The 4Q song Morgan Wallen

#26
#26
Hairy Vols said:
Country music has always had that sameness to it since at least the 50s. The sound is built around the same core instruments like guitar fiddle steel guitar and banjo. When every song starts with that same foundation it is going to feel familiar no matter what decade you pick.


The structure of the songs has never really changed either. Verse chorus verse with simple chord progressions you can hum along to. That is why a Hank Williams track from the 50s and a George Strait track from the 80s hit your ear in almost the same way.


On top of that the tradition of country is to echo what came before. Every era writes about the same themes small towns heartbreak faith drinking and family. Artists are not trying to reinvent the wheel they are trying to show they belong to the lineage.


The industry just reinforces that. Nashville (yes even old school Nashville aka Country Hollywood) has always pushed what sells and once a style works everyone copies it. That is how you got the “Nashville Sound” of the 60s the outlaw wave of the 70s the stadium ready country of the 90s and now the bro country era. Within each wave the songs all follow the same formula because that is what labels demand.
Click to expand...

The Bro country era is 🗑
 
  • Like
Reactions: jtencer, DeusExMachina, Chad Powers and 1 other person
#27
#27
OHvol40 said:
Meh, not a lot of nuance in this opinion. Comparing the music industry of the late 70s to the music industry today is not apples-to-apples like you make it sound. Sure, big music labels existed then, but artist discovery was more organic, as was freedom of expression. It started to change dramatically in the mid-late 90s with the advent of the Internet. I agree with some of your analysis, but not all.
Click to expand...
It was not. I'm going to copy and paste a reply I sent to someone else right before you.

"Country music has always had that sameness to it since at least the 50s. The sound is built around the same core instruments like guitar fiddle steel guitar and banjo. When every song starts with that same foundation it is going to feel familiar no matter what decade you pick.


The structure of the songs has never really changed either. Verse chorus verse with simple chord progressions you can hum along to. That is why a Hank Williams track from the 50s and a George Strait track from the 80s hit your ear in almost the same way.


On top of that the tradition of country is to echo what came before. Every era writes about the same themes small towns heartbreak faith drinking and family. Artists are not trying to reinvent the wheel they are trying to show they belong to the lineage.


The industry just reinforces that. Nashville (yes even old school Nashville aka Country Hollywood) has always pushed what sells and once a style works everyone copies it. That is how you got the “Nashville Sound” of the 60s the outlaw wave of the 70s the stadium ready country of the 90s and now the bro country era. Within each wave the songs all follow the same formula because that is what labels demand."



That being said nostalgia makes you feel that way but you are wrong. The instrumental setup of country has been the same since the 1950s. You still hear the same acoustic guitar steel guitar fiddle and later telecaster electric. The chord progressions stick to simple diatonic patterns like I IV V or I V vi IV. The rhythm is locked in a steady four four with either straight or swung eighth notes. That is why it is all the same. To put in simple terms anyways.
 
#28
#28
vols 30 said:
The Bro country era is 🗑
Click to expand...
That is the target audience. Simply put small town people dont just listen to country anymore. They listen to a mix of rock, rap, r&B, etc and so you see a mix of that in country now because it is what younger people want. No matter the genre old heads will always complain and then the young will become old heads and it never ends. The fact is 90% of those people are wrong because it is all the same from the core up.
 
#31
#31
Hairy Vols said:
Country music has always had that sameness to it since at least the 50s. The sound is built around the same core instruments like guitar fiddle steel guitar and banjo. When every song starts with that same foundation it is going to feel familiar no matter what decade you pick.


The structure of the songs has never really changed either. Verse chorus verse with simple chord progressions you can hum along to. That is why a Hank Williams track from the 50s and a George Strait track from the 80s hit your ear in almost the same way.


On top of that the tradition of country is to echo what came before. Every era writes about the same themes small towns heartbreak faith drinking and family. Artists are not trying to reinvent the wheel they are trying to show they belong to the lineage.


The industry just reinforces that. Nashville (yes even old school Nashville aka Country Hollywood) has always pushed what sells and once a style works everyone copies it. That is how you got the “Nashville Sound” of the 60s the outlaw wave of the 70s the stadium ready country of the 90s and now the bro country era. Within each wave the songs all follow the same formula because that is what labels demand.
Click to expand...
Give Sturgill Simpson and Billy Strings a chance to change your mind.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kcvols1, K-town Vol Fan, NighthawkVol and 1 other person
#32
#32
Hairy Vols said:
It was not. I'm going to copy and paste a reply I sent to someone else right before you.

"Country music has always had that sameness to it since at least the 50s. The sound is built around the same core instruments like guitar fiddle steel guitar and banjo. When every song starts with that same foundation it is going to feel familiar no matter what decade you pick.


The structure of the songs has never really changed either. Verse chorus verse with simple chord progressions you can hum along to. That is why a Hank Williams track from the 50s and a George Strait track from the 80s hit your ear in almost the same way.


On top of that the tradition of country is to echo what came before. Every era writes about the same themes small towns heartbreak faith drinking and family. Artists are not trying to reinvent the wheel they are trying to show they belong to the lineage.


The industry just reinforces that. Nashville (yes even old school Nashville aka Country Hollywood) has always pushed what sells and once a style works everyone copies it. That is how you got the “Nashville Sound” of the 60s the outlaw wave of the 70s the stadium ready country of the 90s and now the bro country era. Within each wave the songs all follow the same formula because that is what labels demand."



That being said nostalgia makes you feel that way but you are wrong. The instrumental setup of country has been the same since the 1950s. You still hear the same acoustic guitar steel guitar fiddle and later telecaster electric. The chord progressions stick to simple diatonic patterns like I IV V or I V vi IV. The rhythm is locked in a steady four four with either straight or swung eighth notes. That is why it is all the same. To put in simple terms anyways.
Click to expand...
We weren’t really talking about music structure, but rather the evolution (or lack-thereof in your case) of the music industry in general. You even qualified it with the opinion it didn’t matter which genre, that all “popular” music is manufactured for the masses and effectively unchanging since the late 70s. I don’t agree totally with that, especially since many new genres have emerged since that time. That can’t happen without some change and artists evolving.
 
#33
#33
Nothing feels quite as fake, lame, and inauthentic as mandated "fan spirit." It always - always - feels kind of dopey. And yes, that includes trying to force gimmicky things like "fourth quarter songs." Or third quarter songs. Any quarter songs. Always gotta be coming up with more stuff to add to the marketing packet I guess.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NighthawkVol, adam.vol and DuckInAPen
#41
#41
NighthawkVol said:
Apparently, we’re keeping that godawful cheese ball The Way I Talk song as our 4Q song, since they played it in Atlanta.

My question is, if they HAVE to use the chair-thrower for the 4Q song, wouldn’t Tennessee Fan make sense? Since, you know, it’s actually about the Vols?

Who do we call about this?
Click to expand...
I get why people didn't like the Garth Brooks song, it had zero to do with Tennessee. But hating on a local boy made super star's song that has direct ties to this area, mentions the Vols and the hook line sums up the feeling for many many of the people from East Tn and the surrounding area, reeks of "looking for something to complain about"
 
  • Like
Reactions: tatervol and OL SMOKEY
#42
#42
NighthawkVol said:
It’s goofy as hell. Typical pandering modern formulaic lowest common denominator “country” music for people with no taste.

But moreover, it has nothing to do with Tennessee or getting fired up. It’s about having an accent. Yeah…awesome. 🙄
Click to expand...

Has nothing to do with Tennessee?

It gets slower after three or four cold beers
And gets louder when I'm cheering on the Volunteers
Folks know I'm country, when they hear
The way I talk

Maybe you should actually listen to it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HawkVol2213 and Sara Clark
#44
#44
NighthawkVol said:
It’s goofy as hell. Typical pandering modern formulaic lowest common denominator “country” music for people with no taste.

But moreover, it has nothing to do with Tennessee or getting fired up. It’s about having an accent. Yeah…awesome. 🙄
Click to expand...
What drug makes that crap sound good? I’m thinking maybe I need a good dose of whatever brain altering chemical those people are using.

As for those people who like this brand of cornball: I’m sure they would be as equally delighted over nursery rhymes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DeusExMachina, Danl and NighthawkVol
#48
#48
Hairy Vols said:
That is not unique to Morgan Wallen or “modern country.” That is mainstream music in general and has been since the late 70s. It is an industry first and art second. Labels and corporations have been building acts for decades across every genre. The only reason people think one type of mainstream music is “better” than another is nostalgia. Rock. Pop. Rap. Country. Once it goes big label the formula is always the same with repeatable hooks broad appeal and market tested themes.


Saying this one song is some special case of “pandering” ignores how the machine works. Corporations are not trying to make high art for a small crowd. They are trying to fill stadiums and sell merch. That is what created your favorite classic rock playlists and the golden era country records too. It is all part of the same system. The only difference is if you are old enough to remember when it felt new. Whatever songs you would choose would be no different or they would be so obscure nobody could relate. So get off the high horse.
Click to expand...
I'm not saying it's one song. I'm saying Wallen is a prime example of that sound.

But there are honest country musicians out there. Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, Jason Isbell, and Marcus King come to mind. I'd throw Zach Bryan and Chris Stapleton (in spite of his mainstream success) in that group.
 
Last edited:
#49
#49
marcusluvsvols said:
I cant stand him because the "best" song he ever put out is a cover of Jason Isbells "Cover me up". The original Isbell version is orders of magnitude better ...you know, because he wrote it. Hes also an extremely gifted guitar player that has a signature series of Fender guitars.

** Sadly, Isbell is also dbag in real life whose political views are somewhere Left of Lenin and he never shuts up about them. Not a good guy IMO. He is a great songwriter and guitar player though.
Click to expand...
You may not like Isbell's politics, but by all accounts, he's a good guy. From people I know here in Nashville who know, he's as good and genuine as they get. Further, I've actually met Wallen and liked him and so do others I know. I think Wallen is a different dude when he drinks (Isbell too before he got sober). Those two represent opposite ends of the political spectrum, but that doesn't mean either aren't good.

But Isbell is an honest, talented musician. Hell, Wallen might have that ability if he pulled away from the machine.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sara Clark
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.
Advertisement



Back
Top