Today, I would like to talk a bit about country. The word country, in this contemporary day, can mean many things. The first meaning I will talk about is the genre of music. Over the past decades the genre of Country(Which apparently HAS to be capitalized) has grown from an upbeat, square-dancing, hoe-down feel, to more and more drinking and sad songs. I have to say that I'm a big fan of all of these aspects, but one I have been noticing more personally lately is the depressing and/or the tribute songs. I have been listening to Alan Jackson's song Sissy's Song quite a bit lately. On the radio, when I first heard it, the "DJ" mentioned that it was written as a tribute to a woman named Lacey who had recently died. I personally like the song because it's so heartfelt. I then turn to the next song and hear about two good friends going to Mexico to get drunk and pick up women. I can't really bring myself to understand why people would like to imitate this, but I do have to admit that it is a catchy tune. By the by, the previous song is Playboys of the Southwestern World by Blake Shelton.
Another form of the word country is in the sense that one can live in the country. Now this is a very confusing word because so many people think that their particular part of the Country is country. As I just stated in the previous sentence, the word can be interchanged between countries of the world, and country living. But, I ask this question, What is country living? Is it based on morals, location, moonshine, or music? The word has become so polluted that anyone can be from the country. Location can't have the word anymore because the farms and farm towns that we once considered "country", are now being shut down in this economic wreck. Don't even get me started on morals. It just seems like the secular world is dragging the "Olden Days" of doing things through the proverbial mud.
I would write some more on this, but first, I want your opinions. I want to get a bit of a fire going here. What do you think about country music? What do you think about country or the country or country living (Or whatever you want to call it)?
-
5 comments:
You already know how I feel about country music somewhat. I can listen to a lot of it, especially since I grew up on it due to my mother and grandmother, but there's very little contemporary "Country" music I care for. I don't know if I ever really got into the "hoe-down" style. The kind of Country I prefer to listen to are simple songs like Johnny Cash and Garth Brooks. I still enjoy others that are more elaborate, but as far as music goes, I prefer the simple. That begs the question (and explains my distaste in making genres), with country becoming so diverse, who really decides what's country or not? Does it depend on what label you decide to record under? That goes for about any genre. Of course, just putting everything in Pop/Rock, Country, Christian, and Latina like Wal-Mart does isn't the greatest solution either.
But sticking with the actual things that CMT considers country, I never really thought about "tribute" songs. When I think of country songs, I think of "My baby left me" (whether bluesy or not), "I'm drinking away my sorrows", etc. Not to limit it to that though. I like Johnny Cash's music. I think it sort of defined what "country folk" were in his time. They were simple and hardworking, even those that wound up in jail (which he had a soft spot for). And I think that really reflected in his music.
When I think of "country living," I think more of an area that is more family oriented or a farming community. Even if it has become a little less rural recently, I still think family is a big part of it, and I'll explain why. When I think of "city life," it brings up ideas of going out to make it big on my own, sort of like Afleck's character in Jersey Girl. He had to choose between the "country" life he was settling into and being around his family or moving back to the city to make it big again. Not to say that all people aren't self-centered, but I think there's a big difference in a "commun(e)"ity and an industrial city. And a lot of it has to do with how much money you want in your wallet for yourself.
Ok, I didnt realize I was going to have to read two blogs(yours and the giant response Raymond wrote) when I started reading. Now I have no time to comment. I have cleaning to do before my adorable porker of a niece gets her. But I will be back to comment later on.
One quick thing though. Raymond, you watched Jersey Girl?! Seriously, are you gay? :)
You didn't "have" to read mine, Heather. And Jersey girl is directed by Kevin Smith, therefore it cannot be gay. And it has Sweeney Todd in it, which my boss is directing at his old high school. :)
Gosh, I've been super busy with my little brats I havent had time to sit down and comment.
But i did want to say, Johnny Depp was so freakin hot as Sweeny Todd. OK so Johnny Depp is so freakin hot as anything. He could be hot as Quasimodo.
I promise, if Luke naps today, I'll try and comment.
Wasn't your sister supposed to comment?
Post a Comment