Comments on: Oak Ridge Boys Team Up with Cracker Barrel; AKUS in NYC; New Eilen Jewell Video

By: Matt Bjorke

Matt Bjorke — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 17:45:03 +0000

If people think “Mean” is juvenile, wonder what they think of “Country Music Jesus” from Eric Church, a song that he wrote in response to critics. From Eric himself:

‘”Country Music Jesus” is more tongue-in-cheek than it seems. I got really tired of a lot of the older reporters always looking for the next Johnny Cash or Waylon – I heard one of them use the actual like about “saving the formant’s soul.” So, this one’s a little bit of a dig at people who say you have to have the steel guitar and a banjo. Why’s that arule? why do we have to make the same music we made in the 50s?…’

By: nm

nm — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 13:08:11 +0000

I’m thinking of something akin to “Mean” but told from Rachel Jackson’s point of view. Or, you know, “Battle of New Orleans” but with Dolley Madison getting George Washington’s portrait out of the White House. The possibilities are endless.

By: Jon

Jon — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 05:35:10 +0000

Realistically, it was a random snarky comment about something, not an indictment of Taylor Swifts interest, so we can save everyone the time and energy of the back and forth with a quick laugh at a random comment that was made in jest.

If the comment had been funny, I might have laughed. Unfortunately, it wasn’t.

By: bambi

bambi — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 05:02:56 +0000

@idlewildsouth Funny. I absolutely agree with you on the undertones of the song Mean, but it’s so deliciously juvenile! Who can resist? And the irony of it– it’s mean! It’s one of a very few songs of hers I enjoy.

I also enjoy snarky comments on this thread. . .

By: idlewildsouth

idlewildsouth — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 02:59:07 +0000

I’m saying I take issue with the undertones of that particular song and what it says. It tells people that if someone criticizes it means that they are all of those things. It couldn’t mean that they are saying something that is true. No matter anyones opinion of Taylor Swifts art, the fact that she has pitch problems cannot be denied.

In other news, I hope they are more in the Scott Miller realm. I thoroughly enjoy Steve Earle, but I enjoy the production of and the subtle cleverness of Miller over Earle.

By: Barry Mazor

Barry Mazor — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 20:48:19 +0000

Or Scott Miller type history songs?

By: nm

nm — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 19:44:54 +0000

Now she’s gonna start to do Steve-Earle-type history songs, right?

By: Barry Mazor

Barry Mazor — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 18:55:29 +0000

Apparently, the problem is supposed to be that Ms. Swift often refers to her own experiences and knowledge in what she writes, which may not always gel 100% of those of the listener. If we have more of that sort of thing, eventually, literacy, even songwriting might just break out, when we could, instead, just be sharing a longneck–again.

By: Jon

Jon — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 18:34:36 +0000

In your mind, making snarky comments in general about someone – and about her interest in earning about the history of her country in particular – is the same as criticizing her job performance?

By: idlewildsouth

idlewildsouth — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 14:23:43 +0000

Because I’m a liar, and pathetic, and alone in life. Because being mean to someone (or, criticizing someone’s performance at the job that they willingly chose to pursue) obviously equals being a pathetic, lonely liar. It couldn’t be that that person just has an opinion that happens to hurt the object of their critiques feelings.