There was time a time when country music was a four letter word for me. If I was accused of listening to anything with a slide guitar and bad lyrics I was ready to punch that redneck in the mouth. As far as music was concerned my tastes could be summed up with a quote from Jack Black's School of Rock "It doesn't matter if it is good, it only matters if it rocks!"
I owe my love for classic rock and drum and guitar solos to my dad. Some of my fondest memories growing up was when I happened to be riding with him and we would listen to the classic rock station. Anything from AC/DC to Deep Purple would send him into a trance. He would put his hands through the steering wheel and keep time on the dashboard. He never missed a beat.
But, as I got older, my tastes began to change some. I began to look forward to, not the guitar solo but a particular line of the song. This was a monumental change for me. This became a problem, if anyone is a serious student of classic rock, you know that its not necessarily Wordsworth penning those lyrics. A lot of times it is drug induced free association. Don't get me wrong, I like to drop acid and shoot heroin with the best of them, but when it comes to poetry I am looking for something a little deeper.
It began with Johnny Cash. I was introduced to his concert at Folsom Prison. I listened to his lyrics and his rebelliousness. This guy seemed to embody the emotion of the guitar solo. It was slippery slope from there, Willie Nelson was the gateway to Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings and George Jones. Slowly, I began to discover contemporary bands that claimed these men as influences and my music catalog would never be the same. Bands like Wilco, My Morning Jacket. Singer songwriters such as, Ryan Adams and M.Ward.
But, what is it about these guys? For me, I believe it is there ability to tell a story. I love a good story. I'll take it from anywhere in any form. A friend, Newspaper, Novel or Short. What I was given when I discovered this music was morality, decisions, family problems or just plain murder. There is a certain amount of wisdom that these guys impart to the listener.
What do you do when a girl breaks your heart? Whiskey
There is something profound here.
Story telling is a great medium for writing lyrics. This is one of the main reasons I love Pearl Jam: they meld together classic rock and storytelling. I think of Sad, Undone, Black, Jeremy, Alive, and I think the majority of their stuff. I think of Bob Dylan's The Hurricane: what a great story! Or, Don McLean's allegorical American Pie, the story about how the dance and folk music of the '50s died, or even how Americana died. Ryan Adams does excel at this (Political Scientist!). Or, remember Boys of Summer (Don Henley): Great story!: about the loss of his love, and wanting to get her back. Or, Phil Collins - Another Day in Paradise.
ReplyDeleteAudioslave has a song called 'Shadow of the Sun' - the lyrics are: "Shapes of every size Move behind my eyes Doors inside my head Bolted from within Every drop of flame Lights a candle in
Memory of the one Who lived inside my skin." Wow!
Or, Pearl Jam's 'Sad': "All the photographs were peeling and colors turned to gray He stayed... in his room with memories for days He faced... an undertow of futures laid to waste Embraced... by the loss of what he could not replace".
I've tried to like Johnny Cash, but I don't think it's for me. I have the highest respect for him, though: and millions of fans and critics are probably not all out of their mind, lol! Btw, was Kris Kristofferson in the movie 'Blade'? That name rings a bell.
Drug induced free-association: I agree! But some thrive on this! I think even William Blake did this. Coleridge even took some Opium, which partly inspired his 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner'. Or, I think of Jim Morrison (The Doors) - I mean, you have to admit: that's some pretty darn good poetry. Even Johnny Cash: Ring of Fire was inspired by alcohol and drug excess, which might explain why June Carter helped write the lyrics (lol).
All things considered, if I'm in the mood, the story-medium is the best!