messaging

  Country music. It's what I heard because it is what Dad listened to. Of course, back then the choices of radio stations were limited by technology and distance. There was no such thing as streaming services or anything even vaguely like that. I remember back in 1963 we got a local radio station, WLNG radio. I remember hearing Jimmy Dean signing Big Bad John and listening to a program called swap and shop. It was a big deal having a local station. I believe they played a mixture of music, popular music I guess would be accurate enough. I do think popular music has taken on a new definition since that time, not necessarily music that is popular, if you know what I mean. Today I rarely listen to the radio at all. There is just one station I listen to in the evening that plays "classic country". That's the country music my father would have been listening too. Whatever the new country is I couldn't say, as I don't listen to that. 

 That's the thing though, defining a musical genre. There are divisions and sub-divisions. Each generation defining their own. It's a never-ending evolution of sound. And beyond the music itself is the message. I didn't always listen to country music after I was grown a bit. I was like most kids and was listening to rock and roll, embracing the new beat and the new messaging of the times. I did listen to a broader spectrum of music than most, I think. I enjoyed rock and roll but good old fashioned soul music inspired me as well. As I aged however, I did settle into that genre we now call honky tonk country. Those old cry in your beer, she done me wrong songs that make me smile. And yes, sad songs do make me happy, that's why I like listening to the blues as well. The impact of a line like, "he stopped loving her today" and realizing the finality of that statement. That's country.

 Songs do reflect the mindset of a generation. I'm quite certain some scholar, some expert with multiple degrees in subjects I can't even pronounce has written a paper about that. I have neither the time nor inclination to do an exhaustive study about that. I just listen to the lyrics and relate them to the time. Granted my time is limited to a few generations. I wasn't really listening to the lyrics and determining their social implications when I was in grade school. I do remember when the Beatles appeared on the scene and their first songs where nothing meaningful. I want to hold your hand and those types of songs. But they developed a social conscience as the years went by and I didn't want to hear that as I didn't agree with what they were saying. Yes, it was the cool thing, the latest but I didn't agree with it so that was that. So much self-assigned insight into the world! Ha, they didn't impress me with their convoluted opinions. I prefer the message to be a bit more direct. Just say what it is you're thinking.

 As far as the old country honky tonk music goes that is exactly what they were doing. Those singers were just telling their stories, their life experiences and laying it all out there. It took George Jones some years to sing this one. The song is called Choices and was included on the album, The Cold Hard Truth. It took him a long time to just lay it out there. He didn't write that song, but he had lived that song. The songwriters said they didn't write that song with Jones in mind but man, it sure fit when George was ready to sing it. I mention that as I think that is an excellent example of what I am talking about.

 The message of a generation. My parents' generation listening to that old time country music were facing the realities of life head on. Just telling it like it is. Music that takes you in, shakes you up and wakes you up! Just like the song says, " I've had choices, since the day that I was born, I've had voices, that told me right from wrong, if I'd had listened, I wouldn't be here today, living and dying with the choices I made." It's a song about being accountable. It isn't anyone else's fault; it is all about the choices you make. A message so many need to hear today. But that isn't what is being taught today. Today we need to find someone to blame, someone else to hold to account because they influenced our choices. It's a different mindset altogether.