Monthly Archives: November 2015

by Kelby Floerke | November 14, 2015 · 7:00 am

4 George Strait Songs That Deserve That #1 Seat

George-Strait

“Unless you’re God or George Strait, Take Off Your Boots”. Known as the “King of country music”, George Strait has released 59 #1 singles. Believe it or not, some of his greatest songs didn’t quite reach that #1 seat and here is a list of four that deserve it:

1) “Marina Del Rey” released in 1982

Released as a single from his album, Strait from the Heart, this is a song about a memory made with a love a man met while in Marina Del Rey. “As we looked into each others’ eyes/ We found our bodies lost in paradise/ Like castaways in Marina Del Rey.” We sense the affair between the two characters as something they will remember for the rest of the their lives. This song embodies notions listeners want to feel – passionate love.

2) “Amarillo by Morning” released in 1982

“Amarillo by Morning”, also a single released from the album, Strait from the Heart, describes the life of a rodeo man. Strait sings about the love the narrator has for rodeo life stating, “I ain’t got a dime but what I got is mine, I ain’t rich but Lord I’m free”. This song is relatable to many people who do what they love simply because they enjoy it.

3) “The Cowboy Rides Away” released in 1984

I know what you are thinking, “The Cowboy Rides Away” has to be a #1. Nope, but it sure deserves to be. From the album, Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind, this song tells us about relationship that has had its ups and downs. The song concludes by telling us “the last goodbyes the hardest one to say. This is where the cowboy rides away”. This song always seem to be the last song played at a dance, where you’re sure to see a full dance floor.

4) “Cowboys Like Us” released in 2003

“Cowboys Like Us” reached #2 on Billboard Hot Country Singles from his album Honkeytonkville. This song is an ode to all the real cowboys still left out there. “Cowboys like us sure do have fun/ racin’ the wind, chasin’ the sun.” I picture a bunch of boys on horses, wearing cowboy hats riding down the pasture having a genuine good time. How can you not love that? “There’ll be no regrets, no worries and such/ For cowboys like us.” This carefree way of life brings out the inner cowboy in all of us.

https://youtu.be/aR5LK52k8dE

From break ups and heartache to love and passion, George Strait has sung about it all. These four songs symbolize the true meaning of country music. We applaud George Strait’s talents and the fact that he has had so many #1’s, but hey these songs deserve that count to be 63.

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Filed under Blog Post 3, Lists, New Traditionalism, Song Analysis, Texas

Tagged as Classic Country, George Strait

by Abby Bourland | November 13, 2015 · 7:00 am

Bringing Back The Country In Miley Cyrus

Through the pits and peaks, highs and lows, and ups and downs, it is still evident that Miley Cyrus is musically talented. Starting her career at an early age, Cyrus has always been exposed to the music industry. People now recognize her as a trouble making, rule breaking, pop culture artist who always has her tongue sticking out. However, what some people may have forgotten is that somewhere deep within Cyrus’s heart lie her innate country roots.

Having Billy Ray Cyrus as a gene donor, Miley Cyrus was born with country in her blood. Many may not see it now, especially since Miley has done a 180 on her appearance both musically and physically, but Cyrus once was young country phenomenon.

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Cyrus was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, otherwise known as the home of country music. She grew up on a family farm and lived a country life. Cyrus quickly adopted the love of country music by constantly being surrounded by country music icons, such as her own father, Billy Ray Cyrus, and her godmother, Dolly Parton.

For 5 years, Miley Cyrus devoted her time to having a hidden identity, known as the pop-singer Hannah Montana. Cyrus and her secret identity had a comedy sitcom on Disney Channel, Hannah Montana, which augmented Cyrus’ fame and fan base. Within the show, Cyrus oscillated between the characters of Miley Cyrus and Hannah Montana and also between music genres of country and pop.

Included in the show was Billy Ray Cyrus, who coincidentally played the role of her father. Sporadic musical performances by him and country guest appearance Dolly Parton, who also coincidentally played Miley’s godmother, demonstrated the importance of country music to the Cyrus family. It also spread the love of country music to the Disney Channel viewers.

Towards the end of the Hannah Montana series, the “Hannah Montana Movie” was released. Within the movie were country songs that became an instant hit. “Hoedown Throwdown” had kids and teenagers raving about and dancing along to the fast-pace, country banjo beat. On the other hand, “Butterfly Fly Away”, a duet by Miley and Billy Ray, had a slow guitar tone, sounding like a lullaby, that shined a light on the special relationship of a father and daughter, which is a common theme sung about in country music today. Although this duet was popular among the country crowd, their other father-daughter collaboration, “Ready, Set, Don’t Go” made it on the country charts and was nominated for CMT Music Award during the CMT Music Awards in 2008!

As years passed, Cyrus outgrew her Hannah Montana phase and wandered away from her country past. She chopped her hair and started living a life that her fans, and parents of fans, did not condone. Although this drastic change had led people to lose faith in her, Cyrus continues to prove them wrong by recording covers of songs by country legends. Cyrus’ cover of “Jolene” and her country-modified version of, “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go”, originally sung by Dolly Parton and Bob Dylan respectively, dropped several jaws. Cyrus continues to cover songs and put a country twist on them, alluring her past country fans and keeping them on their toes. Could this possibly foreshadow the direction of all of her musical productions?

Many think that Miley Cyrus’ pop culture music and lifestyle are just a phase and that soon she will snap out of this funk. Judging by the sounds of her current recordings and knowledge of history repeating itself, it may be destiny that Miley disposes of these habits and reverts to her original country ways.

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Filed under Blog Post 4, Country Pop, Movies and TV

by Hannah Evans | November 12, 2015 · 7:00 am

Justin Moore: The Real Champagne Papi

To anyone who has ever made fun of country music (I’m looking at you dad!), please watch this video. Then, watch it again. Then go ahead and remind me how “all country music is meaningless and sounds the same” while you jam to Drake in the background. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that “Hotline Bling” is quickly taking over the U.S. It’s quite scary that a song about receiving a booty call from an ex-girlfriend is virtually more well-known than all of Justin Moore’s songs combined.

On Tuesday Nov. 3, Phoenix radio station KNIX Country 102.5 posted a video of Justin Moore reading the lyrics to “Hotline Bling,” demonstrating the song’s senseless (and just plain dumb) lyrics. Featuring Moore’s southern accent and sarcastic tone, the hilarious video quickly went viral and was played more than five million times the day it was posted. On YouTube, most of Justin Moore’s more-popular music videos have a maximum of ten million views for the entire period they’ve been online. One could argue that “Hotline Bling” has made Justin Moore more famous than his hits like “Small Town USA” and “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away” did!

Justin Moore grew up working on his grandparent’s cattle farm in a small town in Arkansas. He began singing at the age of two, and continued to pursue his dream of making music throughout his youth. Upon graduating high school, he moved to Nashville where he eventually earned some opening spots on tours with artists like Luke Bryan, Trace Adkins, and Brooks & Dunn.

In 2008, Moore released his first single, “Back That Thing Up,” and made it onto Billboard’s “Country Top 40” chart. He released a second single, “Small Town USA,” in 2009; it reached number one on Billboard’s “Hot Country” chart and paved the way for his self-titled debut album.

Fast-forward a few years and Moore is still going strong. In 2014 he received the New Artist of the Year award from the Academy of Country Music Awards. He just released his (cleverly-named) latest single, “You Look Like I Need a Drink,” on Oct. 30. while he continues to work on his fourth album.

Justin Moore is a great example of a kid who had a dream, and reached it through hard work and dedication. I am hopeful that he’ll continue to release high-quality work and mark his territory in the country music world. Move over Drake because Justin Moore is the real Champagne Papi.

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Filed under Blog Post 4, Music Videos, Reflection

Tagged as drake, hotline bling, justin moore

by Caitie Labay | November 11, 2015 · 7:00 am

Is Country Music Red or Blue? Part II

In my last blog post “Country Music and Politics: Is the Genre Red or Blue?” I used opinions from the democratic and republican platforms in order to demonstrate that country music does not fall completely to one side of the political spectrum, but rather straddles the line. I discussed Steve Grand’s song that expressed a more democratic opinion on gay marriage, while Matt Kennon’s record had a republican opinion on abortion. But just like there is never only one political debate before the big election, there similarly should not be only one blog post. There are countless controversial topics to discuss in country music AND politics, and I’d like to introduce you to a few more in order to get a more comprehensive view of if country music is red or blue.

“Guns” by Justin Moore

Gun control seems to be one of the topics that gets the most attention these days, especially around college campuses. With the recent statistic of there being 294 mass shootings in the first 274 days of 2015, there have been heated debates on the balance of restricting gun access vs. making self-protection available, but there is no question where Justin Moore stands. In his song “Guns” he asserts his right to bear arms, spitefully singing “I’m going to tell you once and listen son/As long as I’m alive and breathing you won’t take my guns”. He uses the argument “Somebody breaks into my house, I’m gonna need my Colt .44” to appeal to the logical argument of self-protection. So looking at the following statement from their political platforms, you can determine if Moore lines up more with the left or right:

Democrat: “We recognize that the individual right to bear arms is an important part of the American tradition…We believe that the right to own firearms is subject to reasonable regulation…so that guns do not fall into the hands of those irresponsible, law-breaking few.”

Republican: “We uphold the right of individuals to keep and bear arms, a right which antedated the Constitution and was solemnly confirmed by the Second Amendment. We acknowledge, support, and defend the law-abiding citizen’s God-given right of self-defense.”

“Travelin’ Soldier” by Dixie Chicks

The real political agenda of this song was heard, not in the lyrics, but rather when the Dixie Chicks introduced this song at a performance in London. Band member Natalie Maines boldly proclaimed “Just so you know, we’re on the good side with y’all. We do not want this war, this violence, and we’re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas.” This performance took place while George W. Bush (republican) was in office, and that controversial statement effectively put an end to the band’s career. “Travelin’ Soldier” tells the story of a young girl falling in love with a boy who left to go to war; in the end her love was in vain as he lost his life fighting for his country. Using the following platforms as guides, do you think the Dixie Chicks have more democratic or republican opinions?

Blue: “We have responsibly ended the war in Iraq…there is no greater responsibility than protecting the American people. We also understand the indispensable role that the United States must continue to play in promoting international peace and prosperity.”

Republican: “The Republican Party is the advocate for a strong national defense as the pathway to peace, economic prosperity, and the protection of those yearning to be free…Sequestration of the nation’s military budget would be a disaster for national security.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hlYNU6xPJc

I hope that through reading both articles you have seen that country artists have strong opinions when it comes to controversial political topics, and that not everyone in the genre agrees about what is right or wrong. I think that is the best part about country music; you are never going to hear the same thing and by listening to the radio you will be exposed to a plethora of opinions. While I don’t expect your favorite song will dictate your political views, I do hope that it will get your gears turning to think about what you do believe in, and that it reminds you TO GO VOTE!

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Filed under Blog Post 4, Politics, USA

by Talia | November 10, 2015 · 7:00 am

Trade Adkins: A man worth listening to!

After hearing that Trace has a new album set to come out sometime in January of 2016 I knew I wanted to write my blog post about him. I have been raised a fan of Trace Adkins and I believe everyone needs to check him out or at least give him a second chance. Trace Adkins has been around since the middle of the 90’s but recently he has been sliding under the radar of all the flashy new young stars. Among teens and young adults he is certainly not as popular as artists like todays Sam Hunt and Luke Bryan but most can still say they recognize his classic deep voice in a few of his songs such as, “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk”, “You’re Gonna Miss This”, and “Ladies Love Country Boys”.

I know many people think Trace only makes cheesy overly country songs such as “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” or “Chrome” but his music varies much more than that. However, sometimes a cheesy country song is just what the mood calls for. If you’re not afraid of a catchy tune that’s just plain fun you should check out, “Brown Chicken Brown Cow”, or “Ala-Freakin-Bama”.

Besides these light songs he has much more serious songs that deal with religion, family, love, and the military. As a fan of love in general some of my favorites are Adkin’s ballads. That deep voice and his passion and honesty make him stand out from just any other artist. “This Ain’t No Love Song” and “Love Will”. Trace Adkins is also a family man who has been married twice and has five daughters that he isn’t afraid to sing about. Of course most people know and have been touched by “You’re Gonna Miss This” but if you enjoyed that song or if family is important to you you should check out “Just Fishin”.

Besides just his music Trace Adkins does incredible things for many different charities. He is most well known for the work he does with Wounded Warriors, but he also works with and supports St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital, USO, Animal Rescue Foundation, and many more. My dad is a part of an organization in Fort Worth called the Fort Worth Air Power Council that works with service men and women, raises money for their families, and helps aid the wounded and veterans. Through this organization I have got to hear many stories through members who have worked directly with Trace and shared how amazing of a man he is. Trace Adkins has multiple songs about the military if have a family member or friend whos serves, yourself, or just support our military you may want to listen to “Semper Fi”, “All I Ask For Anymore”, “Arlington”, or “Till The Last Shots”.

Another part of why I love Trace Adkins is that he is very down to Earth and real. Trace has suffered loss, been through divorce, he’s been shot, he has had problems with alcohol and has been to rehab, and he’s a dad to five. Trace Adkins doesn’t try to be perfect by any means. He lives his life and supports what he cares about. His career has never been about attention its just him doing what he loves and I believe everyone can appreciate that.

Trace Adkins may not be everyone’s cup of tea and I can accept that. Although, if you haven’t listened to him in awhile or just aren’t sure about him just take some time to try and listen to a few of the songs I mentioned or explore on your own. Trace Adkins is a man that I root for and love supporting and I hope maybe my blog will gain him a few more fans as well! Also, definitely have an ear out in January for his new album and first single off the album titled, “Jesus and Jones”. (The meaning behind the title is quite special and very true for many country singers so I am very excited to hear it!)

Monthly Archives: November 2015

4 George Strait Songs That Deserve That #1 Seat

Bringing Back The Country In Miley Cyrus

Justin Moore: The Real Champagne Papi

Is Country Music Red or Blue? Part II

Trade Adkins: A man worth listening to!

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