Country music's fixation on ICE COLD BEER

[Airborneguy]

Alice in Chains is and always will be one of my favorites.

 

[bighornmountaindew]

The fact that the trees is about nothing, but you percieve a possible political agenda shows Peart's talent. Geddy Lee is an awesome musician and singer, but he is dependent upon the lyrics that Peart writes. I sure cannot write a song like the trees and have it make any sense at all. AiC is grunge, it is supposed to sound dirty Cantrell composed all of AiC's music in a classical manner and then muddied it up. His passion for the lyrics that he writes is very evident. Take an hour and listen to some AiC songs while reading the lyrics. That is one of my favorite things to do with music. You pick up quite a bit more about what the song truly means when you read it and then listen to it. You are definitely right that songwriting is freaking hard. That is why so many artists these days don't write their own. Atleast Gaga writes her own!

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

The fact that the trees is about nothing, but you percieve a possible political agenda shows Peart's talent. Geddy Lee is an awesome musician and singer, but he is dependent upon the lyrics that Peart writes. I sure cannot write a song like the trees and have it make any sense at all. AiC is grunge, it is supposed to sound dirty Cantrell composed all of AiC's music in a classical manner and then muddied it up. His passion for the lyrics that he writes is very evident. Take an hour and listen to some AiC songs while reading the lyrics. That is one of my favorite things to do with music. You pick up quite a bit more about what the song truly means when you read it and then listen to it. You are definitely right that songwriting is freaking hard. That is why so many artists these days don't write their own. Atleast Gaga writes her own!

So wait, not having a clue what the song is about makes someone a great writer? That's leading down a dark trail cause pretty much every song ever has more than on meaning unless the writer tells you what it's about (ZOMG My Hero is about Kurt Cobain, but it's not even close to being about that)

AIC is only "grunge" because they were from Seattle, like Sound Garden they sounded much more metal than they did like Pearl Jam, Green River, Mudhoney, Screaming Trees, etc. I love AIC and some Cantrell songs hit me in the gut especially in the total package. For example while the lyrics to Rooster are strong, there isn't exactly a lot of them so it could be contrived as being a simple song until you hear the power Layne delivers the song. Down in a Hole is depressing as crap, and I nearly cried when I first heard Black Gives Way to Blue. Cantrell is a great songwriter, but short of Bob Dylan I'd be hard pressed to think of someone who almost never screws up lyrically (is there a better lyrical song than Tangled Up in Blue?)

I personally have more or less given up on writing lyrics, maybe I'm the type of person who's too hard on himself (Eddie Vedder seems to be a lot like that) but it's really effin hard.

 

[bighornmountaindew]

IMHO grunge wasn't always a sound, but the principles for which the band stood for. Everyone that played in southern King co in the late 80's and early 90's was heavily influenced by metal, but you are correct in saying that AiC stuck with its sound a bit more than some of those others. Man I wish my old man would have taken me to more shows in the early 90s. I remember standing outside in the rain all day in 1995 at Bumbershoot because someone heard that PJ was going to play. They did, and we were about 12 feet from the stage and it is one of my favorite memories.
I guess that I should have worded that abit differently. The trees was a song that got you to think. You could think of political opression if that is where you wanted to go, but it got you to think. I think that was the goal behind that song. That is why I think its a pretty well written song. We are talking about it more than 30 years later, so it must have been ok.
Bob never took part in anything poor! That man is brilliant. Even with his (IMO) crappy voice he was able to put out some great work. Sometimes I think his voice added to his songwriting abilities. He always had to think, how can I write this so that I can sing it and still make it sound good.

 

[Varmintman]

What a group writes in a song might resonate with one person and not another. Then you add the ability to play the instruments and that adds another dimension to the music. Sometimes the writing will overpower the music with one person while another person might be moved by the music.

I know that Rush have both abilities at least in the earlier music for me. The song writing kind of paled in the later years but the music has remained solid.

The same can be said for any group I think. It just depends on the person and what they think

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

IMHO grunge wasn't always a sound, but the principles for which the band stood for. Everyone that played in southern King co in the late 80's and early 90's was heavily influenced by metal, but you are correct in saying that AiC stuck with its sound a bit more than some of those others. Man I wish my old man would have taken me to more shows in the early 90s. I remember standing outside in the rain all day in 1995 at Bumbershoot because someone heard that PJ was going to play. They did, and we were about 12 feet from the stage and it is one of my favorite memories.
I guess that I should have worded that abit differently. The trees was a song that got you to think. You could think of political opression if that is where you wanted to go, but it got you to think. I think that was the goal behind that song. That is why I think its a pretty well written song. We are talking about it more than 30 years later, so it must have been ok.
Bob never took part in anything poor! That man is brilliant. Even with his (IMO) crappy voice he was able to put out some great work. Sometimes I think his voice added to his songwriting abilities. He always had to think, how can I write this so that I can sing it and still make it sound good.

Well I will say I haven't heard every Dylan song, so he may have more than one clunker, but Rainy Day women is a clunker. I mean it's not a bad song, but it's not his best or even good lyricism.

I was way too young to go to concerts when AIC, PJ, Nirvana, etc. were all at their peak. I have seen Pearl Jam (saw them right before or after their self titled album, put on a hell of a show, probably a good 2 hours and 40 minutes of music), I've seen the new formation of Alice in Chains (such a great show still. I actually like Duvall a lot and the changes he makes to some of their songs because face it no one sings like layne)

I mean to me the Trees always sounded like the little song that thought it could. if you eliminate the last verse, I think it's a much better song. No need for Maples to form a union. Not needed at all, especially since that goes against the principle of shade tolerance as well which maples are higher in than Oaks so they don't need the sun as much as the oaks. Haha.

 

[bighornmountaindew]

Well I will say I haven't heard every Dylan song, so he may have more than one clunker, but Rainy Day women is a clunker. I mean it's not a bad song, but it's not his best or even good lyricism.

I was way too young to go to concerts when AIC, PJ, Nirvana, etc. were all at their peak. I have seen Pearl Jam (saw them right before or after their self titled album, put on a hell of a show, probably a good 2 hours and 40 minutes of music), I've seen the new formation of Alice in Chains (such a great show still. I actually like Duvall a lot and the changes he makes to some of their songs because face it no one sings like layne)

I mean to me the Trees always sounded like the little song that thought it could. if you eliminate the last verse, I think it's a much better song. No need for Maples to form a union. Not needed at all, especially since that goes against the principle of shade tolerance as well which maples are higher in than Oaks so they don't need the sun as much as the oaks. Haha.

Yeah man, I was too young to enjoy it all that much, but my old man got me started on that scene when I was young. He took me to any of the shows that weren't in bars and stuff. Heck, I was only 11 when we saw Pearl Jam at Bumbershoot. I really like the new version of AiC, but you're right man, no one can sing like Layne could. His voice made alot of what AiC was and still is. DuVall has done some good stuff with them and he doesn't try to be Layne Staley. Man, I love music. Just how many ways you can interpret a song and all that. One song could mean one thing to me and something else to another person. I feel that alot of new music, Rock Country Rap or Pop, is only made to sell records and not just because its freaking awesome. That was my favorite thing about the grunge idea. Just play killer songs and who gives a **** about everything else. I listen to pretty much everything because there are great artists in every genre, but I love older music more than most new stuff. I'm not trying to say that there wasn't a commercialization of grunge and such, but it wasn't the driving force behind the music. I also think its cool that songs can cross genres and be good either way. Reznor's version of Hurt was great, but so was Johnny Cash's version. I would love to find a bar scene around here that has alot of local bands playing, but being in a military community there isn't much to choose from. Everyone out here just wants to drink BMC and get smashed all the time. I drink my fair share of BMC at concerts and stuff, but I'm more interested in the show than the beer in those situations. Stupid heroin had to ruin great vocalists like Layne Staley.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

I'm surprised there isn't more of a music scene. Because of the stupid cost of gas most artists are staying more local. I know I've seen a handful of cool local acts. They're not my favorite band ever but they're still cool to watch and the venues you go to are awesome. I guess things are a little different in NJ since Philly and NYC are close there is more of a natural music scene but I'd hope more areas have a similar scene.

 

[cheezydemon3]

My big thing is SINGER/SONGWRITER.

Some moron that was born with a voice, but can't play an instrument or write a song is worthless.

That said, American Idol is the root of a reasonable portion of EVIL.

 

[JonGrafto]

Found it, John Prine/Steve Goodman, "You never even call me by my name."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hsa5IiNjIkQ

The David Allan Coe version is better.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

My big thing is SINGER/SONGWRITER.

Some moron that was born with a voice, but can't play an instrument or write a song is worthless.

That said, American Idol is the root of a reasonable portion of EVIL.

American Idol has only produced 2 true sticking stars. Carrie Underwood didn't start righting more than 2 songs per album until her album sales went in the pooper. Kelly Clarkson writes a chunk of her own music, but she's also pretty worthless though I think she writes more of her music than Underwood.

Thankfulyl it seems like American Idol is being largely tuned out as an option. Afterall now they have Nikki Minaj judging people's ability to sing. That would be like my fat rear judging peoples ability to diet.

 

[MaxOut]

I like my beers cold and I can appreciate all music. I just don't prefer modern country music. To repetitious and whiney. I can’t stand "woe is me" "whiney ass music” no matter what the genre. it’s hard enough to stay positive in today’s world I don’t need music to bring me down. I prefer the good old country music that is uplifting or has a party theme. With the one exception of Toby Keith…If I here that stupid red Solo cup song again I will puke in my beer..just sayin.:cross:

 

[jcam91]

The question is. If country artists made songs like "drinking summer saison" or "my great uncle dunkleweizen", would you like country because they are singing about Craft beer vs bmc.

"Got my grains in the water, makin beer is my plan, not a worry in the world a milk stout in my hand, Swmbos nice today, oh Swmbos nice today

 

[cheezydemon3]

The question is. If country artists made songs like "drinking summer saison" or "my great uncle dunkleweizen", would you like country because they are singing about Craft beer vs bmc.

"Got my grains in the water, makin beer is my plan, not a worry in the world a milk stout in my hand, Swmbos nice today, oh Swmbos nice today

NO. That is my point.

In isolated incidents, OK, but when every song references beverage, vehicle, religeon, etc. that is when it becomes unoriginal pandering.

 

[Bensiff]

Wow, this thread grew fast...lots of hate to country music in the first few pages I read. One thing I learned long ago is that music is incredibly individualistic, its art. I can't stand rap, hip hop or R&B personally, but I will never degrade someone for liking it or call those genres crap...I just don't care for it. Anyway, that is my little soap box, I'm going back to listening to the Dubliners and drinking my coffee at work.

This Friday my wife made me promise to take her to the country place so she can dance one last time before she is too pregnant to move like that. I will put my dog in the kennel, put on my sh#tkickers, hop in my truck, I will stand and watch all the girls in their tight low cut jeans and low cut shirts bounce around while enjoying a cold beer like a good sport, and then go out back and smoke my pipe and indifferently ignore the group of sorority looking girls who will inevitably see me smoking an actual pipe and think I'm, like, totally the most cool thing ever...for that moment before their ADHD kicks in because of a cat meme someone posted on their facebook wall.

 

[bighornmountaindew]

^^^love the pipe reference^^^
Why do pipes make you seem so much more sophisticated? No idea here, but they rule.

 

[C-Rider]

Don't forget Taylor Swift always whining about relationships like an emo band, meanwhile she seems to have dated every young male in Hollywood...probably should be singing about why she is a train wreck.

What about Zac Brown's cold beer in his hand? That isn't pandering to redneck stereotypes, just a song about taking a weekend trip to Mexico.

Taylor Swift may have had a country beginning, BUT she sure as hell ain't country now even though she's played on every country station across the nation.

To me she's just a Teeny Bobber selling records to high school kids.

 

[C-Rider]

God I hate pop country. They occasionally play it at work, beyond my control.

"Where the beer is ice cold"

Don't know the song, but it is a recurring them in country music.

I can't really put it into words. Yes, you can drink beer cold. Yes you can like country music.

Country music's shameless pandering to redneck values such as pick up trucks and ice cold beer is so transparent.

Can you imagine a real songwriter writing about ice cold beer or the vehicle they drive? I can't.

It's not pandering to redneck values. It's singing about life in redneck communities across the country and what's wrong w/that. So what if "they" like their beer ice cold and you like yours a bit warmer?

 

[Airborneguy]

You know Bensiff just made me remember that I have always wanted a real pair of cowboy $hitkickers.

 

[C-Rider]

Found it, John Prine/Steve Goodman, "You never even call me by my name."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hsa5IiNjIkQ

Here is the David Allan Coe version

 

[C-Rider]

Since we are all on this negative train....

I will go against the flow and say that my wife was born on a beef farm and grew up listening to country. She got me listening to it recently and many of the songs I actually like. Most country music has lyrics that apply to daily life, all of them are clean and tell a story of the struggles we go through on the day to day as well as the beauty of life and love.

I am pro-America and pro-guns so Toby Keith's songs about the red white and blue and our military I find to be very patriotic and American.

Mainstream Pop and hip hop lyrics? 95% of them are about drugs, cheating on your significant other, abusing women, being a 'gangsta', spending money you don't have on "bling", etc.

Maybe the fact that Pop/Hip hop is the favorite music of generation Y is the reason we have so much hate in this world today.

I'm an "old fart" and I grew up in the late 50's early 60's when Rock and Roll was really Rock and Roll not the crap they call Rock today. Back then much of "Country" music was just like Rock and Roll. Shoot's Elvis was both, Johnny Cash the same. With the British Invasion Rock and Roll began to die but Country remained true.

So here I am just about 70 and I LOVE MY COUNTRY MUSIC. Here is a song for you guys that dated girls that loved it buy you didn't. But it's the reverse. The singer loves his Country and the girl does not.

 

[C-Rider]

I think blaming generational problems on music/TV/videogames/movies/whatever is stupid. Everyone tries to do it but it's really a culture thing dependent on the environment you grew up in. USA was never a loving happy go lucky country. Slavery, Jim Crowe laws, profiling pretty much every ethnic group that came into this country from the Irish, to the Italians to eastern Europeans, to Chinese and Japanese. In WWII we made an internment camp for US citizens based on their nationality? How is that loving?

Any issues we have as a country are cultural and music reflects culture, it doesn't direct it.

Ya know after 911 I talked to a number of Americans of Japanese ancestry and they could understand the internment camps. A lot of people back then and still now would at least send all non-citizen Muslims back to where they came from. Not saying where I stand on that issue. But his is a bit off topic.

 

[C-Rider]

What's even the definition of country music these days? I feel like it's more and more defined by singing about trucks, ice cold beer, fried chicken after church, and shopping at wal-mart.

Then there's guys like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvC9w73iXRU

Who sing about stuff that not just us backwater inhabitants experience.

Sounds more like Folk to me. Not Country. Can't picture anyone in a Honky Tonk dancing to that.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

Wait, so rock and roll began to die when it started getting good? No disrespect to Elvis, but I'd take the Beatles over him any day of the week. And I'd certainly take Led Zeppelin over any band ever. Sayign that something got bad because you no longer like it is silly. Elvis and Cash weren't the only rock stars. The stuff the beatles did was musicalyl tame compared to what guys like Chuck Berry were doing. What the Beatles brought that made Rock great and why their legends is they brought the idea of writing primarily your own music. Which I'm very happy for.

 

[BrewKnurd]

I was born in 1980

I'm older than you? Somehow that's not the way it worked in my head.

 

[C-Rider]

Wait, so rock and roll began to die when it started getting good? No disrespect to Elvis, but I'd take the Beatles over him any day of the week. And I'd certainly take Led Zeppelin over any band ever. Sayign that something got bad because you no longer like it is silly. Elvis and Cash weren't the only rock stars. The stuff the beatles did was musicalyl tame compared to what guys like Chuck Berry were doing. What the Beatles brought that made Rock great and why their legends is they brought the idea of writing primarily your own music. Which I'm very happy for.

Yes Rock and Roll began to die and Rock was born. Big difference and oh yea the Black Rock and Roll guys were just as great as Elvis and Johnny. Can't take anything away from Chuck Berry, Fats Damino, Sam Cook, Little Richard, the Supremes and so on.

Beatles might have been "tame" compared to Chuck Berry, but it change as they developed and became something other than what I call Rock and Roll.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

I'm older than you? Somehow that's not the way it worked in my head.

You resurface just to tell me you thought I was an old fart!?

How you been bro? Hows the new offspring?

 

[Billy-Klubb]

I F-ing can't stand the Beatles. I know a lot of the bands I listen to were inspired by them, but I haven't heard one song of theirs I like. F-bomb them.

back on topic: I like country music, not "cross-over" country. and more than anything, I hate hearing about that crap from their fans and all the "I'm country/cowboy because I like Big & Rich." kind of folk.

 

[bscott1011]

I guess I'm at odds with most of the posters here, there is a Davis Allen Coe cd in the deck of my truck right now.

 

[Junkster]

The other day I drove right past a beverage place claiming to have "The Coldest Beer in Town" to go to the local Irish Pub where they have the tastiest beer in town served at a decent temperature with absolutely no country music in the background. I enjoyed it very much.....