Country vs. Southern

There are many phases we go through in this life. There are the bad ones and even the good ones. Some help us grow. And some are downright embarrassing to look back on. Even so, all of them help us grow and become the person we are as adults. Now I've been through my share of "phases" and dream rabbit trails throughout my childhood. Lord knows I've been down so many life roads in my head since I was a kid. I don't think I have enough room in this post for all the embarrassment. But I think we all go through that as we search for a home. Not a physical home or even a home as in a specific geographic location. But rather a state of mind, a place of comfort, perhaps a calling, a way of life. And I think most recently I have found mine.

I love history. I love western history. I love westerns. But I think there was always something holding me back from truly embracing my love of the modern western (emphasis on western) lifestyle. The plaid, the boots, and etc. I think it had a lot to do with what I've grown up seeing in my home state of Mississippi. No offense to my fellow Mississippians, but you have it all wrong! For pity's sake quit calling yourself country folk because you wear Justins with your country chic style clothes and go mudding and hunting every weekend. You ain't country! You are SOUTHERN.

There's a fine line when it comes to country folk that separates the wheat from the chaff and the country folk from the southern folk. I once complimented someone on their nice western boots only to have them tell me they aren't really into western stuff. Excuse me?!? Okay, deep breath. I know the shoes don't make the man, and your style of clothes doesn't necessarily reflect your lifestyle...Oh, no, wait. I think it does. At least it should. I mean, I'm not saying you have to live on a ranch to dress like a cowboy these days. But goodness gracious, if you aren't at least somewhat in love with the way of life, please quit giving the style a bad name. All I ask from the southern states outside of Texas is this... Quit trying to be country when you don't have a sense of western culture whatsoever. It's confusing. And to be honest, it's ruining the real definition and personification of the cowboy way of life. It's okay I suppose if you want to embrace a southern way of life. Just quit mixing western culture in with it while dubbing yourself country folk. Please.

Oh, yeah, and while we're at it, country music these days IS NOT country music. It's a mix of perverse values and southern pop rock topped with a fedora and skinny jeans trying to pass as western flair with little ode to the cowboy and the way of the west. It just ain't. Country music used to speak of life and real issues set to the backdrop of heart-tugging stories of strength and faith. Now days, without the influence of the true cowboy spirit, country music sounds more like a northerner trying to make it down here with little knowledge of the genre. Meanwhile, they've got plenty of hot girls, pickup trucks, and who knows what else. And they look like hipsters. Ugh. Here's a brief lyric study...

Upon getting my Googling fingers worked, I decided to put two country songs side-by-side. One from previous years and one that's topping the charts right now. I've never heard the latter, but I have heard the former. Just see if you can tell the difference between these two country choruses:

Year: 1994

One will get you where you're going
When you haven't got a prayer
And one will bring you back son
If you're dreams ain't waiting there
You're out on your own now
We won't be there to fall back on
But you know we're never farther
Than a Bible and a bus ticket home.

Year: 2016

You're holy, holy, holy, holy
I'm high on loving you, high on loving you
You're holy, holy, holy, holy
I'm high on loving you, high on loving you

I have no words. Well, I may have a few. But anyways. And I'm pretty sure the first one sounds a bit more country western worthy musically than the latter. I'm willing to bet on that one. Oh yeah and go figure country artists used to sing about Jesus a little bit too. Shocker. Why? Let's see...The true cowboy spirit is about faith, family, and patriotism. Loving your country. Embracing those you love. And honoring the faith and values you were brought up to respect. I don't know about you. But somewhere along the line, that was forgotten along with the fact that artists have completely ignored the roots of the music of their predecessors and started calling their own version of music by a name it doesn't deserve. It's sad. Maybe I'll help do something about it one of these days.

Oh, and lastly...