ZBB III

404-Not Found

Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson
"Defying the laws of Authenticity"

         Willie Nelson has never tried to use the image as the authentic music star with high quality production, and lyrics that are specifically intended to draw in customers. He sung songs about what he believed in, such as topics like heartbreak, marijuana, and lonesome. Willie Nelson was just a hippie at heart with a passion for Country Music. Defying the confining laws of typical Nashville music, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings became the leaders of the group of the "renegade musicians" known as The Outlaws. At Willie Nelson's concerts one will see all genders, and all ages because of Nelson's flexibility and timeless style. Analysts say today that if you ask Willie Nelson what his style of music is, he will most likely reply with something like "a combination of my thoughts, memories, and mood at the time of making my music.

                                  "Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys"
                                         Cowboys ain't easy to love and they're harder to hold.
                                          They'd rather give you a song than diamonds or gold.
                                                  Lonestar belt buckles and old faded Levis,
                                                         And each night begins a new day.
                                        If you don't understand him, an' he don't die young,
                                                              He'll probably just ride away

This is a song about cowboys and how they are not as appealing as they appear to be, he sings about how cowboys like ladies of the night, and they are not very good to bring around to you're family. Also how if a woman cannot understand them, they will just pack up and ride away and think nothing of it. Willie’s business and creative philosophy has been practically the direct opposite of the rest of the country music industry. The typical way of recording music says to send out your songs in parts to keep the people waiting and record one album every few years to not get played out. Willie’s philosophy has been to record as much and as often as he can. Also tour as much as he can and as long as he can. Willie lives on a big ranch where he plays 18 + holes of golf every single day he is not touring. When he is questioned about retiring, he says "all I do is play golf and music, which one do you want me to give up"?

Hot Chicks

A Look at Some Dixie Chick Hits

from Steet Anthem music blog

Emily, Natalie, and Martie - 2007 the Chicks won all 5 awards they were nominated for, including Song, Record, and Album of the Year

       The Dixie Chicks enjoyed great success with their fans, with critics, commercially, and even won plenty of awards throughout more than ten years of their careers, starting around 1998. They had many hit singles during this time, including "Cowboy Take Me Away" in 1999. This is the third track from their Fly Album. The song was written by Martie Maguire and Marcus Hummon about Emily finally finding true love - her husband Charlie (Fly CD Booklet, 1999). The song's title is derived from a famous slogan used in commercials for Calgon bath and beauty products, "Calgon Take Me Away!" It reached Number One on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in February 2000. Driven by co-writer Martie's violin, Emily's banjo, and Natalie Maines' evocative vocals, "Cowboy Take Me Away" quickly became one of the trio's signature songs. 

Music video for the Chicks' Hit "Cowboy Take Me Away" (1999)

       The first scene of the music video for "Cowboy Take Me Away" shows a car stopping on a busy street, with Robison's high hot pink cowboy boot splashing through a puddle, and Maines waiting in a crowded elevator until reaching the top floor of an empty industrial-looking loft, joining the other two Chicks. The three begin singing the song and playing their instruments up there at the building-top in the center of a large city, resembling New York City. Gradually, the scene around them begins to slowly melt (via various CGI backdrops) of forest floors and snow-covered mountains and the like appear, while the trio dance and sing. The city does not ever disappear entirely, but the point is made.

I said, I want to touch the earth

I want to break it in my hands

I want to grow something wild and unruly

I want to sleep on the hard ground

In the comfort of your arms

On a pillow of blue bonnets

In a blanket made of stars

Oh, it sounds good to me

(Chorus)

Cowboy take me away

Fly this girl as high as you can into the wild blue

Set me free

Oh, I pray

Closer to heaven above and closer to you

Closer to you

I want to walk and not run

I want to skip and not fall

I want to look at the horizon and not see a building standing tall

I want to be the only one for miles and miles

Except for maybe you and your simple smile

Oh, it sounds good to me

Yes, it sounds so good to me

(Chorus)

I said, I want to touch the earth

I want to break it in my hands

I want to grow something wild and unruly

Oh, it sounds so good to me

(Chorus)

       Being from the Chicks' Fly Album, the concept of taking flight is important. The theme shows up throughout their album, as well as in this song: "Fly this girl as high as you can..." The lyrics deal with a mixture of yearning for greater tranquility:

I wanna walk and not run, I wanna skip and not fall

I wanna look at the horizon, and not see a building standing tall

with plaintive desire for emotional, romantic connection, and simple joyous acceptance against a minor chord turning into major:

Oh it sounds good to me, yeah it sounds so good to me

Cowboy, take me away ...

       Starting with a quiet opening, the record ramps up to a mid-tempo country-pop groove and features violin breaks from Martie as well as an exuberant outro. Natalie was praised for a "sincere" vocal that escaped the clichés of "Nashville music-factory tear-jerkers." The chorus brings the wonderful, tight, three part harmonies that the Dixie Chicks are so skilled with.

From Fan Site Dixie Chicks Henhouse

        "Cowboy Take Me Away" has become a staple of the Chicks' concert set lists, appearing from the Fly Tour onwards. On August 3, 2011 Taylor Swift even paid homage to the Dixie Chicks with Martie in the audience at the Prudential Center in New Jersey. Taylor performed a cover of “Cowboy Take Me Away” while Martie and her family looked on. Video can be seen at youtube (Dixie Chicks Henhouse).

From the live recording An Evening with the Dixie Chicks "Travelin' Soldier" (2002) 

       The Dixie Chicks Home Album (2002) was probably their best, most country, most creative album. It received some critical acclaim and was rated number 6 out of top 10 of the decade by Entertainment Weekly. "Even George W. Bush fans have to respect the Chicks' authentic bluegrass sound on 'Long Time Gone' and 'Landslide.' Okay, maybe they don't. But they should." (E Weekly).
       One of the popular singles from this album is "Travelin' Soldier."  This song was written and originally recorded by American country music artist Bruce Robison in 1996 and again, in rewritten form, in 1999. It was later recorded by Ty England on his 1999 album Highways & Dance Halls. The first rendition to be issued as a single was this rendition by the Dixie Chicks in December 2002, from their Home album. It became the group's sixth and final single to reach #1 on Billboard "Hot Country Singles & Tracks" (now "Hot Country Songs") (Dixie Chicks Henhouse).
Two days past eighteenHe was waiting for the bus in his army greensSat down in a booth in a cafe thereGave his order to a girl with a bow in her hairHe's a little shy so she gives him a smileAnd he said would you mind sittin' down for a whileAnd talking to me, I'm feeling a little lowShe said I'm off in an hour and I know where we can go
So they went down and they sat on the pierHe said I bet you got a boyfriend but I don't careI got no one to send a letter toWould you mind if I sent one back here to you(Chorus)Never gonna hold the hand of another guyToo young for him they told herWaitin' for the love of a travelin' soldierOur love will never endWaitin' for the soldier to come back againNever more to be alone when the letter saidA soldier's coming home
So the letters came from an army campIn California then VietnamAnd he told her of his heartIt might be love and all of the things he was so scared ofHe said when it's getting kinda rough over hereI think of that day sittin' down at the pierAnd I close my eyes and see your pretty smileDon't worry but I won't be able to write for awhile(Chorus)One Friday night at a football gameThe Lord's prayer said and the Anthem sangA man said folks would you bow your headsFor a list of local Vietnam deadCrying all alone under the standsWas a piccolo player in the marching bandAnd one name read and nobody really caredBut a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair(Chorus x 2)

"A simple, heartbreaking tale of young romance crushed under the weight of war. It’s the story between the lines that drives home the tragedy, as both main characters have a palpable sense of loneliness that they finally find relief from in one another just before they are ripped permanently apart." – Dan Milliken (Country Universe)

       I think this quote sums up the song beautifully. "Travelin' Soldier" is a very emotional song. Personally it makes me want to cry, and often succeeds, while I am singing along. It a straightforward narrative arguably without much hidden meaning, but it is heartbreaking. The song, like the album Home in general is more traditional and has a real bluegrass feel to it.

From Fan Site Dixie Chicks Henhouse

        Ironically, this military-themed song was being promoted by the Dixie Chicks when Natalie told the London audience the band was ashamed that President Bush was from Texas. Subsequent U.S. publication of Natalie's comments caused some stations, including 42 owned by Cumulus Media, to drop the song from their playlists, causing it to fall from #1 on the country singles chart to #3 the following week, March 29, before disappearing from the charts entirely. 

       "Travelin' Soldier" is the last single released by the Dixie Chicks to reach the top 20 on the country singles chart, although their 2007 single "Not Ready to Make Nice", peaked at #4 on theBillboard Hot 100 while reaching #36 on the country chart.

Toby Keith song analysis

Toby Keith song analysis 

Toby Keith is a mainstream country artist that has been in the county music business for a while. He has released many different hits during his career.  “Little too Late” and “High Maintenance Woman” are not his most famous song, but they both have strong messages to them.

Little too Late is a song about a man that is leaving his wife for good. In county music a song about divorce or falling out of love is a common song topic. In the music video Toby uses the brick wall as a metaphor for the end of the relationship, and at the end of the song he is the one that is locked in the basement and not his wife. He realized that he was worse off without his wife after he built the wall between them. The message that sends out is that when he left his wife he ended up worse than his wife. Without the aid of the music video the song has a different meaning; if you are unhappy with your marriage end it so you can be happy with someone else.

It's a little too late, I'm a little too gone

A little too tired of just hangin' on

I'm lettin' go while I'm still strong enough to

                 Every time that Toby sings the chorus the amount of crying becomes less present each time. This shows that through the song he is getting stronger and over the break up. During the different versus the instrumentals are quieter than the chorus. This puts an emphasis on the word that is being sung in the different verses.

No, I don't want to talk about what we can do about us anymore

Only time you and me wastin' is the time it takes to walk right out that door

Yeah, talk about water under the bridge

You should know by now girl that's all this is

When Toby sings this verse he sings in a softer voice. The softer voice makes the emotion portrayed to be disappointed and a lake of love. It really fits with the lyrics because the song is about the ending of their marriage. 

 

The song is about a working class man that is in love with a woman, but she will never love him because she is rich and he is just a maintenance worker. In the song “High Maintenance Woman” the maintenance man is a metaphor for a working class man. Toby tries to make the connection of maintenance, fixing of things and the upkeep of a woman.  Toby sings the whole song in a full voice. Being sung in full voice represents the strength that the working class has. There is a lot of slang words used and a strong southern accent used when he sings this song. He uses them so that he is more relatable to the working class culture. This song can be a relatable song to many people; A man that falls in love with a very beautiful woman.  

She's my baby doll, she's my beauty queen

She's my movie star, best I ever seen

I ain't hooked it up yet but I'm tryin' hard as I can

It's just a high maintenance woman

Don't want no maintenance man

The chorus shows that the man in the song hasn’t asked the girl on a date yet when he says “I ain’t hooked it up yet but I’m tryin’ hard as I can.” This is a relatable part because a lot of men have a hard time asking out beautiful woman. 

Lyrics by Luke

Luke Bryan has become more popular recently. Two more mainstream hits by Luke Bryan are " I Don't Want This Night To End" and his more recent hit, "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye." Both songs are popular among country music fans, but are beginning to gain popularity with other fans as well. 

"I Don't Want This Night to End" is a song with lyrics about not wanting a night to end because you are with someone you don't want to leave. This song is upbeat and has lyrics that many people can relate to. The lyrics and music video suggest he is singing about having a good time with a significant other and not wanting to leave her. But, the audience can relate because everyone wants to be with the people they love: significant other, friend, or family.  These lyrics are simple and relatable. The lyrics are as follows: 


Girl I know I don’t know you
But your pretty little eyes so blue
Are pulling me in
Like the moon on your skin
I’m so glad you trusted me
To slide up on this dusty seat
And let your hair down
Get out of town
Got the stars coming out over my hood
And all I know now is it’s going good
You got your hands up
You’re rocking in my truck
You got the radio on
You’re singing every song
I’m set on cruise control
I’m slowly losing hold
Of everything I got
You’re looking so damn hot
And I don’t know what road we’re on
Or where we’ve been
From staring at you girl
All I know is I don’t want this night to end
Gonna cuss the morning when it comes
Cause I know that the rising sun
Ain’t no good for me
Cause you’ll have to leave
Gonna make the most of every mile
Do anything to make your smile
Land on my lips
Get drunk on your kiss
Clock on the dash says 3:35
There’s plenty of gas and the night’s still alive
You got your hands up
You’re rocking in my truck
You got the radio on
You’re singing every song
I’m set on cruise control
I’m slowly losing hold
Of everything I got
You’re looking so damn hot
And I don’t know what road we’re on
Or where we’ve been
From staring at you girl
All I know is I don’t want this night to end
You got your hands up
You’re rocking in my truck
You got the radio on
You’re singing every song
I’m set on cruise control
I’m slowly losing hold
Of everything I got
You’re looking so damn hot
And I don’t know what road we’re on
Or where we’ve been
From staring at you girl
All I know is I don’t want this night to end
I don’t want this night to end
No I don’t want this night to end

Luke Bryan is popular with the ladies and many of his songs and music videos are suggestive. Both of these songs have to do with relationships and have suggestive music videos. "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" is a current popular hit of Luke Bryan's. The song is upbeat with instruments such as guitar and drums. There are some backup vocals toward the end of the song, but for the most part, Bryan's voice is the most prominent thing heard when listening to the song. The lyrics are easily understandable and relatable because everyone has had a relationship that did not work out. The music video accurately portrays what the song is about.  

Luke Bryan "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" Music Video

Both "I Don't Want This Night To End" and "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" are about relationships with others, specifically significant others. Luke Bryan has many songs about this topic. This is a topic both men and women, young and old, can relate to. Luke Bryan has many songs that are popular among country music listeners. These two songs are hits that are popular among country music listeners, but are becoming popular with other listeners. 

Neither of the songs mentioned above are popular mainstream hits, but Luke Bryan does cover mainstream hits at his concerts. Bryan does not cover a lot of songs, but has been known to cover Justin Beiber and Adele. 

Willie Nelson Song Analysis

Willie Nelson's Poetry of the Common Man

Willie Nelson seems to be the epitome of an authentic country artist, but his sound and persona are far from Nashville’s stereotype of real “country” musicians. Nelson’s sound always remained original and unaffected by pop-culture, and his mainstream success could be credited to his innovation and rejection of country artist sterotypes. People gravitated toward this artistic nuance as a breath of fresh air in the realm of country music. He made no to attempt to fit any mold, and this liberation allowed Nelson to transcend the limitations of the country genre, as well as transcend the limitations of social class as his music appealed to audiences of all ages and statures. This widespread and unique appeal drove Nelson to become one of the most iconic artists of all time.

Country music lyrics often argue for their own authenticity, where artists sometime falsely link themselves to a working-class, rural lifestyle that they never actually experienced. However, Willie Nelson’s lyrics are seldom perceived as trying or pretentious. Instead, his lyrics are representative of both his lifestyle and the lifestyle of his audience, and are arguably the poetry of the common man. His song “The City of New Orleans,” included in his “16 Biggest Hits” album, was written by Steve Goodman, but appealed to Nelson’s admiration and empathy for the struggles of the average working-class man. Nelson tells the story of a man’s journey through America on a freight train as he struggles to provide for his family. Nelson’s connection to the lyrics and his appearance of authenticity are both vital elements for the song’s widespread appeal where the significance and success of the song depends on whether or not the audience really believes that the artist’s heart is poured into every word.

“The City of New Orleans”

Dealin' card games with the old men in the club car

Penny a point ain't no one keepin' score

Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle

Feel the wheels rumblin' 'neath the floor

And the sons of Pullman Porters

And the sons of engineers

Ride their father's magic carpets made of steel

Mothers with their babes asleep

Are rockin' to the gentle beat

And the rhythm of the rails is all they feel

These lyrics provide a sense of empathy for the working-class family, where every day is a struggle and overworked men take pleasure in the acts of heavy drinking and gambling. The mention of the job “Pullman Porters” is interesting because the original Pullman Porters were often slaves that had been recently freed. The mention of this job suggests that many working-class Americans are slaves to their occupations, where people do whatever is necessary to survive. Nelson sympathizes with the struggle of the common family, and represents the traditional values of this culture through his own humble beginnings as a child of the Great Depression.

Nighttime on the city of New Orleans

Changing cars in Memphis, Tennessee

Half way home, we'll be there by morning

Through the Mississippi darkness

Rolling down to the sea

And all the towns and people seem

To fade into a bad dream

And the steel rails still ain't heard the news

The conductor sings his song again

The passengers will please refrain

This trains got the disappearing railroad blues

In these lyrics, Nelson seems to understand the insignificance and routineness of these people’s lives as the train goes from city to city and all of the towns and people “seem to fade into a bad dream.” Although the song’s lyrics are melancholic, the music sound is uplifting and inspirational, as if Nelson is encouraging these people to stay positive, calling himself America’s “native son” which suggests Nelson is along for the ride with them. Nelson’s authenticity and genuine concern for the struggles of these people is arguably the reason this song achieved such notable mainstream success. 

Willie’s song “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground” is arguably the saddest song he was ever written. Written after his son’s suicide, Nelson expresses his deepest emotions and allows his audience to mourn with him in a way that makes the listener feel like they know him personally.

"Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground"

If you had not have fallen

Then I would not have found you

Angel flying too close to the ground

I patched up your broken wing and hung around for a while

Trying to keep your spirits up and your fever down

So leave me if you need to, I will still remember

Angel flying too close to the ground.

I knew someday that you would fly away

For love's the greatest healer to be found

So leave me if you need to, I will still remember

Angel flying too close to the ground

Fly on fly on past, the speed of sound

I'd rather see you up than see you down

So leave me if you need to, I will still remember

Angel flying too close to the ground.

Regardless of whether this song is mourning the loss of his son or some other fallen relationship, the message is undeniably powerful and the emotions are real. It is relatable not through the stereotypes of the “country” lifestyle, but because everyone who has ever experienced the loss of a loved one can sympathize with Nelson’s sorrow which, in a way, connects Nelson to his audience even more. The song’s sound is slow, melancholic, and mournful, as are the lyrics. His live performance of this song could draw a tear from anyone’s eye, and it even seems Nelson has to refrain from tearing up as well. To me, this song speaks to Nelson’s authenticity through its honesty and believability, where only the most serious and sincere heartbreak could inspire such poetic lyrics and artistry.