If you’re a big country fan, the band Lady Antebellum likely needs no introduction—especially after they snapped up Vocal Group of the Year and Single of the Year at the Country Music Awards this year. For the rest of the world (which is admittedly getting smaller and smaller as country music merges with the mainstream), it’s time to meet Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood.
Their new single “Need You Now,” has already topped the iTunes and Amazon sales charts—a feat that’s a first for what roughstock.com calls “a non-crossover country artist.”
But evidently non-crossover doesn’t mean what it used to mean back when, say, George Strait was belting out “The Fireman.” Because like such peers as Sugarland, Keith Urban and Rascal Flatts, Lady Antebellum has a knack for crafting country songs that display smoothly produced pop-rock chops alongside the twang and slide guitar.
As for the lyrics themselves, though, it’s pure country territory. “It’s a quarter after one/I’m alone/And I need you now,” croons Hillary Scott. A verse later, Charles Kelley voices the guy’s side in this breakup song: “It’s a quarter after one/I’m a little drunk/And I need you now.”
That’s pretty much the crux of this tune: two lonely hearts wishing they hadn’t called it quits as both contemplate giving the other a middle-of-the-night call … which probably won’t lead to anything good. “Reachin’ for the phone ’cause I can’t fight it anymore/ … I’ve lost all control/And I need you now.”
Los Angeles’ Go Country 105 FM quotes Scott as saying, “All three of us know what it’s like to get to that point where you feel lonely enough that you make a late night phone call that you very well could regret the next day. But you do it anyway because it’s the only thing that’s going to give you any relief in that moment.”
That may be true. But it doesn’t mean we should all belly up to the bar and celebrate the idea.
Wait a minute. They’re listening to country music in L.A. now, too?
After serving as an associate editor at NavPress’ Discipleship Journal and consulting editor for Current Thoughts and Trends, Adam now oversees the editing and publishing of Plugged In’s reviews as the site’s director. He and his wife, Jennifer, have three children. In their free time, the Holzes enjoy playing games, a variety of musical instruments, swimming and … watching movies.
