Back in the mid-2000’s, hippies and assorted scum decried the lack of political pop music. The country was neck deep in two wars yet few rock or pop songs even acknowledged the situation. Even the Dixie Chix, who probably fired up the most acrimony, did so not with song lyrics but with essentially offhand comments made on stage.
I mentioned that I’ve been watching the country video channel lately, and I can’t help but notice the definite presence of political content in some of the songs, generally of a conservative bent. For example, there’s this Eric Church song “Smoke a Little Smoke” which contains the line, “want a little more right, and a little less left.” It’s vague enough that you can wonder whether he’s talking about political philosophies. But, later in the song, he says:
I set my sails for a new direction
But the wind got in my way
I changed my course
But my definition of change
Just ain’t the same
Hmmm, who else do we know who’s been talking about “change?”
That said, “Smoke a Little Smoke” is probably one of the better country singles I’ve heard, driven by an infectious percussive guitar part.
More overtly political is the Josh Thompson song, “Way out Here.” Check out the opening lyrics.
Our houses are protected by the good Lord and a gun
And you might meet ’em both if you show up here not welcome son
It’s the final 2 lines of this stanza that really get political.
We got a fightin’ side a mile wide but we pray for peace
‘Cause it’s mostly us that end up servin’ overseas
If it was up to me I’d love to see this country run
Like it used to be, oughta be, just like it’s done
Music wise, the song is utter pablum, indiscernible from most country power ballads (or whatever they are.)
Will this brand of political country inspire an army of shotgun toting, chaw spitting rednecks to mount up and ride into the nearest metropolis with the goal of killing the weak metrosexual man and impregnating their women? Only time will tell.
Completely apolitical, but hilarious, is this Brad Paisley song “Celebrity.”
It has occurred to me that there is a ton of interesting things to think about and write about in Country Music but, I dunno, I just can’t get motivated. I have a hand full of freak things that mean a lot to me and nothing at all to most people and that’s all I’m going to spend my time on from here on out.
I just read at the LA Times web site about Ween playing there this weekend. I really should try listening to something by them aside from “The Mollusk”. See? I don’t give a fuck about most of the obscurities I do care about.
I took two tablespoons full of codeine cough syrup, immediately forgot about it, and drank a big ass coup of black coffee with too much sugar – Rewrote and Edited the raw material of my new Acid Logic article in about two minutes.
Yeah, I’ve heard that Rimbaud was big on the coffee/cough syrup combination.
I did hear that Ween would be playing around Southern California. Saw them years ago in Seattle and enjoyed it, but I’m not really big on large venue concerts these days. I guess it’s because of people like me that the music industry is tanking.
If you had landed a big record deal it would be because of people like you that the music industry is tanking. I’m sorry.
Yeah, I read that Ween did a few nights ago where either Dean or Gene was so loaded he couldn’t play. He just staggered around like a crazy man until the rest of the guys gave up and walked off. But the next couple of nights they did perfect excellent shows.
It’s raining and boring.
That’s what she said!
Facebook is getting boring.