chris@seymourherald.com
Why is it that the genre of music associated with this part of the country is so . . .so abnormal? Hey, I love country music as much as the next guy, but have any of you ever really sat and listened to the lyrics?
We got songs about drinking. We got songs about husbands and wives. We got songs about “Indian Outlaws” and “Watermelon Crawls”. Did I mention drinking?
So why is it that country music has such a peculiar voice? They say artists get their inspiration from life – home, family, and friends.
Rap artists rhyme about life on the streets. Sixties rock stars sung about protests and flowers. And country stars sing about dead men propped up on jukeboxes and country boys shooting thugs in back alleys.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but sometimes I just can’t relate. I want to keep singing along to the radio, but I’ve never thought someone’s tractor was sexy. Have you?!
At least the women used to be sane. Patsy Cline was “Crazy” for love, and Loretta Lynn was just an ordinary “Coal Miner’s Daughter”. But now even the girls have gone nuts. We got Dixie Chicks bragging about killing some poor schlep named Earl.
What’s next for country music? Ballads about dating one’s truck? Party tunes suggesting that we all eat crème cheese and chug Yohoo? It’s all just too weird for me.
I guess the blame for country’s current turn can be placed on none other than these artists’ parents. Yep, that’s right – blame them for their kids weird ideas and funky CDs. I wish they’d have all listened better when Willy warned them not to “let their babies grow up to be cowboys.”
Ehh . . .I guess I being a little too dramatic. Who can expect country to stay the same when the whole world is changing around it? The Soviet Union breaks up, and a young Tim McGraw discovers life without sleeves. Bill Clinton wins the election, and George Straight becomes an actor.
Whatever direction it takes, it is encouraging to know that country music will always have its staples. We can still sing along with Charlie Daniels – wait, is he still hanging out with the Devil? I just can’t seem to win. Everywhere I look country is getting weirder. Well, at least when all else fails, we still got Garth – or is it Chris Gaines now?

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