CD REVIEW OF
DARYLE SINGLETARY'S "DARYLE SINGLETARY"
(Giant Records, 1995)
by Sandra Toney
I haven't been this excited about a new country
music singer since the first time I heard the music of Tracy Lawrence
(one of my favorite musicians). But Daryle Singletary's music
is as refreshing as the way his first name is spelled. On his
debut album, titled simply Daryle Singletary, this newcomer impressed
the hell out of me (which is hard to do, by the way). His collection
of songs were right on target in complimenting this talented singer's
style.
There are so many good songs on this album that it is difficult
to pick favorites. Of course, the first single (which was also
the first hit for Singletary), "Too Much Fun," is one
of those fun-loving tunes that literally makes you sing out loud
right along with the record. The chorus of the song says it all,
"Too much fun, what's that mean/It's like too much money,
there's no such thing/It's like a girl too pretty, with too much
class/Bein' too lucky, a car too fast/No matter what they say
I've done/Well, I ain't never had too much fun." Sorry Daryle,
but this song is "too" good!
Other fast-paced songs on the album is the sure-to-be-a-hit written
by Bob McDill and Tommy Rocco, "I'm Living Up To Her Low
Expectations," the single that Mark Chestnut performed on
one of his albums, "My Heart's Too Broke (To Pay Attention),"
and the winning testimonial to the ordinary person, "Ordinary
Heroes." This song pays tribute to the everyday, working
class person who just goes along living his ordinary life. As
Singletary sings, "Extra, extra, read all about it/Mother
of four takes a part-time job/Does the shopping, folds the laundry/When
her man works late, she keeps his dinner hot/Don't you know if
it were up to me, I'd give credit where credit is due/And let
ordinary heroes make the news." If only it was that easy
. . .
Just as Daryle Singletary puts his heart and soul into his upbeat
tunes, you can almost feel his pain in his ballads. Such ballads
on this album include "What Am I Doing There?" "Workin'
It Out," "There's A Cold Spell Movin' In," and
"Would These Arms Be in Your Way?" As the titles to
these songs suggest, all talk about love that's been lost (or
about to be lost).
Okay, as far as having a "favorite" on this album, I'd
have to pick the already radio-popular hit, "I Let Her Lie,"
which has Singletary loving his wife so much that he closed his
eyes to the truth and "let her lie." He knew she was
having affairs and that she would continue to do so. Although
he loves her dearly, the song has a powerful ending, "The
day I left no words were said/She was sound asleep on our double
bed/And I let her lie, I let her lie." If that song doesn't
send chills up your spine, nothing will.
By the way, this album was co-produced by country music legend,
Randy Travis, who is Singletary's own "not-quite-so-ordinary"
hero . . . Keep your eyes on Daryle Singletary. He is going places!
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