The song has that small town feel that has become a running theme in mainstream country music. However, Rossell seems able to follow the old literary rule of “show don’t tell.” Instead of spending three and a half minutes bragging about his small town roots, Rossell shows us through the lyrics what life was like.
The song in the chorus discusses the three things that are important: the titular God, girls and football. But the verses spend most of their time focusing on the friendship that being part of a team brought.
Is there drinking in the song? Sure, but it’s that innocent teenage drinking that’s done as a form of camaraderie rather than just another night of getting drunk with friends. The drinking here is only an afterthought, and the song is structured in a way that just as much fun could be had without the beer as is had with it. | "Rossell seems able to follow the old literary rule of “show don’t tell.” Instead of spending three and a half minutes bragging about his small town roots, Rossell shows us through the lyrics what life was like." |
It’s not just about those involved. The game is just as important to those who don’t play as it is to those who do. Where Cheney’s “Boys of Fall” fails by being almost exclusionary:
“They didn't let just anybody in that club”
Rossell succeeds by showing that it isn’t just about the players. It’s about the community that comes together to support them:
“We did it for the glory, we did it for the love
Man we did it for that town”
Is “God, Girls, and Football” the most traditional country song around? No, but it’s closer to the roots of country music than a lot of what the mainstream has to offer in its current state. And the song is fun to listen to and enjoy, which counts for a lot.