According to new song, country star Tim McGraw doesn’t know where Portland, Maine is

Tim McGraw, at his Bangor concert in May 2014 -- not in Portland, Maine.

Tim McGraw, at his Bangor concert in May 2014 — not in Portland, Maine.

Country star Tim McGraw released his new album, “Sundown Heaven Town,” yesterday, Sept. 16, his thirteenth album in a career than spans more than 20 years. The singer — who performed at the Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion in May of this year — is clearly no stranger to Maine. His show this past spring wasn’t even his first show in our state; he performed in Bangor in 2010, during the inaugural Waterfront Concert season.

Despite all this, McGraw, a multi-platinum star who has performed all over the world, does not know where Portland, Maine is. At least, according to the song “Portland, Maine,” track eleven off the new album. The chorus explicitly says it.

“Portland, Maine — I don’t know where that is.”

The song, written by Nashville regulars Abe Stoklasa and Donovan Woods, is a paean to missing somebody while on the road — presumably McGraw’s wife, fellow country star Faith Hill — and is one of the more melancholic songs off an album that’s already quite reflective. But if McGraw is to be believed, we must ask: does he really not know where Portland is? It’s entirely possible, given that he’s played Bangor twice. Perhaps he’s biased towards the Queen City.

But McGraw has indeed been to Portland — a cursory Google search reveals he performed at the Cumberland County Civic Center in 1998. Maybe he forgot? Maybe something bad happened? What did Portland do to you, Tim?

Either way, we here at the Bangor Daily News would be happy to fill Mr. McGraw in on the geography of our fair state and the merits of our beloved Port City. We’ll even meet him in the Old Port for a day on the town. C’mon, Tim — what do you say?

Emily Burnham

About Emily Burnham

Emily Burnham is a Maine native, UMaine graduate, proud Bangorian and a writer for the Bangor Daily News, where she's worked since 2004. She reports on everything from local bands to local food to all the cool things going on in the Greater Bangor area. In her quest for stories, she's seen countless concerts and plays, been lobster fishing, interviewed celebrities, hung out with water buffalo and played in a ukulele orchestra. She's interested in everything that happens in Maine.