Country Mike Blog

Cost of Livin' is a home run for Ronnie Dunn

Mike Sudhalter  |  July 27, 2011

Ronnie Dunn may have just recorded his masterpiece

Going solo after nearly two decades in country music's most famous duo can't be easy. But Ronnie Dunn is doing some impressive things.

I heard "Cost Of Livin'" on the radio Tuesday night, and it was one of the most real country songs I've ever had the pleasure of listening to.

It reminded me of the 1993 hit, "Hard Workin' Man" and served as a reminder of how much Dunn has grown as an artist.

"Hard Workin' Man" was kind of silly. It didn't do anything to speak to the heart of people who pour their heart and soul into working for their hard-earned dollar.

"Cost of Livin'" did, because it's written about a real hard workin' man facing some harsh economic realities of the day.

The story is told from the perspective of a military veteran at a job interview. The song is amazingly conversational, albeit one-sided, for a tune that's played on mainstream country radio.

It talks about gas being around $3 (it's actually upwards of that, but it was probably around $3 when the song was written), and how the interviewee is trying to provide for his family.

I've heard it said before that country music told the story of the Working Man, from Jimmie Rodgers to Merle Haggard.

Dunn failed to carry that torch with "Hard Workin' Man" back in 1993, but to paraphrase Harry Dunn from "Dumb and Dumber", Dunn recorded this new song and "Totally Redeemed" himself.