Ranking The Songs From Eric Church’s “Mr. Misunderstood” Album, Which Was Released 10 Years Ago Today

Still my favorite album from the Chief.

Anybody who knows me knows I’m a diehard Eric Church fan. His songwriting, his live shows, his willingness to push boundaries and take creative risks for the sake of the art…there’s not anybody else like him.

Today is the 10th anniversary of his 5th studio album, Mr. Misunderstood. The album came as a surprise, first showing up in the mailboxes of his fan club members before officially being released the next day. (In fact, it was even a surprise to his label).

But for me, it stands out as maybe the best album Church has ever made.

I know that’s a big statement. Chief is obviously his most popular album, the one that made him a country music superstar. And his debut album, Sinners Like Me, is quite simply one of the greatest debut albums we’ve ever seen in country music.

Mr. Misunderstood, though, represented a new era for Church. It was his first album after releasing The Outsiders, which leaned more into his hard rock sound. Mr. Misunderstood, on the other hand, really showcased his songwriting and his passion for his craft, from songs like “Mistress Named Music” and “Record Year” to murder ballads like “Knives of New Orleans” and the rebellious title track.

It was also an album where we really saw Church’s music reflect where he was at that point in his life. Released just a few months after the birth of his second son, the album gave us a snapshot not of “Chief,” but of Eric Church the husband and father with songs like “Holdin’ My Own” and the sentimental favorite “Three Year Old.”

And you also have to also consider the climate of country music at the time: 2015 was the height of “bro country,” and as many artist leaned into that dirt-road driving, beer drinking theme, Church went the complete opposite in releasing what was truly a songwriter’s album, one that leaned not on tropes of sitting around a bonfire but that pulled from his influences of everyone from Bob Seger to Bruce Springsteen.

It was a masterpiece.

With all that said, I thought now would be as good of a time as any to try to rank all 10 songs from the album.

I recently tried to rank every song from his catalog, which was near impossible, and there’s a pretty good chance that I won’t rank all the songs from this album the same as I did on that list. And that’s ok. Don’t come at me because I don’t care.

And of course this is just my list and my preferences on this day and this time. I’m not saying that one song is objectively better than another, just giving my opinion.

So with all that said, here are my rankings:

10. “Kill A Word”

This one may be controversial, especially given the message behind the song. I’ll also say that I love Rhiannon Giddens singing background vocals on this one. But for some reason, it’s never been my favorite. Maybe because despite the metaphorical nature of the idea, it still seems too “literal” in a way with the desire to kill words like “hate” and “regret.” Or maybe it just feels too much like a “list” song.

Or maybe I’m just a grumpy old man and don’t like songs with such a positive message, that’s always a possibility too.

9. “Three Year Old”

I got a lot of comments about how low I ranked this one when I ranked his entire catalog, but I think the reason I have this one so low is simply because I’m not a parent and it doesn’t resonate with me as much as it does those with little ones. I know if I had a three year old of my own it would hit me like a ton of bricks. It’s not like I skip the song when it comes on, it’s just not my favorite from the album.

8. “Chattanooga Lucy”

I’ll be honest, this is where things got really hard and I considered abandoning this fool’s errand altogether. But I’m this far in, so I can’t give up now. I really like “Chattanooga Lucy,” probably more than most of Church’s fans do, for its groovy sound and Church’s falsetto. Honestly, the only reason it’s this low is because I couldn’t justify putting any of the other songs behind it.

7. “Mixed Drinks About Feelings”

This duet with Susan Tedeschi would be a standout on pretty much any album, which just goes to show you how strong Mr. Misunderstood really is when I’m ranking it this low.

6. “Record Year”

A fan favorite and the biggest single from the album, “Record Year” is an incredible song that anybody can relate to about turning to music when you go through a heartbreak.

5. “Mistress Named Music”

This one’s still a staple of Church’s live shows, and the powerful live performances probably helped bump it up a spot or two. It’s one of the greatest songs I’ve ever heard about chasing a dream, tempted by a mistress named music that you can never put out of your mind.

4. “Round Here Buzz”

The imagery in this song is second to none, from chasing a girl at a high school football game to being stuck in your sleepy little town drinking 2-for-1s at the local bar after that girl goes off to the big city and chases her dreams.

3. “Mr. Misunderstood”

The tempo changes, the “outsider” spirit that reverberates through every line of this song…I love everything about the title track to this album, one that again shows off Church’s masterful songwriting as he recounts his journey from being the “weird kid” in class who was obsessed with music to chasing his own dreams, regardless of what anybody else thought.

2. “Holdin’ My Own”

Ok, this proves that I do have a little bit of a heart. This song is so simple in its message of simply wanting to be with the ones you love, yet so eloquently delivered through the lens of someone who lives his life on the road but finds his greatest joy when he’s home with his family.

1. “Knives Of New Orleans”

One of my top five Eric Church songs of all time. I’m probably biased because I used to live in New Orleans (and it’s still my favorite city in the world), but the songwriting in this one perfectly captures the gritty and often dark spirit of the Crescent City. The mystery of just what he did that he’s trying to escape from adds to the intrigue, and the haunting imagery manages to capture not only the mystique of a city like New Orleans but also the city’s wild side that would allow someone to perfectly blend in to hide their own dark secrets.

We don’t know what he did, but that doesn’t matter, because you can still feel every bit of the pain and desperation pulsing through his veins – from Bourbon Street all the way to the mighty Pontchartrain.