Florida Georgia Line, I Love My Country | Track Review 🎵

While the patriotism is appreciated, country duo Florida Georgia Line fall short on the twang heavy, lyrically inept “I Love My Country.”

“I love my country / I love my country / Six strings and fiddles / Whiskey from Kentucky…” Well, country duo Florida Georgia Line loves their country (the U.S.), or so they assert on their single, “I Love My Country.” Sigh, there’s nothing wrong with patriotism; it’s appreciated.  That said, that’s only one component of this particular number. If you enjoy your country music with ample twang and incredibly tongue-n-cheek, then this FGL record will likely tickle your fancy. If you’re utterly annoyed by how pronounced the twang is and consider “I Love My Country” to be more, um, over-the-top as opposed to transcendent, well, you’ll take issue with this one.  That’s where I am.

For me, “I Love My Country” is unapologetically country – obnoxiously so.  By my estimations, it’s twang overload.  A little twang, particularly in country music, is understandable.  Here, Florida Georgia Line pile it on so much that it’s laughable.  Furthermore, their patriotism is very simplistic – more to do with what they enjoy and less about what the country is about as a whole.  Sure, there’s nothing wrong if you “Drop a beer form a stand, catch a fish with a bobber / Drink a beer out the can, liquor out the bottle,” but I’d say “the good Lord” had more intentions than that… “Yes, he did.” On the second verse, FGL’s love of country entails “Barbecue, steak fries,” and later, “George Strait singing greats while we turning up lake side.” Fine, but, again, not particular deep – no offense George.

Final Thoughts 

Ultimately, what you think of “I Love My Country” depends on who you are and what you listen to.  I’m from the south, so, I can totally see southerners ‘eat this up.’ As for me though, it’s merely okay at best, and I might argue it falls a shade or two below being okay in all honesty.  The biggest rubs are that (1) Florida Georgia Line overdo the twang and honestly (2) underwhelm lyrically.  There are simply better written and much better executed country records than this one.

Florida Georgia Line • “I Love My Country” • Big Machine • Release: 3.27.20

Photo Credit: Big Machine