Single Review: Eric Church's Timely "Kill a Word"

Eric Church's "Kill a Word" is the kind of song that's needed in 2016, is the kind of song that was needed in the past. With the United States entrenched in such a divisive period, from our joke of an election coming up in November to racial tension and distrust of law enforcement, a song like "Kill a Word" could make a huge difference if it reaches the widest audience possible. Right now, American citizens are joining sides, standing at a distance and hurling insults and threats at the opposition while the opportunity for progress slowly slips away while middle ground remains vacant.

The only thing accomplished by hateful language is greater division--that much has become clear in 2016 as we approach arguably the greatest embarrassment in American history. A song like "Kill a Word" has a chance to unite people in ways no speech or campaign slogan ever could. It has the power to make people cross party lines, to make people find middle ground and have a discussion. It has the potential break down walls and create change.

"Kill a Word" is exquisitely written by Eric Church, Jeff Hyde, and Luke Dick. The verses include Church describing what he'd do to some of the most hurtful words in our language. He steers away from slurs or anything of that nature, but the collective decision between Church and his co-writers to write this song in a more general sense only expands upon the audience it can reach. While the verses are descriptive and defiant with lines like, "I'd pound fear into a pile of sand, choke lonely out with my bare hands," it's the chorus of the song that pleads with listeners to find common ground.

"Give me sticks, give me stones/Bend my body, break my bones/Use staff and rod to turn me black and blue/'Cause you can't un-hear, you can't unsay/But if it were up to me to change/I'd turn lies and hate to love and truth/If I could only/Kill a word."

"Kill a Word" was released with the album Mr. Misunderstood on November 3rd of 2015, and immediately established itself as one of the top 2-3 songs on the record for most listeners. It garnered high praise from critics as an album track, and those who have reviewed it as a single are excited about its potential and timeliness. What I find most impressive about this song is that, while it's not exactly an anti-bullying song, it avoids the issues of similar songs in the past. Not a single line is lazily written. Not one moment of the song feels preachy. At no point does Church place himself on a pedestal and act as if he's above anybody else. "Kill a Word" is Eric Church standing among the masses, saying, "I believe we're better than this."

In 2016, "Kill a Word" is much more than a single for Eric Church, it's a much-needed plea for love and peace and compromise, and hopefully it reaches as many people as possible and inspires real change. 10/10