Carrie Underwood Takes On Serious Issues with ‘Play On’

Douglas Boultinghouse
Arts & Entertainment Editor

Courtesy of Amazon

Play On - Country artist Carrie Underwood released her third album "Play On" Nov. 3. The album contains the single "Cowboy Casanova."

   People often say “The third time’s the charm.” In the case of Carrie Underwood and albums, they could not be more right.

   Underwood released her third album “Play On” Nov. 3 and it could be her best yet.

   The album’s lead single “Cowboy Casanova” continues to climb the music and video charts, but Underwood made a mistake by choosing this song to lead the album with. The song sounds nothing like the rest of the album and may mislead listeners on what to expect.

   Granted the playful song contains an addictive beat, catchy lyrics and remains fun to listen to, it lacks the seriousness the rest of the album conveys – and seriousness plays an important role on “Play On” – shown primarily in the tracks “Change” and “Temporary Home.”

   On “Change,” she sings of the impact one person can make on the world.

   “Whatcha gonna do when you're watching TV and an ad comes on, yeah, you know the kind / Flashing up pictures of a child in need / For a dime a day, you could save a life / Do you call the number, reach out a hand / Or do you change the channel, call it a scam / Or do you tell yourself / You're just a fool, just a fool to believe you can change the world,” she sings.

   In the song she sings, “The smallest thing can make all the difference.” That line sums up what “Temporary Home” will do for many who hear it.

   Underwood co-wrote possibly one of the greatest songs of the past five years, in which she sings of three people – a young boy moving from foster home to foster home, a single mom struggling to make it and an old man in the hospital taking his last breath – realizing everything they’re going through is only temporary.

   “Little boy, six years old / A little too used to being alone / Another new mom and dad, another school / Another house that'll never be home ,” “Young mom on her own / She needs a little help got nowhere to go” and “Old man, hospital bed / The room is filled with people he loves / And he whispers don't cry for me / I'll see you all someday,” all lead to one heartfelt chorus.

   Underwood uses her angelic voice in its most powerful and purest form to deliver the lyrics, “This is our temporary home / It's not where we belong / Windows and rooms that we're passing through / This is just a stop, on the way to where we're going / I'm not afraid because I know this is our temporary home."

   This song will undoubtedly hit close to home and make a difference in the lives of many, reminding people no matter how difficult life may become, “This is our temporary home.”

   While the album contains its fair share of power ballads such as “Mama’s Song,” “Someday When I Stop Loving You,” “Look at Me,” an Alan Jackson cover with background vocals by Vince Gill, and “When I Stop Loving You,” a duet with Country/Gospel trio Sons of Sylvia, it also contains a couple fun, lighthearted, but upbeat tracks.

  The breezy “Quitter,” repetitious “Undo It,” feisty “Songs Like This,” melodic “This Time” and charming “Unapologize” blend in with the rest of the album, creating a very solid country album, despite the album’s misleading first single.

   She closes the album with the title track “Play On,” which serves as an inspiration to all to carry on, keep going, “Play on.”

   She sings, “Play on / When you're losing the game / Play on / 'Cause you're gonna make mistakes / It's always worth the sacrifice / Even when you think you're wrong / So play on.”

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