It's been several years since we last heard from Miss Tammy Cochran. She is best known for her 2001 Top 10 hit "Angels In Waiting" - a tribute to her two brothers, who had their young lives tragically snuffed out by cystic fibrosis. Three more Top 40 hits followed, but then she fell out of favor with the bigwigs at country radio. As of today, she has not charted a hit single in eight years.
Tammy's new single, the first from her brand-new album 30 Something and Single is a far cry from being an emotional tearjerker like "Angels In Waiting." Instead of making you cry, this one is more likely to give you a good chuckle. The song is set in a bar. The narrator is sitting at a table enjoying a nice cold Budweiser. All of a sudden, "Mr. 1979" comes walking in. Despite the fact that his youthful days have fled, he clearly considers himself to be one hot dude. With a confident swagger, he strolls over to Tammy's table and spits out an obnoxious pick-up line that makes her want to slap him. Still, she stays cool and acts as polite as you please. I don't want to spoil the song's ending, but when he sits down next to her, and his hand starts wandering around, let's just say that her manners go flying out the window.
"He Really Thinks He's Got It" appeals to a wide audience. No doubt, there are plenty of women out there who have encountered a "Mr. 1979" before, and can relate to the song. Furthermore, I'm sure there are plenty of men who would enjoy seeing a creepy and stuck-up jerk get what he deserves. Just about anyone can appreciate the humor in the lyrics. Despite Tammy's lack of commercial momentum, she does not sound like she is desperately pleading for radio airplay. She's not even aiming for a crossover pop hit; she just sounds like she's being herself. The song's production is simple, but thoroughly enjoyable to hear. Fiddles and steel guitars are prominently featured, which makes it sound just as country as can be. "He Really Thinks He's Got It" is a pure and simple pleasure, standing out in a sea of cookie-cutter country-pop. It is a foregone conclusion that this song will be largely ignored by country radio. But if you do get a chance to hear it, you can consider yourself very lucky.
TAMMY'S SCORE: 9
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)