“Murder On Music Row,” is a popular song originally written by Larry Shell and Larry Cordle in 1999 and later covered by George Strait and Alan Jackson in what came to be a hit duet. When I first heard this song I didn’t fully understand the point it was trying to get across. However, when I heard this song for a second time on one of George Strait’s ‘greatest hits’ CD, I became aware of its lyrical meaning.
This song created much controversy in the music industry because of its criticism towards mainstream country music at that time. The lyrics criticize the on-going trend of pop music integrating it’s way into country music. Strait and Jackson agreed with the meaning behind this song by making their own cover together.
Country music tends to have this reputation of “twangy” songs, fiddle playing, drinking and love stories. The lyrics state, “For the steel guitars no longer cry and fiddles barely play.” It seems as if the country sounds were being taken out of country music around the time the song was written. “They said no one would buy them old drinking and cheating songs.” Traditional country music was slowly dying due to the new style of music and new upcoming artists. The song refers to Meryl Haggard by stating, “Why, the Hag, he wouldn’t have a chance on today’s radio.” Because of the way country music was changing so much, if people heard Meryl on the radio they wouldn’t know what to think.
If you listen to “Murder On Music Row,” which I suggest you do, the sound ties back into the meaning of the song by keeping the true country sound. With the twang in their voices, the fiddle in the background, and the acoustic guitars, Strait and Jackson relay a message to the country music industry, striving to keep the traditional country music alive. As two true country artists, they saw what country music was turning into and what it was soon to become. Strait and Jackson may be seen as the saviors of traditional country music in the era of its changes.
As it seems, many agree that pop country has taken over and “murdered” true country music. It has changed drastically in the past decade, leaving fans questioning, “what is true country music?” If the new music is not classified as country, then what is it?
Lyrics found at: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/georgestrait/murderonmusicrow.html
Thanks, Hannah. This is a song I have heard about but do not actually remember hearing. As I understand it, artists like Strait and Jackson (and Jones and Parton before them) are upset that radio stations seem biased against playing new music by older performers. The problem isn’t just that young’ins like Blake Shelton do country pop, it’s that radio stations refuse to play anything but country pop. I think Satellite radio, Pandora, etc., helps this a little bit because it gives listeners access to many more radio stations — some of which might be more interested in veteran performers.