Luke Bryan, Knockin’ Boots | Track Review

Country superstar Luke Bryan has ‘making love’ on his mind on his enjoyable, inoffensive, tongue-in-cheek new single, “Knockin’ Boots.”

“Yeah, birds need bees and ice needs whiskey / Boys like me need girls like you to kiss me… / Boots need knockin’, knockin’ boots / Knockin’ boots, me and you, oh.”  You see, when you’re a country artist, and you want to tackle matters of the bedroom, well, you’ve got to be clever about it.  Luke Bryan couldn’t just be explicit like many of the pop or hip-hop artists – he had to about ‘making love’ in a country sort of way.  And he does so effectively, if utterly cornily on his new single, “Knockin’ Boots.”

One of the pros for Mr. Bryan is the fact that he doesn’t try to go too modern in regards to the sound of “Knockin’ Boots.” No, this still doesn’t sound like the most traditional country cut ever recorded, but it also doesn’t force the modern pop hand, which is moderately successful at best at times.  In other words, Bryan keeps things semi-traditional as he sings about a relatable topic without getting TMI.  Additionally, he’s able to incorporate the usual country clichés – his truck (“This truck needs a half tank / These wheels need a two-lane”), drinking (“Cheap drinks need a-slingin’”), and of course love and ‘making love’ without crossing the line (“That dress needs to slip off” and “And backseats need I want you so bad”).  Of course, the crème de la crème is the chorus, excerpted at the top in all its vanilla, sensual glory, sigh.

Final Thoughts

All in all, “Knockin’ Boots” is an effective new single for Luke Bryan.  It’s totally inoffensive, yet gets the man’s point across.  Just like everybody else, he wants to ‘have some fun,’ if you catch my drift. “Knockin’ Boots” is well-produced, respectably written given the artist and context, and should earn Bryan another big-time hit on country radio.  Hard to argue with that.

Luke Bryan • Knockin’ Boots [Single] • Capitol Nashville • Release: 3.29.19

Photo Credit: Capitol Nashville