Them's fightin words.
"If you talk bad about country music, that's like talking bad about my mama. Them's fightin words." - Dolly Parton
All right, here's the thing. You know how you'll be discussing music, as you do, and inevitably within the first few minutes of the conversation, (within the first few minutes of MEETING someone, for me, because, hi, I am still in the tenth grade. I also still contend that mixtapes are the highest form of communication and also the best way to ask someone to the prom. What?) you'll get the What Kind Of Music Do You Listen To question that determines the future course of your relationship with your co-discusser.
Usually people cop out with the "I listen to everything" answer, which while may sort of kind of be true, it's totally not and I hate it. (I say this as someone who does kind of listed to a little bit of everything.) It's a way of making sure people like you, because everyone knows that there is no future for a friendship if you disagree on music. It's a social construct that if I had the money and time to be a professional student, I would totally study the CRAP out of. More often, though, you'll (for values of "you'll" that equal "I'll") get "I listen to everything except country*." Which is a slightly more honest answer, though it still bugs me. Because a lot more people like country than think they like country. So I made a list. Also, I'm still freaking awake, and I had nothing better to do.
Personally, I have kind of an undying passion for old country acts like Merle Haggard and Tammy Wynette and Willie Nelson and Lo-retta Lynn and Dolly Parton is seriously my hero
(stop judging me okay! She will not ride the first ride of her own new rollercoaster - SHE HAS MULTIPLE ROLLERCOASTERS - because she "spent way too much on [her] wig for it to get messed up like that!" ♥ I wanted to honeymoon at Dollywood since I was like, four. She said, "I wanted to be the first woman to burn her bra, but it would have taken the fire department four days to put it out." and "I'm not offended by dumb blonde jokes because I know that I'm not dumb. I also know I'm not blonde." and "Having a big gay following, I get hate mail and threats. Some people are blind or ignorant, and you can't be that prejudiced and hateful and go through this world and still be happy." and "It's a good thing I was born a girl, otherwise I'd be a drag queen." and SHE HAS HER OWN THEME PARK AND I LOVE HER OKAY. SHE IS THE GERARD WAY OF COUNTRY MUSIC. (SRSLY 9 to 5 AU!))
and my dad is spinning in his grave right now, but it's true. I left most of that off, though, because that's most assuredly not music that proves my point. (We all know I don't actually have a point, right? Mostly I'm just babbling about music, because that's what I do.)
I do not, however, like contemporary country music for the most part, so I'm totally qualified to make this post. (I'm also qualified because I'm awake, and it's my journal, and I say so.) I understand the general 'not liking country' mindset, because it's very much rooted in a specific subculture. If you can't relate to said subculture, you're not going to connect with the music, and I get that. However, there's more to country than what people tend to think of when they think The Rebel 96.5 FM Yeeeee-haw!
This is not, however, an academic paper - and I know nothing about music really other than, oooh! listen! it makes my ears throw a party with my brain! But genre classification is a tricky thing. Especially when it comes to music. Country. Country and Western. Folk. Alternafolk. Adult Contemporary. Rockabilly. Punkabilly. Fiddle-based rock. Yodeling. Blues. Blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. I don't even know, okay? We could get into it, and anyone who wants to, by all means, bring it! To be honest, to me, a lot of indie music is country music with a keyboard instead of a steel guitar. My theory: phhhhht lables. Which is why I'm doing this. All I know is that when I discuss music with someone who says, "I listen to everything except country*," these are the songs that I immediately want to play for them.
Note: I'm not adding any Johnny Cash (or Cash covers) to this list, because, come on. Everyone loves Cash.
If you want me to upload any of these, just let me know!
An extremely incomplete mix for people who think they hate country music
Raconteurs - Old Enough - This is one of the newest additions to my list, because, well, it's a new song. But still. It's fiddley. In my head, this is a logical leap.
Panic at the Disco- Folkin Around - Actually, quite a bit of their new album, really. Yes, it's mostly an hour or so of a bunch of 20 year olds showing us they discovered The Beatles (and pot) but seriously. There's a lot of country here, too.
Randy Travis - King of the Road - This is kind of cheating, but it's my list, I can cheat if I want to. Also, this song is featured VERY prominently on the soundtrack of my life - which I may get around to posting at some point. Considering I spent most of my childhood on the highway - not, however, as a vagabond who would smoke old stogies I had found - my mom and brother and I would get slap-happy and sing rousing renditions of this song (and Viva Las Vegas). I seriously cannot hear either of those songs without wanting to be in a car. It's also on my road-trip mix, which I will probably be posting later in June.
The Hush Sound - Honey - Greta wants to be my girlfriend, trufax.
The Classic Crime - When the Time Comes - I can't pinpoint exactly why this song is on this list other than in my head it's on this list. (See above re: lack of any musical knowledge whatsoever.) I think it's the lyrical construction, though. The words are put together in a way that sounds more country to me.
Social Distortion - Ball and Chain - This is the song that sparked this whole line of thought, WAAAAAAAY back in the day.
The Kingsbury Manx - Greenland - This is another one of those songs that I'm not sure why I want it on this list, but I do.
The Refreshments - Down Together - I don't know why this band didn't get bigger than they were. I love them. They did the King of the Hill theme song, though, so come on. They belong on this list.
Old 97's - Adelaide - The folkier end of the spectrum, but it still counts.
Bonnie Raitt - I Can't Make You Love Me - Please do the world a favor and unless you are Bonnie Raitt? Do not attempt to karaoke this song. Ever. No, seriously. It will not turn out okay. Anyone who has ever heard her do this song will want to punch you. Just, trust me on this one, okay?
The Byrds - I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better - This is one of my all time favorite songs in the history of ever. It's the most awesome of all the Byrds' songs and I also sing this song like a singing thing when I'm in a singing appropriate (or not) venue.
okay, no more. If i don't stop now, I'll just keep throwing songs on here because I think people should listen to them, and not because they have anything at all to do with the premise of this post.
*"and rap" - why is it always, "and rap"? (I actually know the answer to this question.) I would do a post on that, but I kind of fall into the "I don't listen to rap" category, with very few exceptions that all came out 15 years ago. So I am no help there whatsoever.
All right, here's the thing. You know how you'll be discussing music, as you do, and inevitably within the first few minutes of the conversation, (within the first few minutes of MEETING someone, for me, because, hi, I am still in the tenth grade. I also still contend that mixtapes are the highest form of communication and also the best way to ask someone to the prom. What?) you'll get the What Kind Of Music Do You Listen To question that determines the future course of your relationship with your co-discusser.
Usually people cop out with the "I listen to everything" answer, which while may sort of kind of be true, it's totally not and I hate it. (I say this as someone who does kind of listed to a little bit of everything.) It's a way of making sure people like you, because everyone knows that there is no future for a friendship if you disagree on music. It's a social construct that if I had the money and time to be a professional student, I would totally study the CRAP out of. More often, though, you'll (for values of "you'll" that equal "I'll") get "I listen to everything except country*." Which is a slightly more honest answer, though it still bugs me. Because a lot more people like country than think they like country. So I made a list. Also, I'm still freaking awake, and I had nothing better to do.
Personally, I have kind of an undying passion for old country acts like Merle Haggard and Tammy Wynette and Willie Nelson and Lo-retta Lynn and Dolly Parton is seriously my hero
(stop judging me okay! She will not ride the first ride of her own new rollercoaster - SHE HAS MULTIPLE ROLLERCOASTERS - because she "spent way too much on [her] wig for it to get messed up like that!" ♥ I wanted to honeymoon at Dollywood since I was like, four. She said, "I wanted to be the first woman to burn her bra, but it would have taken the fire department four days to put it out." and "I'm not offended by dumb blonde jokes because I know that I'm not dumb. I also know I'm not blonde." and "Having a big gay following, I get hate mail and threats. Some people are blind or ignorant, and you can't be that prejudiced and hateful and go through this world and still be happy." and "It's a good thing I was born a girl, otherwise I'd be a drag queen." and SHE HAS HER OWN THEME PARK AND I LOVE HER OKAY. SHE IS THE GERARD WAY OF COUNTRY MUSIC. (SRSLY 9 to 5 AU!))
and my dad is spinning in his grave right now, but it's true. I left most of that off, though, because that's most assuredly not music that proves my point. (We all know I don't actually have a point, right? Mostly I'm just babbling about music, because that's what I do.)
I do not, however, like contemporary country music for the most part, so I'm totally qualified to make this post. (I'm also qualified because I'm awake, and it's my journal, and I say so.) I understand the general 'not liking country' mindset, because it's very much rooted in a specific subculture. If you can't relate to said subculture, you're not going to connect with the music, and I get that. However, there's more to country than what people tend to think of when they think The Rebel 96.5 FM Yeeeee-haw!
This is not, however, an academic paper - and I know nothing about music really other than, oooh! listen! it makes my ears throw a party with my brain! But genre classification is a tricky thing. Especially when it comes to music. Country. Country and Western. Folk. Alternafolk. Adult Contemporary. Rockabilly. Punkabilly. Fiddle-based rock. Yodeling. Blues. Blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. I don't even know, okay? We could get into it, and anyone who wants to, by all means, bring it! To be honest, to me, a lot of indie music is country music with a keyboard instead of a steel guitar. My theory: phhhhht lables. Which is why I'm doing this. All I know is that when I discuss music with someone who says, "I listen to everything except country*," these are the songs that I immediately want to play for them.
Note: I'm not adding any Johnny Cash (or Cash covers) to this list, because, come on. Everyone loves Cash.
If you want me to upload any of these, just let me know!
An extremely incomplete mix for people who think they hate country music
Raconteurs - Old Enough - This is one of the newest additions to my list, because, well, it's a new song. But still. It's fiddley. In my head, this is a logical leap.
Panic at the Disco- Folkin Around - Actually, quite a bit of their new album, really. Yes, it's mostly an hour or so of a bunch of 20 year olds showing us they discovered The Beatles (and pot) but seriously. There's a lot of country here, too.
Randy Travis - King of the Road - This is kind of cheating, but it's my list, I can cheat if I want to. Also, this song is featured VERY prominently on the soundtrack of my life - which I may get around to posting at some point. Considering I spent most of my childhood on the highway - not, however, as a vagabond who would smoke old stogies I had found - my mom and brother and I would get slap-happy and sing rousing renditions of this song (and Viva Las Vegas). I seriously cannot hear either of those songs without wanting to be in a car. It's also on my road-trip mix, which I will probably be posting later in June.
The Hush Sound - Honey - Greta wants to be my girlfriend, trufax.
The Classic Crime - When the Time Comes - I can't pinpoint exactly why this song is on this list other than in my head it's on this list. (See above re: lack of any musical knowledge whatsoever.) I think it's the lyrical construction, though. The words are put together in a way that sounds more country to me.
Social Distortion - Ball and Chain - This is the song that sparked this whole line of thought, WAAAAAAAY back in the day.
The Kingsbury Manx - Greenland - This is another one of those songs that I'm not sure why I want it on this list, but I do.
The Refreshments - Down Together - I don't know why this band didn't get bigger than they were. I love them. They did the King of the Hill theme song, though, so come on. They belong on this list.
Old 97's - Adelaide - The folkier end of the spectrum, but it still counts.
Bonnie Raitt - I Can't Make You Love Me - Please do the world a favor and unless you are Bonnie Raitt? Do not attempt to karaoke this song. Ever. No, seriously. It will not turn out okay. Anyone who has ever heard her do this song will want to punch you. Just, trust me on this one, okay?
The Byrds - I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better - This is one of my all time favorite songs in the history of ever. It's the most awesome of all the Byrds' songs and I also sing this song like a singing thing when I'm in a singing appropriate (or not) venue.
okay, no more. If i don't stop now, I'll just keep throwing songs on here because I think people should listen to them, and not because they have anything at all to do with the premise of this post.
*"and rap" - why is it always, "and rap"? (I actually know the answer to this question.) I would do a post on that, but I kind of fall into the "I don't listen to rap" category, with very few exceptions that all came out 15 years ago. So I am no help there whatsoever.