Brad Paisley: ‘We as Writers Can Do Better’

Brad Paisley has written most of his chart-topping hits, including 'Remind Me,' 'Mud on the Tires' and his first No. 1 single, 'He Didn't Have to Be.' But the tunesmith, who wrote or co-wrote all but two of the songs on his latest album, 'Moonshine in the Trunk,' says he is disheartened by much of what is on the airwaves these days.

"There's a lot of stuff on the radio about, you know, put your tan legs on the dashboard and we'll roll around in the truck and go party," he tells People magazine. "This album was my idea of doing music that fits in this landscape but doesn't pander to that because one of my frustrations with radio now is lyrics.

"It's like, 'Guys, come on!' -- and specifically, yes, guys, cause there are no girls!" Paisley adds. "We can say something too. There are phrases that are totally cliche that we as songwriters owe it to ourselves to not use again."

The West Virginia native's latest single, 'Perfect Storm,' sings the praises of a woman through well-crafted lines like "She's Sunday drive meets high-speed chase / She ain't just a song / She's the whole mixtape / She's so complicated / That's the way God made her / Sunshine mixed with a little hurricane." It's a sharp contrast to some of the singles that have topped the charts this year.

"I'm not saying the songs are bad, I'm just saying that we as writers can do better," Paisley continues. "And when we come around to a little more diversity lyrically on the radio, we can go back and say the word 'tailgate' again and not have people cringe. It's everything in moderation."

Paisley may not be a fan of some of the current trends in country music, but he is a fan of new duo Maddie & Tae, and their single, 'Girl in a Country Song,' which calls out the very lyrics about which Paisley is talking.

"They are actually having fun about that very thing we're talking about," he says of the tune. "When I heard somebody had written a song about that, I thought it wouldn't be any good, and it's great. They have an amazing ability to find a niche in a town where there was no niche for a female duo."

Paisley's 'Perfect Storm' is in the Top 5 and climbing. Download his entire 'Moonshine in the Trunk' album here.

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