Tim McGraw

I have this theory that the reason so many foreign films capture the hearts of Americans who profess to hate “pap” like Stepmom is because foreign filmmakers don’t share their American counterparts’ fear of straight-up sentiment, so their films hedge far fewer bets and therefore connect more viscerally with viewers. Country music from Nashville is like that, too. “Live Like You Were Dying,” Tim McGraw’s new single, is about exactly what its title advertises: “I loved deeper, and I spoke sweeter,” McGraw sings, “and I gave forgiveness I’d been denying.” Since the tune also contains an Aerosmith string chart and a bull named BluManchu, why in the world would you rather hear a slackjawed dustbowl pastiche?