Have You Guys Heard This?

[Nymuso]

I was driving home from a gig last night, listening to the radio. I seldom listen to Country much anymore but I had a Country station on and this popped up. I thought it was tremendous.

It might be controversial in some quarters for various reasons, but I thought the writing and production were first rate.

[Bob from Brooklyn]

Good tune. Easy to listen to. A little harder to watch.

[tinnitus]

Dang! Good song. Strong video.

[Mr. Paul]

Really well done.

[Brucebubs]

I'm also not a country music listener but several years back I worked week-ends in a music store and kept something playing over the sound system during open hours.

I threw on a Country hits CD and found myself really liking this song by Australian singer Felicity Urquhart.

A good song is a good song.

[Rolph]

Nice song........the video promotes ignorance, violence, smoking, and domestic violence. Sorry, I find it disgusting.

[Acousticado]

Gotta say...there’s nothing I liked about that song/video. Messed-up.

[Andromeda]

Nope, nope, nope!

[FrankHS]

Originally Posted by Rolph

Nice song........the video promotes ignorance, violence, smoking, and domestic violence...

And apparently I'm supposed to sympathize with a vigilante murder. "Production values" can't rescue all that.
OTOH, it's a tradition in folk music: Banks of The Ohio, etc.

[Nymuso]

Interesting responses, negative responses were not unanticipated.

What drew me to the song was my musician's ear. I immediately liked the guitar riff that, when it didn't waver, told me a dark subject was coming. I liked the chimey counter point to the low riff and the entrance of the female voice. I like how the intensity of the music grew and how a choir was used at the end. This was not your typical three chord butt kicker roadhouse tune, nor did it tend to the "bro Country" pseudo hip-hop trend of newer Country music. The song could have been about candy bars and I would have liked it.

But it wasn't about candy bars. It was about domestic abuse and one man's response to it. One thing I always admire about a good lyricist is the ability to convey much with an economy of words, which this guy certainly was adept at doing. He told an interesting story. But for many, it seems, he goes beyond.

The video for me is an afterthought. However it pretty much matches what I'd envisioned. But it didn't turn me into a vigilante. Or a smoker. Or an ignorant, violent person; and certainly not an abuser. Although it did not propel me to those things it did depict them. As hundreds of videos and thousands of films have in the past. Were all of these films or videos endorsing these things? Was Sylvester Stallone? Was Liam Neeson? How about Jackie Chan in The Foreigner? Those things were storytelling, as is this. The story is not always pretty.

Ours are not the final words that are going to be written about this song and video, I'm sure. But thank you to all who responded here, whether you saw things as I did or not.

[Rolph]

Originally Posted by Nymuso

Interesting responses, negative responses were not unanticipated.

What drew me to the song was my musician's ear. I immediately liked the guitar riff that, when it didn't waver, told me a dark subject was coming. I liked the chimey counter point to the low riff and the entrance of the female voice. I like how the intensity of the music grew and how a choir was used at the end. This was not your typical three chord butt kicker roadhouse tune, nor did it tend to the "bro Country" pseudo hip-hop trend of newer Country music. The song could have been about candy bars and I would have liked it.

But it wasn't about candy bars. It was about domestic abuse and one man's response to it. One thing I always admire about a good lyricist is the ability to convey much with an economy of words, which this guy certainly was adept at doing. He told an interesting story. But for many, it seems, he goes beyond.

The video for me is an afterthought. However it pretty much matches what I'd envisioned. But it didn't turn me into a vigilante. Or a smoker. Or an ignorant, violent person; and certainly not an abuser. Although it did not propel me to those things it did depict them. As hundreds of videos and thousands of films have in the past. Were all of these films or videos endorsing these things? Was Sylvester Stallone? Was Liam Neeson? How about Jackie Chan in The Foreigner? Those things were storytelling, as is this. The story is not always pretty.

Ours are not the final words that are going to be written about this song and video, I'm sure. But thank you to all who responded here, whether you saw things as I did or not.

For me, I wouldn't have known how negative this was without the video. This doesn't turn you into all the things I said, it desensitizes you to accept these as part of normal life. Give me Beatles love songs instead.

[Bob Womack]

It is a common theme in music. This song sold over a half-million copies in 1994 and its content wasn't considered very controversial:


Bob

[Silurian]

Well that's five minutes of my life I won't get back.

A self Indulgent dirge trying to pretend that it has something to say. Truly vapid, vacuous and awful.

[dnf777]

I didnt care for it, myself.

Meet a stranger in a strange town, and end up with life in prison?

I suppose a song about calling the police and taking her to a shelter or family wouldnt sell, or fit a standard video format.

[Silly Moustache]

The "Hardy" song is certainly not to my taste.
i managed to find the lyrics and it is too violent/aggressive for me.
No pleasure or enlightenment in it.

Couldn't find the lyrics to the Felicity ??? song so can't comment but "I liked the backing" (elderly Brits will get that).

I sing "cowboy" songs that involve shootings - but that is just an American fairy tale.

This Hardy song is just about a part of society that I have no wish to be interested in.

Whatever Bob W put up in "unavailable" in the UK.