CMC Volume 13: Countrypolidan

Countrypolitan; aka "The Nashville Sound." This is the point at which cowboys moved in from the outer fringes of society and gussied up for mass consumption by pop-loving audiences that liked to watch variety shows on new-fangled television sets. Wearing clean shirts, while backed by lush arrangements including often strings and/or The Jordainaires, pioneers of this style (Willie Nelson, Patsy Cline, and Faron Young, et. al) and their very involved producers crafted a new style of music and crooned their way simultaneously into both pop and country charts.

The era generally lasted from the 60s through the beginning of the 80s; though, as you will see from this collection, artists of today will still both create some new works in this style and pay homage to the greats. However, it is always an earlier time that is called to mind when I hear the Countrypolitan Sound, which I love.

I have many, many other thoughts & ruminations, but I'll let them come up in and amidst the individual songs. I just can't wait to get started - pull up a chair and put on your headphones, 'cause here we go!

1. You're Stronger Than Me: Patsy Cline
You will never know how I suffered over this first song! Suffered and deliberated, going back and forth as to whether to include it or not. As you will see, the rest of the songs on the collection (particularly from #3, on) are from a somewhat more modern era of Countrypolitan (hereafter CP). Aesthetically, does it stand out? Seem out of place? Eventually, my drive to include it won out (obviously). In the same way that NBA pundits are desperate to find "the next Michael Jordan" and astronauts, "the next Neil Armstrong," Patsy Cline is the gold standard against which every new generation of country vocalist is judged. Which is perplexing, considering the divergent and sucky path the majority of popular country has taken in the past 20 years or so (if the style is so beloved, bring it back!!!); but which is also a compelling case for a lead off to "Countrypolidan." And though I may think that talented artists' "genre tributes" can sometimes be among the the greatest a genre has to offer (as I certainly think is the case, here), I really wanted to get the origin out there for you. We all know of Patsy, and are probably all familiar with, at least, "I Fall to Pieces," or her version of Willie's "Crazy." I wanted something a little more off the beaten path that still showcased her amazing voice and singing style. Quite simply put, nobody can or has ever sung quite like that. The dynamics, heart-rending sustain on her vowels, and almost subtle yodel-sort of break on her voice on certain phrases. Notice, backing her, the rich arrangement with tremolo-laden electric guitar (certainly different than earlier types of country) and the "walking bass" (kind of a continual up and down scale that kind of makes a song move and skip along when done well-a type of bass used in a lot of CP). Notice, also, the Jordainaires. Finally, notice the "slip-note" country of the great Floyd Cramer (the plinky plank kind where two close but different notes are hit almost at the same time, but not quite; possibly also called "gracenote" in non-country circles). I love it all. I love this song. I love Patsy. I will mention, however, that I feel like I'm battling an age-old demon and taking a risk here, since I have a disagreement about Patsy Cline going back with PGibby at least 13 years. He never liked her-he always claimed that her unique singing style sounded like she was clinically insane. I think it had more to do with his perception of her after seeing pictures where it was obvious she was not your typical bodacious pop hussy. I'll be interested to see what he thinks as a captive audience member in this instance, hearing her again after all these years.

2. I Know One: Jim Reeves
While Patsy Cline died in a plane accident only about a year before Jim Reeves died in a plane accident, I think this particular song was recorded nearly 10 years after song #1 (sometime around 1964) . And it sounds even newer than that; mainly due to the the warm baritone of Reeves' voice. I think he had about the best and most beautiful pure vocal quality I've ever heard from the male of our species. I always loved what the liner notes in my Jim Reeves' retrospective CD wrote about his singing style; about how, in an era where (especially in pop circles, where his songs were making crossovers) singers were really rockin' and rollin', he had the boldness to get right up on the microphone and sing close with "...an almost embarassing intimacy." Rich, pure voice. What a funny little juxtaposition with the little bouncy background music and hi-pitched backup ladies behind his low voice, sounding like all the world like they could be backup up Jim Neighbors on a Christmas album! And how about the ladies "tadicut tadicut tadicut?" Bold idea, and it works! I love the song, but I love the performance even more. Where he really, really shines, I think, is where he does the little waver & down thing, like on "yo-ou" at his first "...how many fools would have yo-ou, I know one..."

3. Crazy Arms: Ray Price
OK, now we're moving more into what I'd consider the modern era. Countrypolitan (as you may be beginning to gather after the first two songs) is about the vocalist as much as the arrangement. Many of the singers in these songs have such unique, wonderful vocal qualities that they simply add something to a song that make it special and great in a way that no other singer could do. Many of these songs, this one included, have been done by a multitude of artists. Each of "the greats" kind of take their own shot at it and pass it along. Not entirely unlike "The Aristocrats" joke; it becomes less important whether you wrote a particular song yourself, but in how you interpret it. That said, "Crazy Arms," is by Ray Price. I might well have brought in Willie Nelson's version, or Charley Pride's, or even Jerry Lee Lewis'; but I like the way Ray Price does it. From the moment that two-string fiddle hit kicks it off, I also just love the way this song moves. Great example of the walking bass-I wish there were more songs like it. And when that harmony comes in at the chorus? A-gooooosh! Great voice for this song, Price; though I can picture him looking kind of awkward as he performs it on stage, kind of tapping his booted toe a little off rhythm and bending over slightly to accomodate his bad back. The way the steel guitar and fiddle trade off on doing a sort of "responsoral" phrasing to every line he sings-that's CP done right. Notice to musicians: amazing how a song can move along with such a simple rhythm section, eh?

4. Raindrops Falling In a River: Johnny Bush
Oh......Johnny Bush, Johnny Bush, Johnny Bush. In his youth, one of the rising stars of country music, then afflicted with a rare throat disease that cost him his upper vocal range, and almost his entire voice. He rehabilitated himself over decades in order to be able to sing again (albeit in a different style) but then, right as he is about to conclude a Bob Wills tribute album he is recording at Willie Nelson's house, the IRS comes in and confiscates the tapes. It ends up taking him another two years till he can get them back and finish them. Crimney! Anyway, this song is off that album. A lot to like here: some fine walking bass; weepy, emotive fiddle; fiddle harmony (something that always sounds neat); and some mariachi parts which, while brief, sound quite neat. If a person said they couldn't get past his voice, I guess I could maybe understand; though I like it. Truly doing the best with what he has left. The slightly trailing harmonies he recorded sound really nice. I think his sort of rough, low vocal timbre is kind of funny (though good) when he sustains a longish vibrato; particularly at moments like "riverrrrrr" at 2:21, where he sounds like of like the Boubin Bear.

5. Success: Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello??? Yes, that's right, folks. This CMC superstar is back and being a credit to yet another genre. As I mentioned-"tribute" ventures by artists can be among the best a genre has to offer, because the recordings are done out of love, and they often contain a life's worth of fascination and passion poured into a single offering. This is off a CP album by Costello called "Almost Blue." (I provide the link so you can see the awesome cover art). What great piano, throughout. And what a great interpretation of this song by Costello. I have an awesome harmony for this song (Sharon & I actually performed it at our gig last December), but alas; I was about 20 years too late to get into the studio with EC when he recorded this. Great musical moment: the sort of "talkie" steel guitar phrase following his line of "...if we could spend an evening now and then" at about 1:32. How fun would playing steel guitar be?

6. Long Walk Back to San Antone: Junior Brown
Various members of the CMC may have heard me rave about Brown a bit. I'm not ashamed to say I bought an album based on this song alone: just about a perfect damned CP song. What I found on the album (Long Walk Home), was a somewhat confoundingly intermittant collection of truly amazing throwback-type songs like this interspersed amidst a collection of somewhat annoying rockabilly songs. I also discovered that this may be one of the greatest technical virtuosos on electric guitar in the world. He actually "invented" a guitar that combines a steel guitar & regular electric guitar (c'mon, nobody else has done that!?), between which he freely switches within songs and even solos. I remember (God, don't ask me why) something Mixxy said, back in high school while watching part of the video for Van Halen's "Right Now" (don't ask either of us why). Eddie Van Halen was playing some solo and some other guy in the band was holding up a sign that said, "Right now, Ed's got his hands full," to which Mix replied, "Ed could play that solo standing on his head." I really, really don't know why that stuck with me. But it's kind of how I feel about the guitar in this song. Based on some of the stuff I heard on this album, Junior Brown could have played the solo in this song (while a complex, great one) with his dink. But I digress. This song is great! Funny (in that special way "woe is me" country lyrics can be), and great! And with all the attention on JB's guitar, I've never seen mention of his amazing vocal talent. Low, rich, and sugary. Man, I wish I could sing that clearly in that low range-that "San Antoooone." And how about those guitar solos? Kind of belies the newness. And you can just feel the restrained, pent-up ability, playing so far within his abilities, he's almost bubbling out over the top. A man who can move to the next note how he wants to the same way we move from the first to the second letter when we sign our names. How blessed we are to get to hear playing like that! Great stuff, here.

7. Worst of All: Mike Ireland
From baritone to tenor. This is a guy that a number of you may have heard me mention, as well. The song is from my favorite country album recorded in the past couple of decades. That's saying a lot. And it was released off the tiny, alternative Sub-Pop label, and sold only a few thousand copies, which was/is a crying shame. I think he just plays small clubs around Kansas City currently, something I've been meaning mention to Gibbs' brother, if he's moved on from his NBA aspirations and into this style of music. Why did Ireland not get more popular? The long-time hatred of the Irish by the cowboys? Ireland's bald head and seven-inch sideburns? Sub-pop's lack of inroads into the CP market? Whatever the reason, a crying shame. Mike Ireland, thoughout the album (including this song), crafts great, unique twists on old "tears in your beer" sort of down-on-your-luck country themes into the most wonderful lyrics; and melds them seamlessly into traditional CP arrangements. In this song, he's so paranoid that is wife is cheating by the very proof that she is not, it's destroying their relationship. I think he has a lovely voice, and he's from Missouri, so that twang is probably real. Mike has the ability to really escalate his songs towards the end in a real crescendo-his voices works really well to that effect; listen for it if you can. I love the almost over-the-top strings, and the piano (listen to the little plinky descent through the phrase "...please don't try to tell me why I needn't worry" beginning at 2:23: beautiful!), which uses that slip-note style of playing. Just a grand song. Beautifully written, wonderfully executed.

8. Blue: LeAnn Rimes
OK-this one is out of the blue, so to speak. As God is my witness, the first time I ever heard this song was on a classic country station in Austin last spring. I had no idea who it was, but assumed it was some sort of old Tammy Wynette track or other that had slipped by my radar through the years. But I was immediately smitten, and actually searched the web upon my return home, trying to track down the song. When I saw it listed in conjuncion with Rimes, I assumed, naturally, that it was a remake. Having known almost nothing about this particular singer, I didn't realize that this song, was in fact, part of her whole emergence as a young country phenom. There's a little story behind it. Remember what I said about the whole ongoing fixation with "the next Patsy Cline" in country circles? Well, apparently, there was this producer guy (in the mold of Maurice Starr of New Kids on the Block, I imagine), who came out with this story that he had written a song that was intended for Patsy Cline, but she was killed in that plane crash before she could record it. Well, he sat on the song for 35 years, waiting until he came across another singer worthy of it: until LeAnn Rimes. Well, apparently, the story is bullshit. But the song is a damned good one, to be sure; and carried off in the manner it was, it was certainly a believable tale which was perfectly timed. And the mind-blower: LeAnn Rimes was 13 when she recorded it. 13. There's a part of me that wants to cry out and go, "OK...wait...13-year olds can't have loved & lost, can't have lived the kind of experiences to warrant genuine expression like that in songs like this! It's hokey!" But then I think about Young Michael Jackson. I'm not much of a believer in re-incarnation, but if there's some element where a spark brings forth the -for lack of a better term - knowing sort of expression, mature and rich beyond her years that seems so clear in a song like this, that's about the best evidence I've seen. There's no reason why a kid should be able to sing like that, but she can. The rest of the arrangement is not life-alteringly amazing, but it does exactly what it needs to do to carry off this amazing "tribute" of sorts. I'm not even sure what L.a.R did after this, but I fear that, having made this entrance, she may have ditched this "homage" style and begun recording crap. If anyone knows though, pass it along. Anyway, whatever else this song is, represents, or was the motivated by, I think it's a great one.

9. Lock Stock & Teardrops: k.d. Lang
OK, I've talked about a couple of things perplexing to me in country music. Well, perplexing to traditional country music fans in the late 80s was that perhaps the most beautiful female voice since... well, you-know-who, happened along. Only problem was, it came out of this oddly androgynous character who had an Elvis haircut and a penchant for attending "Meat Stinks" rallies. Knowing a little about her as an artist, and what she had attempted to do (working with a famous CP producer from the 50s & 60s, Owen Bradley), I took a chance and bought "Shadowlands," sight unseen. Well, I can still remember my first pass through the album. This song (track two) had just finished playing as I was heading into the Lowry Tunnel on my way into work. At that point, I was sweating slightly and palpitating. I could only utter "Holy...shit," believing I may have heard one of the most stirring vocal performances of my life. I can only hope you share that sentiment in some small fraction of the amount I do. The steel guitars, backing vocal stack (with a loooow bass), piano, and general arrangement are all great, but they simply pale in comparison to Lang's alternately soaring and soft, completely dynamic, passionate voice. I also offer this song, a Roger Miller composition, as contrary evidence to anyone who may have a faulty impression of (genius) Miller as only a "novelty act."

10. I Can See You Lovin' Me Again: Johnny Paycheck
Boy...of all the hard-living country artists of the 70s; if there was one that really, I mean really should have died as a result of alcohol poisoning or violence, this was the guy. Even though he didn't, he was kind of the prototypical guy that sort of chronicled his up-and-down battle with various sickeness and the law via the succession of songs in his career. Anyone remember a great 80s-era Saturday Night Live skit with John Laroquette as a country music star? That was Johnny Paycheck. From the celebratory (I drank) "Fifteen Beers" to "Me and the I.R.S." to (in prison for) "11 Months and 29 Days" to (I'm back on top of) "Barstool Mountain," this guy sang it like it was, to a fault and then some. I do find him a bit of a compelling character, as is any person, I suppose, where you sort of have a "what could he have done with that potential if he wasn't battling so many demons?" Of course, then you can get into the circular "maybe his demons made him who he was." But regardless, it's a bit of a shame that, 90%+ of the people who know of him, I'd guess, really only think of "Take This Job and Shove It;" a kind of silly little call to arms for blue collar drunkard yahoos in early 80s. If the fools had only listened more closely to the lyrics and heard how he precedes every instance of the chorus with "If I had the guts to say..." they would have realized what a hopeless, sad cry for help the song really was; and so many sawmill, foundry, and car assembly laborers wouldn't have thrown away their jobs so needlessly. But back to the potential and the talent: I was trying get Lucy to listen to him, and she just started to laugh, saying, "Listen to that silly man!" So maybe his (again, unique - a theme amongst these CP stars) voice isn't for everyone, but I think it can be quite beautiful at times. And it also makes for a particularly compelling song, here. The gentleness and downright submissive, "my life in your hands" attitude in this song seems a far cry from the guy who sang "I'm thinin' of cranking the raggety old truck up and heading myself into town/I'm thinkin' of raisin' so damn much hell, that I'll die before I live it down" and once actually shot a man in the stomach in a bar fight. Just a sad, sad character. I almost see some parallels with the restraint of the raging alcoholic within the soft, slow pace of this ballad and the restraint I spoke of in Junior Brown's guitar solo in song six. What I'm trying to say is: Whatever else he was: 10-time loser, anger-management failure, alternatingly ex- or current con; I think he delivered a passionate, beautiful vocal performance here. Great, stirring harmonies; and smoky, emotive drop-note piano "responsorals" (don't really know what to call that) add to the overall affect of this song on me. The piano and the pedal steel; pay extra special attention to them in this song, because they do such an amazing job of just riding the feel and emphasizing his vocal phrasing, the previously unheralded session musicians involved deserve an extra special shout out, as well as a special listen all the way through by each of you ONLY to hear the piano and steel guitar. It'll be worth it. It's really a pretty buried little song - I don't think I've ever heard it, except on the retrospective CD that I own. Worth noting on the side: The song title officially has the contraction "lovin'," however he actually sings the entire word "loving," with the final "g" ennunciated quite distinctly. Perhaps the first and only time in the history of popular music where that occurs (usually, of course, it would be the reverse).

So that's pretty much it. What can I say after all that. I've said enough, and it's quite late. I hope you love it.