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I live and work in the heart of the country music capital of the world (Nashville, for those who may not know anything about country music). I'm glad to see national media giving attention to this subject.
Country music, indeed, lost its soul in the 1990s (and we know it... witness songs like "Murder on Music Row), and carried that loss over into this new decade by wooing females with sexist hate anthems by female artists. Male artists likewise attempted to pander to women by writing nothing but mushy love songs or, in the case of one male artist, also producing man-hating anthems ("Kiss This").
Last year, Toby Keith's "How Do You Like Me Now?" consistently beat "Goodbye, Earl" for several weeks as No. 1 on the country charts (they were at the top of the charts together). Montgomery Gentry's song is newer, but is, indeed, indicative of the swing to lure back a male audience. Perhaps these were wake-up calls to country record execs that they were too much ignoring their (formerly) traditionally male audience.
I must admit that I (long a fan of older country like Johnny Cash, the Sr. Hank Williams, Waylon Jennings, and Willie Nelson) abandoned any serious listening of modern country music for talk radio quite some time ago. I also must admit to being infuriated to the point of sleepless nights by the popularity of "Goodbye, Earl." How did I beat that? I dug out "The Essential Johnny Cash" from my CD collection.
I tell you, gentlemen, there's no cure for "Goodbye, Earl" like Cash's "Cocaine Blues" (a man is on the run from the law after murdering his wife for sleeping around. Unlike the female protagonist in "Earl," though, Cash's character is caught and brought to justice).
Just imagine that the wife in the song is a Dixie Chick. ;) By the way, there's another great Cash song from the late 60s or early 70s that might make a good anthem for causes like the men's issues we discuss here. It's called "The Man in Black." In it, Cash describes why he always dresses in black.
It also doesn't hurt to know that the critics are declaring the year the Dixie Chicks won "Entertainers of the Year" from the County Music Association the one of the WORST years in country music, in spite of a few rare gems like Keith and Gentry. Check out this editorial in this week's Nashville Scene.
There's things that never
will be right, I know.
And things need changing
everywhere you go.
But till we start to make
a move to make a few things right,
you'll never see me
wear a suit of white.
I'd love to wear a rainbow every day
And tell the world that everything's OK
But I'll carry off a little darkness on my back
Till things are brighter, I'm the Man in Black.
From "The Man in Black" by Johnny Cash.
p.s. I advocate violence against no one.
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by Anonymous User on Tuesday June 12, @11:56PM EST (#2)
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It doesn't really have anything to do with men's issues, but since we're on the subject, part two of the Nashville Scene's country music editorial is now online.
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