When Brad Paisley isn't writing and performing sweet, tender songs that make women melt into a big pile of love -- or even haunting songs about death -- he's writing some hilarious, off-the-wall, kind of stupid songs about the things happening to or around him. That's the charm of Paisley, though: He's the perfect balance of sweet and salty. While other country crooners might be singing about a woman's tight jeans and lipstick (not that Paisley doesn't sing about that, too) Paisley's strength is observing his surroundings and singing about them with some, or a lot of, humor sprinkled in.
His songs aren't necessarily accidentally stupid in the way that they are, say, accidentally racist, but they can be purposefully silly. It's something Paisley clearly aims to nail, and he succeeds at it. Ahead of his visit to Gexa Energy Pavilion this weekend, here are some of his silliest moments.
"Online"
Paisley was basically singing about catfishing before it was a thing -- you know, the whole I'm-not-really-me-behind-the-computer-screen thing. Long before it was a "thing," Myspace was the site of choice for the song and the deed. Playfully laughing at the guys (or gals) who get more action via chat than real life, this song is so stupid and silly, we grin every time we hear it. Favorite line: "I grow another foot and I lose a bunch of weight every time I log in."
"Alcohol"
In first person, Paisley sings about alcohol and all of the effects it has on people. It's an entire song centered around the stupid, and oftentimes enjoyable, antics alcohol gets people into. Paisley typically sings this as his encore at his live shows, so once the fans are good and hammered, they raise their glasses as if this is every drunken person's personal anthem. Favorite line: "You had some of the best times you'll never remember with me."
"High Life"
"We lawyered up and we sued her butt. These days we figured we get paid to go away," is what Paisley sings on Moonshine in the Trunk's fourth track. And it's a song that pokes fun of America's love for making a buck off any situation. Sue Carrie Underwood for a song that sounds similar to your little brother's second grade poem? Why not? Underwood can even be heard on this tune toward the end, sounding off on things like Chick-fil-A's waffle fries -- an ode to a storyline presented during the song's second verse. Favorite line: "And just like that we were thousandaires, had a brand new boat and a Frigidaire."
"Ticks"
In an attempt not to blatantly sing, "Let's leave this bar and get down," Paisley jokingly sings about checking his woman for ticks instead. What's that cliche about a man with a sense of humor can make a woman do anything? Yeah, we're pretty sure that's Paisley's game. Favorite line: "You never know where one might be. There's lots of places that are hard to reach. I gotcha."
"I'm Still A Guy"
A song that typically garners audible laughs from a crowd, this is a type of warning song to women that try as they might, a man is still a man. The laughs and applause tend to grow louder during the last verse when Paisley takes a jab at the more feminine men with the spot-on line, "I don't highlight my hair. I've still got a pair. Yeah, honey, I'm still a guy." Favorite line: "When you see a deer, you see Bambi and I see antlers up on the wall."
BRAD PAISLEY performs with Randy Houser, Leah Turner and Charlie Worsham, 7 p.m. Friday, September 5, at Gexa Energy Pavilion, 1818 1st Ave., 214-421-1111 or gexaenergypavilion.net, $30-$230
