Why does Country Music have a bad rep?

muy_thaiguy · Post by **muy_thaiguy** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:32 pm

I have often wondered this, because some people absolutely despise it.

Neoteny · Post by **Neoteny** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:34 pm

Honestly, I used to like it, and as I aged I grew away from it. The thematic elements involved are a bit foreign to me and the instruments involved are not generally my favorites (I'm not a huge fan of acoustic guitar). However, I'll note that one of my guilty pleasures is Toby Keith. The man has an amazing voice, for damn sure.

vtmarik · Post by **vtmarik** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:39 pm

Three reasons (at least for me):

1. No killer riffs, solos, or interesting musical progressions like Jazz, Blues, or Rock.
2. The songs always feel lazy to me, like they could only think up two or three other lines to stick at the beginning of the chorus.
3. The type of people who listen to a lot of country where I come from are also the people who watch NASCAR, have confederate flags, and chew tobacco.

I like some country songs because they're awesome. The Thunder Rolls by Garth Brooks for example. The majority of it though just makes me want to kill myself.

Heimdall · Post by **Heimdall** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:40 pm

cuz it sucks

Neoteny · Post by **Neoteny** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:40 pm

vtmarik wrote:Three reasons (at least for me):

1. No killer riffs, solos, or interesting musical progressions like Jazz, Blues, or Rock.
2. The songs always feel lazy to me, like they could only think up two or three other lines to stick at the beginning of the chorus.
3. The type of people who listen to a lot of country where I come from are also the people who watch NASCAR, have confederate flags, and chew tobacco.

I like some country songs because they're awesome. The Thunder Rolls by Garth Brooks for example. The majority of it though just makes me want to kill myself.

Man, everyone loves Thunder Rolls... I used to say country music was depressing, and that's why I don't listen to it, but most of the stuff I listen to now isn't exactly upbeat with respect to lyrics if not tone.

darvlay · Post by **darvlay** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:43 pm

I can't stand the patriotic overtones.

heavycola · Post by **heavycola** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:43 pm

is Folsom Prison Blues a country song? Must be. Maybe the exception that proves the rule.

I think this is what did it for me.

Remember the bill hicks bit - 'let's hunt and kill billy ray cyrus' - if only.

vtmarik · Post by **vtmarik** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:46 pm

heavycola wrote:is Folsom Prison Blues a country song? Must be. Maybe the exception that proves the rule.

No, it's a Johnny Cash song. Cash is a genre unto himself.

muy_thaiguy · Post by **muy_thaiguy** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:47 pm

Heimdall wrote:cuz it sucks

Care to clarify on that one?

Three reasons (at least for me):

1. No killer riffs, solos, or interesting musical progressions like Jazz, Blues, or Rock.
2. The songs always feel lazy to me, like they could only think up two or three other lines to stick at the beginning of the chorus.
3. The type of people who listen to a lot of country where I come from are also the people who watch NASCAR, have confederate flags, and chew tobacco.

I like some country songs because they're awesome. The Thunder Rolls by Garth Brooks for example. The majority of it though just makes me want to kill myself.

I like country music, if not for it's more simple styles, but also because many of the songs I can relate to one way or another. As for the people who listen to country here, they vary from Cowboys to Techers (pronounced like Trekkers, but no 'R').

Honestly, I used to like it, and as I aged I grew away from it. The thematic elements involved are a bit foreign to me and the instruments involved are not generally my favorites (I'm not a huge fan of acoustic guitar). However, I'll note that one of my guilty pleasures is Toby Keith. The man has an amazing voice, for damn sure.

I can say the same for pop music myself. But, as I grow older, I come to like it more and more.

muy_thaiguy · Post by **muy_thaiguy** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:48 pm

vtmarik wrote:
heavycola wrote:is Folsom Prison Blues a country song? Must be. Maybe the exception that proves the rule.
No, it's a Johnny Cash song. Cash is a genre unto himself.

To true, to true.

btownmeggy · Post by **btownmeggy** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:51 pm

Neoteny wrote:However, I'll note that one of my guilty pleasures is Toby Keith. The man has an amazing voice, for damn sure.

A joke?

If this Toby Keith is the same person I'm thinking of (the guy from the Ford or Chevy or whatever commercials), he represents all that is wrong with country music today.

glide · Post by **glide** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:51 pm

Its like the old joke.....whaddiya get if you play a country record backwards? You get yer wife back, your truck back, and yer dog back.
The "old" stuff was too depressing (and musically simple) for me...but some of the new stuff is very close to blues, and rock, and Im liking more and more of it.

Neoteny · Post by **Neoteny** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:52 pm

btownmeggy wrote:
Neoteny wrote:However, I'll note that one of my guilty pleasures is Toby Keith. The man has an amazing voice, for damn sure.
A joke?

If this Toby Keith is the same person I'm thinking of (the guy from the Ford or Chevy or whatever commercials), he represents all that is wrong with country music today.

Unfortunately, no... I disagree with everything he represents, but I like his music. Go figure.

EDIT: Kinda like how I feel about Demon Hunter or some TFK songs. I disagree, but still good.

Heimdall · Post by **Heimdall** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:53 pm

muy_thaiguy wrote:
Heimdall wrote:cuz it sucks
Care to clarify on that one?

Just razzing you. Honestly i don't care much for country but i would rather listen to that then hardcore rap.

In the end, It's all about taste and you can't really argue over that.

I agree with darvlay, but there's always the odd song out that i like.

darvlay · Post by **darvlay** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:55 pm

vtmarik wrote:
heavycola wrote:is Folsom Prison Blues a country song? Must be. Maybe the exception that proves the rule.
No, it's a Johnny Cash song. Cash is a genre unto himself.

Cash is country. Just like George Jones, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, Wanda Jackson, and many other great performers. The problem with Country is that it is exclusively American (or to a lesser extent, Canadian) and tends to lend itself too often to McLuhan's thesis of 'the medium is the message'. Johnny Cash is also guilty of this with songs like Man in Black, Ragged Old Flag and other such tripe.

Not saying I don't like country or Cash, I do! But it is probably my least favourite genre as a whole.

btownmeggy · Post by **btownmeggy** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:56 pm

glide wrote:The "old" stuff was too depressing (and musically simple) for me...but some of the new stuff is very close to blues, and rock, and Im liking more and more of it.

See, I feel just the opposite. I love sad music. I love the folk aesthetic. Dolly Parton a la 1970 makes me feel like jelly... in a wonderful, wonderful way.

The new stuff sounds just like all the rest of the bad music on the radio except the singers have Southern accents.

darvlay · Post by **darvlay** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:58 pm

btownmeggy wrote:
glide wrote:The "old" stuff was too depressing (and musically simple) for me...but some of the new stuff is very close to blues, and rock, and Im liking more and more of it.
See, I feel just the opposite. I love sad music. I love the folk aesthetic. Dolly Parton a la 1970 makes me feel like jelly... in a wonderful, wonderful way...

You would love Patsy Cline then...

btownmeggy · Post by **btownmeggy** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 1:00 pm

darvlay wrote:
btownmeggy wrote:
glide wrote:The "old" stuff was too depressing (and musically simple) for me...but some of the new stuff is very close to blues, and rock, and Im liking more and more of it.
See, I feel just the opposite. I love sad music. I love the folk aesthetic. Dolly Parton a la 1970 makes me feel like jelly... in a wonderful, wonderful way...
You would love Patsy Cline then...

Sure I do.

muy_thaiguy · Post by **muy_thaiguy** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 1:20 pm

darvlay wrote:
vtmarik wrote:
heavycola wrote:is Folsom Prison Blues a country song? Must be. Maybe the exception that proves the rule.
No, it's a Johnny Cash song. Cash is a genre unto himself.
Cash is country. Just like George Jones, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, Wanda Jackson, and many other great performers. The problem with Country is that it is exclusively American (or to a lesser extent, Canadian) and tends to lend itself too often to McLuhan's thesis of 'the medium is the message'. Johnny Cash is also guilty of this with songs like Man in Black, Ragged Old Flag and other such tripe.

Not saying I don't like country or Cash, I do! But it is probably my least favorite genre as a whole.

I really don't see the problem of it being almost exclusively American (with the occasional exception).

As for Johnny Cash being Country, how many other people can be heard as often on a classic rock station AND a country music station? Not many, I can tell you that.

darvlay · Post by **darvlay** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 1:49 pm

muy_thaiguy wrote:
darvlay wrote:
vtmarik wrote:
heavycola wrote:is Folsom Prison Blues a country song? Must be. Maybe the exception that proves the rule.
No, it's a Johnny Cash song. Cash is a genre unto himself.
Cash is country. Just like George Jones, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, Wanda Jackson, and many other great performers. The problem with Country is that it is exclusively American (or to a lesser extent, Canadian) and tends to lend itself too often to McLuhan's thesis of 'the medium is the message'. Johnny Cash is also guilty of this with songs like Man in Black, Ragged Old Flag and other such tripe.

Not saying I don't like country or Cash, I do! But it is probably my least favorite genre as a whole.
I really don't see the problem of it being almost exclusively American (with the occasional exception).

As for Johnny Cash being Country, how many other people can be heard as often on a classic rock station AND a country music station? Not many, I can tell you that.

The Byrds
Gram Parsons
CSNY
Neil Young
among many others...

Let's face it - the only reason Cash is so popular amongst a new crowd now is because Rick Rubin revived his career. Nobody was listening to Cash for YEARS. Just like no one listens to Elvis.

(I've probably said too much now.)

Stymie · Post by **Stymie** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 5:41 pm

I like country music, if not for it's more simple styles, but also because many of the songs I can relate to one way or another. As for the people who listen to country here, they vary from Cowboys to Techers (pronounced like Trekkers, but no 'R').

What the heck, "Techers?" I have never heard of that before.

dustn64 · Post by **dustn64** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 5:48 pm

Country Music Is The Best. End Of Story.

muy_thaiguy · Post by **muy_thaiguy** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 6:13 pm

Stymie wrote:
I like country music, if not for it's more simple styles, but also because many of the songs I can relate to one way or another. As for the people who listen to country here, they vary from Cowboys to Techers (pronounced like Trekkers, but no 'R').

What the heck, "Techers?" I have never heard of that before.

A type of student that goes to WyoTech here. Trouble makers, to say the least. Not to mention knocking up Junior High students from time to time.

Napoleon Ier · Post by **Napoleon Ier** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 6:19 pm

I'm sorry...I'm sorry...

I'm just imagining mtg in aviators and a cowboy hat with a red hankerchief around his neck, cradling a shotgun and a bottle of Kentucky Bourbon whilst he listens to country rock on his SUV stereo ranting about "drivin' them trouble makers outta town" in a John Wayne voice...why can I not be American...why?

muy_thaiguy · Post by **muy_thaiguy** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 7:25 pm

Napoleon Ier wrote:

I'm sorry...I'm sorry...

I'm just imagining mtg in aviators and a cowboy hat with a red hankerchief around his neck, cradling a shotgun and a bottle of Kentucky Bourbon whilst he listens to country rock on his SUV stereo ranting about "drivin' them trouble makers outta town" in a John Wayne voice...why can I not be American...why?

I don't drive an SUV, I drive a 74 Chevy Pickup.