This year's Christmas episode takes us back to 1982, and Dolly Parton's nuanced version of " Hard Candy Christmas ". Chords, lyrics, and melody all keep this song subtly shifting between bitter and sweet, but how does Dolly Parton's exquisite delivery turn this one from lovely to legendary?
Alan Jackson takes the Lovable Loser through a 12-bar blues romp complete with lighthearted fun, virtuoso solos, and even some poetic justice, in his 1995 hit " I Don't Even Know Your Name ". But is it more George Jones this time, or Buck Owens?
Diamond Rio restacks the harmony and dishes out the twang in their 1991 hit " Mirror, Mirror ". Everyone's delivering blue notes on this one, but how do the lyrics and tonality suggest something darkly humorous about the singer's hardluck introspection? (Also, what exactly is the Mandela Effect?)
Alabama takes us back to the past in more ways than one...or two...with their 1981 hit " Old Flame ". Their typical vocal harmonic fun is there, but what is it about the lyrics of this one that suggests an internal dialogue about a relatable external threat?
We head back to the personal ads to peruse Chely Wright's " Single White Female ". There are several unique rhythmic and harmonic things going on in this quintessential 1999 hit, but what do those defining musical characteristics have to do with the simultaneously forward and reserved lyrics?
We dive into the waters of Alan Jackson's signature song, 1993's " Chattahoochee ". It's Alan Jackson, so it's going to be earnest neotraditional honky-tonk, but how does the authentic nostalgia in this one take it from good, to great, to all-time classic? (And what exactly is a hootchie-cootchie?)
We dive deep into Alabama's Cajun-flavored 1984 anthem, " If You're Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band) ". This one has always had us screaming "Cotton-eye Joe!" from back the row, but is there something larger going on here about Alabama's posture toward the impending neotraditionalist wave? Hmm... let's open up this case and see what's inside.
We take our first look at the late, great Toby Keith, and his 1993 hit (from the Long Names Department) " A Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action ". We get all of the trademark Toby Keith brashness in this cut, but what key ingredients of the Toby Keith persona are missing from this early-career, non-Keith-penned single?
We explore the supremely earnest delivery of Alan Jackson, as exemplified in 1990's " Wanted ". Honky-tonk meets gospel in this quintessentially neotraditionalist gem, but how can Jackson's humble "yes ma'am"s and "no ma'am"s authentically carry the emotional weight that this song needs them to?
We take another look at the Haggard-esque neo-traditional grit of early Clint Black, with his 1992 hit, " We Tell Ourselves ". We get all the earthy blues we'd expect, but how does the musical setting of this cut channel both the doubt and the determination inherent in the complex and heavy situation that the lyrics describe?
We explore the late-90s country pop of megastar Tim McGraw's megahit " Please Remember Me ". Dramatics abound in this go-big-or-go-home production, but why exactly does this song feel more suited to a stadium stage than to a honky-tonk? And how can a cut that sounds so full manage to convey such emptiness?
Melody, harmony, and lyrics all meticulously and perfectly set a specifically bittersweet tone on Billy Dean's 1991 classic: " Somewhere in My Broken Heart ". One listen to this cut will tell you that it's a beautiful song. But why? What specific, nuanced details of this tune and these words strike such a distinct chord with us, both literally and figuratively? Also, here's a link Dean's interview by The Tennessean that we reference several times in this episode: ht...
Things turns all kinds of Yacht Rock as we sail away with one of the biggest hits of the 1980s, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton's iconic duet, " Islands in the Stream ". We're not even sure what they're talking about, but when a song is this catchy and fun, who cares? But why is that? What is it about this country pop classic that has kept it in our collective heads for 40 years? And why do Kenny & Dolly work so well as a pair?...
Bonus episode! For the Fourth of July, we had to turn to Lee Greenwood's towering, uber-patriotic, 1984 single, " God Bless the U.S.A. " That he's proud to be an American no one can doubt, but what richer depths might we find undergirding that sentiment upon closer examination? And what do fireworks have to do with it?
Reba McEntire helps us connect some of the dots that comprise the specific mid-90s MCA sound, as she narrates the complexities of adulthood as only she can, in her 1995 hit " The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter ". We relate to the loneliness mentioned in the title, but is that all that's going on here? And what do major 9th chords have to do with this song's lyrical richness?
We cruise down to southwestern Louisiana to encounter Sammy Kershaw and his debut single, " Cadillac Style ". We've all always known there was a lot of Jones in Kershaw, but is there something deeper to that connection than just the voice? And what possible connection could there be between Cadillac Style and one that's often considered the greatest country song of all time ?...
Little Texas continue to blend musical streams with their only #1 single, 1994's " My Love ". This song is more than just the video, and this band is more than just the hair. But they aren't less than that either. Listen to find out what 80s hair metal and 70s California rock have to do with this song's specific sound. How much is Heart, and how much is Restless Heart? And what does Janis Joplin have to do with it? Also, here's the Brady Seals's solo version th...
In this episode, we dance across the familiar ground of 12-bar blues, as the energetic shuffle of Tanya Tucker's 1993 hit " It's a Little Too Late " convinces us to kick up a little sawdust while we re-evaluating some of our life choices. It's a fun song, but how does the melding of persona and reality make this early 90s dance number particularly memorable?
We take a shot of an all-time classic, John Anderson's " Straight Tequila Night ". Anderson's signature breathy vocals anchor a particularly textural take on neotradional honky-tonk, but why does this song have a certain uncanny sound, and what does the number 440 have to do with it?
We search through another early Brooks & Dunn hit, 1992's " Lost and Found ". It's all about the flow, as this song always seems to take us exactly where we want to go, measure after perfect little measure. But we already knew Kix Brooks could write a great cut, so how exactly does this one nail the feeling of a frantic search, and what does Brooks & Dunn's signature honky-tonk sound have to do with it?...
90s icon Shania Twain takes us right back to the world of 90s feminism with her half-arena-rock / half-honky-tonk hit, " Honey, I'm Home ". Twain played big, and this song plays big, but where we do get irony in her particular brand of subversion, and what musical touchpoints does this song have with a couple of hits from 20 years before?
We look at how The Judds bring their acoustic-with-attitude vibe to the sultry, electric piano-infused " One Man Woman ". Slow, dark, and bluesy is the order of the day on this late-career Judds single, but what does a sonic atmosphere like that have to do with the lyrics' insistence on monogamy?
We take a ride with a legend in his prime in this episode on Ronnie Milsap's 1980 classic " Smoky Mountain Rain ". The connection to Elvis's " Kentucky Rain " is multifaceted and deep, but how does this song use theatrical drama to color its image of a country music cliche? And what happens when you ask Ronnie Milsap to make the thunder roll? Here a couple of videos that are referenced in the episode: Smoky Mountain Rain on Austin City Limits: https://youtu.be/p0Zpy...
In this episode, we look at how Collin Raye's signature song, " Love, Me " kept it gentle sentimental. Everything contributes, from the memorable acoustic guitar intro to Raye's smooth, sweet tenor vocals. But what do stoic farmers have to do with it? Also, who remembered that this recording had an electric piano?
Terri Clark tells her ex where he ranks in no uncertain terms, with her debut hit, " Better Things to Do ". Or does she? There's plenty of 90s attitude here, but what details in these lyrics hint that something else may be going on?
Melton finally gets to take on the King, by way of his 1997 hit " Carrying Your Love with Me ". Everything works in this perfect little country song, but how does it all work together , and what is it about George Strait's simple delivery that connects so well not only with the song but also with us?
We continue to explore the quirky side of Mary Chapin Carpenter, and of early 90s country, with her Grammy-winning 1992 hit " I Feel Lucky ". So what is it besides the Dwight Yoakam and Lyle Lovett reference that makes this song so much fun, and what does the long history of country "outlaws" have to do with it?
For Christmas day, we went with the perfect song about Christmas night: Alabama's 1982 classic " Christmas in Dixie" . The joyful yuletide setting is plenty explicit in the song, but what subtly bittersweet threads have also been knit into this comfy Christmas sweater?
We plow through one of Melton's all-time favorite's, Joe Diffie's and Dennis Linde's 1993 classic: " John Deere Green ". The tongue-in-cheek Mayberry tone carries over from "Bubba Shot the Jukebox", but how exactly does this one celebrate simplicity with an assertion that never flaunts its rural contentment?
They don't get much more classic than Randy Travis's major label debut single, 1985's " On the Other Hand ". We could have spent the whole episode on Travis's understated vocals (we practically do!), but what other elements of the song cause us to find ourselves rooting for a man who has already gone a few steps too far?
