Country Music

[Mitchell Madness]

It is my opinion that this form of music is unfairly judged by the general population of music listeners.

most think of the 50's and 60's and the blonde bimbo's who were good for a perve singing it, while the males were just untalented hillbillies.


The Music has changed a lot since then, but does anyone see it escaping this image in the near future? the possibility of "Emo" music taking over the sacred mantle of stereotyped music

 

[Schism]

Re: County Music

yeah nah

i do love jolene by dolly parton though

 

[John]

Re: County Music

Country music has a simular problem to R & B music, and that is the lack of overall variety. It appeals to a certain culture/ demographic and is likely to be labelled by those who fall outside that demographic because of it.

In my opinion, to enjoy this music, you need to have lived and know its soul and culture. And the city dwellers simply won't ever gain this knowledge to connect with the music.

In a word. BULLSHIT.

In fact in 2 words. ****ing Bullshit.

 

[AGC]

Re: County Music

yeah nah

i do love jolene by dolly parton though

Great song, and The White Stripes version isn't too shabby.

 

[Zarrix]

Re: County Music

In a word. BULLSHIT.

In fact in 2 words. ****ing Bullshit.

Im prepared to say I hit a raw nerve with a bazooka.

 

[John]

Re: County Music

Im prepared to say I hit a raw nerve with a bazooka.

Yes you did. I like Country music and will defend it against ill informed comment.
Like most every musical genre in history those that are limited in their listening should not comment on what they do not know about. I have very limited listening to Rap/Hip Hop so would not even consider making a similar comment as your original post.

Lets take this part. "Lack of overall variety." We have had Dolly Parton mentioned so will use her in comparison with others within the County genre. Take her, Flat & Scuggs, Steve Earl, Neil Young just as the first examples that come to my mind and they have all produced Country and Country influenced music that is so far apart from each other as to be more eclectic in style and delivery that I would suggest that Led Zep and Kiss sound more alike. I defy anyone to claim that those named artists are the same. Taking the sub genre Country Rock alone there is Lamchop, The Eagles and Lucinda Williams for example who when compared to each other are chalk and cheese. Lacking in variety? No way.

As to Country music being the confines of the rural area's there is certainly truth that as a genre it's roots are in British and Irish folk music that was taken to the USA via many migrants where it transformed itself into many of the sub genres that we see today but like all music it moves to other areas when interest grows. The population of Nashville the home of Country Music is 1.5 million. Not exactly a country town. There has been a burgeoning Country scene in Brisbane that those that are in the know are aware of. On the matter of "lack of overall variety" I would defy you or anyone else to say that Brisbane Country bands Texas Tea, a dark goth style country, are in anyway shape or form anything like The Wilson Pickers who are very Bluegrass in style.

Country music is a wonderful and diverse musical genre and deserves more than ill informed comments by people who limit themselves to Rock and a few of it's sub genres.

 

[Zarrix]

the "Lack of Variety" line I will take back. I had something in my mind, but perhaps said it incorrectly.

However, I stand by my cultural comments. People who have lived in country music are more likely to be touched by it, and the problem is that it is labelled by the majority outside that demographic. Thus, it isn't my cup of tea, but I can understand why people do enjoy listening to a certain genre of music.

 

[sherrinorburley]

I think of Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Steve Earle and Emmy Lou Harris.

I love this song by Townes Van Zandt.

He epitomises what the core of Country and possibly other styles of music are about. Great film this one.

[YOUTUBE]xTGKzWDakK8[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Tex_21]

I love country music-born and bred on it, and almost all my favourite memories remind me of country music-becuase its almost always playing somewhere I'm at. It does cop a bad rap from 'mainstream' people becaue they don't listen to it. In reality, modern country (or country-rock if you prefer) such as Brooks & Dunn, TOby Keith, Steve Forde, Lee Kernaghan (less rock-ish) etc has a lot in common with easylistening/soft rock music. As evidenced by the recent success of Taylor Swift and Shania Twain-the trend may be slowly changing.

 

[magpie stormer]

i just discovered the wonderful music of tanya tucker

anyone know much about her?

 

[SunKing]

Not a genre I'm into at all but having said that I love the music of John Denver & don't mind some songs by a few other artists such as Glen Campbell (Witchita Lineman)

 

[Mofra]

As someone who is fairly new to Country (listening a couple of years at the most), I have to admit that I am still surprised at the variety of the genre itself. Wagons & Drive By Truckers would probably be labelled as country by some, whilst Bluegrass & Ol' Time would fit under the same label but are completely different.

 

[J_Moore]

Country music is ****ing fantastic. Like all genre music, it can take some getting used to the 'universe' of country, which is unashamedly sentimental, often simplistic, and can seem a bit naff, but let's be honest, most music looks pretty ridiculous if you're not familiar with the context of its creation, and ready to accept its conceits.

The AV Club, which is the 'review' section of The Onion, has been running a feature for a few months called 'Nashville or Bust'. Basically, a writer almost totally unfamiliar with country is going through some of the big names week by week.

It's a pretty decent read if you're looking to dip your toes into country music, since it's unintimidating, and probably coming from a similar place that you are, and largely avoids some of the stuff you might consider a bit more corny. Eases you into it (starting with Johnny Cash's American recordings) Worth a read, I reckon.

Oh, and there are heaps songs being streamed. It's not just text.

http://www.avclub.com/features/nashville-or-bust/

 

[smasha]

I love country music.

My old man weaned me on Slim Dusty and Johhny Cash when I was a kid.


Going to the grandfolks house in Kyabram and hearing Folsom Prison Blues on their turntable back in the 70s.

I love Behind Closed Doors by Charlie Pride.

Those old songs had real string sections.

 

[smasha]

[YOUTUBE]_xvVzs3xSus[/YOUTUBE]

 

[blackshadow]

The first album I ever bought was a cassette version of Johnny Cash's Greatest Hits when I was about 8 years old. There is some country music that I love.

Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, George Jones are all sensational musicians/singers/songwriters and deserve a spot in any music lovers collection.

I'm mainly a rock pig but in the last couple of years I have photographed a few country shows - Lee Kernaghan, Taylor Swift and Brooks & Dunn - they aren't exactly to my taste but they all very talented entertainers and their audiences love them. They all s**t on Kings of Leon as live performers.

Good country music is like the best of all music - it comes straight from the heart.

 

[chesson]

Bobby, or Bobbie Gentry has some awesome songs. Mississippi Delta, Ode To Billie Jo, and her steamy take on Í'll Never Fall In Love Again, with the immortal lines -
What do you get when you kiss a guy
you get enough germs to catch pneumonia
after you do, he'll never bone ya

The lady covers well

[YOUTUBE]6dyo_xZnvsA[/YOUTUBE]

 

[AndSmithMustScore]

Marty Robbins is the man.

His voice is liquid country gold.


El Paso is one of the best country songs ever.

The first few lines

"Out in the west Texas town of El Paso, I fell in love with a Mexican girl..."

Are legendary even today.

 

[blackshadow]

An even better Marty Robbins track is Big Iron

And while on the subject of gunfighter songs a couple more classics are:

The Man Who Shot Liberty Vallance - Gene Pitney
Don't Take Your Guns to Town - Johnny Cash

Plenty of other great gunfighter tunes - feel free to add them to the list.

 

[SunKing]

The Man Who Shot Liberty Vallance - Gene Pitney

Don't mind Gene even though he's probably more pop then country

24 Hours From Tulsa & Trans Canada Highway

 

[Chops_a_must]

Country music has a simular problem to R & B music, and that is the lack of overall variety. It appeals to a certain culture/ demographic and is likely to be labelled by those who fall outside that demographic because of it.

Yeah, bullshit.

Leadbelly. Country, rock, folk, blues or bluegrass?

Was Janis Joplin's biggest hit a rock song or a country song?

Kill Devil Hills. Folk, rock, hill-billy or country?

What people confuse with country is western. Western influenced stuff is often labelled country in a pop context. And it's that honky tonk esque Merle Haggard stuff that is pretty obnoxious. The crap southern accent and pedal steel guitar.

But if you go past that, there are some really awesome alt-country bands that have more in common with fundamental country and cross over into other genres. Like Crooked Fingers and Wilco crossing over into folk, and into laid back indie-rock. Just listen to California Stars and see how many genres are at play.

And then you have like Ryan Adams and Whiskeytown and Conor Oberst angling the indie-pop fan girls.

And then you get the more pure alt-country artists like Gillian Welch (absolutely beautiful music) Allison Moorer, Sarah Storer types that tend to angle the fundamentals of country. More country than what wouldn't now be called alt-country if you understand. More inclined to use violins and other instruments that aren't batshit annoying... and sing in a pure voice.

Hope this helps.

 

[sherrinorburley]

And while on the subject of gunfighter songs a couple more classics are:

The Man Who Shot Liberty Vallance - Gene Pitney
Don't Take Your Guns to Town - Johnny Cash

Plenty of other great gunfighter tunes - feel free to add them to the list.

Andre Williams has a couple from his many C&W songs.

Pardon Me (I've Got Someone To Kill) - Johnny Paycheck
Weapon Of Mass Destruction

 

[Contra Mundum]

I love Country - the trouble with is all people know is Nashville Country which is crap. Don't start with Travis Tritt or Faith Hill its all crap

The Alt Country scene is a gift that just keeps giving. Ryan Adams in Whiskeytown and his solo career, Gillian Welch, Emmylou, Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle - even the hard core Bluegrass and Western Swing artists are all great.

Dolly has written some incredible songs in her life and her Bluegrass album - the Grass is Blue is magnificent

Also the old timers like Merle Haggard, Cash, Porter Waggoner, and George Jones are fantastic. They retained emotional integrity and honesty in their music when they became iconically famous - which is something that Rock artists often fail to do

Hank Williams was the first punk. Glen Campbell wrote some of the greatest popular music every written in the West particulalry Wichita Lineman

Even Tammy and Charlie Rich

 

[blackshadow]

Glen Campbell wrote some of the greatest popular music every written in the West particulalry Wichita Lineman

Glenn Campbell did some wonderful stuff but he can't lay claim for writing Wichita Lineman - that was Jimmy Webb. He also penned Galveston and By The Time I Get to Phoenix which Campbell had massive hits with. Jimmy Webb also wrote Macarhur Park (Someone left the cake out in the rain).

Sinead O'Connor did a great version of Wichita Lineman.

 

[Contra Mundum]

Glenn Campbell did some wonderful stuff but he can't lay claim for writing Wichita Lineman - that was Jimmy Webb. He also penned Galveston and By The Time I Get to Phoenix which Campbell had massive hits with. Jimmy Webb also wrote Macarhur Park (Someone left the cake out in the rain).

Sinead O'Connor did a great version of Wichita Lineman.

Yeh Jimmy Webb - How can I get that wrong. I saw him last time he came to Melbourne too.