My name is Zoe. I am 34 years old. And I like country music.
Sorry.
You’ll no doubt assume that this is a sign of my age. Apparently we stop listening to new music when we are 33, so I guess I shall start saying “songs of today don’t have any tune” or the like soon. But the fact is that I’ve always enjoyed the story telling you get with a great country record – the songs have melody, great guitar rifs, playable bass lines, and meaning (or, if not meaning, something to laugh at). Country music is always easy to listen to.
I should add that, of course, I like all kinds of music. This isn’t an exclusive thing here. I especially like rock, which derived from country in any case, and give me some jazz, classical, film scores, brit pop, indie, and other styles besides and I’ll be a very happy Zoe all day long.
Country music is defined by its story telling, and that twang you can feel down to the soles of your feet. The best road trip songs are country, then there are the weepy ones, and don’t forget the ones that are full of so much anger you think the singer ought to go to a class rather than be allowed on stage.
As today is BEDM “guilty pleasures” day, I thought I’d offer you my top five country songs for listening to on your next road trip… go on… give them a try!
1) Life is a Highway | Rascal Flatts
2) King of the Road | Roger Miller
3) Country Roads (Take Me Home) | John Denver
4) Days Go By | Keith Urban
5) On the Road Again | Willie Nelson
And one for luck because it never fails to make me smile… I Like Trucks | Kendal Carson
Shybiker
As the kids say, you do you. While I don’t like what is called country music here, if you stretch the definition (which your selections do), there’s some overlap I enjoy.
Splodz
Yea absolutely – I know my choices aren’t traditional country and western music, but rather more melodic storytelling country music we hear over hear. Much more varied.
Cheryl Pasquier
I always thought I hated country music and took the mickey out of an American friend who said it was pretty much all he listened to, but then he sent me through some songs to listen to and I was hooked. I don’t know why it’s got such a bad reputation in the UK !
Splodz
It has got a bad reputation which is a shame. The fact is a lot of our music, especially rock, evolved from country anyway.