For the country writers:

squids · Post by **squids** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:10 am

Well, it does care about genres but only in the sense it's jes easier for them to decide if the song fits their format. Love that packaging!

hummingbird · Post by **hummingbird** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 8:56 pm

Nov 25, 2008, 10:31pm, rivercitymusic wrote:Nov 24, 2008, 8:58pm, mojobone wrote:But a capella, one still has a melody, and so, a song.mojo,i agree with you. here is what i had said.without music you have something called accapella? (spelling) singing without music? so you can have a song with only a voice and lyrics with no music. existed way before the first instrument was ever invented.sounds the same to me.Doca song does not need accompliament to be a songif one is singing a melody, with words, that is a song

matthoggard · Post by **matthoggard** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 4:22 am

Thank you Aaron for finally getting this thread back on topic.I think weve taken the song/lyric/melody thing as far as it can go. Ill agree that the songs are clever. Achey Brakey Heart is a clever song for its time. It was one of the biggest hits by any country artist ever. They even played it in dance clubs for years.Badonkadonk is a fun song. I really only like it because the "Master" Jamey Johnson wrote the biggest part of it.Ticks, umm well you know what I think of that song. Although it is well crafted and clever. I personally feel that its just plain stupid. I have to draw a line somewhere for myself. Maybe if I hadnt seen the big inlfatable ticks in Paisley's stage show I might feel differently about it.It is personal opinion.I completely agree with your statement about medicority. There are way too many songs from then and now that are just rehashing the same story. Problem is, these are the subjects that most average people relate to the most. Songs about country boys and girls are the staple of people who live in the small towns and rural areas. And these people account for a huge part of the listening/buying public. I work in a small community outside of Oklahoma City.The people I work with are from further out in the rural areas and let me tell you, Hank Jr's "A country boy can survive" is still their anthem. Rhett Akins "Kiss my country ass" is now a huge hit with these people and its a great song.I tend to write alot of the "fake" songs you elude to but believe me, I write them from experience and love of that emotion that gets people in the heart and gut. Those are the songs that grab me and make me think.I think youve got a song idea here about soccer moms and volvo's. Might sound like a cliched subject but I think you could write a really good song that soccer mom's would really relate to. One of my favorite songs right now is "Chicken Fried" by the Zack Brown band. Very original and downhome and relatable. We need more songs like this. And "Just got started Loving you" by James Otto. Kind of cliched but well written and has an excellent hook and melody.And of course, If you really want some schooling in crafting songs, Get Jamey Johnson's latest album "That lonesome song". Its a freakin incredible album and has 2 Waylon Jennings songs on it. It hasnt left my truck cd player in months.Im glad people like you/me and these folks here are trying to rise above the mediocrity. Its gonna be a new day in the country music world before long.Paul simon said it well in a song once."and all my words come back to me""in shades of mediocrity""like emptiness in harmony""i need someone to comfort me"(Homeward bound)M~

squids · Post by **squids** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 12:47 pm

Well, Paul was no slouch when it came to a good phrase. Was jes listenin' to Reno by Alex Woodard since it was part of an article about Sarah Watkins goin' solo from Nickel Creek. Besides the fact that Alex reminds me of Jim Croce (must be his tone sometimes), the song wasn't remarkable. He sounded good on it and the lyrics were okay, jes not outstanding. Did I think it was radio crap though? No, not really. Didn't ring my bell, didn't think it was especially clever except the premise of him finally meeting her at the cafe and takin' her away from it all and even that's not original, it's jes Cinderella from a guy's perspective, I guess. But I didn't wanna break somethin' like I feel about achy breaky heart. Does that make it mediocre? Heck no. It's gonna do okay for him and for a lotta writers, that's what they're hopin' for. As chits tells me, the goal for commercial country writers is to write (hopefully) the massive hit and that sometimes that song isn't brilliant. But I don't think there's a writer here (commercial or not) who would turn down a chance to have their stuff cut by a major artist outta Nashville, even if they know it's not their finest work and even if it won't get in the top 10.I think matt's right in that there's a major highway of subjects in country, with only occasional on-ramps of different, more challenging subjects (Independence Day, Thunder Rolls, Concrete Angel, etc.....social commentary about taboo subjects at the time). Country is based on the rural mindset of family, relationships, hard work, the stuff you get from hard work (or don't, as the case may be). No matter how great a writer you are, it's still gonna be tough to come up with something brilliant consistently when so many writers have come before you talkin' about the exact same subjects.

claire · Post by **claire** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:35 pm

Although....you can't beat a song like this...'where I come from, it's cornbread and chicken, where I come from, a lot of front porch pickin.'----------------------------Gag me. That's one of the few songs I'll change the station on. When it gets into that verse about "the girls that sing soprano" I want to wring his neck.I must say, though, he sure is easy on the eyes. Betcha he cringes, though, at some of those old photos with the sprayed hair and makeup...

jchitty · Post by **jchitty** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:41 pm

Nov 26, 2008, 4:35pm, claire wrote:Although....you can't beat a song like this...'where I come from, it's cornbread and chicken, where I come from, a lot of front porch pickin.'----------------------------Gag me. That's one of the few songs I'll change the station on. When it gets into that verse about "the girls that sing soprano" I want to wring his neck.I must say, though, he sure is easy on the eyes. Betcha he cringes, though, at some of those old photos with the sprayed hair and makeup...Oh, I love ANYTHING Alan does though...oh yeah, I had a SERIOUS crush on him years ago. He was gorgeous in that Chattahoochie video.....those torn jeans...sigh....

adrienne · Post by **adrienne** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:56 pm

Nov 26, 2008, 4:35pm, claire wrote:----------------------------Gag me. That's one of the few songs I'll change the station on. When it gets into that verse about "the girls that sing soprano" I want to wring his neck.Claire - I totally agree! That line kills me every time I hear it...I never understood why he would be okay with singing it!

jchitty · Post by **jchitty** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:58 pm

Nov 26, 2008, 4:56pm, adrienne wrote:Nov 26, 2008, 4:35pm, claire wrote:----------------------------Gag me. That's one of the few songs I'll change the station on. When it gets into that verse about "the girls that sing soprano" I want to wring his neck.Claire - I totally agree! That line kills me every time I hear it...I never understood why he would be okay with singing it!Oh, now y'all, don't dis on Alan. Although the 'girls that sing soprano' is a line that should have been left out of that song.His worst song is actually, "Like Red On a Rose.""And I love you like all little children love pennies, and I love you like good times of which I've known many."Now, those are BAD lines....sounds like the songwriter (he didn't write it of course) was just trying to find something to rhyme 'many' with. If I submitted something like that to TAXI, they'd bust me!

adrienne · Post by **adrienne** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 3:05 pm

Nov 26, 2008, 4:58pm, jchitty wrote:Oh, now y'all, don't dis on Alan. His worst song is actually, "Like Red On a Rose.""And I love you like all little children love pennies, and I love you like good times of which I've known many."Now, those are BAD lines....sounds like the songwriter (he didn't write it of course) was just trying to find something to rhyme 'many' with. If I submitted something like that to TAXI, they'd bust me!Sorry! Alan is great. But there are few lines in some of his songs that get to me. I agree about that rhyme in Like Red on A Rose too! TAXI would have given it a big R But there's probably lyrics out there for many artists that irk me, even if I still love them as artists. I guess once you've made it, it's easier to get away with it.

jchitty · Post by **jchitty** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 3:08 pm

Nov 26, 2008, 5:05pm, adrienne wrote:Nov 26, 2008, 4:58pm, jchitty wrote:Oh, now y'all, don't dis on Alan. His worst song is actually, "Like Red On a Rose.""And I love you like all little children love pennies, and I love you like good times of which I've known many."Now, those are BAD lines....sounds like the songwriter (he didn't write it of course) was just trying to find something to rhyme 'many' with. If I submitted something like that to TAXI, they'd bust me!Sorry! Alan is great. But there are few lines in some of his songs that get to me. I agree about that rhyme in Like Red on A Rose too! TAXI would have given it a big R But there's probably lyrics out there for many artists that irk me, even if I still love them as artists. I guess once you've made it, it's easier to get away with it. Hey, Adrienne, I will admit some of Alan's stuff can be cheeseball, and even divisive....that line "the girls that sing soprano' is not a line I'd pick. I like the song overall, but I forgot about that verse. Anyone here like "The Old Crowe Medicine Show"....now if all country was like this, I'd be happy:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJhlM6W4uhk

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