Happy Halloween! -- Frightening Country Songs

**Warning country fans: this post might offend you.  Sorry but it must be said.

Happy Halloween!  If you want a real scare this Halloween listen to these absolutely horrid country songs.  Just for fun I thought I would compile a list of a few country songs I cannot stand.  First and foremost on this list you will notice a majority of it is hick hick hick country.  Songs like these are what gives country a bad name.

8.  Brad Paisley – Online

·      Reason: It is just a really dumb song and I find it incessantly annoying.

7.  Chris Young – Save Water, Drink Beer

·      Why, Chris Young, would you degrade yourself with a song like this on your new album after recording “Tomorrow” and “Don’t Leave Her (if you can’t let her go”)?

6. Zac Brown Band – Chicken Fried

·      Why this song became so popular I will never understand.  It resulted in me not being able to listen to country radio for about a year.

5. Aaron Lewis – Country Boy (Radio Edit)

·      Can someone please explain to me this fad of rockers trying to become country artist?  Please, just stop.  Lewis sounds like a pathetic attempt to imitate country singers, all while trying to pack every single stereotypical hick country lyric into one song.  Also, singing with monotone tone is not country…its embarrassing.  Stop.  I beg of you.

4.  Luke Bryan – Rain Is A Good Thing

·      “Rain makes corn, corn makes whiskey, whiskey makes my baby get a little frisky…”.  Enough said.

3.  Trailer Choir – Rockin' The Beer Gut

·      Congratulations, Trailer Choir.  You have officially earned the award for most obnoxious and trashy band name, song title, and lyrics…oh and congrats on your new groupies.  I’m sure their beer guts are real cute; top of the flock.

2.  Anything by Darius Rucker

            He is the one country artist that I immediately change the station one bar into all of his songs to spare myself the pain of hearing his voice.  His songs are not as bad as the others on this list, but they need someone else singing them.  Once again, old rockstars trying to suddenly become country stars…stop.

1. We Road in Trucks-- Luke Bryan

· ===     Never in my life I have I ever been more disappointed in country music.  Oh and congratulations to Luke Bryan.   Two of your songs managed to make it onto my list of eight.  Please bring some more originality to your up-tempos.  If you want some more laughs or just straight up terror, check the music video out as well.

Dear country music,

I love you and the honesty of country music more than any other music genre.  Please then, stop writing songs about backroads, tractors, sweet tea, and more backroads.  Also, obnoxious country fans, stop belting out the lyrics to these songs and acting like these are all your favorite activities.  Most of you are not hicks, do not spend a majority of your free time riding down dirt roads, and I know that most of you do not drive tractors around for fun.

Now that I’m done venting about songs that give country a bad reputation listen to these in honor of Halloween.  They are actually good songs that are fun and a little bit spooky.

1.  Johnny Cash – (Ghost) Riders In The Sky

2.  Charlie Daniels – The Devil Went Down To Georgia

Roger Creager

            Roger Creager has not come out with any new music real recently, so this post might seem a bit random, but he is one of my favorite Texas country artists.  His new album “Surrender” is set to be released in January 2012.  I mention him now because on my last trip to Nashville I was able to hear the single “Surrender” and in my opinion it is his best work yet.  Creager is a perfect example of the epitome of a Texas Country artist, with hick songs, songs about drinking, and songs about love and sex, but what stands Creager out from the crowd is his unique juxtaposition of songs on his CDs.  They are not all of one type but appeal to a broad audience containing fun loving, living free party songs and then the next song to play will be a gut wrenching ballad.  Creager demonstrates once again the thing I love most about country music; he knows how to tell a story.  My favorite song of his, which as been stuck on a permanent replay on my computer, is “I Loved You When.”  It is extremely country, as one can see in the blatantly sexual and descriptive intimate moments –

“She got up for a drink, walked naked across the floor…

Looking back at me with that playful smile and I wanted her once more…”

He realizes that music is not all about pretty singing all the time and one can feel the passion and truth which he sings the song in the line “She said tell me you love me” and he roughly speaks in a deep voice, “I love you.”  Give it a listen here:

Live Version: 

Spotify link to studio version:

Roger Creager – I Loved You When

Creager co-wrote every song on his new album “Surrender,” with the exception being his cover of “Redemption Songs,” a Bob Marley classic.   The man that Creager co-wrote his song “Surrender” with is one of the most sought after co-writers in Nashville, and Creager has described this song as the most honest piece of work he has ever written.  Be sure to keep an eye out for it, January 2012 (I don’t know the specific date yet).  I assure you, you won’t want to miss it.

Albums released to date:
1998: "Having Fun All Wrong"
2000: "I Got the Guns"
2003: "Long Way to Mexico"
2004: "Live Across Texas"
2008: "Here It Is" ---my personal favorite.

 

Goodbyes

Sorry for the short post this week.  I have been in Midland with my family since Saturday and my grandmother just passed at 1:30am this morning.  Here is what I am listening to; a few songs that deal with letting go and saying goodbye.  Rest in peace Mimi; I will always love you.  God bless.

When I Get Where I’m Going—Brad Paisley ft. Dolly Parton

You Can Let Go Now Daddy—Crystal Shawanda

Temporary Home—Carrie Underwood

Say The Word-- Elliot Park

I know I usually cover country on my blog but this song was too good not to share.  It’s not country, falling into more of the Indie Rock category, but this was introduced to me by a couple of song writers on music row and I fell in love.  I know a man whom every word of this song explains his relationship and how it ended to the T.  The lyrics of the song are not as synonymous with my life as with my friends, yet it still strikes a real cord within me because I have been in very similar situations and will soon have a similar decision to make.  Must we say goodbye to some people in our lives in order to achieve our dreams?  How will we know if we are making the right decision?  I love how music can do this for people; it might be hard to listen to at times but for some reason it brings a strange kind of peace—for me at least.

Spotify link: Elliott Park – Say the Word

Lyrics:

A busy airport on a Sunday afternoon

I went to see her off, the least that I could do

Cause there were dreams I had and fortunes to be made

And her love was in my way

And as I watched her slowly walk toward the gate

Something deep inside woke up and called her name

She turned her hopeful eyes and through the tears that bleed

This is what she said…

(Chorus)

Say the word and I would give to you my life

Say the word and I’m yours until the day you die

I just stood there while my pride got in the way

And I still regret today, the words I didn’t say

I heard someone in Denver made her smile again

Now she’s got his name and kids that look like him

I’ve got my fortune more than I could ever need

Oh but Denver’s got my dream

Repeat chorus

All the choices I have made, and all that could have been

A thousand dreams that haunt, I try to speak and she just says again…

Repeat chorus

COUNTRY MUSIC MONTH!

If y’all don’t usually listen to country music, this is the month I encourage you to give it a try.  October is the month dedicated to Country music so tune into country radio, make a trip to a dance hall, or buy tickets to a country artist you haven’t seen in concert yet.  For all the country lovers or haters, here’s list of great country songs that you’re crazy if you don’t enjoy no matter what your preferences.

     1.       Carrie Underwood – I Told You So (Originally a Randy Travis, their duet is outstanding as well)

           2.   Blake Shelton – Austin

3.         Deana Carter – Strawberry Wine
4.     Faith Hill & Tim McGraw – Like We Never Loved At All
5.     George Strait – The Chair
6.    Josh Gracin – Brass Bed (I recommend Brett James’—the songwriter—version with a full orchestra; absolutely phenomenal)

      7.    Martina McBride – A Broken Wing
8.    Rascal Flatts – These Days
9.    Rodney Atkins – Invisibly Shaken
10.Tim McGraw – When the Stars Go Blue
11. Brad Paisley;Alison Krauss – Whiskey Lullaby - Featuring Alison Krauss
12. Clay Walker – Fall
13. Emerson Drive – Moments
14. Jason Aldean – Why
15. Kenny Chesney – Me And You
16. Lonestar – Amazed
17. Lady Antebellum – Can't Take My Eyes Off You

Enjoy.