Okay, I feel as though a lot of you hold something against country music. Now, I don't really care why, because I assume most of your excuses will be that it is whiney, twangy, crappy, bad, all about heartbreak/love or something else equally vague and/or ignorant. I'm going to take a stand and say that anybody who says they dislike the genre for any lame reason like the ones listed above is because you haven't given it a real chance and probably never really listened to it, or stopped being annoyed by it to really listen. It is very hard to appreciate something when you are too busy hating it- I know from experience by growing up with my brother's musical tastes. I was too preoccupied with hating Nirvana, Bush, Silverchair, Metallica, etc. to see that I really did like it.
I grew up in a barn, and thus by age 9 I was asking for Allan Jackson and Shania Twain CDs. I was the only person in my family who listened to country music, the only one who liked it. Then, when I was 16 I had a Kenny Chesney CD in the car with my mom. I begged for her to let me play it, and she allowed it. A song came on, she listened to it, and hasn't stopped listening to country music since. Like all other genres of music, country can reach out to you with the lyrics and grab you and give you a song that completely explains the moment or situation you are living in.
My freshmen year in college, my roommate Nital was a complete emo/punk fan. But I played country every now and then, and she grew to like it. I feel like country is a genre that most people can like, but very few will give a chance. This summer in the barn there were counselors who complained about the music I played for the first few weeks, but then said they would miss it at the end of the summer. My first summer, as a counselor, I played nothing but Carrie Underwood's CD, and campers complained the first day, asking if they would "have to listen to country the whole week," but by Friday they wanted to go get the CD.
I went home for Christmas break this year and got in my dad's new car- the first three presets on the radio were country stations. I was completely surprised- this is a man who loves talk radio almost as much as his children. He looked at me, smiling, and said, "It got too quiet around here without you belting out country songs around the clock. Only problem is, they don't sound right because they sing it in the right key." Everybody has their own reasons for listening to country.
It might be a genre that you have to hear a little to get used to, but if you give it a chance you will find a song that speaks to you and you'll look at country music in a whole new light. I promise that.
My mom fell for "There Goes My Life," by Kenny Chesney and Nital fell for "Red Rag Top," by Tim McGraw. This summer I played a whole lot of Taylor Swift. I can't really say which country song I would claim as my favorite, but I definitely have a favorite for each emotion (yes, I have those) I am feeling. I will say that "Holy Water" by Big & Rich speaks to me, always, anywhere.
I see how it is easy to pick on country- its image is that of the red-headed stepchild of music. It is easy to pick on the redneck/hillbilly aspect, but that is the argument of people who've heard about 2% of what is out there. Then there is the whole "It's all about pick-up trucks and whiskey," but again, an argument from people who've heard another 2%.
For me, country is refreshing. It isn't about "hoes" or "bitches," clubs or status. It is about loving, losing, coping, and knowing where you came from. It is about dancing in a line, and not with some stranger's crotch gyrating on your ass. It has more empowering songs about struggling/working hard for what you want and empowering women to be independent than any other genre. It is very rare to find something demeaning in a country song.
And for those who love to pull the, "toby keith/ politically charged songs that make middle america look ignorant and rash" argument, I ask you to name a genre (that has lyrics) that doesn't have a song about politics or government.
Whether you listen to country, pop, southern/classic/punk rock, emo, metal, rap, jazz, r&b, classical, acoustic, techno, alternative, indie, blues or reggae, we are all just trying to get through this human experience with three minute breaks from the grind by relating to people who've found words that connect with us and music that moves us.
loving Chicago,
amk
"And she says take me away
And take me farther
Surround me now
And hold, hold, hold me like holy water
Holy water"
-"Holy Water," Big & Rich
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2 comments:
There's one reason I don't like country.
It's not because it's about trucks and guns and dead dogs. I know that's only some of it.
It's not because it's political - I'm all for political songs.
It's not because it's full of hicks and rednecks, though there are plenty.
It's because of the ridiculous twangy voices. I listen to a lot of music that would be called country if it wasn't for the lack of enforced twang. In fact people have said, "I thought you didn't like country" when riding in my car. I love storytellers who write about real life with the skill of a poet. Listen to Paul Kelly if you can. He recorded a bluegrass album and plenty of his music is inspired by country, but he doesn't sing like he's got a chihuahua attached to his balls.
Obviously I'm never going to listen to people singing songs pleading with the public to save horses by having sex with a cowboy (or whatever that song was about) or songs championing the sexiness of the new John Deere tractor. But if they were to start singing properly I'd certainly listen to some of these artistes.
it's just wrong...sorry you're not going to get anything better out of me...
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