HOME FREE - CRUISE (Florida Georgia Line remix ft. Nelly): classical musician reacts & analyses

[@SirHairless]

Check out my acapella playlist here! kzbin.info/aero/PL-tAjLxAAkA90_YxcpVe2CQ4sxWEBJTNg

[@lazylady8591]

Home Free had been a professional acapella group for years with a full schedule of performances when they impulsively decided to audition for The Sing-Off without any expectations. Home Free with a slight variation of members had auditioned before and had even reached the final stage without being accepted on the show. They expected the same results this time. A producer on the show wanted them to sing a country song as one of their songs for the audition. The guys had only one country song that they had learned for a corporate performance so they practiced in the hallway and then performed the song. At this time, Home Free was a general acapella group with a strong regional following. The producer then practically promised them a spot on the show if they would be billed as a country acapella group. Home Free voted on the issue. They realized that once labeled a country group, there would be no turning back. Austin, the newest member, strongly advocated for Home Free to be labeled a country group. He argued that they still could sing other types of music. Chris supported Austin. He didn't care about being labeled a country group. He just wanted to be on TV. Rob and Tim were against it. Tim especially was against it since he had given up the chance for a career as a solo country singer. The deciding vote was Adam's. He voted for them to be a country group. They were accepted on the show because country music was considered to be very commercial. As Tim later said," Thank God I was outvoted." Home Free went on The Sing-Off with no expectations of winning. Their expectation was to gain some national exposure before they were off the show and then return to their touring. However, they had a full schedule of professional commitments during the time the show was filmed. They did a very creative solution to the problem. They created Home Free B composed of former Home Free members and taught them the show. Home Free B fulfilled Home Free's commitments without any complaints by their customers. You might want to check out Voiceplay's performances in the same Sing-Off season. The two groups became close friends during the competition.

[@pooftiger]

Sir, they rap. And they all beatbox, not just Adam. The trio thing comes from blugrass. Country is a huge field of music like R and B that have multiple types thrown in. You have country, western, bluegrass, folk, and some gospel hybnds thrown in. It's interesting to see the reaction of someone who did not grow up with it playing. Lastly, the Florida Georgia line is the state line that divides the two. It's humid and sweltering and sort of looks like Man of Constant Sorrow with the live oaks and moss hanging. It's beautiful and small town and this song fits in perfectly.

[@tammymoseley1348]

This night was the moment I fell in love with Home Free.

[@bernieregnier4500]

The fact that they sing about 11 different genres and do them all extremely well is the difference between Home Free and just about every other group out there. I find your reactions to be thorough and enjoyable and without prejudice. You bring a lot to the table with your music theory background and it helps me understand a little better the efforts Home Free goes through to provide the very best. They do the vast majority, if not all of their arrangements. They all come to the table with music education. I am amazed at the talent collection that makes up the current lineup of Home Free. They are very intentional and deliberate with who sings what parts and when throughout the various parts of song. Thank you again for your reaction and insights. ❣

[@susanhorn4325]

Their producer, Darren Rust, does many of their arrangements.

[@gailseatonhumbert]

The odd thing about Homefree was they were not a country Acapella band but the Sing Off program convinced them to do it for the show. It has obviously worked out very well for them and they were eventually accepted by the country music community. The CMA (country music awards) are held in Nashville. The genre was looked down on by the other music styles that the Grammys cover so they have their own awards. Bass singers being relatively rare Tim and Avi knew each other before Homefree was on the SingOff.

[@miamidolphinsfan]

this was the start....introducing them to the world & showing just a bit of their immense talent

[@soniafranco9101]

I love Home Free. What harmony, what beautiful voices!

[@dagmar.6954]

Love seeing these Sing Off shows as I never saw any of them live. What stands out to me is not only how young the guys look but the humility & support they give each other. No divas in this group. And Adam Rupp's talent already was head & shoulders above a lot of the other beatboxers at that time. Hard to believe he is even better now. It is also fun listening to the judges comments. They loved these guys from the start. Home Free is redoing all these songs from the "Sing Off" for their 10 year anniversary album, so you will be able to compare them now.

[@paulastephens2640]

I really love your reactions. I notice things I hadn't noticed before or hadn't realized how complex they were. I hope you react to Peter Hollens and Tim again, preferably Misty Mountains.

[@elainecourteau6231]

Definitely road trip song. Laid back and fun. Thanks again for your r/a. 🤗

[@sarahkinsey5434]

They were so tight even back then. All those cruise ships and county fairs really helped them nail their performances together. I would love for you to watch the longer clips from the show with the judges feedback. They're so cute with the praise

[@SarahAden-zb3np]

Home Free did a great job on this song. Austin did a great job on this song. Tim's bass is my favorite and they are my favorite group. 😊❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@tracyallshouse2730]

Your knowledge of music is always impressive and enjoyable.😊 Their " Butts Remix/ Medley " is a fun one and includes some rap😅 anyway thank you so very much! ❤

[@beverlyburch4467]

Fabulous reaction, Sir. If you want to see a super fun country video from Home Free, check out Hillbilly Bone. Originally done by Trace Adkins. It's my second favorite HF cover. It's a laugh fest!

[@SirHairless]

Thanks Beverly! "Hillbilly Bone" is on my list for the future 👌

[@beverlyburch4467]

@@SirHairless Excellent!!!

[@lauranichols945]

That season, the decisions on which groups would advance were made by the judges rather than votes. That probably helped Home Free because of its less spectacular dance routines. The other groups often had interesting choreography but faltered on their harmonies, which were Home Free’s strength. Some were even off-key. These judges were very astute, too.

[@bryanpscolka7280]

You need to check out the new version that they did. Freaking phenomenal!.

[@kathy-o4p]

Both Home Free and Pentatonix worked to showcase their tremendous basses while on the Sing Off. It worked for both of them.

[@sarahkinsey5434]

I bet VoicePlay would have gotten farther if they had showcased Geoff too. I don't think he was as confident in himself as he is today with taking solos

[@bethcoussou]

Home Free was well-received and highly praised by the judges every week. The audience seemed to enjoy them as well. Rob is really good at rapping (as can be seen in their “Butts Medley”. Have you reacted to Austin and Rob doing opera? They recorded Nessun Dorma. You will be surprised! Also, I’d love to see your reaction-analysis of Chance with a duo The Hound + The Fox singing Wayfaring Stranger. It’s really special!

[@ruthcurfman7532]

Wayfaring Stranger is amazing! I hope he reacts to it. ❤

[@nightthornkvala94132]

Don't forget that this performance was part of the competition show and the producers had a lot of say about their set up. This is probably where they hooked up with Kristin Denehy and she is still their choreographer today. (I confirmed this with their crew on the sound board at a concert last year and conveyed my love and appreciation for her and her work with the boys.) Home Free recently recorded another video for this song that's a lot more fun, a lot more 'them'.

[@anitawright7169]

This is so very awesome! They have such baby faces. Love your reaction and analyses. ♥

[@davidbangtson3109]

Not a huge Home Free fan, but I enjoyed hearing them as "baby Home Free" just as I did with PTX "Sing-Off" performances.

[@Rkbmomma]

Home Free had been singing for at least 10 yrs by the time they appeared on the Sing Off, far more than PTX had. They had honed their craft pretty well by then. I would not have considered them "baby Home Free" by any means except in terms of national exposure, that's it. Most of the Home Free guys were in their 30's while on The SO.(PTX late teens/early 20's). Has HF improved since being on the SO? Yes, Indeed.

[@peggygross7409]

I saw this when it first aired. Home Free stood out to me for their tight harmonies and clear ability to entertain. None of the other groups were as good.

[@sarahkinsey5434]

All those cruises and county fair performances really tightened up their act

[@peggygross7409]

@@sarahkinsey5434 It showed. There were high school and college groups amongst the other competitors.

[@edsartistry]

I love that you listened to the original from FGL. You once mentioned Avi Kaplin's deep bass notes being impossible to reach, BUT... Tim's bass notes are IN-HUMAN and have broken bass speakers several times. One of the best things about HF is that they ALWAYS have fun and they don't take things too seriously. That's not to say they can't do serious, but when the song is focused on fun, silliness, or up beat, they do it fantastically. Check out his duet with Peter Hollins, " Misty Mountain" and keep your eye on the screen at the very end of the song. You will see Tim's last not shake the screen. It is AWESOME !!

[@lindareynolds8430]

#HOMEFREE...so good!

[@bethanneturen3270]

I really enjoy you reaction it is educational 🤠

[@tiarramitchell1877]

This song is amazing when you’re out on the boat and in the middle of the lake just enjoying your summer

[@sylviasargent2727]

I love the new version they just released too!

[@patriciavernon9795]

Thank you for another fantastic Home Free Analysis! The Sing Off is what got me hooked on Home Free and I’ve been a mega fan ever since! #HomeFree

[@lrfcowper]

All their Sing-Off performances were short, since they had a limited amount of time for each performance, which meant they cut out verses and may have sped up the tempo (I didn't think they did on this one though) to fit the time requirements. In one of the Home Free History videos you'll find on Chris Rupp's channel, Tim talks about how The Sing-Off tried to turn them into scruffy bro-dudes and wanted them to open with Country Girls Shake It for Me. HF opted for Cruise instead. (They eventually included Country Girls in the Butts Medley.)

[@sarahkinsey5434]

Now Austin can grow a great beard!

[@vinnieblair8576]

ONE FOR THE ALGORITHM. CHEERS!!

[@Teresa.S.]

Tim calls himself a "grammar nerd" so it's quite Tim-like to change it up if the song allows to. Really enjoyed your reaction (as always) and it's great to see the smile good music puts on your face. Since Home Free did new, full versions of these SingOff perfomances you'd enjoy comparing them?

[@SirHairless]

Haha good to know! Definitely in the future I can compare the new versions to the Sing Off performances!

[@meemermarie1977]

A masterpiece of home free is “how great thou art” and “brothers in arms” dire straights cover

[@MonicaGoodwin-qz5gd]

❤🤠#HomeFree. Amazing from the very beginning 🥰. I love your educational reactions,I have learned more from your analysis than the time I used to take music classes. 🏠🍟

[@heatherarmstead]

Tim is so versatile, have you seen him do high notes in Snow Globe? Talented at both ends of the keyboard

[@SirHairless]

Not yet! It’s on my list though ❄️

[@Jane-q9e]

I liked your checking the other versions and still being able to comment and distinguish key points of all. I thought holding "cruise" gave a good sense of motion, and I really liked the metaphor of a girl as a song.. This performance was a good appetizer for HF's SingOff performances.

[@niallkalen6732]

Hermosa clase como siempre, un fuerte abrazo de madre

[@errolowl1]

Enjoyed your breakdown, thank you! This performance was my introduction to them - I was instantly hooked and I never left! I think it showcased every component of their music going forward - their clear tones and tight harmonies, an upbeat fun nature, a bass showcase for Tim both vocally and with his earthquake-growl that (literally) shook the judges, a high riff for Austin, and of course the understated awesomeness of Adam's beatboxing. I don't follow country music but I understand how the 'country' branding helped set them apart for the show's audience. Including the rap(ish) part was probably to underline that they weren't old-fashioned counrty!

[@SirHairless]

Very well-said! It's a fine arrangement all-round for these reasons

[@smallmoments957]

Thank you Sir Hairless for another great analysis. I am curious if you have plans to do a Q&A, perhaps live, I have so many questions.

[@SirHairless]

Potentially, if I reach a certain subscriber milestone or something like that! I can maybe answer a couple of your questions now, but I do tend to keep most info about myself quite private (sorry!)

[@smallmoments957]

@@SirHairless I fully understand you wanting to keep your life private. Besides, too much info would take away the mystique that is Sir Hairless. 😆You often allude to your musical background so it has me wondering when you or your family realized you had a gift for music. Also, I have a silly question, why are you always cold? I will save my other questions for your million subscribers Q&A. Thank you!

[@SirHairless]

@@smallmoments957 Haha well I can answer that one! When I was in junior/primary school - around the age of 6-8 somewhere - the music teacher told my mother that she should sign me up for a cathedral choir 🎶 Maybe that was an early sign? On the coldness side of things 🥶: Am I cold, or just keeping cosy (We all know how crazy heating bills are these days ) I think your questions may never see the light of the day in that case Maybe a much more realistic milestone could be the catalyst for a Q&A

[@smallmoments957]

@@SirHairless Thank you!

[@mandysmith1756]

You really need to react to their recent update, it really shows how much they have developed in the last 10 years.

[@kimmillard6915]

I love your reactions! Even though sometimes I don’t fully understand everything you are saying sometimes, it just confirms what I already know and that is these guys are awesome! I’m guessing others have already told you that they have a new version of this song as well as other songs they sang on the sing off. As usual I can’t wait til your next reaction.

[@daleenengelbrecht4861]

Besides being a Pentaholic I love Country music. It is like reading a book. Story telling! This song doesn't have a lot of "flesh", but it is fun. Greetings from South Africa

[@terrilabeth]

I am catching up on your videos. You are correct, country music in the USA is huge. It is also complicated, you have the old time twangy stuff as I call it and you have the 80s and 90s “country groups” like Alabama and then you have the groups that were more of a two themed variety, like Brooks and Dunn, then you have Garth Brooks and Carrie Underwood (both from Oklahoma, yay me) that basically crossed genres. I was exposed to the twangy stuff from my parents and the 80s and 90s and Garth, you know Garth if you are from Oklahoma….absolutely none of it stuck. 😂 Someone once told me that you need to be country to appreciate country, I told them that was dumb. 😂 My favorite band is Queen and I have never been to England or London? Anyway, great analysis as always! Thanks SH! T ✌🏻

[@minneyruth]

Check out Butts remix and you'll see see some rap 😅 and Check out the newest version of this, the rap part is good. Nice analysis ❤

[@babyfry4775]

They just did a remake this song that has Chance in it. It’s a cute video but Tim doesn’t do the rap as much and I don’t like that decision but it’s a great remake. Anyway, loved Tim’s rap in this. It’s not my favorite song either but well done by the boys. 😍😄

[@EllaSilentDragon]

I only know a few country songs, but those are all very melodic and beautiful! (I‘m pretty sure the Bonnie Raitt songs I recommended you in the last video can be classified as country) 😅 But even if we Europeans don’t get exposed to that genre, you surely must know about Chris Stapleton? 😳 I genuinely believe he is one of the best songwriters in the music industry right now. And he is an outstanding singer, even though he has a very raspy voice. ❤ (Try singing his riffs 😉) If you don’t know about him: Tennessee Whiskey is a must listen song!!! (And it’s a cover - original sung by David Allan Coe - but now it belongs to Chris 😂) There is a reason why he keeps winning all these awards… 😊 Lovely reaction by the way. 😊❤

[@milu9099]

I suspect this song was pushed on them by the TV production.

[@bernieregnier4500]

Here is the new version referenced in the comments (kzbin.info/www/bejne/hImoc6SuiL2pm9k) = Home Free - Cruise [Home Free's Version] I like it and possibly answers some of the thoughts you had mentioned in your reaction. Thank you...... ❣

[@angielofton6372]

Always love your analyses, Sir Hairless. As per the rap, it is traditionally delivered in AAVE(African American Vernacular English) which has its own syntax and grammar rules based etymologically on remnants of different African languages we lost after being here. That said, I think Tim used “proper grammar” because he knew he would sound not only fake but also mocking and he strikes me as not that kind of person. Dying to know, are you a singer? If not, what is youir instrument?

[@susanhorn4325]

Thank you for pointing this out.

[@SirHairless]

Thanks for the info! I'll let you decide on that through the snippets of me singing in my other videos

[@angielofton6372]

@@SirHairless You are a tease!

[@arnieadam]

Good review. A shame you didn't compare the old (Sing-Off) version with the remake they put out this year, which I think is much better than the old one.

[@grain3871]

👏👏👏

[@kathyweverka7886]

Not my favorite but I love everything they do. My favorite is "My Church". Give it a listen. Please

[@gohgeoklian4844]

Have to charge my phone

[@betsyvondracek4009]

This is country. It is tight and they are good. Not my favorite from them for me. ❤R/A🎼

[@MelindaBrown-yz5jc]

❤️👍

[@angelamiller6275]

You really should do the sing off performances with the judges comments.

[@SirHairless]

I watch them off-camera

[@bettinasade9385]

WE schould have more Dancing eggs that Song fits perfekt my good mood i have the hole evening...

[@rodgervsaffell2085]

Too bad you're not a judge for the contest; your input is very knowledgeable and entertaining as to the musical mechanics.😊

[@SirHairless]

A few more KZbin members and we get a new emoji unlocked! Maybe a dancing egg would be a good one

[@bettinasade9385]

@@SirHairless you deserve more members and i'm Sure you get them, enjoy your day 😁

[@sewarobaid8949]

Do* faouzia für Elise live performance) reaction pls❤

[@SirHairless]

Thanks for the recommendation

[@wadebowenfan6743]

[@SirHairless]

[@susanmarks2382]

😊

[@nancymccombs3775]

On the Sing-off, there has never been country acapella. There’s not a song more country than this one. This is what the show wanted. Not my favorite performance.

[@pattis2641]

If you are interested in cinematic and brilliant production videos, and a wonderful message, listen to NF. He is a rapper, but doesn't use swear words in his music. He has a message. It's best to start with his journey from day 1 to current, as each video and the themes of the videos all relate to each other. I adore your reactions, and cannot wait to see you do more acapella group reactions. I also encourage you to try out Aurora, a Norwegian singer/songwriter, who wrote her first song at age 11. Check out Running with the Wolves!!

[@carolbuchel3011]

What a mess of a song!

[@SirHairless]

Why do you say this?