New country artist Catie Offerman may have just written one of the most interesting cheating songs of the last couple years.
Jennifer Nettles took the mainstream cheating song in a different direction with the release of her song "That Girl" in 2014. In an interview about the song, Nettles explained that "That Girl" was a sort of response to the classic Dolly Parton song, "Jolene." She said, “All we hear from Dolly is her one perspective as the narrator,” Nettles explained. “But what if Jolene doesn’t want to take her man just because she can?" Even though that song didn't do as well on the charts as it should have, it was a new and interesting persective in comparison to the angry, "Before He Cheats" songs of the years before.
Catie Offerman's song, "Cheating Myself" is from the perspective of the girl that a man is cheating with. It's a song full of regret and pain, but also of longing. The line, "My number pops up as unknown / just in case she grabs his phone / Kinda hope she does / Kinda hope she don't" explains the whole feeling of the song in one sentence. In some ways, she wants his girlfriend/wife to find out. But she also wants him. She doesn't paint herself as the good girl, or try to say that what she is doing is right. It's a completely self-deprecating song in some senses, as Offerman clearly states, that "there ain't no good reason" for her to be doing what she's doing. But she does create a human behind all of the mass media against cheaters, showing that yes, a mistress is doing something wrong, but she knows it. It's not just his girlfriend she's hurting, but she's also hurting herself. It's an incredibly complex and interesting story and caricature that Offerman tells in just three minutes.
Now, we just need a studio version.
Overall rating: 4 ½ crowns
Catie Offerman's song, "Cheating Myself" is from the perspective of the girl that a man is cheating with. It's a song full of regret and pain, but also of longing. The line, "My number pops up as unknown / just in case she grabs his phone / Kinda hope she does / Kinda hope she don't" explains the whole feeling of the song in one sentence. In some ways, she wants his girlfriend/wife to find out. But she also wants him. She doesn't paint herself as the good girl, or try to say that what she is doing is right. It's a completely self-deprecating song in some senses, as Offerman clearly states, that "there ain't no good reason" for her to be doing what she's doing. But she does create a human behind all of the mass media against cheaters, showing that yes, a mistress is doing something wrong, but she knows it. It's not just his girlfriend she's hurting, but she's also hurting herself. It's an incredibly complex and interesting story and caricature that Offerman tells in just three minutes.
Now, we just need a studio version.
Overall rating: 4 ½ crowns
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