Douglas Salter
Country singer and songwriter legend Kenny Chesney released his 19th studio album “Born” on March 22nd. The release comes just in time as Chesney prepares to go on his Sun Goes Down tour that begins April 11th in Hollywood.
The tour is going to feature several songs from the album. The album is about living life with the throttle on high, but also taking a moment to look back on the struggles that we as humans deal with no matter where we come from.
The run time of the album is just over 50 minutes long and features 15 songs including the title track “Born.” Chesney released 3 songs prior to the album coming out which included “Take Her Home,” “Thinkin’ Bout” and “Just Say We Did.”
The song “Born” begins the album and encompasses the message of the album. The song talks about how we all come from somewhere and that no matter where we come from, how we all have the same experiences even if we come from different backgrounds. The song gives a sense of feeling alive, but allows the listener to ponder every experience we have lived for, like how life has its uncertainties, “we’ve all been livin’ since the day we were born.” This was the perfect song to not only start off the album but represent it as a whole.
Chesney, as always, gives his audience a feeling of being at the beach with his sounds and words. Some of the songs from the album are titled “One More Sunset,” “Blame It On The Salt” and “One Lonely Island.” All three songs have very fun moments that are destined to become favorites on his tour and become songs to highlight the summer. All three songs are about enjoying the little moments, but also learning from the people and the experiences around you.
Chesney finishes the album with a song called “Wherever You Are Tonight.” This song gets emotional. The song is about losing a loved one, but how they can live forever in the way we love. The lyrics, “you’re not gone, just out of sight. You’re here with me wherever you are tonight.” This song became one of the most powerful songs that Chesney has ever released. In an album about how we’ve been livin’ since we were born, concluding it by making a song about how life can carry on past death creates a profound message for audiences everywhere. It reminds us to enjoy the moments with our loved ones and even when they are gone, we keep them alive by keeping them close in our hearts.
After the last lyric falls, audiences everywhere still know that Kenny Chesney has still got it. It has been 30 years since his first album and four years since his last one. He still has that same vocal strength and command he possessed so long ago. Even long after his career is done, country music’s pirate will live on forever because of all the moments he made since being “Born.”