American "Country" Music

For non-members of the United States (of the Christian Bush Republic or America)...

Do you know what genre of music is refered to as American "Country" Music? How many modern "Country" Artists popular in other countries, if at all? How is "Country" music perceived, if well known?

I'm just curious. Country music neither seems to stimulate the mind or shake the booty, nor seems very influential musically... sort of aims at the lowest denominator of white people... just white people only.

Of course Johnny Cash might be known world wide, but then he seems to be the exception.

American country music? American beer? American cars? do the rest of the world see these as indicative of America?

Never really saw Johnny Cash as country though. Seemed to get lumped in with the tag.

In UK, only people who seem to be interested in 'country music' are old women who go to 'line-dancing'. Also seems to hit the lowest denominator of people here too; although those people tend to watch the X Factor nowadays or go to Karaoke nights down their local.

pumped full of drugs wrote:

American country music? American beer? American cars? do the rest of the world see these as indicative of America?

This was the classic view of the USA, still largely held in the UK and parts of Europe, i.e. imports we could choose to accept, or just send back.

Unfortunately, things may be changing more to the view that 'the USA is an aggressive corrupt nation, out to exploit the world and suck its resources dry', but these are just things I've heard on the rumo(u)r mill as it were. Ask any Muslim.

Back in my youth (i.e., before I discovered real music), there was the "boom" in country music experienced with the rise of Garth Vader. He and all the "artists" who followed afterwards took country from "booze and beatin' women" to "good time happy hillbilly music", more or less. And, as with any form of music that experiences an upsurge in sudden popularity, the actual music suffered and was watered down from hardcore country (hick-driven but authentic) into country-pop, which is the single greatest crime in the history of popular music (that, and whoever got the idea to have rock artists cover traditional Christmas songs).

I would consider Cash "country" but just by default of what he tended to record (twangy rockabilly, early on at least). I actually think his artistic legacy outstrips Presley's by a country mile, and in time he'll be the crown-prince of rock if not the King.

I guess my point is, you have to make a distinction between the "country" music that Cash and artists like him (and unlike him, Bob Dylan and Gram Parsons) recorded, and the "country-pop" that started with the Garth side and continues to dominate country radio to this day (little or no substance, a lot invested in flash and image).

we have a "good", is there such a thing as good country music?, scene here in australia. in many ways our rural culture is similar to that in the usa. btw you can keep Keith Urban.

Just keep send us stuff like Shania Twain oh wait she's from Canada.

as Burt said. we pick and choose. hence we here in australia buy very few american cars, drink very little american beer (bud is quite nice), but listen to much of you music and have out tv dominated by american movies and shows.

How about Patsy Cline? or Hank Williams, Jr.? are they not known across the pond?

dixie chicks, willie nelson, billy ray cyrus. come to houston in february for the "rodeo" you will get two weeks of the finest country music.

my collection of mp3's has only willie, dylan, cash

southern rock like skynard, CCR, and allman brothers, is a step up.

EdelBrock wrote: How about Patsy Cline? or Hank Williams, Jr.? are they not known across the pond?

and dolly. never forget queen dolly. she's ace.

about Johnny Cash - I do like his NIN's Hurt version. Is this country too? wooops

Up here past the Mason-Dixon line, no one really pays attention to country. It's pretty much seen as Southern hick music that no one in their right mind would listen to. Rather, Rap or hip-hop music dominates the airwaves. Not that it doesn't appeal to the lowest common denominator, too. It's a difficult choice country versus top 40 rap. I think I;d rather listen to a cat sharpen its claws on a blackboard for hours.

EdelBrock wrote: How about Patsy Cline? or Hank Williams, Jr.? are they not known across the pond?

How about Loretta Lynn? Her music is beautiful.

If I were to pick country singers, I would pick Dolly, Kenny Rogers, Loretta, and of course the legendary Johnny Cash.

yeh Mr Cash and Kenny Rodgers are favourites here too. What pub band here can get away without playing The Gambler.

Watched the Country Music Awards on telly a couple of weeks ago.More like soft rock these days! Not like when I was brought up on constant replays of Jim Reeves and Glen Campbell.

It's fucking epidemic in NI, seriously, it's all over the radio, and TV and every dodgy old hood party.

Hate it all, except Johhny Cash.

i do my best to "turn off the tv or radio" when i hear anything country music related.

Just not my cup of tea.

I know that pop country has invaded and taken over Music Row in Nashville like the damn Pop People-but there are a few I adore

J R Cash-the real deal

George Jones

The Mavericks-ok more a Roy Orbison type spin but still twangy

Marty Stuart-check out "Soul's Chapel" (country gospel) or "Badlands:Ballads of The Lakota" from the past year

David Ball-his first two cds are straight up honky tonk stuff-and ok I can have a soft spot for George Strait

and my all time favorite country song (of the last 15-20 year category) "Here's a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares) by Travis Tritt. George Jones would have been proud

Garth Brooks' first cd or two was not bad...then he had to go be Billy Joel....

This blue-eyed boy that wants to be wrote: Up here past the Mason-Dixon line, no one really pays attention to country. It's pretty much seen as Southern hick music that no one in their right mind would listen to. Rather, Rap or hip-hop music dominates the airwaves. Not that it doesn't appeal to the lowest common denominator, too. It's a difficult choice country versus top 40 rap. I think I;d rather listen to a cat sharpen its claws on a blackboard for hours.

I disagree...

Hip-hop can be creative and ever evolving, influences other music, Hip-hop fashion/style/idiom influences the rest of pop culture and the rest of the world. Country is stagnant except getting ever blander with no influence on the rest of culture, clothing style is what your mom or wife bought you from Wal-mart, buying clothes is for fags attitude

Country has had some great personalities like Cash, Loretta Lynn, Cline... etc. but musically is mostly stagnant aiming at the low end white mainstream. Even the most juvenile Hip-hop and metal/punk, as well as club/dance music, can have great youthful energy and a "fuck the man" attitude while country has a "i'm proud to be stupid and common" attitude and a pro establishment attitude that plays well with the middle aged who dress without imagination or care.

So I assume that non-Americans think of "Country" music as rural American music, or maybe just rural music in general (not just American but farms, horse, goats, fishing and hunting, pickup trucks and all that etc. )... not "country" as in the country of the USA?

even if it really isn't my cup of tea, i do like some of it. the kind that is more orientated to the music mainstream. i don't particularly like Keith Urban though. That is more like country elevator music. I also dislike all that whiney stuff like my wife has run away and i've run over my dog.

what happens when you play a country song backwards?

you get your car back, your house back and your wife back.

AgentWood wrote: what happens when you play a country song backwards?

you get your car back, your house back and your wife back.

perhaps I should try that. there are a few things I'd like get back. lol

AgentWood wrote: what happens when you play a country song backwards?

you get your car back, your house back and your wife back.

So true.

Country song themes: trucks trains prison alcohol(ism) divorce heartbreak dad mom

I'm sure I left one out.

The WORST thing about country is knowing with certain dread that each an every chord change in the song is entirely predictable.

On a related note, how funny is it when folks who were teens in the 50's and 60's say "all that modern noise sounds the same"...errrrmm...HOW many songs had the classic 1 3 5 6 7 7th chord 12 bar turn around....or the "air on a g string" sequence...ludicrous, at least people these days have the common decency to sample people they want to rip off.

Best country tracks have to be Mr Cash's excellent Chicken in Black and hilarious One Piece at a Time.

CHICKEN IN BLACK Recorded by Johnny Cash

Recorded in Key of A w/change to Bb

CAPO: 5th FRET/KEY: A/PLAY: E: E/A/B7

INTRO: E/A/B7/E [E] For two long years my head hurt bad So a [A] doctor checked me an he shook his head He said [B7] I'm sorry to tell you But your body's outlived your brain [E] He said I know this doctor in New York, son And he'll [A] fix you right up with a brand new one So the [B7] head doctor met me When I stepped down off of the train. [E]

[E] He said we had this bank robber killed last night His [A] body's shot but his brain's alright I'll [B7] give you a transplant, boy And you'll be OK [E] I got my new brain in and I was feelin' great I went [A] right back to Nashville with no headache But something [B7] strange happened When I walked in the bank one day. [E]

CHORUS I said [A] stick 'em up ever'body I'm robbin' this place Drop [E] all of your money in my guitar case Don't [A] nobody move and don't nobody reach for that [B7] door A [E] lady said, why you're Johnny Cash I said [A] no ma'am, I'm the Manhattan Flash And I [B7] am the best bank robber in New York. [E]

[E] Now the other night Roy Acuff called me He said [A] John I'd like for you to do the Opry So I [B7] went out on the stage, but I couldn't sing [E] I got into a half a verse of 'I Walk The Line' And [A] something snapped in this head of mine I yelled [B7] stick 'em up - Give me your money, your watches and rings. [E]

Change to F: F/Bb/C7

[F] Well, I called New York and talked to that brain quack And said [Bb] Doc I gotta have my old brain back He said I'm [C7] sorry there, Mr. Cash, but I can't do that [F] He said I put your brain in a chicken last monday He's [Bb] singing your songs and makin' lots of money And I got him [C7] signed to a ten-year recording contract.[F]

[F] Now friends if you see me walkin' down the street Remember [Bb] what you see ain't necessarily me And if I [C7] try to hold you up, don't pay me no mind [F] But when you got ten bucks that you can blow You oughta [Bb] catch that Johnny Chicken show He's doin' [C7] fairs and concert dates All up and down the line. [F]

I said [Bb] stick 'em up ever'body I'm robbin' this place Drop [F] all of your money in my guitar case Don't [Bb] nobody move and don't nobody reach for that door [C7] A [F] lady said, why you're Johnny Cash I said [Bb] no ma'am, I'm the Manhattan Flash And I [C7] am the best bank robber in New York. [F]

TAG: TALK: Well, I don't pay any income tax... You don't pay tax on money you steal... You oughta catch that Johnny Chicken show... Chicken In Black! hmmmmmmmm!

"One Piece At A Time"

Well, I left Kentucky back in '49 An' went to Detroit workin' on a 'sembly line The first year they had me puttin' wheels on cadillacs

Every day I'd watch them beauties roll by And sometimes I'd hang my head and cry 'Cause I always wanted me one that was long and black.

One day I devised myself a plan That should be the envy of most any man I'd sneak it out of there in a lunchbox in my hand Now gettin' caught meant gettin' fired But I figured I'd have it all by the time I retired I'd have me a car worth at least a hundred grand.

[CHORUS] I'd get it one piece at a time And it wouldn't cost me a dime You'll know it's me when I come through your town I'm gonna ride around in style I'm gonna drive everybody wild 'Cause I'll have the only one there is a round.

So the very next day when I punched in With my big lunchbox and with help from my friends I left that day with a lunch box full of gears Now, I never considered myself a thief GM wouldn't miss just one little piece Especially if I strung it out over several years.

The first day I got me a fuel pump And the next day I got me an engine and a trunk Then I got me a transmission and all of the chrome The little things I could get in my big lunchbox Like nuts, an' bolts, and all four shocks But the big stuff we snuck out in my buddy's mobile home.

Now, up to now my plan went all right 'Til we tried to put it all together one night And that's when we noticed that something was definitely wrong.

The transmission was a '53 And the motor turned out to be a '73 And when we tried to put in the bolts all the holes were gone.

So we drilled it out so that it would fit And with a little bit of help with an A-daptor kit We had that engine runnin' just like a song Now the headlight' was another sight We had two on the left and one on the right But when we pulled out the switch all three of 'em come on.

The back end looked kinda funny too But we put it together and when we got thru Well, that's when we noticed that we only had one tail-fin About that time my wife walked out And I could see in her eyes that she had her doubts But she opened the door and said "Honey, take me for a spin."

So we drove up town just to get the tags And I headed her right on down main drag I could hear everybody laughin' for blocks around But up there at the court house they didn't laugh 'Cause to type it up it took the whole staff And when they got through the title weighed sixty pounds.

[CHORUS] I got it one piece at a time And it didn't cost me a dime You'll know it's me when I come through your town I'm gonna ride around in style I'm gonna drive everybody wild 'Cause I'll have the only one there is around.

[Spoken] Ugh! Yow, RED RYDER This is the COTTON MOUTH In the PSYCHO-BILLY CADILLAC Come on

Huh, This is the COTTON MOUTH And negatory on the cost of this mow-chine there RED RYDER You might say I went right up to the factory And picked it up, it's cheaper that way Ugh!, what model is it?

As you can see, The Doctor? backs the silly option every time. I heard one pice at a time on the radio for the first time whilst getting a lift home from school, I laughed so hard at it (particularly the line about "all the holes had gone"), my mate's dad asked him if I was mental

no.. the problem is that people think of "County and Western" music when they think of Country...

there's music that had great influence on UK Artists like Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Billy Brag, the Rolling Stones, etc, that are "country" but not "Country Western"

Gram Parsons is an example of one..

Son Volt, The Jayhawks, Wilco, are more modern examples...

they don't suck they aren't what people think of country either..

and none of them are my cup of tea either (sans Elvis Costello who I <3)

The many here that have cut down country so harshly, I would almost bet have never REALLY given it a chance. That it appeals to the "lowest denominator", is an ignorant statement. There is an immediate image of country that everyone tacks onto it, and is abhorred.

I'm not a great country fan, and not a line dancer either. One thing I can say that is good about country is that it tends to have a much better, positive message than the majority of crap that is put out nowadays.

But I completely agree with everyone here that the pop-country has destroyed country,and good deal of the new stuff is quite boring.

Ag Wood and Peel:

Agree Dolly and Loretta are tops I think I'm going to download some Loretta tonight, as I don't have any in my collection yet.

Nah its deffo music for the USA equivalent of the 'chav'. The kinda people you see in Deliverance.

My Dad just loves country music, while I hate it. He calls it "wholesome" while my music is regarded as "sucky". Strange that a guy born and raised in Boston turned Southern on me... He has CDs by Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, LeAnne Womack, and the Time Life Classic Country Collection (anthology of 50's and 60's country).

No offense, but the music collection is...

Comrade does not sing cowboy songs...

ChrissMari Must Die! wrote:

Gram Parsons is an example of one..

Thank you! Parsons is the guy the Eagles should bow down to every day for thanks, as they ripped off his country-rock pioneering work to fund their own cocaine binges and "music" through much of the Seventies.

Is there anyone besides me who think that the Byrds turned out for the worst when they went country?

Dunno, you know more about this "rock history"** stuff than I do, love.