Bucky Covington's New Single: You "Gotta Be" Kidding Me

Sometimes, it’s hard for me to actually say what I think on this blog. I may not like a song or an album, but I like the person behind it, and I don’t want to tear them down…

But sometimes you just have to call a spade a spade. And this is one of those times…

Bucky Covington has just released the new single from his upcoming sophomore album (which has now been postponed until Spring 2010) and as I listen to it right now, I just can’t help but shake my head…

It’s a cover of the Nickelback smash, “Gotta Be Somebody.”

I ADORE this song more than I can say, so it absolutely pains me to hear what Bucky has done to it. It’s not that he has a bad voice or anything—because he doesn’t—it’s just that this song should not be countrified. And Bucky is no Chad Kroeger when it comes to singing.

Plus, Bucky tries to change it up with subtle lyric changes and rhythm changes with some of the words and they don’t work. Especially when he takes the curse word out of the second verse.

I really like Bucky and I really like the people at his label, Lyric Street, but I just don’t know what they’re thinking with this one. Do I think it’s a hit? Yeah, probably. But by covering such a familiar song that is still getting lots of pop airplay, what is that going to do for his credibility?

Not to mention what it’s going to do to my ears. I don’t think I can ever hear the Nickelback version the same way again…

Photo Credit: David McClister