At 12:25 PM 1/29/99 -0500, Todd wrote:
>
>I'd be interested to hear country defined in the positive -- that is by
>actually naming the musical elements that make something country rather
>than by saying what it's *not*. ... My guess is that for every supposed
criterion there are too many
>examples of country songs that *don't* include it to get anything on the
>list.
Well, this is an ongoing topic in P2 land that has probably been badgered
to death, but some of us find it endlessly fascinating (maybe some of us
newer folks, that is). And it almost goes without saying that quantifying
"country" is about as fruitful as pissing in the wind. So lemme try <g>.
One thing (of many) that has always screamed "country" to me is the ii-V-I
chord progression (e.g., in the key of C, it'd be D-G-C). I'm hard pressed
to think of any genres where it's prevalent that don't share some roots
with country. It's all over bluegrass, dixieland/ragtime, and blues. I'm
sure it exists in rock, but I daresay it's pretty rare. Especially now.
Kids these days know nothing about the ii, it's all about their high
falutin' sevenths and sixths. And them crazy flatted fifths really chap my
ass. Instant angst and quirkiness in a bottle. It ain't right...it just
ain't right ... flatted fifths... why I oughta ...
Erin, longing for the good old medieval days when playing a tri-tone (aka
the Devil's chord) could get you thrown in prison. 'S true. People
thought it would summon demons.
