Single Review -
Real Life by Jeff Carson
He
was Billboard Magazine's Top New Country Artist in 1995 following his debut #1
single, "Not On Your Love." In
1996, he won top honors for ACM's Video of the Year for "The Car," his
sophomore single which also reached #1. His
second album, "Butterfly Kisses,"
was a huge success on Christian Country radio producing two more
#1 singles titled "Shine On" and "Scars and All." Now, Jeff Carson is back ,
to start where he left off, with a new album due out later this summer.
Jeff’s first single was released to radio in mid-May.
It's a great heart-wrenching ballad titled "Real Life."
Brilliantly penned by Jim Janosky and Neil Thrasher, this great
masterpiece effectively outlines the tragedy and triumph which we all experience
in real life. From coping with the
loss of a loved one for the first time to the exquisite joy of childbirth, Carson brings us along on that emotional journey in this
great new song.
The first loss of a loved one is probably the most profound
moment of our lives "I was
young, he was old, we both were the same age."
What a great lyric to begin this song.
The intricacy of these lyrics is what makes the songwriting so
exceptional. You don't understand
these first words until Carson explains, "he'd lick my face."
A dog, man's best friend. A
boy's best buddy, who he loses, forcing him to face death for the first time in
his life. And "from that moment on, real life begins."
Moving ahead a few years, Carson takes you back to senior
high school, girls, sports, graduation and filling out applications.
Included in that phase of real life, you'll encounter the blurry
"superficial years" spent after high school.
Then, Carson meets and falls in love with the woman who changes his life
forever and "from that moment on, real life began."
Fast-forwarding to the end of the song, Carson has us
prepared for the worst. He's by her side and scared to death as she takes one
last breath. But this time its
something magical rather than tragic. It's
the birth of their first child and "from that moment on, real life
begins."
Carson has scored another winner with this single. There’s not a more ‘real’ country song than one that deals with the realities of tragedy and triumph of real life. This song is sure to stay with you long after the last note of the keyboard fades away. It is a song with a profound message..."live life for the moment and cherish those moments because it is 'Real Life.'"
June 2001 - Sherry Anderson - Take
Country Back