Posted on 01/14/2018 9:41:37 PM PST by nickcarraway
My life didnt change when I saw the duelling banjos scene in Deliverance, but it was the first time I realised there was more to country music than the Benny Hill theme tune
y name is Martin and I love country music. There you go, Ive said it. Its not always an easy thing to do. When the subject comes up, I get a funny sort of look. Once you spring the c-word on people, you can see theyre thinking: [darn], this blokes weird. Does he dress up like a cowboy at home and do those funny dances?
Sometimes people like to crack a joke about country and Ive heard most of them. Theres the one that goes: Do you like country? Or just western? And then theres: Yeeeeehaaaaa! People think that ones pretty hilarious. But there is one joke which is quite funny and also very telling. It goes like this. Two blokes go into a pub, somewhere in northern England. One of them, who is hard of hearing, goes to the bar to get some drinks. The barmaid says theres a band on, a country and western band. The bloke goes back to his mate and sits down with the drinks. Theres a band on tonight, he says. The other bloke says What type of band? The other one replies: I dont know. Some [expletive] from Preston.
Sorry to hit you with another c-word but the punchline neatly reflects popular contempt for country music. The gag is perceptive in that a lot of what we call country music is irredeemably naff chugging pop-rock with lyrics about beer and trucks sung by blokes with hats like Garth Brooks and Jason Aldean. But I also hate the joke because it obscures everything that I love about country. Theres no rollicking
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
The perfect country song!!!
Ain't I Right?--Johnny Freedom (Marty Robbins), 1966
You came down to this southern town last summer
To show the folks a brand new way of life.
But all you've shown the folks around here is trouble,
And you've only added misery to their strife.
Your concern is not to help the people,
And I'll say again, though it's been often said,
Your concern is just to bring discomfort, my friend,
And your policy is just a little red.
Now, ain't I right?
It matters not to you how people suffer,
And should they, you'd consider that a gain.
You bring a lot of trouble to the town and then you leave.
That's part of your Communistic game.
I detect a little Communism.
I can see it in the things ya do.
Communisim, socialism call it what you like,
There's very little difference in the two.
Now, ain't I right?
Your followers sometimes have been a bearded, hatless bunch.
There's even been a minister or two.
A priest, a nun, a rabbi and an educated man
Have listened and been taken in by you.
Aw, the country's full of two-faced politicians
Who encourage you with words that go like this.
Burn your draft card if you like, it's good to disagree.
That's a get acquainted Communistic kiss.
Now, ain't I right?
One politician said it would be nice to send some blood
And help the enemy in Vietnam.
That's what he says, here's what I say,
Let's just keep the blood.
Instead let's send that politician man.
Let's rid the country of the politicians,
Who call the tramps that march out in our streets.
Protesting those who want to fight for freedom, my friend,
This kind of leader makes our country weak.
Now, ain't I right
Let's look and find the strong and able leaders
It's time we found just how our neighbours stand.
If we're to win this war with Communism,
Let's fight it here as well as Vietman.
Let's rise as one and meet our obligations
So Communistic boots will never trod
Across the fields of freedom that were given to us
With the blessing of our great almighty God.
What I really liked was in the patriotic fervor after 9-11, many artists recorded patriotic music. Pop artists simply did covers while country artists wrote new songs.
That mostly seems to be gone now in favor of unimaginative dreck
Boots Randolph was actually a good jazz player.
The Benny Hill theme is not country it is bluegrass.
Sort of like calling rock rap.
ha! Good one!
Love those 2 bands.
Yeah they are a couple of my favorites too. Have you ever listened to Dillard & Clark?
They trend more to Bluegrass. It’s Doug Dillard and Gene Clark of the original Byrds. I highly recommend them. you probably like them.
This was a recent set of songs I heard on my car radio:
"You're Gonna Fly" - Keith Urban
"Flyover States" - Jason Aldean
"You've Got A Lover" - Ricky Skaggs
"American Saturday Night" - Rick Paisley
"Take It Easy On Me" - Little River Band
"Bigger Than The Beatles" - Joe Diffie
"Drink In My Hand" - Eric Church
"Suds In The Bucket" - Sara Evans
"Chillin' It" - Cole Swindell
And I like the old stuff too. George Jones, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams...
“Once in a while Ill try to listen to modern rock music and I can understand why country got popular as an alternative.”
Thankfully there some from the young generation who have gone back to Rock roots.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJg4OJxp-co
Music ping.
How I fell in love with country music? It was the Almost Blue album from Elvis Costello in 1982. He was epically cool to me so it was ok. Then came the LA alt movement with the Knitters, Lone Justice, Long Ryders, Beat Farmers, et al, leading me to the 90s with Son bolt, Uncle Tupelo, etc... wasn’t until the 2000s until I switched the radio dial to 75% contemporary country. That led me into willies roadhouse and the outlaw country channels and then to discover the originals...
Never heard of Johnny Freedom!
The Minutemen are Turning in Their Graves--Stonewall Jackson (1966)
The Marching Hippies--Guy Drake (1971)
Don’t think I know Travis too well. I can hear him singing in my mind, but not sure what tune.
There is no country music anymore. Awful pop country as far as I can tell on the local station. However I have found you can use your smart phone and download all of apps for country music and oldies etc.
I remember the old days where you could listen to Glenn Miller and country music and pop and 50’s & 60’s & 70’s rock all on one station. Now it is 1 kind of sound and it is boring.
Thanks to the internet and the apps I mentioned you can have the music you want.
He had a stroke recently which has halted his career. Here is most of his hits. Randy Travis Greatest Hits Full Album 2017 | Top 30 Best Songs Of Randy Travis | Country Music 2017
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