Morgan Wallen has grown during the last years and established as a well-reputed country music artist. He also feels to be a very courageous artist – while Nashville is very often nowadays going for EPs or comparably short albums, Morgan Wallen’s second long play release (apart from EPs) is already a double album featuring thirty songs. Quite much work lying ahead of me giving you my view of Dangerous.
Morgan Wallen – About The Artist
Morgan Cole Wallen grew up in Sneedville in very Northern Tennessee, where he also has been born on 13th May 1993. He was a good baseball player in school years, but an injury stopped that career. His first nationwide appearance was on The Voice in 2014, where he was eliminated in the playoffs, initially being part of Usher’s team and later singing for Adam Levine. The contacts he made there lead to his first record deal, so that he released the EP Stand Alone in August 2015. A second EP, The Way I Talk followed some one year later, the title track made it to the Top 50 in the US Country, US Country Airplay and Canadian Country Charts. This paved the route to his debut album If I Know Me, which has been released in 2018 and topped the US Country Charts and even made it up to the 13th spot in the US overall charts. The album featured three US Airplay Chart Toppers, Up Down (with Florida Georgia Line), Whiskey Glasses and Chasing You (which have been released as a single in three consecutive years). More Tan My Hometown, the first single taken from Dangerous topped the US Country Airplay again. All four songs mentioned also went up to the top spot on the Canadian Country Charts.
Morgan Wallen – Dangerous – Track by Track
The double contains two CDs with fifteen songs each. The total playtime is 1:37 hours. Seven songs of Dangerous have been released before the album already.
CD 1
1. Sand In My Boots
The double album starts with an already published track – the rather intimate and thoughtful Stand In My Boots. I definitely enjoy to listen to Wallen’s voice, the chorus is catchy. A nice start to Dangerous.
2. Wasted On You
Looks like I’m learnin’ the hard way again It’s all my fault Yeah, I dropped the ball You’re gone and I’ve gone three sheets to the wind Just thinking ’bout all I’ve wasted on you
The song is using electronic drum sounds, which gives it a somehow catching character. Indeed a good listen.
3. Somebody’s Problem
Morgan Wallen is able to add catching, special elements to his songs, They stay in your mind and they also give a characteristic touch. At Somebody’s Problem, it is the accentuated way the chorus is presented. Morgan Wallen makes me move to his music – in the rhythm he is defining.
4. More Surprised Than Me
With a couple of songs at this part of the CD are shorter than three minutes, Dangerous feels like a very fast, versatile collection of New Country tracks in here. More Surprised Than Me is a track, which even comes with a touch of summer to me – even though the song itself is a love song.
5. 865
I wonder how many people will try to call 865-409-1021, the number stated in this song about Jack Daniels. While I am thinking about it, the song is already over. Cheers!
6. Warning
Should’ve come with a warnin’ Don’t sit right there, don’t sip on what they’re pouring Her kiss is gonna kill you in the morning Nah, it ain’t gonna end too good Everything about that night I thought I wanted Should’ve come with a warning
Warning is surprisingly pop-ish. Even though I would not list is as one of my favorite songs so far, it is just a nice distraction, a nice alternative. There are so many (other) tracks on the album as well, it’s good not too have it to monotonous.
7. Neon Eyes
Neon eyes, dollar in a jukebox heartache Drinking off a dive bar highway Thick smoke soaked up in tequila Told you I’d leave ya with neon eyes Dancing with a ghost on the dance floor Never really getting what you came for Lonely lips sipping on a margarita Girl, I’d hate to see ya with neon eyes
Nice story telling, catching melodies and good vocals. This one is the first real blast on the album to me (at least, it is even stronger than the good songs before…). Need to listen to it.
8. Outlaw (feat. Ben Burgess)
The list of songwriting credits of the album is quite long (and full of big names of the business) – but Ben Burgess is also making it to the album as a vocal guest to Dangerous. The dark Outlaw is lovely – Bang, bang, baby, them blue eyes got me like!
9. Whiskey’d My Way
After the album came with a whiskey reference already (and I still think about calling the Knoxville phone number), Whiskey’d My Way is another alcoholic reference – he just did not have any other chance, as the chorus tells
Tequila made me crazy Cold beer wouldn’t do So I whiskey’d my way over you
Cheers! It’s a cool song.
10. Wonderin‘ Bout The Wind
Dangerous and me had a rather slow start, I must say. I saw some reviews of the album before the album started and did not fully get the good reviews in the first tracks. The more Morgan Wallen takes me on this thirty track trip, the more I enjoy to travel with him. Wonderin’ Bout The Wind is a perfect example for the reason: each song has its own character – and it’s simply well done (not too surprising if you keep the credits list in memory). Let’s move on!
11. Your Bartender
If I was your bartender I’d mix ’em up strong in a tall blender Till the last one’s gone Yeah, I’d play every heart break song On the jukebox till your tear drops They fell on that bar top Keep you drinking, get you thinking I’m right where you need to be If I was your bartender I’d talk you out of leaving me
Your Bartender is (another) lovely example of the great songwriting skills of Morgan Wallen. Ain’t these lyrics a great way to tell your stories? Don’t need to mention that he is also putting the right music and good vocals in place to turn a good story into a good song. Well done!
12. Only Thing That’s Gone (feat. Chris Stapleton)
Another strong indication that you made it: having Chris Stapleton as a guest artist on your second album is not too bad at all. To me, this duet is one of the best tracks of the first CD, indeed.
13. Cover Me Up
Jason Isbell is referenced in this track, Cover Me Up. The song is, by the way, also the longest track on the whole album – there is no other song which is even close to its almost five minutes. Wallen’s energetic and powerful voice just makes me close my eyes and enjoy for the duration of the track. It’s a beauty.
14. 7 Summers
There is also a short movie music video of this song, in case you are interested in it. Feels like a classic Texas country track – on the slower side. Nice one.
15. More Than My Hometown
More Than My Hometown is a song you likely already know. Ain’t there a better way to finish the first part of the album than with that hit song? Time to change the CD now in case you consume Dangerous physically.
CD 2
1. Still Goin Down
Morgan Wallen 2021, part 2: like the first CD, the second record starts with a track which is already known as a single release. Still Goin Down was likely my most favorite song of the ones published before the album – so I it is definitely a promising first step into the second half of Dangerous to me.
2. Rednecks, Red Letters, Red Dirt
Rednecks, red letters, red dirt One light, one bar, one church Where the Lord gets thanked and the shine gets drank While an out back brush pile burns Yeah, I’ve been away way too long But tonight I’m headed back home ‘Cause when I need to find me There’s only three things that’ll work Rednecks, red letters, red dirt
A classic “praising country life” song which have quite often in that genre. The song is staying in your head quite quickly – even though I typically don’t like these ones too much.
3. Dangerous
Song #18 – I really tended to forget that this double album also might have a title track. Here we go. The song is one of the rather pop-ish tracks, especially the verses have a bit of that hip-hop touch, which Nashville (too) often prefers nowadays. Thus, Dangerous is not really characteristic for Dangerous – but as the pop attitude is still on a bearable level, the song is not too bad at all.
4. Beer Don’t
Beer don’t start nothing, but the party Beer don’t taste half as good in the city Beer don’t buzz with that hip hop, cuz But it damn sure does with a little nitty gritty Beer don’t bust its ass Monday to Friday Beer don’t wanna sit in a glass, so slide it my way We might drink way too many of ’em at the bar People got their own opinion about how redneck we are But beer don’t
There is still a bit of that pop touch in Beer Don’t. 30 country songs just need some drinking attitude. The song is overall one of the weakest tracks of the album, which sometimes reminds me a bit of Ten Little Injuns and its German version. This also means it has quite some potential to boost some country music parties.
5. Blame It On Me
If you roll your eyes when them other guys try to take you out on the city If you quit sippin’ wine and you start liking shooting whiskey If you start talking with a drawl and feeling all kinds of pretty If you’re up to see the sun before you fall asleep Baby, blame it on me
This song is heading back to “purer” country music style – and Blame It On Me is just again one of these catching Morgan Wallen tracks. Good mood, good listen – no need to blame somebody.
6. Somethin‘ Country
Are we there yet? No, ten more to go on this enjoyable honky tonk trip. Somethin’ Country comes with a lot of power and partially even feels kind of angry. Cool one – even though though I am not too much fond of the verses again.
7. This Bar
This Bar is very melodic – after the a bit of party and pop-alike tracks before, I just enjoy these three minutes of laying back and relaxing a bit. Just listening to a good song, good lyrics. Life’s good if you listen to Dangerous.
8. Country A$$ Shit
I don’t wanna go to work I don’t wanna see my ex-girl I don’t wanna worry ’bout finding me my next girlfriend At the bar where they charge your right arm for a cold can of PBR Yeah, I don’t wanna watch the news I don’t wanna pick the phone up Don’t wanna sit in traffic with an empty can of long cut I’ve been doin’ what I should be doin’, and I’m losin’ my Dodge Ram mind ‘Cause I just wanna do country ass shit With my country ass friends With my country ass band Havin’ to make them dollar bills y’all
Okay, these kind of songs come with the Explicit banner on Spotify. The song feels like a Southern rock track – it’s for sure a lot of fun. One of the best songs of the album – sorry kids, that you should not listen to these naughty words 🙂
9. Whatcha Think Of Country Now
The style of Whatcha Think Of Country Now has a Southern Rock touch as well – a good track, but I am mentally still in the song before… The one with the naughty lyrics, you know. But if you like it more nice, you will rock to this one as well with a lot of fun.
10. Me On Whiskey
Alcohol again? This one is about a cozy Tennessee party night. Comparably slow, but a really lovely melody with some nice accents given by the electric guitars.
11. Need A Boat
Nashville really seems to be requesting cruising on Cumberland River. After Chris Janson asked to buy him a boat, Morgan Wallen needs one as well. I like his purchase request more – it has a slight touch of rock’n’roll to me and is thus quite an entertaining song.
12. Silverado For Sale
In favor for the boat, there is a Chevy pick-up available. And if you do a car sale like that, I am sure you will get a good price:
This truck will get the prettiest girl in town Sittin’ right beside you when you’re ridin’ around It’s got a pretty good radio If you wanna get her dancin’ down an old dirt road Spent a lot of Friday nights up under the stars Get you where you need to go and it’ll go too far God knows all the stories it can tell I got a Silverado for sale
13. Heartless (Wallen Album Mix)
Heartless in the album mix version is one of the lowest ranked songs of the album to me. Too pop-ish. But hey, this album is really good, so even weaker tracks are not too bad. There are just quite a bunch of songs I prefer more.
14. Livin‘ The Dream
The 29th song of Dangerous is the last one, which you could listen to before the double album has been released. I am not too much into this song, I have to say.
15. Quittin‘ Time
If Quittin’ Time was a person, I would say it is an honor for him / her to finish the majestic work. Indeed a lovely, country-style get-out dance. Thanks Morgan!
Morgan Wallen – Dangerous – Spotify
Here is the Spotify widget to Dangerous:
Morgan Wallen – Dangerous – My View
First of all, a special thanks to Morgan Wallen to deliver a double album. In the previous months, I really struggled with all these short releases from Tennessee. The pure mass of tracks (and even of new songs) makes Dangerous special already. But it’s not all: he is really doing 30 differently charactered songs. You feel that 30 songs in a row by the same artist written in the same period of his life just have to become boring at a certain point in time. This just does not happen – for a very straight and easy reason: Dangerous is too good. And Morgan Wallen is too talented. This talent and the quality of songs, paired with the sheer mass of material, make this album very, very special.
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