In defence of Country

I know I’m headed for a lot of abuse when I hit Irish shores for my turnaround on Country music so I thought I’d pre-empt it somewhat and try and defend it. Honestly, some of it really isn’t that bad. I mean, sure there are some stereotypical artist and songs, but there is a lot of contemporary country which is, dare I say it, good.

So let me present Tina's Top Ten Reasons why Country isn’t that bad

10. You don’t need an English degree to understand the lyrics. As I’ve said before metaphors don’t exist, they sing it as it is.

9. Nicole Kidman is married to a huge country star. She has excellent judgement. (I’m talking more about the roles she’s decided to play, not so much about her previous husband.)

8. Carrie Underwood won the last season of American Idol. Thirty million Americans can’t be hardly be wrong.

7. Y’all like country too, you just don’t know it. Shania Twain, country. LeAnn Rimes, country. Lonestar, country. Sheryl Crow, country. Faith Hill, country. Trisha Yearwood, country. ‘Sweet Home Alabama’, country.

6. Technically, we, or rather our ancestors are to blame can take credit, it came from Anglo Celtic folk music.

5. They aren’t pretrentious about writing their own songs and playing on them.

4. Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton.

3. The Dixie Chicks proved you could be country and not be blindly Republican.

2. Musically, it’s very accomplished. And I say that with all the authority my GCSE Music and Grade 5 Theory of Music gives me, which is...you know...a lot.

1. It’s hilarious. Any genre of music with lines like ‘Save a horse, ride a cowboy’, ‘she thinks my tractor’s sexy’, or ‘you’re not as beautiful when I’m not drunk’ is surely worth a listen.