{"id":5627,"date":"2015-10-18T07:00:03","date_gmt":"2015-10-18T12:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.dwrl.utexas.edu\/countrymusic\/?p=5627"},"modified":"2015-10-13T22:22:30","modified_gmt":"2015-10-14T03:22:30","slug":"country-music-truly-keepin-it-real","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.dwrl.utexas.edu\/countrymusic\/2015\/10\/18\/country-music-truly-keepin-it-real\/","title":{"rendered":"Country Music Truly Keepin’ It Real"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"18428\"<\/a>The other day my dad and I were discussing my Rhetoric of Country Music class and he asked me if we have looked at the actual rhetoric of lyrics. When I told him we were learning about the history of country music, he replied with, “You have to look at the rhetoric and strategies behind a certain James McMurtry song.\u00a0These days whenever we think about which genre of music contains the most bizarre and catchy songs we think of Hip Hop and Rap. Look no further because I am about to show you how one country song tops those charts and truly \u201ckeeps it real.\u201d<\/p>\n

Have you ever heard \u201cChoctaw Bingo,\u201d by James McMurtry? If not I suggest you to give it a listen you will not be disappointed. Now some might say this isn\u2019t a country sing, but I beg to differ, the bluegrass feel of this song definitely puts it in the country genre. I am serious, this song is the epitome of outlaw country. It makes sense that the artist, son of famous author Larry McMurtry<\/a>, would cross the boundaries of country music and come up with the most unreal situations you could think of.<\/p>\n

So how to describe \u201cChoctaw Bingo?\u201d Basically it is 9 minute song about a family reunion in a heavy meth county brought together by \u201cUncle Slayton\u201d who resembles almost an alter ego of Uncle Sam. The song begins with,<\/p>\n

\u201cstrap them kids in<\/p>\n

give ’em a little bit of vodka<\/p>\n

In a Cherry Coke, we’re going to Oklahoma<\/p>\n

To the family reunion for the first time in years<\/p>\n

It’s up at uncle Slayton’s ’cause he’s getting on in years\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I mean the first verse should have listeners\u2019 eyes wide open and curious what else James McMurtry will rattle off next. The narrator starts the song by asking the other person to pack up their children and sedate them with vodka and, later, Benadryl\u2026 come on man.. Let me tell you he does not disappoint in bringing us the most outlandish and absurd song I have ever heard.<\/p>\n

The song continues to talk about the family members and their backgrounds from Uncle Slayton who goes to Choctaw Bingo to bring money home to his Asian bride, to cousin Roscoe and his many packages of cigarettes to the second cousins who stop at a truckstop to buy a rifle. \u201cChoctaw Bingo\u201d is the \u201cpeople of walmart<\/a>\u201d song of the 21st<\/sup> century.<\/p>\n

So country music can also step up to the plate with bizarre and outrageous songs just like popular Rap songs. Don’t believe me? Just watch.<\/p>\n