Apropos of yesterday’s Random Wednesday Conversation Starter, I’ll put a couple favorite country and western songs of mine, as I can’t name just one.
Ray Charles and Willie Nelson, “Seven Spanish Angels”. I love this because, in addition to its gorgeous melody and the fact that the two performers here are, well, geniuses, the song invokes the folklore of the American West that I like a lot when used in country music.
Eddie Rabbitt, “Every Which Way But Loose”. Yeah, the title song from the goofy Clint Eastwood movie (which I like, thank you very much). It too has a wonderful melody, Eddie Rabbitt’s voice was fantastic, and this song has a slow, sad sensuality to it that I like when country is able to do it right.
Johnny Cash, “Ring of Fire”. I could have named any of, oh, five hundred or so Johnny Cash songs. The man was a miracle. I choose this one because I love its rhythm — this is a song that has a hitch in its step that at first you don’t really even notice, but try walking along to it: you’ll find that the beats end up on different feet. (Seriously.)
Jo Dee Messina, “I’m All Right”. With newer country music, I tend to respond to female artists more than males these days for some reason. I think Jo Dee Messina’s voice is amazing, and this song’s lyrics are cleverly used to relate one half of a conversation — but that’s really all we need.
I was at a picnic yesterday, and the guy sang, among other things, Ring of Fire.
Kelly, we may never be able to agree on Highlander, but I'm thrilled we have Every Which Way But Loose in common! Ridiculous movie, but a lot of fun and a movie that couldn't get made today for all sorts of reasons, not least of which is that movies no longer celebrate working-class joes the way they did for a time in the '70s. And, as you say, the theme song is just wonderful…