Brooks takes final bow with 'Scarecrow'
By Elizabeth Turnbull
News Editor

Standing in the cold wind and rain of South Padre Island, Texas during his television concert special, Brooks took his final bow and said goodbye to a career that has shaped the face of country and pop music alike. A legend in his own right, Brooks leaves behind one strong, final album that is sure to be counted among his best.

Better than Sevens, Brooks’ newest, Scarecrow, illustrates his broad range of musical talent, with a little something for everyone.

From his very country “Beer Run” duet with George Jones, to his ballad-like “When You Come Back to Me Again” from the movie Frequency, Brooks covers his entire career in this, supposedly his last album.

The lyrics are rich and full. Opening with “How do I love you, well let me see / I love you like a lyric loves a melody,” the third track “Wrapped up in You,” a hit single, is reminiscent of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem “How Do I Love Thee.”

In much the same fashion as “I Don’t Have to Wonder” from Sevens, “The Storm” tells the story of a tormented lover haunted by the memories of a lost love. “She’s drowning in emotions and cannot reach the shore / She’s alive, but can she survive the storm,” Brooks’ fluid voice builds on the strong platform of the melancholic melody.

Scarecrow also has its fair share of “typical Garth” songs, including “Pushing up Daisies,” “Mr. Midnight,” and “Rodeo or Mexico,” sure to please the Garth following.

Even Bluegrass makes an appearance with “Don’t Cross the River,” a fast-paced tune with a more serious theme about loss and recovery.

Other upbeat, fun songs include the comical “Big Money,” and the flirtatious duet with Trisha Yearwood, “Squeeze Me In,” which leaves fans winking at each other and believing that Brooks really “has something she’s gonna like.”

With so much to choose from, it’s no wonder that Scarecrow has topped the country charts since its release. And for the second week in a row, the album has sold over 400,000 copies, ensuring Brooks a number one spot, tied with Toby Keith, on this week’s country charts. This proves that though it dropped from number one to number four on the Billboard 200, the album is still going strong.

Part of the cross-genre popularity could be that Brooks has announced the album will be his last. The three live CBS specials featuring his “Coast-to-Coast Live” tour, however, certainly have not hurt. Starting out with a show in Los Angeles that sold out in 30 minutes, Garth rocked the city with old and new favorites alike.

Brooks performed his free Thanksgiving-eve concert for servicemen on the USS Enterprise at the Norfolk Naval Base. The concert featured more strong signature songs, strangely ignoring the existence of his new album. Guest star Jewel offered a new sound to the concert and served as a perfect example of Brooks’ versatility – though some die-hard country fans would argue that it was just another symptom of his selling-out to the “pop world.”

Brooks closed the concert with “When You Come Back to Me,” in honor of the country’s servicemen and women. As aerial shots of the ship were shown, one couldn’t help but feel a tinge of the patriotism recently surging through the nation.

His Nov. 28 South Padre Island performance was supposed to be his last professional concert, though many believe he will not follow through. Again, he barely acknowledged the new album, mentioning it only once at South Padre and singing none of the Scarecrow songs for the televised portion.

Emphasizing the importance of his musical influences, Brooks invited Jerry Jeff Walker out on stage for “Mr. Bojangles” and “Texas on My Mind.” Brooks closed his career’s final television appearance with “The Dance,” an anthem for the nostalgic and heartbroken worldwide.

Unable to withdraw completely from the public spotlight, Brooks says he will turn to other endeavors, such as screenwriting and producing, a reminder that despite his latest retirement, Brooks will always have last the dance.