Emotional Analysis Of Brantley's 'Bottoms Up'

I have been in a similar situation where all your friends are telling you a person is not right for you, but all you can see is the good in them. It is very hard to let go of something or someone that has such a strong hold on your heart. It is nearly impossible for people on the outside looking in to understand a situation that they are not directly involved in. When I heard this song in concert it brought back so many memories from the situation I was in. The way that Brantley sings with such passion and a hint of pain in his voice touches my emotions as well. Towards the end of the song, there is a long pause where you think the song is over. Then you hear Brantley sing, “Not like I do” and the music plays and Brantley sings the lyrics “Never understand. That girl’s my best friend.” Then he belts “That girl’s my best friend!” with the drums and guitar blaring. I felt that that moment was the most powerful moment of his entire performance. Brantley transitions from softly singing to almost screaming about this girl that he loves, and in that moment you understand all the pain that Brantley feels. It is such a beautiful song that allows the whole audience to sympathize with Brantley, since so many people have experienced similar heartache.
Bottoms Up
Brantley performed his latest single, “Bottoms Up,” which has a different sound and theme than some of his other songs. With this song Brantley finds a balance between rowdy and romantic. As common with many country songs, daisy dukes, tailgates and parties beneath the moonlight are all elements of this song. This guitar-heavy song starts with:
I see you and me riding like Bonnie and Clyde
Going 95 burning down 129 yeah
Looking for the law, while push my luck
As with many of his ot...

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...history of music tells us, sometimes standing out is met by criticism. Brantley has mixed reviews as an artist because of his bad boy style and the messages he shares through his song lyrics. However, singing about drinking and partying is nothing new. Musicians have been singing about these things for decades. Just as the older generations in the 1960s wanted Rock & Roll groups to sing about wholesome things like love and relationships, many people still want country music to maintain a certain degree of innocence. But as we know, music evolves, and Brantley brings something new and different to the genre of country music. Even though his message might not always be happy-go-lucky, his music is something many people can relate to. Because Brantley sings about real events and real life, not an idealized version of it, he allows people to feel through his music.