Martina McBride – I’m Gonna Love You Through It (CD Single Review)

Martina McBride – I’m Gonna Love You Through It (CD Single Review)
Release Date – 19 Aug 2011
Label – (C) 2011 Republic Nashville Records, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Time – 3:45
Writers – Writer: Ben Hayslip/Sonya Isaacs/Jimmy Yeary
Rating (Out of 10): 7/10
You’re not supposed to say the word “cancer” in a song….But this is country music and we do” said Brad Paisley in this song “This Is Country Music”. Well 45 year-old Martina McBride uses the word twice in her current single ‘I’m Gonna Love You Through It’ which is her second from her forthcoming album ELEVEN.
The song was composed by Ben Hayslip (co-wrote ‘Barefoot and Crazy’ for Jack Ingram, ‘Honey Bee’ and ‘All About Tonight’ for Blake Shelton) along with husband and wife Jimmy Yeary and Sonya Isaacs who became first-time parents on July 26, 2011 with the birth on a son Ayden. As writers Isaacs scored success with Heidi Newfield’s “Stay Up Late” and Yeary co-wrote ‘Keeping It Rural’ for Ashton Shepherd, and with Neil Thrasher and Tom Shapiro penned ‘’Why Wait” the #1 hit for Rascal Flatts. Yeary also became a member of the reformed band Shenandoah.
The conceptions of this song came from a writing session, Isaacs mother had a hard battle with breast cancer and they called her up and put her on the speaker phone to hear what she had endured in order to stay alive and how Sonya’s father had dealt with the difficulties.
The song gently opens with soft piano, acoustic guitar strums and cello notes.
She dropped the phone and burst into tears / The doctor just confirmed her fears / Her husband held it in and held her tight / Cancer don’t discriminate or care if you’re just 38 / With three kids who need her in their lives / He said, ‘I know that you’re afraid and I am, too / But you’ll never be alone, I promise you “” McBride sings in the emotional first verse.
The song is basically a conversation piece between a couple – ‘We’re going to get through this together “ – As partners they are there to help each other and come to terms when faced with one of life’s cruelest hardships – ‘I’m gonna love you through it “. McBride winds up her power house chops and feeling the emotions belts out in “Céline Dion fashion the chorus lines:
When you’re weak, I’ll be strong / When you let go, I’ll hold on / When you need to cry, I swear that I’ll be there to dry your eyes / When you feel lost and scared to death, like you can’t take one more breath step / Just take my hand, together we can do this / I’m gonna love you through it,”
The lyrics leaving nothing to the imagination when faced with the life-threatening ailment telling a survivors story as McBride inform us:
She made it through the surgery fine, They said they caught her just in time, But they had to take more than they planned, And now it’s forced smiles and baggy shirts, To hide what the cancer took from her
And she just wants to feel like a woman again
The husband is there to wipe her tears, hold her hand, comfort her and will be her rock in those harsh, painful and weakest times – “He took her in his arms and said “That’s what my love is for”.
The song has a contemporary sound but allows steel guitar to sweep forward in the mix and McBride’s vocal soars backed by the crescendo of a full-on string section. One of the songs drawbacks is that the arrangement is very similar and at times almost undistinguishable to her 2007 Top 5 single “Anyway”. It is as if the producers in order to re-create similar chart success revisited it giving it a fresh sheen to the recording.
After a slow start it holds a position of #35 on the Hot Country Charts. The test will be as to how country radio reacts to it. As far as the UK is concerned it has had few airings to date. Will radio programmers feel too uncomfortable playing it, is it too graphic? You’re not supposed to say that unpleasant “word” in a song? Back in the 90’s deep meaningful country songs were often the order of the day tackling awkward real life subject matter. In recent years Music row seems to demand more pop-fluff and rock anthems with a diet of partying, drinking and truck songs. The aim of ‘I’m Gonna Love You Through’ is to strike a chord with people as Martina sings out from the rooftops as well as from heart in a style that made her a country superstar. We shall have to see where the chips may fall.
In the video celebrity cancer survivors speak of their families support mechanisms and carers and include Sheryl Crow, Robin Roberts and Hoda Kotb, as well as cancer activist Katie Couric adding a personal dimension to the empowering lyrics of the tune.
It was rumoured that this song was to become the title cut of the new album but it is to be named ELEVEN. It will be released on October 11, 2011 with 11 tracks on this McBride’s’ 11th album A deluxe edition is be made available with 4 extra songs and music videos for the albums 2 singles.
I feel like I’ve been given the support and power to go into the studio and write and create an album that pushes the boundaries of what people expect of me, while still being true to myself “ said Martina at a press conference. To coincide with its release Martina will take a cross-country four-day train ride from Los Angeles to New York making 11 stops to showcase her songs in Albuquerque, N.M., Chicago and New York. The tour is named “’Eleven’ Across America Powered by Amtrak.”
Let’s hope for her sake that the album will be a success and not hit the buffers on route.
Livewire (21 Sept 2011)

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