In Under the Wire: Responses to Stephen's Countrypolidan Comments Before Mighty Tom Posts His Comments for King George
Nice comments overall-and done with almost an homage to Cory's dear, departed "rubric."
Which of us, other than perhaps Cory, hasn't had to fight through prejudice we've had vs. country music starting in high school or before (Gibbons, perhaps, never being able to overcome those prejudices entirely). It simply wasn't cool. Then, when we were establishing our identities in the 90s, the current crop of country was really, really shitty (and that shittiness has continued to this day). For me, foot in the door for getting back into the fold was a pleasant association I had with 70s & 80s country from road trips in the family car. Then, upon exploring Willie & Patsy & co. a little in the post-college early to mid-90s, I simply discovered more & more that I liked.
1. You're Stronger Than Me: Consider the whiskey brought!
2. I Know One: Short & sweet is a good way to describe this song, probably the most universally loved or at least liked among the Countrypolidan offerings; a bit of a surprise to me. Funny-Jim Reeves looks like someone out of "my three sons." I, too, find the desire to giggle during the "teetacuts," but I, too, think it works.
3. Crazy Arms: This one, actually, was an iTunes download. I got, first-hand, something of an idea of how many people have done this song. And done it (many of those same people) on multiple occasions, for multiple recordings. I do consider this one the standard.
4. Raindrops Falling on a River: The most universal dud of the collection. I don't consider it one of the strongest among the songs, but for me, it's battling some pretty exclusive company. I do like it a lot-the harmony, his voice, and the fiddle. One of the main reasons I included it was because of the mariachi horns, which I thought were used to great effect.
5. Success: If you saw, as you nicely worded, "an honest homage from a guy who...recorded his country cover album in praise of music he loves" then you get the thing I was talking about in my comments, and I consider the sharing of it with you a success, even if you didn't groove on the song itself, all that much.
6. Long Walk Back to San Antone: If "I Know One" isn't the most beloved song by you guys, this one is. I agree-what a voice! Cruel and laid back-YES! Also glad so many people (even a couple who normally bristle when asked to listen to a particular strain in the song) were able to extract the brilliance of the guitar solo. The kind that satisfies some sort of gutteral yearning for me. The whole song IS-fun. He plays at the First Ave in Minneapolis about once a year. For that guitar, even I (I really don't like concerts) would consider making a trek out to see a show.
7. Worst of All: He doesn't fit in the current, popular mold, and it IS too bad. Great lyrics, throughout this album. Seriously, Stephen, if you think this song is majestic (a powerful word!), you really, really should consider getting Learning How to Live. It is universally excellent-the best of what country can be, both musically and lyrically, and probably my favorite country album since Red Headed Stanger, which I would recommend for everyone's album collection except, perhaps, Mighty Tom.
8. Blue: Interesting, your comment that "Rimes is conveying feelings a kid may have, if they're mature and are guessing at what love can be." I definitely feel like she's conveying feelings a 13 year old shouldn't & couldn't really have, but I'm attributing it to an artistic soul that is actually going outside itself and singing with a spirit it shouldn't have lived long enough to achieve (like young Michael Jackson).
9. Lock, Stock, & Teardrops: Glad you love this song, even if it was not a totally new introduction for you. I also considered "Down to My Last Cigarette" from the same album, which I love almost as much as a song-but I thought the style was too similar to "Crazy Arms." I was all ready to make the comment: If kd Lang smokes cigarettes, then I'm Mickey Mouse. That'd be like Jack London suggesting that he eats a box of ho-hos every night. I should try to track down that SNL performance on YouTube...
10. I Can See Me Loving You Again: "Soul of a born loser laid bare." Damn, maybe its your literary immersion or maybe it's National Novel Writing Month, but you've really done a great job putting some concepts into words in this set of comments. This one, right on. And, indeed, a huge part of the appeal for me. It's what takes it from being a really good song to one that rends my heart. Alas, nobody really approached feeling what I do when I hear this song, but c'est la vie.
Thanks again for the great comments. For the record and future reference-I actually write my comments with the idea that they would be read before the song is heard, certainly before your own comments are written-as I'm often saying, "When you hear this song, listen for this." I know that probably everyone except maybe one person will resist taking that approach, but all I can say is that it's definitely my intent as I write the comments that they would be best used that way. For me-my thoughts on the songs are as much a part of the sharing as the songs themselves.
posted by Dan at 1:24 PM
10 Comments:
Are you sticking it to MT?
Are you sticking it to MT?
I don't think so.
Not here, in this forum, anyway.
Me perhaps.
I do most certainly read the comments, usually before I hear the songs (as long as they're there to be read - yes you MT). And I read them again before commenting myself, usually while listening to each individual song on repeat, the whole process of comment writing taking hours.
And Clog really wants to know if you're sticking it to MT. And even if you're not, he's imagining that you are. And possibly squirting unguents of all sorts.
Well then let us see some evidence of it, Brainiac!!!
Thanks for the excellent commments comments. I was looking forward to your recap when I saw you gave each participant equal opportunity evals. It does put the pressure on a bit, but I'm up for it. And, thanks for the clarity on how best to experience the essence of the CMC. I shall read all preliminary comments before diving in except, of course, for this month.
As for the use of the word "majestic": I suppose this may seem a bit like overpraise, but "Worst of All" is my favorite kind of songwriter song, one that reminds me of the little guy sitting at the end of the bar who starts to sing, and three minutes later owns the room.
I likes it when he sticks it in me.
I listen several times to the CMC offerings. At some point with a very careful reading of the comments and then I will listen again with a reread of the comments before I make my final comments. So I defintitely WANT my comments read, but it matters not if it happens before the initial listen or not. In fact, I actually like the idea of a listen before the comments can affect you too deeply, not that they would, but they could distract listeners from their own potentially unique listening experience. Ah...CMC theory and its multiple applications in the real world...
I will almost always reference specific passages in songs to pay extra attention to, but I wouldn't necessarily want you to focus on that before you actually heard the song. Possibly my "ideal" differs a bit from Dan's "ideal" but I think its cool and I think it works either way.
So diplomatic.
As to Dan - get bent.
Having Mixdorf ask me to get bent is what it's all about, baby!
Stephen, please don't take my "here's how my comments are intended" to be some sort of decree on CMC rules. I offer it up only as a suggestion for how I personally think people would get the most out of my own volumes. You can certainly choose to pursue whatever method you wish for listening/commenting; both for mine & other collections.
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