Kenny Chesney is at it again! With his 17th studio album, Chesney brings to No Shoes Nation his newest album, titled ‘Cosmic Hallelujah.’ It is a mix of classic Kenny tempos and themes, but also displays some new Kenny sounds. He shows off his versatility in bringing out his rocker side a bit and producing a chart topping collaboration with one of pop’s icons.
1) ‘Trip Around the Sun’ – Written by Nick Brophy, Hillary Lindsey, and Brett James.
Impression: The opener to the album has a very upbeat tempo- a great way to start off any Kenny Chesney album. My take on the song’s meaning is Kenny talking about touring and how each year is another trip around the sun for him. It talks about life and everything we do within the year. It has a ‘take whatever life throws at you and go with it’ motto. Kenny also discretely addresses underlying global warming issues like the sea level rising and the second comet coming, but no one is concerned because we don’t know how to directly fix it. Creativity at its finest!
Favorite Lyrics: Let’s drink another beer, here’s to another year!
2) ‘All the Pretty Girls’ – Written by Nicolle Gaylon, Tommy Lee James, and Josh Osbourne.
Impression: This song has a rocker feel to it with its guitar intro. All the pretty girls want the attention of the lost boys, and the boys get a rush off of the girls. Everyone warns the boys that the pretty girls are the “devil’s playground” and to be careful, but they don’t care. They have tunnel vision on the girls and that’s how the pretty girls like it. This is a fun song that can played riding around in the car or hanging out by the fire in summertime.
Favorite Lyrics: All of the whiskey went straight to my head, shut up and kiss me all the pretty girls said…
3) ‘Setting the World on Fire’ (With P!nk) – Written by Ross Copperman, Josh Osbourne, and Matt Jenkins.
Impression: The chart topping second release off the album is a reassuring romance song. Have you ever been so in love with someone that whenever you’re together it feels like the world is yours for the taking? This feeling is being brought to light throughout the entirety of the song. Kenny says that when together, the couple could set the world on fire. Being drunk, in love and having carefree fun are the best parts about a relationship. When you love someone, you feel invincible together.
Favorite Lyrics: We were laughin’ until we were breathless, never felt anything so reckless, we were all lit up and restless and comin’ alive…
4) ‘Noise’ – Written by Kenny Chesney, Ross Copperman, Jon Nite, Shane McAnally.
Impression: ‘Noise’ is another subliminal message wrapped in a song about the society we live in today. We get so caught up in the media and our phones and technology that we don’t get to appreciate life and what it’s worth. People talk just to talk but never listen. Do we ever step back to hear the noise that we make? The repetition of the song can be synonymous with the repetition of the noise we encounter everyday.
Favorite Lyrics: Parking lot kids with the speakers blown, we didn’t turn it on but we can’t turn it off, off, off…
5) ‘Bucket’ – Written by B. James, Craig Wiseman.
Impression: This song is one of Kenny’s lighter and funnier songs. Filled with numerous puns throughout, you catch yourself nodding your head along to the beat and laughing with the lyrics. This is a not-giving-a-damn kind of song. It’s telling you to not care about what anyone says about you or to you. Go out and do what you want, with whoever you want and live life according to your rules. This a sure fire song to play when you’re hanging out the guys or just relaxing on a Friday night.
Favorite Lyrics: I made a bucket list, changed the B to and F…
6) ‘Bar At the End of the World’ – Written by David Lee Murphy, J.T. Harding, Aimee Mayo.
Impression: ‘Bar At the End of the World’ is sure to be a summer anthem in 2017. With beachy vibes and lyrics that bring you right to a waterfront scene, you can’t help but picture an island setting. This song is about going to that one spot that makes you feel alive and takes you off the map. This is a place that has character and holds magic within itself. It’s a trip you look forward to making and its mesmerizing in its own way.
Favorite Lyrics: We’ll set sail, yeah I see you there wind in your hair, and that t-shirt on, dead man tell no tales…
7) ‘Some Town Somewhere’ – Written by Heather Morgan, Ross Copperman, Josh Osbourne.
Impression: This song, and the former title to the album, has an upbeat catchy vibe. It describes the typical little town and all the little town activities that happen throughout it. However, the people always want to break out and go somewhere else. They want to experience something other than their little town. They’ll find, however, that the other places are not so different from their world. Every place has their own “some town somewhere” qualities.
Favorite Lyrics: We’re all stars and stripes and friday night lights and living it up, falling in love tonight, somewhere some town.
8) ‘Rich and Miserable’ – Written by Jesse Frasure, Josh Osbourne, Ross Copperman.
Impression: This is my favorite song of the album and is sure to catch every listener’s ear. This songs dives into the fact that we’re all so excited to make money and impress people with material beings that we forget how to live. We go from being too young to do the things that we want, to being too old to do them. People in today’s society always want more even when they have everything they want. We’re born to work and die, and humans are trained to think that becoming rich is the solution to everything. We could have everything we want and still be miserable. Between the instrumentals, the lyrics and Kenny’s voice, the song is undeniably addicting. I think that this potentially could be the next single released off the album due to its tempo and relatability.
Favorite Lyrics: Enough is never enough, American dream never wakes up, too much is never too much…
9) ‘Jesus and Elvis’ – Written by Allison Moorer, Hayes Carll, Matraca Berg.
Impression: A slow tempoed song filled with realness, is another example of classic Kenny. The background guitars are soft and subtle which allows Kenny’s voice to take control. It is talking about a son going to combat on Christmas in a war that no one wanted. His two favorite things were Jesus and Elvis. It states that “Jesus is the king of kings and Elvis is the king of the rock n roll.” It provides a hopeful outlook on a passed loved one in finding comfort in what they once loved.
Favorite Lyrics: Mama told him jesus loves a sinner, his daddy said that music saved his soul…
10) ‘Winnebago’ – Written by David Lee Murphy.
Impression: ‘Winnebago’ starts out with a similar intro as his former hit ‘Save It For A Rainy Day’. The song continues with another light upbeat tempo. He talks about hooking up the old winnebago, or better known as a motor home and going on a trip. Even though it isn’t the most luxurious trip, the “little trailer” makes everything feel right and perfect. All you need are lawn chairs, a fire, a person to have a good time with and a winnebago.
Favorite Lyrics: With that little trailer we can’t go wrong, even if a little bit later on it starts to rain, we’ll go inside and rock away the night…
11) ‘Coach’ – Written by Kenny Chesney, Casey Beathard.
Impression: The last song on the album reminds me directly of his famous song and Gillette Stadium performance dedicated to football. Could this be the follow up song to ‘The Boys Of Fall’? With Casey Beathard helping write both songs, you can’t help but question it. ‘Coach’ is classic slow Kenny with a little bit of a rocker feel. It praises and thanks the coaches of sports teams for being more than just a coach. This song is more than just a testament and a toast to a coach for shaping players into the people they are today and helping them along the way with anything. This song is beyond relatable to anyone who has ever had that one coach that made them feel like they could get through any obstacle on and off the field with their support. Here’s to you, Belichick!
Favorite Lyrics: A keeper of secrets and constantly making believers outta quitters…
‘Cosmic Hallelujah’ is nothing shy of great. Kenny has done it again with another record chalk-full of new hits with a plethora of fresh writers. Every song on there touches upon something different and just when you think he’s sang about it all, think again! With two chart topping songs already released, we can only expect more to come from this album. From all of us in No Shoes Nation… keep it up, Kenny!
You can purchase ‘Cosmic Hallelujah’ on iTunes here.