B-sides: _It’s time to give country music a chance_
By Daily Bruin Staff
Nov. 7, 2011 12:07 a.m.
My roommate and I were sitting at the kitchen table in our apartment while one of our other roommates sat on the floor, clicking feverishly on her computer mouse. After about 30 minutes and a phone call, she triumphantly declared that she had successfully bought a pass for Stagecoach, the Coachella of country music which takes place in late April.
The two of us sitting at the table recoiled at the thought of spending $200 just to hear three days’ worth of music we believe is all essentially variations on the same theme: love or loss, sung in lyrics that take the form of an often cute or witty narrative.
In light of the fact that many Bruins are racing to purchase passes to Stagecoach, and even more are most likely looking forward to the 45th CMA Awards that country superstars Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood will host this Wednesday, I think now is as good a time as any to take a bit of a closer look at this underdog genre.
The genre is perhaps the most polarizing of all music genres, with the possible exception of rap. People either seem to love it or hate it. But I suspect that a fair portion of the people who decry country music ““ something I am occasionally guilty of ““ secretly enjoy it and can identify a fair amount of songs, which is something of which I am also guilty.
What must be admitted right from the outset is this: country songs are catchy. There’s no denying that. It could even be argued that country music has some of the best choruses in the music world, usually loud, bombastic, twangy and easy to sing along to. Sometimes this is because the lyrics are hilarious and seem to be begging to be labeled stereotypical. Whether or not that’s intentional is hard to discern.
For example, the chorus from “Chicken Fried,” a love song by Zac Brown Band: “Yes, a little chicken fried / Cold beer on a Friday night / A pair of jeans that fit just right / And the radio up.” OK, the lyrics might seem easy to make fun of. But guess what? Once you hear it, you won’t forget it.
Which brings me to my next point. A lot of these songs are easy to remember because they are relatable. Taylor Swift’s obscenely massive popularity is partially due to her ability to make music that is relevant and appealing to a wide range of fans. There’s something about the organic sound of country music that makes it more humanized than the latest beat-driven pop hit.
A prime example of this caliber of songwriting can be found in Brad Paisley’s “Letter to Me,” a song off of his 2008 album “5th Gear” (which I own the entirety of). The song is just what its title describes: the adult Paisley wrote a song in the form of a letter to himself as a teenager, counseling him through a break-up and giving him a heads-up about an upcoming date as well as the imminent death of a relative.
But once again, the most accessible and memorable portion of the song is the chorus, which is still branded into my mind even after the four years since I first heard it. Here, Paisley reassures his younger self that, no matter how bad things seem now, “You’ll make it through this and you’ll see / You’re still around to write this letter to me.”
So, with country music set to showcase its best (and considerable) talent on Wednesday, I’m urging you to give this genre a shot. And I can say from experience that once you open your mind and heart to country music just a little bit, chances are it’ll squeak its way into your musical consciousness and stay there. I’d wager my very best cowboy hat on it.
What color is your cowboy hat? Email Bain at [email protected]. “B-sides” runs every Monday.
