What happened to country music? A vent.

[CowboyCO]

Clinging to guns and religion?

You know I almost used that in my post and put it in quotes but I didn't want to get political... But that was in the back of my mind...

 

[nannerbadnanner]

I know exactly what you mean. I thought it was just me! My last straw was Jesus Take the Wheel, I just couldn't listen to country anymore after that.

I am a Christian, and I hate that song. I almost fell over when a friend told me her church choir sang it! I guess I always wonder if she let Jesus take the wheel before or after she smashed her boyfriend's car with a baseball bat.

 

[CowboyCO]

I know exactly what you mean. I thought it was just me! My last straw was Jesus Take the Wheel, I just couldn't listen to country anymore after that.

I find that remarkably funny. Over the last 50 years you would have had to wade through all the gospel music and religious references in country music to get to this "last straw".

It's a country song that has the name Jesus in it. Earth shattering...

Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this on my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
Save me from this road I'm on...


Kind of along the lines of "Thy Will Be Done..."

 

[Flyin' Elvii]

To the original poster: I tend to disagree. I grew up on a lot of the old country (My mom must've played the Statler Brothers' tapes a gazillion times or so). So while I still like and appreciate some of that old music, I tend to like the new stuff as well. Maybe it's 'cause my 8 year old is crazy over Taylor Swift, but I can really appreciate a lot of the new artists.

(I listen to Country Music Oldies every week and there is a horrific song about a dying boy talking to truckers on the CB that's worse than the stupid Christmas Shoes!)

Holy CRAP! That song is called "Teddy Bear", and I haven't heard it in, literally, decades! Wow....thanks for the memory.

ITA..I turned on a local "classic" rock station one day in the car and they were playing BON JOVI! Bon Jovi ain't classic rock, peoples! Then again..this is the same station that seems to have Eric Clapton's "Cocaine" on heavy repeat some days.

She don't mind, she don't mind, she don't miiiind cocaine.

Umm...Bon Jovi's first album came out nearly a quarter-century ago. Just how old does it have to be to qualify for "classic rock" status?

(My apologies...my wife hates it when I do that too...lol)

 

[c4a]

I am a Christian, and I hate that song. I almost fell over when a friend told me her church choir sang it! I guess I always wonder if she let Jesus take the wheel before or after she smashed her boyfriend's car with a baseball bat.

Ot:Jesus said turn the other cheek. He just didn't say how many times. And he knew rightous anger, too. If he had had a ball bat...I think he would have used it at market day.

"Jesus take the Wheel" Very annoying song.

 

[jordansmomma]

The newcomer I really like is Carrie Underwood. She nails it in "Maybe next time, he'll think twice before he cheats". Got the attitude, just right. Anyone who has been cheated on...once the crying is over...and the anger begins can relate to the song.

Right now, he's probably slow dancin' with a bleach blonde tramp and she's probably gettin frisky
Right now he's probably buyin' her some fruity little drink cause she can't shoot whiskey
Right now he's probably up behind her with a pool stick showin' her how to shoot a combo
And He don't know...

I dug my key into the side of his pretty little suped up four wheel drive
Carved my name into his leather seats
I took a Louisville Slugger to both headlights
Slashed a hole in all four tires
Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats.

Right now she's probably up singing some white trash version of Shania karaoke
Right now she's robably sayin "I'm drunk" and he's a thinkin that he's gonna get lucky
Right now he's probably dabbin on three dollars worth of that bathroom Polo
Oh and he don't know that...

I dug my key into the side of his pretty little suped up four wheel drive
Carved my name into his leather seats
I took a Louisville Slugger to both headlights
Slashed a hole in all four tires
Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats.

I might a saved a little trouble for the next girl
Cause the next time that he cheats
Oh you know it won't be on me
Cause...

I dug my key into the side of his prety little suped up four wheel drive
Carved my name into his leather seats
I took a Louisville Slugger to both headlights
Slashed a hole in all four tires
Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats.

Oh maybe next time he'll think before he cheats
Oh before he cheats

Not that I condone it..but yeah, these were the kinda' thoughts I had when I found out. Great video. Not quite the same thing as "Stand by Your Man".

I like that song. Some of her songs not so much, but others yes.


She can sing. She just can't dress herself.[/QUOTE]

Isn't that the truth!!

I mostly listen to country, but I agree with you to an extent. Taylor Swift's music is pop. Most of what Brad Paisley has done recently is pop. Same with Rascal Flatts. Kenny Chesney is trying to be the new Jimmy Buffett. I like some of it, but yes the lines are getting blurry.

I really like Kenny, but lately...his music well....hmmm...

 

[c4a]

Kenny is okay. I can take his songs...or leave them.

And I love Jimmy Buffet. Kenny Chesney is no Jimmy Buffet, though.

And for "beach" videos...George Strait with "Old Mexico". Levi's, Cowboy hat, barefoot on a beach...yummy!

 

[daisax]

Holy CRAP! That song is called "Teddy Bear", and I haven't heard it in, literally, decades! Wow....thanks for the memory.

What's especially funny/creepy about it is that he's this little boy home alone (Mom at work, ) talking to strangers on the CB and a whole bunch of truckers are swinging by the house and taking him for rides. Yeah, that's heartwarming!

There are other "dated" songs -- so many of the women's songs were about tolerating cheating (or just hating the other woman, because it was HER fault), and so many of the men's songs were odes to their long suffering wives who stuck with them even though they treated them like crap. Maybe that stuff was considered romantic back in the day, but now, not so much.

Loretta, at least, would call the hussy what she was -- and her man, too!

 

[c4a]

Loretta, at least, would call the hussy what she was -- and her man, too!

[/QUOTE]

Loretta is AWESOME!!!!! I think that is part of why I like that Carrie Underwood song so much. It is real. Patsy was a lot like that, too. Spunky. Of course, Loretta & Patsy were good friends, used to tour together.

Never understood Tammy singing "Stand by Your Man". He runs around on her, treats her bad...and she is going to stand by him, any way.

I like the baseball bat idea, better. But like Gretchen says "I've never been the Barbie Doll type."

 

[piney]

I love Toby Keith, we saw him this summer and it was the best concert we have ever seen. I also like Brad Paisley, Alan Jackson and Kenny.

 

[GeorgeG]

I like a lot of different kinds of music, including country, but I don't necessarily like all of any kind.

I grew up with some country music influence on my mother's side and then got into playing it myself (as a musician) back in the 1970s when the "Urban Cowboy" era came and went. I played with a number of country bands and we also mixed in some oldies rock & roll. One band I played in opened for Tanya Tucker and we even sat in for a set with Martina McBride. After about 6-8 years I drifted back to playing with swing and jazz bands but still like some of the "classic" country.

I have to agree that country music has changed a whole lot to where you either love it or can't stand it. I suppose a lot of that has to do with what generation your from. There are still some really good new artists, but others can be irritating after only 30 seconds, especially some of the male singers who sing like they have something shoved up their behind. George Strait they ain't. So many of the girl singers simply sound alike, but at least they do sing.

I still listen to country music now and then and even sat in on lead guitar with a good country band about a year ago, but it doesn't take much for me to turn it off these days.

 

[nannerbadnanner]

Loretta is AWESOME!!!!! I think that is part of why I like that Carrie Underwood song so much. It is real. Patsy was a lot like that, too. Spunky. Of course, Loretta & Patsy were good friends, used to tour together.

Never understood Tammy singing "Stand by Your Man". He runs around on her, treats her bad...and she is going to stand by him, any way.

I like the baseball bat idea, better. But like Gretchen says "I've never been the Barbie Doll type." [/QUOTE]

I once read that Loretta Lynn has had more songs banned from the radio than any other artist. That's kinda awesome.

 

[Soarin08]

Please, if you are a fan of country music, do not proceed. I completely respect anybody's choice in the music they enjoy. If you are a fan of any music genre, you appreciate things that others don't and that's ok. If you read on, you will become mad at me. If, however, you are disappointed with the way country music has evolved, vent along with me?

I watched the CMAs last night for about 30 seconds before I couldn't take it anymore. There was a time that I really enjoyed country music. Back when country music wasn't afraid to be...well....country. You know, the twangy steel guitars, etc. Today it just sounds like very watered down, easy pop music. I still enjoy George Strait, but I really don't know who else is around anymore because I gave up.

The last country artist I really loved was Garth Brooks, but oddly enough, I feel like he might have singly-handedly caused this turn around in country music. It felt like many guys after him, in an attempt to mimic his success, created a lot of these pop-country type songs which stuck. Garth had this unique ability to rock-out without compromising the genre, you know? I don't know that anyone else has pulled that off since.

Last year, my fave, Bon Jovi, put out a "country-inspired album." I thought that might be a cool combination but it ended up being the embodiment of everything I have come to hate about current country. Just really kind of bla.

Is Hank Williams Jr. still around? Now THAT was country music!

You're quite right. It's like country is nothing more than pop with a hint of twang anymore. Don't EVEN get me started on Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift when discussing the country genre.... ewwww....

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

Non country music fan here that actually LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Waylon, Willie and the boys in their heydey...I think Carrie Underwood is good today but not sure I really hear country. I think Garth Brooks and Toby Keith and this ilk are just totally nauseating.

 

[Planogirl]

I'm surprised that some didn't notice how much religion was in country in the past. Tennessee Ernie Ford, the Oak Ridge Boys and Johnny Cash did a lot of this but really just about every country artist has done some. I like some of it but I don't seek it out.

There are still good traditional country artists out there IMO! I guess that it depends on how you definite what classic country is but I don't believe that it happened only during certain years.

But then I don't dislike Shania. I can forgive her if only for the song "Don't".

 

[Octoberbride03]

("Honkytonk Badonkadonk" comes to mind. I HATE that song with a passion unknown to Song Hatred until that came along.)

Oddly enough I love that song, but didn't get it until i saw the video. That said it is somewhat of a departure for Trace Adkins. Most of his songs are not poppy.

Now what really gets me is how Rascal Flats gets played on country stations. Its been years since i've heard them release any real country songs.

 

[Octoberbride03]

I am a Christian, and I hate that song. I almost fell over when a friend told me her church choir sang it! I guess I always wonder if she let Jesus take the wheel before or after she smashed her boyfriend's car with a baseball bat.

church choir??!! really?

I don't dislike the song, but if i ever hear my choir sing that I'm walking out. There's nothing remotely hymnal about it.

On the other hand at my funeral/burial whatever, I Believe is required playing, and When I get where i'm going is on the list too, but that's not really hymnal either.

 

[C.Ann]

I love all the CW - old, new, and in between..

 

[nannerbadnanner]

church choir??!! really?

I don't dislike the song, but if i ever hear my choir sing that I'm walking out. There's nothing remotely hymnal about it.

On the other hand at my funeral/burial whatever, I Believe is required playing, and When I get where i'm going is on the list too, but that's not really hymnal either.

Yep. It is apparently a fairly popular choir song around here. I don't get it either.

 

[Octoberbride03]

I love all the CW - old, new, and in between..

C. Ann I agree, all except for Rascal Flats. Don't like them. But I just love your quotes. Both are such beautiful songs