Are The Good Songs Really Over For Good?

As I was driving home tonight, Tim McGraw's new song, "Back When", came on KYGO. As I listened to the first verse, I was a little curious. I have a thing for songs of nostalgia, and songs of this particular type are not uncommon; especially in the country genre. Once the chorus hit, I almost changed the station, and probably should have. Here are the lyrics:

Don't you remember
The fizz in a pepper
Peanuts in a bottle
At ten, two and four
A fried bologna sandwich
With mayo and tomato
Sittin' round the table
Don't happen much anymore

We got too complicated
It's all way over-rated
I like the old and out-dated
Way of life

Back when a hoe was a hoe
Coke was a coke
And crack's what you were doing
When you were cracking jokes
Back when a screw was a screw
The wind was all that blew
And when you said I'm down with that
Well it meant you had the flu
I miss back when
I miss back when
I miss back when

I love my records
Black, shiny vinyl
Clicks and pops
And white noise
Man they sounded fine
I had my favorite stations
The ones that played them all
Country, soul and rock-and-roll
What happened to those times?

I'm readin' Street Slang For Dummies
Cause they put pop in my country
I want more for my money
The way it was back then

Back when a hoe was a hoe
Coke was a coke
And crack's what you were doing
When you were cracking jokes
Back when a screw was a screw
The wind was all that blew
And when you said I'm down with that
Well it meant you had the flu
I miss back when
I miss back when
I miss back when

Give me a flat top for strumming
I want the whole world to be humming
Just keep it coming
The way it was back then

Back when a hoe was a hoe
Coke was a coke
And crack's what you were doing
When you were cracking jokes
Back when a screw was a screw
The wind was all that blew
And when you said I'm down with that
Well it meant you had the flu
I miss back when
I miss back when
I miss back when

I feel ashamed that I have just exposed you to that. The parties responsible for this cheesy little number are the Warren Brothers and Don Schlitz who you might recognize for writing the 1979 Kenny Rogers hit, "The Gambler".

Now, "The Gambler" is a good song. How do you go from writing something of that caliber to writing some street knowledge hook crap? Is this where country music is going?

In order to restore my faith in country, I had to pop in one of my favorites from The Hag, "Are The Good Times Really Over":

I wish a buck was still silver and it was back when the country was strong.
Back before Elvis and before the Vietnam war came along.
Before the Beatles and yesterday when a man could still work and still would.
Is the best of the free life behind us now and are the good times really over for good?

Are we rollin' downhill like a snowball headed for hell?
With no kind of chance for the flag or the liberty bell?
I wish a Ford or a Chevy would still last ten years like they should.
Is the best of the free life behind us now and are the good times really over for good?

I wish Coke was still cola and a joint was a bad place to be.
It was back before Nixon lied to us all on TV.
Before Microwave ovens when a girl could still cook, and still would.
Is the best of the free life behind us now and are the good times really over for good?

Are we rollin' downhill like a snowball headed for hell?
With no kind of chance for the flag or the liberty bell?
I wish a Ford or a Chevy would still last ten years like they should.
Is the best of the free life behind us now and are the good times really over for good?

Stop rollin' downhill like a snowball headed for hell.
Standup for the flag, and let's all ring the liberty bell.
Let's make a Ford and a Chevy that'll still last ten years like they should...
The best of the free life is still yet to come and the good times ain't really for good.

If that isn't genuis songwriting, I don't know what is...

Posted by kyle at 10:29 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

"Back To Basics" In Action

"[Thomas] Jefferson, believing that the taming of the horse had resulted in the degeneracy of the human body, urged the young to walk for exercise."

This quote came from Undaunted Courage, by Stephen Ambrose. It is the story of, as the subtitle so eloquently puts it, "Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, And The Opening Of The American West." I highly recommend it, and I, for one, think anything that comes from Ambrose is gold.

Instead of posting some grand insight I've gathered about one of the most defining moments of our country, my mind wondered to what Jefferson would think of our society today. What would he think about automobiles? Or better yet, drive-thru windows? How much more distain would he have for these, if any?

I believe that his advice would be the same. So what kind of tips are we getting now in a society with 200 years of technological advancements, abundant food supplies, and an unhealthy attitude towards carbohydrates?

Take a walk...

Kellogg's, McDonalds, and a handful of other companies will give you a personal pedometer to measure your "2,000 steps-a-day" for a healthier lifestyle.

Maybe the master of Monticello was as cosmopolitan as all my history teachers made him out to be. I sure think so.

Black Label Blues

I am about 10 days behind the curve on this, but Brown-Forman Corporation lowered the alcohol content of Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey to 80 proof.

This was first brought to my attention one week ago by my fellow whiskey lover, Doug Heinz. Since then, there has been a boycott and petition led by Modern Drunkard Magazine.

I can't say that I agree with the lowering of alcohol content, or the boycott against Jack Daniels. The Old No. 7 Black Label is a great whiskey, but it's not the best Jack Daniels has to offer. If you disagree have a glass of Single Barrel, straight up, and then come talk to me. Remember also that Gentleman Jack is a tremendous offering out of Lynchburg. It is only 80 proof, and one of my favorite whiskeys.

I would like to see having both alcohol volumes available. It has worked well for Dickel.

That said, I still believe that this is an outrage. Modern Drunkard hits the mark with slamming the marketing fluff from Jack Daniels:

Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 is a simple reminder that some things just never change. And shouldn’t. This is the old-time whiskey made as our fathers made it. Remaining true to Jack Daniel’s original recipe and charcoal-mellowed character means folks today enjoy the same sipping whiskey awarded seven international gold medals. (From JackDaniels.com)

MDM:So says Jack's Daniel's web site. Rather inspiring, isn't it? Such noble sentiments should warm the cockles of the most cynical drunkard's heart.

Unfortunately, not a word of it is true. For the second time since the Brown-Forman Corporation acquired the distillery in 1956, they have lowered the proof of Jack Daniel's Black Label Tennessee Whiskey. Fifteen years ago they dropped its original 90 proof to 86, and very recently, and might I say with zero fanfare, they degraded it to 80 proof.

I am one to never mess with a good thing. The folks at Brown-Forman are doing just that, and it's a mistake. It did get me thinking, though. I wonder how many of the petitioners do one or more of the following:

• Poison their whiskey with Coke, Ginger Ale, sour, or any other type of mixer
• Drink their whiskey quickly, to get it over with
• Need a chaser after every shot of whiskey
• Drink whiskey for the sole purpose of getting drunk

So...if you have been a straight up whiskey drinker your whole life, adding nothing to your favorite amber fire water, God bless you, sign that petition. If you are one that needs to "take off the edge" somehow, don't even think about it. You've done enough to this great whiskey.

It is a sad day in the whiskey world, but, honestly, I think it was more of a tradegy when they started bottling that "Hard Cola" nonsense. If that isn't diarrhea in a bottle, I don't know what is...

Italian-Asian Fusion?

Sheri and I have come to love this salad. We used to be able to get it at Whole Foods Grocery, but we haven't seen it there in awhile, so we decided to try to make it ourselves. It worked on the first try. Lucky us...here's the good stuff:

Orzo-Edamame Salad

1-1.5 cups Edamame beans (cooked and out of pods)
1/2 lb. Orzo Pasta
3/4 cup Red Onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons Cilantro, finely chopped
4 oz White Wine Vinegar (or Rice Wine Vinegar)
4 oz Olive Oil
1 lime juiced
Salt and White Pepper to taste

Cook edamame beans. I usually cook them in the pods and then "de-pod" them. You can cook them out of the pod, or just use pre-cooked ones as well. Next, cook the pasta until it is almost al dente. The pasta is going to soak up a lot of the dressing. If it is a little undercooked, it will keep it's texture instead of getting too soft.

Combine the edamame, orzo, red onion, cilantro, and dressing in a large mixing bowl. Stir. Salt and white pepper to taste. Cover and let salad chill in the fridge for a couple hours.

The white pepper is strictly for aesthetics. If you only have black pepper it will be fine. Just be aware that you will see every black speck in the salad.

For the dressing:
Combine lime juice, vinegar, and a touch of salt and white pepper. While stirring, add olive oil slowly until mixture is emulsified.

This makes just over a cup a dressing. I usually use the whole thing, but I add it gradually to avoid drowning the salad.