Friday, November 25, 2011

I's A Little Bit Country Americana

I have from time to time, expounded on my various and eclectic tastes in music. My tastes have run the gamut over the past four decades of my life, from t.v. pop (The Brady Bunch) to 50's & 60's pop, to BMJ pop (before Michael Jackson) and the variously wonderful offshoots of Rock (you name it, I've probably listened to it) and the other interesting stuff that they play on college radio these days.

However, all of these varied musical influences can be traced back to what I originally grew up listening to: twangy country from the time period of the mid 60's thru early 70's (what is now called Americana) and folk from the mid-60's.

Today's post will cover the twangy country/Americana that still makes up the solid starting point of what I listen to today.

The other day, as I'm want to do when I'm extremely bored, I went surfing on YouTube. I don't go surfing it to find the latest viral video or other nonsense like that, but I surf it to find songs that get stuck in my head from time to time (like last week's post that featured The Beat Farmers). This time I surfed it to find videos to two songs by The Statler Brothers.

The first one that I went searching for was this:



Don't let the opening image disgust you, as this was the way it was shown to me in the menu. The song in question is "Do You Remember These?"

The main reason why I went searching for this song was that as of late, it has become one of my favorite sing-a-long songs during my alone time (shower, at work, driving, etc.). I have pretty decent range in the country genre and this fits it perfectly.

The second one that I went looking for was also another Statler Brothers song:


"Flowers On The Wall" is great country song that was featured in the movie Pulp Fiction. In case you haven't been able to figure it out, The Statler Brothers are one of my favorite country artists, and I have quite a few albums and a boxed set of their music to listen to.

I do enjoy that time period of country music, as well as folk, and even though for a time I drifted away from listening to that music, as I got older I learned to embrace it once again, and that allowed me to explore and appreciate other types of genres, like bluegrass and Americana.

However, I do know that some of you may not totally appreciate the previous videos, so I have one here feature cars. "Hot Rod Lincoln" by Commander Cody.



And finally, one of my favorite covers of a Jimmy Rodgers tune, "Waiting For A Train" by Boz Scaggs featuring Duane Allman, which I first heard on "Duane Allman, An Anthology Vol II"


Hope these videos get you into a fantastic frame of mind for the weekend, and I hope you enjoy this little slice of what kind of music makes me tick.

16 comments:

  1. Okay I have to admit to having a hard time with all the songs! It was a bit like being in room with my brother and listening to his music collection. Not that, that's all bad, but just not really my cup of tea. But then I doubt a great deal of my music would be that enjoyable on your ear drums either!! :D

    Have a great weekend G!

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  2. hot rod Lincoln, is a great tune. I remember the Statler brothers well from my youth.

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  3. I love Statler Bros. First concert I ever saw...with Sylvia opening for them. I only got to go because the twins decided that was a good week to be born.

    And I love their "Old and New testament" albums.

    But all that aside, Mom and Dad had one of their records...yes, records...where the bass singer whose name escapes me does a bit that ends, "That is the same dance that used to be held at the Volunteer Fire Hall...before it burnt down"

    Funny stuff. Great music.

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  4. Thanks for the new stuff...haven't heard any of these before.

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  5. Joe: You can never quite say that about me with certain types of music. I do honestly try to open my mind to all forms of music, no matter what they may be.

    Having said that, I can definitely understand about being in a room with my brother and listening to his music. :D

    You have a sensational weekend as well.

    Charles: I was exposed early on to the Statler Brothers when I was my daughter's age thru my dad and it never really left me.

    I went looking for the long live version of "Hot Rod Lincoln" but I couldn't find it.

    Darth: Never saw them in concert, but I was exposed to them at an early age and thus grew to love them as the years and decades rolled on by.

    R: You're more than welcome.

    I'm very partial to the Duane Allman session stuff, which I really didn't find out about until after I'd read a few record guides about his stuff.

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  6. Can't wait until next week when I get to see the videos... but have to! Betting I'll remember them n like them-

    I hope you're having a great Thanks week-end with alot of quality family time. I miss that- I'm having another crazy busy work week-end.

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  7. Snaggle: The videos are actually pretty cool. Most of the videos that I find usually fall under two distinct categories: great tributes and what-were-they-thinking.

    These fall under the former.

    Hopefully you'll get to have an extra T-giving to make up for this one later.

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  8. How about Jim Stafford's Spiders and Snakes. That's about as country as I get.

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  9. Bearman: That's a very cool song. I'd first heard that song back in the 70's on one of those K-Tel compilations.

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  10. Great songs! I don't listen to enough music that includes riffs on banjo or clarinet. I especially like the video for Hot Rod Lincoln. I've forwarded that link to my husband - he likes rockabilly music and cool cars, so he'll enjoy it.

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  11. Wow those brought back some memories. My parents were big country music fans and I grew up listening to the Statler Brothers. What a find Boz Scaggs and Duane Allman! Never heard that one and not what I'd expect from either.

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  12. S.R.: Glad I was able to make your day a little brighter.

    I didn't really start to appreciate the banjo until I started listening to bluegrass some fifteen years ago. Prior to that, my only exposure to the banjo was via Steve Martin comedy albums.

    Jeanne: I originally found out about this particular compilation about 20 years ago, when I was persuing one of those monstrous rock album guides. I like the Allman Brothers and the reviewer for this compilation gave a five out of five star rating. Found it at a used record store (also found vol 1 the same way) and it really is a cool record. Highly recommended if you can find it.

    Boz Scaggs early stuff is pretty cool as well.

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  13. Hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving, G! I know what your mastermind plot is - to implant these tunes into my head so I will be the one humming them and toe-tapping to them in the shower or when driving around town :)

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  14. Talon: Moi?

    Perish the thought that I would have such an ulterior motive as putting someone in a good frame of mind for their day-to-day activities. :D

    Welcome back to blog land and I hope you're doing well.

    And thanks for the well wishes.

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  15. When I was a kid, we'd take family road trip vacations across the country, and my mom and dad would put on Statler Brothers music and my little brother and I would sing along with all the songs. So now, any time I hear a Statler Brothers song, I think of family vacations. Those are some great memories... :)

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  16. Lisa: Absolutely.

    Since I got such unbelievably heavy exposure to the Statler Brothers while growing up (dad used to throw on an album while grading exams, homework, etc.) that it often brings back pleasant memories of my Dad and helps me stay a little bit connected to him some seven years after his passing.

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