Song Spotlight: “I’m Alive” by Brandon Scott McLean

Hi,

Two of the songs on our brand new album are actually cover songs.  There are a few reasons for this, but mainly because our versions have been turning heads in bars for quite some time and I believe in these songs so much that I just had to get them out of my head. 

One of the songs we covered is called “I’m Alive.”  This song is co-written and recorded by the country singer Kenny Chesney.  He wrote the song with Dean Dillon and Mark Tamburino, and it was first recorded by Willie Nelson on his album Moment of Forever, which Chesney also produced.   Chesney himself later recorded it (as a duet with Dave Matthews) on the 2008 album Lucky Old Sun.  This version later appeared on his 2009 Greatest Hits II album, from which it was released to radio in August 2009.

Hear Dave and Kenny’s version (and see the official video) here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLgLfD3wElQ

The song has gotten some pretty seriously mixed reviews.  Seems reviewers like the song but haven’t really liked a version of it that has come out….(and frankly, I’ve felt the same way for a couple years now.) 

CM Wilcox of The 9513 gave it a thumbs-down review, and said that the song had "somewhat ambitious" lyrics, made note of Matthews' vocal performance, but said that Chesney sounded like a "workaday singer" and that the duet did not have a sense of interplay between the two vocalists.  The Washington Post said, "The song is supposed to be an anthem about strength and survival and soldiering on…Yet it sounds more like a weary wish than a declaration,” and the Hartford Courant said that it "may be the plainest thing Matthews has ever done."

I feel the same way.  I think the lyrics are so powerful and intense, but the song was so lagging and dreary….UNTIL NOW…check out my version:

Despite all the bad reviews of Dave and Kenny's version, the song reached #6 on the Country Charts, and #32 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2009.  I think our song has a chance of making some waves, since so many people already know and love the tune but haven’t heard anything like this.  Do you agree?

Thanks for listening, and thanks for your on going support...you can share it on facebook, twitter, or show your grandma!

Love,
Brandon Scott McLean