MetaFilter posts tagged with country

Gone, like a train...

flapjax at midnite — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 06:26:00 -0800

There's just something so pleasing about watching a mixed freight train go by. Here are several versions of the classic train number, "Wreck of the Old 97": Hank Snow Johnny Cash Roy Acuff Boxcar Willie The Seekers Flatt & Scruggs with... the Beverly Hillbillies! This clip features Johnny Cash once again, but the video is a crude CG reenactment of the crash. and finally, this old recording by ??? features yet another curious (and even more crude) CG reenactment of the crash... Train song lovers might also want to check out my FPP from earlier this month on The Wabash Cannonball.

John Prine

stavrogin — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 11:12:29 -0800

John Prine released John Prine in 1971 with the songs Illegal Smile, Spanish Pipedream, Hello In There, Sam Stone, Para dise, Pretty Good, Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore, Far From Me, Angel From Montgomery, Quiet Man, Donald & Lydia, Six O'clock News and Flashback Blues. An interview from 1971.

God loves my country more than he loves yours.

emelenjr — Mon, 26 May 2008 18:17:33 -0800

Wonderfully artistic video for the song "God Loves My Country", by Balthrop, Alabama, a small-town band.

Snoop and Willie

445supermag — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 19:18:49 -0800

Willie Nelson "Superman" featuring Snoop, Snoop Dogg "My Medicine" featuring Willie Nelson, live at Melkweg.

Rockabilly Rundown

Miko — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 13:24:09 -0800

Whole Lotta Shakin' - a PRI documentary series on the history of rockabilly, hosted by Rosie Flores.

The day my mama socked it to the Harper Valley PTA

flapjax at midnite — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:29:33 -0800

Sometimes, when you've had your fill of people basking in the golden light of their self-righteous indignation, you just wanna hear a song about somebody telling those holier-than-thou-ers where to get off. Something like, say, Harper Valley PTA. Here's Jeannie C. in another performance of the song, a stylish (very sixties) B&W version, from a TV spot. Here's the lyrics. Too young to remember Peyton Place, referenced in the last verse? See here, here and here. And how 'bout those gold boots and matching minidress Jeannie C. was sporting in that live clip, eh? Couldn't help but remind me of Nancy Sinatra in similar attire, performing (what else?) These Boots Are Made for Walking, from 1966. When Harper Valley PTA (written by Tom T. Hall) was released in 1968, it hit #1 on both the Billboard country AND pop charts, which was an historical first. Read all about it! Jeannie C. Riley Wikipedia page and her official website. Dolly Parton's cover version. Country great Loretta Lynn has covered this song as well, but I couldn't find her version on the web. Here she is with Jeannie C. Riley, though, doing Don't Come Home a'Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind) . The Riley Wikipedia page mentions her battles with depression. There's a bit more on that here. NOTE: FPP wording lifted wholesale from flashboy's MeTa comment here. Thanks, flashboy!

Red Foley's war effort.

flapjax at midnite — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:15:29 -0800

Just the other day I was thinking about World War 2-era propaganda songs, so of course I gave a listen to Smoke On the Water. Say what? You didn't know it was about kickin' Hitler's ass? Or Hirohito's? Guess you weren't listening well enough when ol' Red Foley sang: "...there'll be nothing left but vultures to inhabit all that land, when our modern ships and bombers make a graveyard of Japan..." I tell you, they just don't write songs like that anymore, friends. Anyway, by 1951 Red was looking forward to Peace in the Valley. More from Red Foley: Hot Rod Race: What a cool little guitar solo! Pin Ball Boogie : Complete with pinball sound effects! Crazy Little Guitar Man: As might be expected, this live TV spot features some slick plucking from stringman Speedy Haworth. Nice! Freight Train Boogie: Another live spot. Jumping little tune!

4 a.m. Jump

1f2frfbf — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 08:33:56 -0800

It's 3 a.m., on some date in 1975, the white line is wavering in front of your amphetamine bleached eyes, your rig is barreling through the high plains north of nowhere and you won't see your woman for three more days, what 8-track do you need to get you through the night? Why, Country Porn, of course.
Linked page is mostly safe for work, but NSFW audio files, and some text Why is this notable? Chinga Chavin only released this one record, and it was released on Penthouse Records (NSFW), no less. Raunchy trucker country from when country wasn't necessarily pretty.

Honky Tonkin' on Flickr

KevinSkomsvold — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 17:38:46 -0800

A fantastic photoset capturing the life and times of country western artists Carl Butler and Pearl. There are a few people you may recognize as well.

Joe Maphis, King of the Strings.

flapjax at midnite — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 06:23:49 -0800

I tell you what, buddy, that ol' Joe Maphis fellow outta Bakersfield, he was one fast picker. Yup, fast as greased lightning and smooth as gaht-damn silk on that double-neck Mosrite guitar. He and the missus have a little advice for you, too: Don't Make Love In a Buggy. And though Joe was mainly a picker, he did pen one memorable little country ditty which you might've heard in some honky tonk along the line: Dim Lights, Thick Smoke (and Loud, Loud Music). [note: see hoverovers for link descriptions] Here's the Joe Maphis MySpace page. As usual, a number of tunes to listen to here, on the player, including a straight up bluegrass banjo number. More YouTube instrumentals from Joe and sidekick Larry Collins: Flying Fingers and Early American. And this straight-up rock'n'roll number (which finds Maphis on a single neck Mosrite), Ramrod. Maphis worked quite a bit with rockabilly/country chanteuse Wanda Jackson. Catch his groovy solo in this clip of Wanda's Cool Love, and in this little gem, I Gotta Know. Plus Wanda's Hard Headed Woman. Here's Joe backing up Bobby Helms on that singer's cover of Hank William's Long Gone Daddy. Straight Outta Compton! Here's an older Joe, workin' it on out on acoustic, from a record he made with Merle Travis. The Joe Maphis Wikipedia page. The Mosrite Guitars Wikipedia page. Maphis' sidekick Larry Collins is featured in many of the posted YT clips. Here's a Wikipedia page on him and his sister Lorrie Collins, known as The Collins Kids. And here they are doing their rockabilly thing on Rockaway Rock. Following the Collins Kids on this same clip, Joe is seen in yet another duet with Larry Collins, once again sharing that doubleneck Mosrite. And here's the Collins Kids with a decidedly sultrier number, Rock Boppin' Baby, and a rockabilly version of Blue Moon of Kentucky. And here's little Larry, all growed up and still plucking that double neck, sharing the stage with Deke Dickerson just last year, doing Hurricane.