Randy Rogers Band, "Steal You Away"

This Texan band will probably never break through to the country music mainstream.  Every single that they've ever released has missed the Top 40 on country radio.  Granted, that hasn't proved to be a major hindrance.  The Randy Rogers Band has built a strong fan base over the course of their career, and they have proven to be a popular concert attraction.  But it is a bit of a shame that the average country radio listener might not get the chance to hear such great songs as "Steal You Away."

Randy's character here is watching in frustration as the woman he loves gives all her affection to a man who is hardly deserving.  He silently admonishes the unappreciative man for his faults, thinking "I should steal you away."  Perhaps he should, but will he?  The lyrics portray a man who thinks he knows the right thing to do, and is likely trying to muster the courage to put a stop to the injustice, but seems to be debating over what to do.  The song ends on an unresolved note, allowing the listener to fill in the story's ending.  In effect, the song is asking the listener, "How do you think the story turned out?"

It's an interest-arousing story to be sure, and the production creates the perfect mood for it, gradually building in intensity as the track continues.  A sparse piano and guitar-driven arrangement supplies the ideal backdrop for Randy's soft and emotional crooning.  "Steal You Away" oozes sincerity in a emotionally hard-hitting performance that also carries an air of mystery as it causes us to ponder the story's outcome.

This will never fly on today's bubblegum pop country stations, but that's surely not a bad thing.  Judging by this superb performance, I'd say the Randy Rogers Band has done Texas proud.



RANDY'S SCORE:  10 
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)
 
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