases fiddle, acoustic guitar and impressive harmonies with featured artist Alan Jackson.
'American Honey' is the second single from the band's smash hit 'Need You Now.' Old-fashioned guitars and violins blend with modern drum machines, as lead singer Hillary Scott longs to return to the innocent summers of her childhood, reminiscing on "nothings sweeter than summertime" where "church bells ring and strong love grows."
Chris Young acknowledges mistakes and asks God to help him become a better person on 'The Man I Want to Be,' singing, "I want to be a good man, a do-like-I-should man / I want to be the kind of man the mirror likes to see." Released in November 2009, the song took seven months to rise to the top of the charts.
Forget about the consequences – just live in the moment and enjoy the night. That's the message behind Blake Shelton's rollicking 'All About Tonight.' "Tomorrow can wait till tomorrow," Miranda Lambert's fiancé sings. He wants to keep drinking, dancing and partying until the sun comes up.
When the harsh realities of everyday life start getting you down, Josh Turner suggests turning the television off, forgetting your worries and starting a dance party in the living room on 'Why Don't We Just Dance.' The first single from his album 'Haywire,' 'Why Don't We Just Dance' provided Turner with his first No. 1 hit in four years.
The third single from last year's 'Revolution,' and lead horse in our "Best Country Song of 2010" race, is a sweetly-plucked acoustic ballad that finds Lambert returning to her childhood home. It's now occupied by other people, but she hopes to reconnect with her former self there, in order to heal from unspecified troubles and stresses caused by her current life.
What Are 2010's Best Country Songs?
Let us know what your favorite country songs of the year are in the comments section below. Also check out our list of the Top Country Songs of the Decade.
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1. I don't see how Jason Aldean is on this list. He's the "Nickelback of Country Music" His upbeat songs generally sound the same.
Posted at 2:04PM on Jul 11th 2010 by klm