Carrie Underwood wants "Southbound" to anchor your summer beach party playlist. The feisty, pop-country banger is as wild and crazy as she's gotten lately, unless you count all those times she killed a man.

The singer effortlessly leads us to catch a "Tennessee honey kinda buzz" during her progressive new radio single, the third from her Cry Pretty album. "Southbound" doesn't blaze new trails lyrically, but melodically it's as compelling as anything she's released in several years. A syncopated guitar intro playfully jabs with Underwood's almost discordant first verse. We said "almost" — credit the singer and co-producer David Garcia for managing the complex layers of vocals and instrumentation that go full throttle in time when she reaches her chorus. It all works in a funky, Keith Urban kind of way.

One would have to go back to singles from Underwood's Play On album to find her offering joy with no emotional hangover in the way she does with "Southbound." It's frivolous and unlikely to garner Song of the Year honors, but this time of year that's exactly what's needed.

Did You Know?: Underwood debuted the song during the 2019 ACM Awards in Las Vegas, with tour openers Maddie & Tae and Runaway June joining her on stage.

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Carrie Underwood's "Southbound" Lyrics:

We got a pontoon boat with a Yamaha / People dressed like they're in Panama / Small town, spring break / Every weekend 'round this place / And there's a bunch of boys trying to catch the eyes / Of all the pretty girls that are walking by / And those redneck margaritas are two for one at that old marina.

Tan lines and gas station cheap stations / They’re coming here from all around.

Chorus: 
To get a little southbound, unwound, Tennessee Honey kinda buzz / Then south sounds up loud, summer drippin' off of us / From the river bank to the party cove / Long as it floats, we'll rock the boat / And it's all lookin' up when we get down, yeah / And get a little southbound, southbound / Get a little southbound, southbound.

Bo got a ticket in a no-wake zone / But Katie's the one that should take it slow / 'Cause she's dancin' on the dock and it's only two o'clock / Yeah, the fish ain't bitin' 'cause the party's on / The old men are thinkin' 'bout goin' home / But those redneck margaritas are two for one at that old marina, yeah.

Got the rope swing, swingin' like a chandelier / Little bit of heaven on the water right here / Don't need much, just a couple of beers and you and me / Gotta love this time of year / Getting southbound, southbound.

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