What is country music? What makes it important? Why does history and tradition matter more to country music than it does to other popular genres? Maybe this is because country music is the music of the everyday person and not ‘just’. Perhaps this is because many country music fans are from country music families and grow up listening to country so that when they get older, they may long for the ‘glory days’ of their youth and the past. Humans have a history of romanticizing their past as something wonderful and glorious and country music isn’t resistant to this inclination.
The mere fact that country fans do romanticize their past is a perfect reason for why the “that’s not country, this is country” debate rages on generation after generation. Quite simply, people place importance on country music of their youth and in that importance comes the pure fact that what they think is ‘traditional’ rests largely in that era. So much so that virtually anything -and I mean anything- that comes out and claims to be country music, even if it sounds remotely similar to those songs of the past. These people say that virtually anything is inferior to what they know and love as ‘real country’ that they cannot get past the sonic changes and take a listen to what has always made country music important: the lyrics.
The lyrics in a country song take precedent over the sonic soundscape. They always have, they always will. Have you listened to a rock or pop song lately? While the vocalist is audible, they’re typically in the mix of the song or just slightly ‘out front’ over the accompanying sonic soundscape. Country’s never been this way as the vocalist is always front and center on a song with lyrics. I’ll say that again; country music’s singers are ALWAYS front and center on a song with lyrics. It’s a fundamental aspect of country music, it’s what makes it important. It’s why people cherish that historical aspect of the youth, because the songs truly mean something. They’re not just the latest trendy, catchy tune. They matter.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know there are some people who will respond to this and say that there are songs that don’t really care about the lyrics and if released by a superstar act, the fans and gatekeepers at radio somehow give them a ‘pass’ and allow nonsensical songs to get into the airwaves. To these people, I say: have you checked the history of country music at all? There is always going to be a place for a nonsensical novelty song or the occasional ‘instrumental’ driven record. Mood and melody melded with a nonsensical lyric will almost always give somebody a hit but that doesn’t mean they’ll continue to make meaningful music. In fact, if an artist makes too many of the same sort of song, their career may have a fit of popularity but in the end, their career will be ‘over’ before we know it.
So what is country music to me? It’s a bit of the old cliché “Three Chords and the Truth” or it’s a bit of the more modern cliché in that these are truly “Songs About Me” and despite changing sonic tastes, they will ultimately still be songs planted in ‘tradition’ with modern tastes added to the songs. Everything in life is fluid, so is country music but the things we hold dear, our values don’t change and the same is true with country music. It’s still about what it has always been about. It’s the lyrics.
What do you think? Do you agree? Do you disagree? Please start the discussion.
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