“One Thing at a Time” is Morgan Wallen’s third studio album that was released today. It has 36 tracks and is classified as a country album. Three singles had been released prior to the album release: “Don’t Think Jesus,” released April 15, 2022, “You Proof,” which was released on July 18, 2022 and “Thought You Should Know,” which was released on Nov. 7, 2022.

Before I start to review the songs off of this album, I want to give a disclaimer — the fact that there are 36 songs on this album means that I will not be able to do an in-depth, detailed review of every single one. This being said, below are the reviews of the songs on “One Thing at a Time.”

Born With A Beer In My Hand

This song starts out with some beautiful guitar, which gave me hope, but we’ve once again fallen into the cliché of country singers writing about beer. It’s a catchy song, I’ll give it that, but at what point are we going to get some variety in country music? I haven’t heard many songs released in the past 10 years that haven’t been about beer, women, the joys of redneck life — their words, not mine — or exacting revenge on a past partner.

Last Night

This is another catchy song. I particularly enjoy the snapping or clapping in the background. That will get him some audience participation for sure.

Everything I Love

With three catchy songs straight out of the gate, this is shaping up to be an album that stays on the charts for a while. I can respect that. I like the electric guitar. I looked up the lyrics to this song and it’s about a past partner ruining everything he loves … because they broke up. Gotcha. Cliché.

Man Made A Bar (feat. Eric Church)

Getting a big name on your song like Eric Church is very respectable. It’s a good money move for Church to shack up with Wallen. The chorus of this song is about God making the world in seven days, then God making man, then man getting lonely and making a bar. What I’m hearing is … the pipeline from God to alcohol is being explored in this song. I can work with that.

Did Eric Church get a verse in this song or was he just the background vocals? I typed that too soon. He gets the last verse on his own, but other than that, he’s just the background vocals.

Devil Don’t Know

Immediate impression — “Devil in Disguise” by Elvis Presley is better. Second impression — “Devil Don’t Know” is incredibly slower than “Devil in Disguise,” and Elvis is out of Wallen’s league, so the comparison should end here.

Okay, so this song is about hell and the devil’s circumstances being better than going through a breakup. It’s very poetically dramatic.

One Thing at a Time

I have high hopes for this title track. It’s catchy, but the first lyric is “somebody hand me a cigarette.” Babe, you’re going to get lung cancer.

Here’s my take on country singers who sing about alcohol, drugs and women all the time — has anyone checked on them? Are they okay? Are they drawing on their real-life experiences? Are they addicts, and do we need to set up some rehabilitation? I’m worried, to say the least.

Overall, like every other song on this album, catchy. I understand why this one is the title track.

‘98 Braves

Finally, some variety — a song about sports! I’ll say it, so far, this is my favorite song.

I stand corrected. “If love was a game, we’d be the ‘98 Braves.” I rescind my comment about this being my favorite song on this album. I wanted variety and got duped. DOOP!

Ain’t That Some

Also catchy, but the vocal quality on this song is a little different than the other songs and I can’t quite put my finger on why. This is the first song on the album that lives up to the parental advisory warning on the album cover — think about manure, and you’ll understand which word is missing from “Ain’t That Some.”

I Wrote The Book

As an English major, so did I. This song is about being a jack of all trades but being bad at relationships. I can’t say I’m surprised. Catchy song, though.

Tennessee Numbers

Here we go — classic Wallen and part of the reason why everyone in Tennessee loves him so much. He’s the hometown hero — other than Chesney, Ballerini, Parton … I feel like people forget that Aretha Franklin, Morgan Freeman, Tina Turner and Al Gore are from Tennessee too. The song has a nostalgic feel to it, and just before the three-minute mark, we get the “865” area code dropped into the lyrics. Other than that, I do not know what the essence of this song is — it’s a post-breakup song, not surprisingly.

Hope That’s True

This song is wishing his ex the best things in life. That’s very nice, but it also feels condescending when you actually listen to the song. I’m not a huge fan of that.

Whiskey Friends

Another nostalgic sounding song at its beginning, but once the lyrics start, we understand that this is another drinking song post-breakup.

Can I have some spice please? My only consolation is that I’m one-third of the way through the album.

Sunrise

Nothing special — catchy, not a breakup song but rather a song during a relationship and has a cliché but strong metaphor.

Keith Whitley

Immediately, I’m intrigued. Who is Keith Whitley? Let me google it. Well, now I feel silly. I know “I’m No Stranger to the Rain” by Keith Whitley. I forgot about that guy. It’s sad that he died at age 34 from alcohol poisoning.

At its roots, this song is about drinking after a breakup. Again. The title and subject is a deceivingly good connection, but this song is the same as every other song on the album when it comes down to it.

In The Bible (feat. HARDY)

I know people like Hardy a whole lot, but I just don’t get his music. It’s similar to how I don’t understand the hype around Morgan Wallen. I guess they’re fine, you know? They’re good enough singers to be popular and they release music that is catchy enough to be listened to, but I just don’t get it.

The most interesting part of this song is the “hallelujah, amen” lyrics.

You Proof

I understand why this song is a single. It’s got the commercial radio feel to it, for sure. It’s also got the cliché country lyrics about drinking to cope with a breakup. Again. The only reason why it differs is because it’s got some interesting instrumentation behind the lyrics.

Thought You Should Know

Also has a fun, nostalgic, slow guitar intro like some of the other songs on this album. I think this song is about his mom, which is precious, and I can get behind that. The downside is that one of the first things Wallen lists to reassure his mother that he’s okay is that he has a new partner that treats him well — girl. Maybe put that after the fact that you’re still the boy she raised … I don’t think a mother would care more about a new girlfriend than she does about a person staying true to their values, upbringing and not being corrupted by fame.

Other than that, I can assure you all that this is going to be my favorite song on the album.

F150-50

I have never been a car girl. I appreciate a little variety in topics, though I expect this song to be about a girl riding along in the F150. I refuse to be duped like I was in ‘98 Braves. It’s a fine song, catchy enough, but I got bored. Halfway there.

Neon Star (Country Boy Lullaby)

Okay, so what I’m understanding is that this song is about wishing on a neon star in a bar —probably a Lone Star — for a girl to come back to him, though he understands that maybe he should pray to God.

Again. Very poetically dramatic.

I Deserve A Drink

Me too, after making it this far. Golly.

As these songs continue, it gets harder and harder to distinguish between the themes of them — because they’re all the same. Once again, it’s about a girl, and how Wallen doesn’t have her, and how it’s hurting him.

Take a shot every time Morgan Wallen sings about a past relationship, drinking or God. You’ll be sitting like Keith Whitley, for sure.

Wine Into Water

This song is about apologizing to a girl after a breakup because he couldn’t sleep without resolving their issues. If I had to guess, his drinking might’ve been a problem in the relationship — as it would be in any relationship if he drinks as much as he sings about it — based on the lyric “Let’s turn this wine into water under the bridge.” Clever lyrics, I will give him that — if I saw this in a poem I’d be like, “Cool enjambment!”

Me + All Your Reasons

About a breakup — the same as all the other songs. He’s alone … with the reasons why she broke up with him. That’s it.

Tennessee Fan

I, too, am a Tennessee fan. I’ve heard this song — I feel like we heard it over and over after the Alabama game. Did Wallen release a clip of it on his Instagram or something after we won? Or is it just the same as other UT-loving songs he has released?

Basically, he shacked up with a Bama girl and now she’s a Tennessee fan too. I support the cause. If that’s what we have to do to rid the world of Bama fans, then I’m down for it.

Money On Me

Two-thirds of the way through. 1,700 words down!

Catchy — same as every other song on the album.

Thinkin’ Bout Me

Here’s my English major tip: if we’re going to use an apostrophe on “thinkin,’” then let’s use an apostrophe on “Bout.” Make it “‘Bout.”

So, here’s our breath of fresh air — instead of Wallen singing about a girl who broke up with him, he’s singing about a girl he has wooed who is already in a relationship but misses him instead of her boyfriend. Gotcha.

Single Than She Was

Okay, so this is the continuation of the previous song. The girl, possibly not the same one, is single now. Morgan is free to pursue her, and he says that her ex-boyfriend is stupid for breaking up with her because she’s super cool. Catchy.

Days That End In Why

And we’re back to breakups. This man has a tumultuous life, huh? I don’t envy him. Quite frankly, I worry. It’s catchy, like every other song on this album, but it’s the same in essence.

Last Drive Down Main

This song is very upbeat, and I can work with that. Unfortunately, it is about taking one last drive down the road like it’s a literal memory lane after a breakup. I almost didn’t catch that, though, so I will give this song extra props.

Me To Me

According to the people I follow on Instagram, they love this song. Right off the bat, it’s super catchy and in a different way than some of the other catchy songs on this album. It’s also a short song — I can applaud getting a song’s point across in a concise way.

I feel like Wallen works more with catchiness rather than actual good lyrics, despite the many, many songwriters on this album. I don’t feel like he should compromise the holistic view of a song just to make something catchy for the radio.

Don’t Think Jesus

This is a slower song than most of the songs on this album and I feel like my comment about catchiness overweighting lyrics applies to this song. However, for the most part, I think this song has much more substance than the other songs on the album.

180 (Lifestyle)

Also a very catchy song with a bit more autotune than in other songs. That’s okay, autotune is not a bad thing. This is definitely a radio hit, with a girl leaving the big city to go to the country and loving it. It’s a fun song, but there’s way too much repetition.

Had It

Another breakup song, but this one is more nostalgic and slow. It’s not a hard-hitting emotional slow song, though. I don’t think those are Wallen’s style, which is fine. I just could do with some more stylistic emotion. It’s also a song that’s about the process of a breakup, not an after-the-fact one like the rest of the songs on the album.

Cowgirls (feat. Ernest)

Basically, no matter how many times cowgirls break Wallen and Ernest’s hearts, they will continue to love them. No one ever said these boys weren’t consistent!

Good Girl Gone Missin’

Wallen has been broken up with, he’s very sad and he drank to cope with it. This song is a bit more emotionally slow than the other slow songs on the album, but it doesn’t have quite the helplessness that I think Wallen’s songs could benefit from. I also think it’s important to note that Wallen recognizes that part of the reason she left him was because of his drinking.

The first step is admitting that you have a problem, Morgan. I’m proud of you.

Outlook

I like this song a lot because I think there’s a lot of depth in rediscovering your spirituality. The whole premise of this song is that Wallen used to ignore his beliefs and go against them, but now he’s rediscovered the person up there who is looking out for him. I think that’s precious — good for him. I have nothing bad to say about this song or its topic because it’s incredibly vulnerable for him and I respect that. He also wrote on this song, so I figure it’s got some truth to his life specifically.

Dying Man

We did it, Joe. We made it to the end of the album. I think the title does a lot of work for this song before I’ve even listened to it. It’s very fitting that the last song on the album talks about “dying.” Technically, after this song, it will be the death of the first time I listened to this album. I just think it’s apt that the end of the album alludes to death, which is a death in its own way.

This song continues the theme of dealing with spirituality and one’s own mortality. I respect that a lot — especially the part of the song where Wallen discusses country and music stars of the past and their addictions, which played a part in killing them. He talks about how this girl saved him and gave him a reason to live. I’m glad for him.

Overall, this album was fine. I don’t know if I would listen to it again — maybe I would listen to the songs that I deemed to have real, deep substance. I still don’t get the obsession with Wallen, but I can respect some of his music — still not a lot of it. If you have two hours and enjoy country music, try this album out. If you want to hear the same thing over and over again but in an upbeat way that makes you forget that you’re hearing the same thing over and over again, then this is definitely the album for you.