Minnesota State University Moorhead



“He Treats Your Little Girl Like a Real Man Should”: The Re-presentation of Conventional Love in Country Music1George PetersonSociology 352Dr. Lee Vigilant12/13/10Abstract:This study contains an examination of the lyrical content of Billboard magazine’s top 30 country songs for the week of November 27, 2010, in an attempt to identify the dominant themes and narratives found therein. Research was conducted using a content analysis method with manual coding, arriving at 18 coded categories. Several themes and topics of social importance were found in the data with femininity, masculinity, gendered interaction, romance, and family being dominant. Ultimately, the data show that the most popular country music primarily contains the theme of romantic love, often framed in terms of conventional, heterosexual interaction. This finding evidences the theoretical notion that popular music can re-present and reinforce the realities of social life. Introduction and Literature Review In the United States, country music is the most popular form of music today (Buckley 1993). It has been argued that music constructs, reinforces or reflects culture and consequently society (Adorno 1973; Albrecht 1954). The lyrics found within country music are the genre’s “core vehicle” of expression because the songs generally have very basic harmonic and rhythmic formations (Van Sickel 2005). Because of its popularity, simplicity, and potential ability to shape culture and society, analysis of country music is fruitful area of sociological inquiry. The notion that country music reflects the rural, southern, conservative, and simple way of life is popular among Americans (Van Sickel 2005). However, country music has experienced a dramatic change in style and has become increasingly popular since its birth in the early 20th century. In a content analysis of the number one country songs from 1960 to 2000, Van Sickel found that on the whole, they contain no political or ideological messages (2005). After the September 11 2001 terrorist attacks, however, country music experienced a flare up of political discourse, primarily in the shape of pro-military patriotism pointed at supporting the Afghanistan and Iraq military operations (Boulton 2008). Given such findings, beyond the general lyrical analysis, this research also focuses on the issues of country “authenticity” and political or ideological rhetoric. Working from Theodor Adorno’s contention that art functions to construct society, Steven Stack and Jim Gundlach researched the relationship of country music to suicide rates (1992). Stack and Gundlach found that in major metropolitan areas, increased airplay of country music correlates with increased suicide rates among white males, even when controlling for other variables. They argued that 51% of the variance in suicide rates is explainable by country music airplay. This study was replicated by scholars Jeffery B. Snipes and Edward R. Maguire, in which they found no significant relationship between radio play and suicide rates (1994). Stack and Gundlach responded with a criticism of their suicide rate construction methodology, to which Snipes and Maguire thereafter utilized their suggested methods and data, still finding no significant relationship between radio play and suicide rates after controlling for divorce, poverty, southern region, and gun availability (1995). Objective, Data, and MethodologyThe objective of this research is to identify, categorize, and analyze the lyrical content of today’s top 30 country songs. In doing so, the songs’ essential meanings and contents are realized and discussed. Working from the assumption that the lyrics convey messages to construct or reinforce social behavior, the central question is: “What messages are re-presented to society in the lyrics?” The data for this study is Billboard magazine’s Top 30 Country songs from the week of November 27, 2010 (Billboard). Billboard is considered to be the authoritative source for music charts. The top 30 country songs presented in this paper are based on popularity of radio airplay, as calculated by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems (Billboard). Lyrics were accessed at (AZ Lyrics).A cursory analysis served to identify each song’s essential content or dominant theme, and accordingly, each song was given a general theme. The results of this are presented in Table 1. Thereafter, it was decided that a manual, concept-driven coding procedure was necessary and most efficient because of the repetitiveness, narration, and occasional opaqueness found in the lyrics. The manual coding procedure worked by noting the any instance of a particular theme or important content of a song, such as marriage. The themes or relevant content found in the data was then tabulated. Themes and content that was observed only one or two times in the dataset have been removed from the tabulations because of their infrequency. The remaining 18 codes are 1) Gendered Interaction, 2) Masculinity, 3) Femininity, 4) Family, 5) Romantic Love, 6) Sex/Sexuality, 7) Christianity, 8) Working Class 9) Political/Ideological 10) Rural 11) Southern 12) Modernization 13) Wisdom, 14) Marriage, 15) Depression 16) Infidelity 17) Alcohol/Drug Use, 18) Morality. These themes are explicated as necessary in the results section of this paper. The Political/Ideological category is the only category in which there were explicit normative political and ideological discourses. Thus, for example, while a song may contain a conventional gendered interaction, or themes of masculinity, it is this researcher’s understanding that such content does not qualify as having a normative ideological message. The only other category with a normative quality was that of Modernization. In this category, the lyrics implicated the complex, technological, and competitive contours of life in the 21st century and were discussed in terms of their value.The dataset and methodology of this research have disadvantages. Although analyzing the most popular country songs is the correct method to understand the content represented to the majority of country music listeners, doing so has the potential to exclude less popular but still prominent content in country music. Another problem exists with the dataset. In the interest of scientific rigor, one might want to analyze the top 30 songs for several different weeks during a year, or, more thoroughly, over a number of years. While it appears that this study reached saturation with 30 cases, this study is a sort of “snapshot” of country music in the 21st century. In keeping with the line of inquiry that concerns the presence of the political discourse in country music, this dataset may not be sufficient to allow for confident results. However, given The Great Recession and its effects, the Tea Party Movement, historic health care legislation, Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, and Obama’s presidency, 2010 is a time of great social importance and one might reasonably expect some of these issues to arise in the dataset. Lastly, another methodological consideration is that of topic selection. For example, the category of “Depression” is included in this analysis; “Happiness” is not. This may reflect some researcher bias in the sense that the categories presented were deemed to have importance by the researcher. Ultimately, it is this researcher’s contention that any and all important recurrent themes are included in this analysis. It should be noted that a secondary investigation was performed to discover the overall popularity of the artists found in the dataset. This was achieved by examining the “Billboard 200,” a chart that displays the most popular albums based on sales. The data for this Billboard chart is acquired by Nielsen SoundScan, a database that records album sales at 14,000 national stores, including both brick-and-mortar and online sales points (Billboard). Evidencing the overall popularity of country music, 21 of the 30 artists in the dataset also had albums in the Billboard 200. ResultsWhat was found to be the central, overriding theme or content in each song is presented in Table 1. Working from the assumption that the songs do not have multi-layered, complex meanings, this analytical framing is useful in elucidating the dominant content being represented. Additionally, since romantic love is found to be the most frequent theme, this table explicates the specific sub-topics of romantic love. Table 1. Top 30 Country Songs November 27 2010 with Dominant Theme and ContentChart PositionArtistTitleDominant Theme(s) or Content1Zac Brown Band As She’s Walking AwayLove: Missed Opportunity2Brad PaisleyAnything Like MeParenting3SugarlandStuck Like GlueLove: Enduring4The Band PerryIf I Die YoungYouth Suicide5Rodney AtkinsFarmer’s DaughterFormation of Romantic Love6Rascal FlattsWhy WaitGetting Married7Darius RuckerCome Back SongLove: Heartbreak8RebaTurn On The RadioLove: Heartbreak9Jason AldeanMy Kinda PartyParty/Casual Sex10George StraitThe Breath You TakePrimacy of Family11Carrie UnderwoodMama’s SongFamily/Moral Development/Romantic Love12Taylor SwiftMineLove: Strong 13Tim McGrawFelt Good On My LipsCasual Sexual encounter at a bar14Keith UrbanPut You In A SongLove: Obsession15Miranda LambertOnly PrettierInterclass 16Chris YoungVoicesLife Evaluation and Moral Development17Trace AdkinsThis Ain’t No Love SongLove - Past Relationship 18Kenny ChesneySomewhere With YouLove - Heartbreak19Justin MooreHow I Got To Be This WayLife Experiences/Moral Development20Luke BryanSomeone Else Calling You BabyLove - Heartbreak21Toby KeithBullets In the GunRomantic Connection/Law Evasion 22Lady Antebellum Hello WorldReflection on life struggles - positive theme23Eric ChurchSmoke A Little SmokeNostalgia for simpler times/alcohol/marijuana use24Sunny SweenyFrom A Table AwayLove/Marriage/Affair25Blake SheltonWho Are You When I’m Not LookingLove - Suspicious/Curious of Partner26Billy CurringtonLet Me Down EasyLove - Taking a Risk27Joe NicholsThe Shape I’m InLove - Heartbreak - Personal Perseverance28The JaneDear GirlsWildflowerCountry Existence29Jerrod NiemannWhat Do You WantLove - In conflict30James WesleyRealSocial Criticism of Pop CultureTable 2. Tabulation of Themes or Content with DefinitionsTheme or Narrative ContentDefinition/SignifiersFrequencyPercentageType/ExplanationRomantic LoveTheme or narrative of romantic love in past, present, or future2377Gendered InteractionInteraction between males and females that has a distinct gender role quality175715 cases conventional, 2 cases unconventionalFemininityPhysical traits and behaviorstraditionally defined as feminine1550MasculinityPhysical traits and behaviors traditionally defined as masculine1137FamilyNarrative involvesthe relationships between/among family members; no apparent ideological theme associated1033Alcohol/Drug UseInclusion of alcohol or other drugs as important to the social context or personal narrative9308 cases alcohol, 1 case alcohol and marijuana useDepressionOverwhelming sadness, behaviors commonly associated with clinical depression such as lethargy723WisdomWisdom as a salient feature of the narrative or singer's thoughts517MarriageProcess of getting or being married as central to the narrative or singer's thoughts620InfidelityInfidelity occurred, evidenced by the narrative or the singer's thoughts413Sex/SexualitySex or sexual themes as important to the song6204 cases sex, 1 case sexual acts, 1 case nude dancingMorality/Moral DevelopmentMorality involves the mention of "doing what is right" or similar assertions; moral development is the life-process of ethics; neither of these had a distinct political/ideological quality6204 cases morality, 2 cases moral developmentPolitical/IdeologicalContent which has political (American political ideas or discourse) or ideological themes (certain normative ideas of social life) 7231 case unclear, 1 case Feminist, 1 case Family Ethic, 1 case Pluralistic, 1 case justice above the law, 1 case political right, 1 case politically mixedRuralDirt roads, farm, "away" from lots of people, small town723SouthernStated or implied a Southern USA geographic setting of the narrative or singer’s location723ChristianityElements of Christianity appearing relevant to the song: prayer, church, divine order, God, Lord, Jesus, faith620Working ClassEvidence of belonging to or discussing the working class (as an important element of the song)5174 cases clear message of working class, 1 case unclearModernizationTechnology, globalization, specialization, the "rat-race"5173 cases critical, 1 case frustrated, 1 case personal disinterestRomantic Love and DepressionRomantic Love and Depression are presented under the same heading because of their tendency to be causally related. At times romantic love was a secondary or supporting theme in depression narratives, and less frequently, at other times, depression was a supporting theme in romantic love narratives. As shown in Table 2, the majority (77%) of songs carry the theme of romantic love. While some songs such as Sugarland’s “Stuck Like Glue” and Keith Urban’s “Put You In a Song” have essentially no meaningful content other than the expression of romantic love, the majority of songs containing this theme do. For example, Taylor Swift, in her song “Mine,” (2010) narrates in first-person of her and her partner’s emotional and economic troubles in their love formation:You were in college working part time waitin’ tablesLeft a small town, never looked backI was a flight risk with a fear of fallin’Wondering why we bother with love if it never lastsI say "Can you believe it?"As we’re lying on the couchThe moment I can see it.Yes, yes, I can see it nowDo you remember, we were sitting there, by the water?You put your arm around me for the first timeYou made a rebel of a careless man’s careful daughterYou are the best thing that’s ever been mineFlash forward and we’re taking on the world togetherAnd there’s a drawer of my things at your placeYou learn my secrets and you figure out why I’m guardedYou say we’ll never make my parents’ mistakesBut we got bills to payWe got nothing figured outSwift concludes with the prediction that their life together will have a good resolution:Do you believe it?Going to make it nowI can see itI can see it nowIn several songs, romantic love, whether past, present, or future, served as the causal foundation for the songs dominant theme—usually being the emotional or behavioral state of the singer—as exemplified in Joe Nichols’s (2010) “The Shape I’m In.” In Nichols’s song, it is clear that a love he once had is responsible for his current afflicted state:I've got a number on a napkinA pounding in my headIt takes everything I've gotTo crawl out of bedI lost a hell of a womanFreedom coked me on the chinBut I'm doing alrightFor the shape I'm inIn “Why Wait” (2010) by Rascal Flatts, the dominant theme is the contemplation of marriage, and romantic love is presented as the foundation:What'aya say girl, we do somethin' crazyQuit puttin' it off, you know what I'm sayin'Ain't like it ain't gunna happen, forever's a givenIt's already writtenWho we kiddin' baby, come onThe stars can't line up any straighterLet's do it now and think about it laterWhy wait another minuteFor somethin' we should'a done yesterday?I know a little churchWith a preacher who could hook us up right awayLove don't need a reasonBaby I don't see how I could love you anymore than I do todaySo why waitSome songs included the theme of romantic love as a small but important part of the dominant theme. For example, in Justine Moore’s (2009) “How I Got To Be This Way,” when the singer recalls events that have shaped his life, romantic relationships and heartbreak were discussed: I've broken a couple good girls hearts cause I said I loved em knowin' I couldn'tAn I've given my heart to a woman who said she would stay when I knew she wouldn'tHey I've done some pretty stupid things but heyI'm a little bit harder and whole lot smarterThat's how I got to be this wayDepression was found in seven of the thirty cases. This depressed state was most often linked to the heartbreak that resulted after a romantic relationship. I woke up again this morning And wouldn't you know it... pouring rain I went and burned a pot of coffee And like that I poured it down the drain 'Cause I didn't know I needed you so And letting you go was wrong And baby I know you got your radio on So this is my my bad, come back song I know I said I wouldn't miss you But now I'm saying I'm a fool You're on the feel good side of leaving And I'm the backside of a mule (Darius Rucker 2010, “Come Back Song”)I get so tired of living like this.I don't have the time, neither do my friends, To stay up at night, to pull me through,And to find the things to keep my mind off of you.So, now tell me, what do you want? What do you want? What do you want from me?Did you call to say you've find someone and I'm a used- to- be.You keep takin' me back, takin' me back where I've already been. If you've moved on why does it feel like I'm losing you again?Can't you see? So what do you want? What do you want from me? (Jerrod Niemann 2010, “What Do You Want”)Other times, the depression discussed had less identifiable causes; in Lady Antebellum’s (2010) “Hello World” it appears that life in general had become too difficult and emotionally draining:Hello worldHow've you been?Good to see you, my old friendSometimes I feel cold as steelBroken like I'm never gonna healI see a light, a little hopeIn a little girlHello worldEvery day I drive byA little white churchIt's got these little white crossesLike angels in the yardMaybe I should stop on inSay a prayerMaybe talk to GodLike he is hereOh I know he is thereYa, I know he's thereFemininity, Masculinity, and Gendered InteractionFemininity is another common theme in the data. The presence of femininity was selected when the song included discussion of physical traits or behaviors traditionally defined as feminine such as lipstick, long beautiful hair, or certain types of jewelry. As shown in Table 2, femininity is present in 50 percent of the cases. A correlation between the presence of femininity and romantic love exists; in 11 of the 15 cases of femininity, romantic love was also a theme. The “Farmer’s Daughter” (2010) by Rodney Atkins exemplifies the presence of both femininity and romantic love:She was just gettin' home from Panama city She was all tanned up and my kinda pretty When her eyes met mine I was thinkin that I would sure love my job As the days got shorter our talks got longer The kisses got sweeter and the feelings got stronger So we'd hop in the truck and get all tagled up Every chance we got We were down by the river all night long When the sun came up I was sneakin' her home And draggin my butt to work With the smell of her perfume on my shirt I'd be on the tractor she'd be on my mind With that sun beatin' down on this back of mine Just when I thought it couldnt get no hotter I fell in love with the farmer's daughter We got married last spring Woah and there ain't no better life for me On the opposite end of the gender spectrum, masculinity was identified in 37 percent of the songs. The presence of masculinity includes physical traits such as muscularity, or behavioral traits such as risk-taking or getting in fights. Brad Paisley’s (2010) “Anything Like Me” draws heavily on the theme of masculinity:He'll probably climb a tree too tall and ride his bike too fast End up every summer wearing something in a castHe's gonna throw a ball and break some glass in a window down the streetHe's gonna get in trouble oh he's gonna get in fightsMasculinity was usually (nine of the eleven cases) presented in conjunction with femininity as part of a conventional gendered interaction. Over half (57%) of the 30 cases were deemed to contain gendered interactions. Within these interactions, all but two were “conventional.” These conventional interactions are labeled as such for a variety of reasons. The presence of male domination should be considered in its varying levels when discussing conventional gendered interactions. Analyzing themes or content of male domination or power dynamics in general is, at some level, a matter of interpretation, especially in examining less than overt actions. If one were to adopt the stringent definition of power that understands it to exist when one actor is able to dictate the behavior of another against their will, male domination would be undetectable in this data. However, in contemporary society, while women are no longer literally property of men, to suggest that male domination no longer exists would be incredibly na?ve; power dynamics are now more subtle. Accepting this fairly vague claim about contemporary power dynamics allows for a general exploration of the theme in country music lyrics.Gendered interactions found in the data that point toward male domination include the female staying at her boyfriend’s place, getting in his car, sitting on his lap, or being defined as someone’s daughter. In others, the gendered interactions presented males and females acting in ways that conform to the popular ideas of normalcy; as such, they do not necessarily imply male domination. Carrie Underwood’s (2009) “Mama’s Song,” when is analyzed as a whole, is perhaps the song in which male domination is most salient. Underwood narrates in first-person of her mother’s concerns about her life development as being resolved by her marriage to a good man, at which time her mother can securely give “her away”:Mama, you taught me to do the right things. So, now you have to let your baby fly. You've given me everything that I will need. To make it through this crazy thing called life. And I know you watched me grow up, and only want what's best for me. And I think I found the answer to your prayers. And he is good, so good. He treats your little girl, like a real man should. He is good, SO good. He makes promises he keeps. No, he's never gonna leave. So, don't you worry about me. Don't you worry about me. Mama, there's no way you'll ever lose me. Giving me away is not goodbye. As you watch me walk down to my future, I hope tears of joy are in your eyes. Most songs contained less potent conventional gendered interactions, such as a basic social behavior in a family:He's gonna hug his momma he's gonna shake my handHe's gonna act like he can't wait to leave (Brad Paisley 2010, “Anything Like Me”)In “Farmer’s Daughter” (2010) by Rodney Atkins, the conventional narrative of a working male and a (presumably not working) female serving him:I'm still haulin' hay and feedin' the hogs and that summer sun has me sweatin' like a dog so I cool off in the creek and she brings me outta glass of sweet ice tea I'm on the tractor and shes on my mind and I can't wait till its quitin' time Or, in “Why Wait” (2010) by Rascal Flatts, a conventional marriage proposal is presented accompanied by other conventional social behaviors: Now I love your mama, let's save her some troubleAnd your daddy won't mind if we save him a bundleGirl it just so happens, that ring that you wantedWell guess what I bought itIt's in my pocket baby, come on...Let's get it done, let's get it on your left handThis is me, girl, poppin' the questionWhy wait another minuteFor somethin' we should'a done yesterday?I know a little churchWith a preacher who could hook us up right awayLove don't need a reasonBaby I don't see how I could love you anymore than I do todaySo why waitIn Justin Moore’s (2009) “How I Got To Be This Way,” a physical conflict between two men caused by their mutual sexual relations with a women is presented: I got my jaw jacked by a big ole boy for messing 'round with his girlfriendBut she was tall and tight and she kissed just right but I'll never do that againConventional gender roles are also apparent in country music. In Chris Young’s “Voices: (2009), the gendered advice is the core of the song:My dad sayin', "Work that jobBut don't work your life away"And mama tellin' me to drop some cashIn the offerin' plate on SundayAnd granddad sayin', "You can have a fewBut don't ever cross that line"Yeah, I hear voices all the timeTurns out I'm pretty dang luckyFor all that good adviceThose hard-to-find words of wisdomHoled up here in my mindAnd just when I've lost my wayOr I've got too many choicesI hear voicesI hear voices likeMy dad sayin', "Quit that teamAnd you'd be a quitter for the rest of your life"And mama tellin' me to say a prayerEvery time I lay down at nightAnd grandma sayin', "If you find the oneYou better treat her right"Yeah, I hear voices all the timeSometimes I try to ignore 'emBut I thank God for 'em'Cause they made me who I amUnconventional gendered interaction was observed in Billy Currington’s (2010) “Let Me Down Easy.” This song expresses his emotional vulnerability and also includes a strong description of his partner’s femininity:You need to know, where I'm standin now That I'm right on the edge of givin in to ya Baby its a long way down If I fall, can ya let me down easy If I leave my heart with you tonight, Will you promise me that you're gonna treat it right I'm barely hangin on, if I fall, can you let me down easy The scent of your perfume, floatin in the air Lookin like an angel, lyin on a blanket with a halo of hair And those lips, look to good to be true Once I taste that kiss, I know what'll happen I'll be at the mercy of you Family, Marriage, and InfidelityFamily was presented in one-third of the songs’ themes or narrative content. As stated in Table 2, in these instances there was no political or ideological quality to the family topic. Generally, family involved any interaction between nuclear or extended family members or it involved the singer’s reflections on family-centered themes. In Chris Young’s “Voices” (see Pp. 14 above for lyrics), the singer recalls his parents and grandparents giving him life advice. Brad Paisley’s (2010) “Anything Like Me” centers on the singer’s contemplation of his son’s future, imagining that his son, if similar to him, will have the same emotional, behavioral, and normative life development experiences that he had:And I started wondering who he was going to beAnd I thought heaven help us if he's anything like me He'll probably climb a tree too tall and ride his bike too fast End up every summer wearing something in a castHe's gonna throw a ball and break some glass in a window down the streetHe's gonna get in trouble oh he's gonna get in fights I'm gonna lose my temper and some sleepIt safe to say that I'm gonna get my pay back if he's anything like meI can see him right now knees all skinned upWith a magnifying glass trying to melt the Tonka truckWont he be a sight with his football helmet on That'll be his first love til his first love comes alongHe'll get his heart broke by the time he's in his teensAnd heaven help him if he's anything like meHe'll probably stay out to late and drive his car to fastGet a speeding ticket he'll pay for mowing grassHe's gonna get caught skippin class and be grounded for a weekhe's gonna get in trouble we're gonna get in fightsI'm gonna lose my temper and some sleepIt's safe to say that I'm gonna get my pay back if he's anything like me In other instances, the family topic was less central to the song and functioned more in giving the song its context. For example, in Taylor Swift’s (2010) “Mine,” family functioned to color the love narrative: You learn my secrets and you figure out why I’m guardedYou say we’ll never make my parents’ mistakes…And I remember that fightTwo-thirty AMYes, everything was slipping right out of our handsI ran out crying and you followed me out into the streetBraced myself for the goodbye‘cause that’s all I’ve ever knownAnd you took me by surpriseYou said, "I’ll never leave you alone" Seven of the ten cases which presented family also contained gendered interactions. Rodney Atkins’s “Farmer’s Daughter,” Chris Young’s “Voices,” Rascal Flatts’s “Why Wait,” and Carrie Underwood’s “Mama’s Song” (all lyrics presented above), evidence this family-gender connection. In all of these cases the interactions were conventional, revealing that in country narratives, family is a common social milieu for “doing” gender. Marriage was explicitly found in 20 percent of the songs. It should be mentioned that some songs contained language that implicates marriage, such as “life together” or being “stuck” together, but such songs are not part of the marriage tabulation. Of the six cases that are decidedly “marriage,” some contain marriage as a standard social practice that is not central to the song:Fast forward fifteen years and a thousand miles awayBoy's built a life, he's got a wife and a baby due todayHe hears a voice saying, "I made it son"Says, "I told you dad, you didn't have to come"He smiles and says, "Yeah, I know you did" (George Strait 2009, “The Breath You Take”)Oh I'm home againI see my wife, little boy, little girlHello worldHello world (Lady Antebellum 2010, “Hello World”)We got married last spring Woah and there ain't no better life for me (Rodney Atkins 2010, “Farmer’s Daughter”)In others, marriage has a more central presence, such as in Sunny Sweeny’s (2010) “From a Table Away,” in which the singer narrates of her relationship with a married man who was unsatisfied in his marriage but is now coming to appreciate it again. This situation causes heartbreak for the singerbecause she assumes that the affair is coming to an end:By the ring still on her handSure looked like you wanted to be her manSo I guess that means that things are betterMust not be so bad at homeI thought it looked like you were leavin'But it don'tAnd I heard you tell her you still love herSo it doesn't matter what you sayI saw it allFrom a table awayI thought she was prettyShe's nothing like the things you saidThe woman you describedCouldn't even turn your headThe two of you look lost inside a world all your ownLike you couldn't wait to get her aloneThis song also qualified for the “Infidelity” theme, a theme that was present in only four of the thirty cases. In Reba’s (2010) “Turn On the Radio,” she addresses the infidelity to the person who did such acts, explaining how his behavior has ruined the relationship. Infidelity is central to this song; she continues to discuss that she is doing fine, that he ought to suffer for his misdeeds, and that she has no intention to reconcile:No Good, Two Timin', Lies comin' outta your mouth. Cheatin', mistreatin' games that you play brought you down. Broke my heart, tore it apart, look who's got the last laugh now. Don't you come crawlin' begging please on your knees, baby if you're missin' me. Well, you can hear me on the radio! You wanna turn me on, turn on your stereo. You can sing along, while they're playin' our song. How you done me wrong... Baby crank it up! Until you blow the speakers out your Chevy truck. So listen Romeo, when you're feelin' kinda lonely, let me tell you where to go. Turn On The Radio! Try to call, twitter me, text until your fingers bleed. Oh! The DJ's the only way you're ever gonna hear from me. If you're reminiscing, and you're missin me this much, and you really wanna stay in touch. Sex, Alcohol, and Other DrugsSex and other sexual behaviors did not have a great presence in the data. Six cases contained themes of sex or sexual acts. Three cases involved casual sexual encounters, two discussed sex as part of a romantic love narrative, and one song’s narrative including stripping. Of the casual sexual encounters, two depicted them as part of having a good time:If you wanna drink,Go baby just do your thing.Give up your keys.Hell why drive when you can stay with me?And then after while we’ll sneak away from the bonfire.Walk by the moonlight and down to the riverside.Gotcha sippin' on some moonshine.Baby if you're in the mood you can settle for a one night rodeo,You can be my tan-legged Juliet,I’ll be your Redneck Romeo. (Jason Aldean 2010, “My Kinda Party”)When the lights came on and they hollered last callI was busy getting lost in her cherry lip glossIn a little corner booth, eye to eye no talkShe leaned in close and gave me one longAnd with one goodnight goodbye kissAnd It felt good on my lips (Tim McGraw 2010, “Felt Good On My Lips”)And one conceived of casual sex as an emotional escape: I can go out every night of the weekCan go home with anybody I meetBut it's just a temporary high 'cause when I close my eyesI'm somewhere with you, somewhere with you (Kenny Chesney 2010, “Somewhere With You”)It may go without stating, but the sexual orientation indicated in all of the sex acts and romantic love relationships was heterosexuality; no homosexuality was found to be presented or suggested in the data. Given that homosexuality is arguably socially “unconventional,” its absence further solidifies the dominance of conventional sexual relationships presented in the data.Alcohol use was presented in nine songs. In most of these, consuming alcohol worked to provide narrative detail or describe a social setting. However, in a few songs alcohol appeared to be used instrumentally to cope with life. For example, in Jason Aldean’s (2010) “My Kinda Party,” the singer discusses how becoming intoxicated will allow him to “find peace/At the bottom of a real tall cold drink” or in Eric Church’s (2009) “Smoke a Little Smoke” a general theme of retreat is presented as he consumes his alcohol and marijuana: Turn the quiet up, turn the noise downLet this ol' world just spin aroundI wanna feel it swing, wanna feel it swayAnd put some feel good in my soulDrink a little drink, smoke a little smoke…Kick back, gives the blues a spinBreak out the wine, forget againDig down deep, find my stashLight it up, take me backIt is also worth noting that this is the only instance in the dataset that contains use of a drug that is not alcohol, an occurrence which is arguably a departure from the standard culture of country music. Wisdom, Morality and Moral DevelopmentThemes of wisdom, morality and moral development are present in a few songs. As shown in Table 2, Wisdom was found in 17% of the songs, as was Morality/Moral Development. Some wisdom themes involved a narrative in which an older person told the singer about the truths of life based on their experiences, as expressed in “As She’s Walking Away” (2010) by The Zac Brown Band:Wise man next to me did say bout the one that got away "son i missed my chance Don't you let regret take place of the dreams you have to chase ask her to dance.... go on son you might fall down on your face roll the dice and have some faith”The wisdom theme was also presented in a singer’s own musings on life’s experiences and lessons. For example:I've been kicked in the face by horse cause I ran up to fast behind himAnd I shook hands on a deal with a man just to find out that he was lyingI've broken a couple good girls hearts cause I said I loved em knowin' I couldn'tAn I've given my heart to a woman who said she would stay when I knew she wouldn'tHey I've done some pretty stupid things but heyI'm a little bit harder and whole lot smarterThat's how I got to be this wayI've been bit I've been burnedBut I've lived and I've learned from itI've made some mistakes but that's what it takes to make a man out of a kid (Justin Moore 2009, “How I Got To Be This Way”)Morality was presented in six cases, usually in a nebulous fashion. It is worth remarking that a methodological issue occurs here; at some level, nearly every action can be interpreted to have some moral value. However, for the purposes of this analysis, morality was perceived of in terms of “doing what’s right” or other discourse with a distinct ethical quality. Morality is implicated in Carrie Underwood’s (2009) “Mama’s Song” in that her mother wanted “what was best for her” and for her to find a man who is “good” that treats her like he “should” (see Pp. 13 for lyrics). Blake Shelton, (2010) in “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking” discusses his suspicions concerning the ethical or “true” nature of his female partner: My oh my, you're so good-lookingHold yourself together like a pair of bookendsBut I've not tasted all your cookingWho are you when I'm not looking?I wanna knowI wanna knowI wanna knowDo you break things when you get mad?Eat a box of chocolates 'cause you're feelin' bad?Do you paint your toes 'cause you bite your nails?Call up momma when all else fails?Who are you when I'm not around?When the door is locked and the shades are down?Do you listen to your music quietly?And when it feels just right, are you thinkin' of me?The songs containing the idea of moral development are also tabulated under the Wisdom category; both Justin Moore’s “How I Got To Be This Way” and Chris Young’s “Voices” discuss how both their experiences and received wisdom have shaped their ethical frameworks (see Pg. 9,10,14 for lyrics). Ideology and PoliticsThis section starts a discussion of the attributes traditionally associated with country music. As mentioned earlier, it has been found that contrary to popular conceptions, the most popular country music up until 9/11 had very little political or ideological content (Van Sickel 2005). After 9/11, a surge of pro-military political rhetoric emerged in popular country music (Boulton 2008). This analysis of popular country music finds a very small amount of political and ideological content. Seven of the thirty cases contained some form of this; however, only three cases had content that was clearly aligned with the political right. In Rascal Flatts’ “Why Wait” (see Pp 13-14 for lyrics) the singer proposes to a girl, arguing that because they love each other deeply there is no need to wait to get married. One might argue that this represents a traditional and conservative approach to romantic relationships, but since it is not directed at the audience, it may just be a personal orientation toward the desire to get married. In Reba’s “Turn on the Radio,” a feminist ideology is clear (see Pp. 18 for lyrics). In the song, her male partner cheats on her, they break up and she is content. More importantly, she feels empowered by the decision to leave after the infidelity. A family ethic is presented in George Strait’s (2009) “The Breath You Take” as he discusses family memories that he has a deep appreciation of, arguing that such moments are what are important in life. This ideology doesn’t necessarily fit neatly into the political spectrum; appreciating family memories and holding family in high regard is a principle shared by most people. Strait does make it clear that life’s purpose is not to “win the race,” alluding to the naiveté of ceaseless capitalistic pursuits:But life's not the breath you take, the breathing in and outThat gets you through the day, ain't what it's all aboutYou just might miss the point trying to win the raceLife's not the breaths you take but the moments that take your breath awayJust like it took my breath when she was bornJust like it took my breath away when dad took his last that mornLife's not the breath you take, the breathing in and outThat gets you through the day, ain't what it's all aboutJust might miss the point if you don't slow down the paceLife's not the breaths you take but the moments that take your breath awayIn Miranda Lambert’s (2009) “Only Prettier,” a pluralistic ideology is probably expressed. The song centers on cultural class; she discusses how she is a Southern, “low” culture person and she interacts with other “high” culture people, arguing that even with such differences, a basic level of respect is attainable: And even though I don't belong with your high life friendsDoesn't mean we don't get together and try to make amensIt's easier can you see lets agree to just disagreeWe don't have to like each other but its sure fun to pretendSo lets shake hands and reach across those party linesYou got your friends just like I got mineWe might think a little differentlyBut we got a lot in common you will seeWe're just like you, only prettierToby Keith’s (2010) adventure narrative titled “Bullets In The Gun” involves a girl who strips at a club where the male owner physically abuses her, and Keith, narrating in first person, has his gun taken from him by the stripper, after which she ties up the owner and robs him, escaping with Keith to Mexico:She was sittin' on my lapWe still had shots to killWhen a man pulled upWho owned the bar In a cadillac devilleHe grabbed her by her raven hairAnd threw her on the floorSaid no free ride for the cowboyThat ain't what I pay you forShe jumped up and grabbed my pistolStuck it in the fat man's backSaid open up the safe And put your money in the sackThen tied his hands behind himAnd blindfolded his eyesSaid if you're dumb enough to chase us manYou're dumb enough to dieNever see it comin'Just hits you by surpriseIt's that cold place in your soulAnd the fire in her eyesMakes you come togetherLike wild horses when they runNow the cards are on the table andThe bullets in the gunWe rode across the borderDown into MexicoWhen you're runnin' from the lawAin't that where everybody goesWe came upon a townWith a name I couldn't spellShe gave me what I came forIn that Mexican motelThis “justice above the law” ideology is aligned with traditionally conservative ideas about the legal system; however, the type social justice found in Keith’s song—female liberation—is a type more commonly pursued by the political left through legal machinery. Eric Church’s (2009) “Smoke a Little Smoke” surely contains a politically right message, although the particulars of his political views are unknown:Want a little more right, and a little less leftLittle more right now, a little less what's nextAct like tomorrow's ten years awayAnd just kick back and let the feelin' flowDrink a little drink, smoke a little smokeHe argues that we should focus on the present, not the future, therefore the content is “conservative.” Church is certainly critical of modernization, as will be discussed below. The final case that contained political themes had a mixed message that can’t be simply labeled as politically left or right. In James Wesley’s (2010) “Real,” he argues that sustained marriages, the decision to get married, monogamy, and military service are all virtuous acts. Each of these may be understood to have a conservative flavor, although it could be reasonably argued that there is not a unique conservative quality to some of them. Wesley also discusses the economic stresses of belonging to the working class, American job loss due to global capitalism, the problems that single mothers face, the tragedy of home foreclosures, and the problems of poor farmers. His framing of such economic and social problems are generally considered to be liberal views, indicated the politically mixed message of the song. Real, is the hand you hold 57 yearsReal, is a band of gold trembling with fearAnd it’s the first long tear down an old man’s face Watching his angel slipping awayHis heart so broke, it’s never gonna healI call that realWhere I live, housewives don’t act like thatAnd the survivors are farmers in John Deere hatsOur Amazing race is beating the checkPraying that the bank ain’t ran it through yetReal, like too much rain falling from the skyReal, like the drought that came around here last JulyIt’s the damn old weevils and the market and the weedsThe prayer they prayed when they plant the seedsAnd the chance they take to bring us our next mealI call that realReal, like a job you lose ‘cause it moves to MexicoLike a momma and a baby with no safe place to goLike a little dream house with a big old foreclosed signLike a flag draped coffin and a 21 gun goodbyeI call that realThe South and Rural LifeSouthern and rural themes were present in a few of the songs. Themes or geography discussing the American South was found in 23% of the songs, as was a Rural theme or setting. Eleven of the thirty songs (37%) had either a Southern or rural theme, which can be understood as a value that expresses the overall presence of the “country” environment in the dataset. While most of these cases included The South or a rural setting to give context to the overall narrative, one song stands out as a tribute to rural/country identity. In “Wildflower” (2010) by The JaneDear Girls, imagery of country life is clear and the use of metaphor works to communicate the dominant theme:I was born off an old dirt road 40 acre farm no highway no interstate And I drive an old rusted out Chevrolet, the boys all rubber neck while their out makin' hayHey, I'm a wildflower, growin' in the sunshine, soakin' up the way of life I was raised in,runnin' barefoot bloomin' in a summer shower, ponytail dancin' I can't help it. I-I'm a wildflower Christianity, The Working Class, and Modern LifeChristianity was found in six cases. There were no other religions found in the data. In five of the cases, Christianity was found functioning to color the narrative or to indicate the person’s belief in the Christian God. For example, in “Why Wait” (2010) by Rascal Flatts, a song that centers on contemplation of getting married, the singer “[knows] a little church/with a preacher that could hook us up right away.” Love and marriage are the dominant themes in “Why Wait” and a Christian wedding is invoked as the culturally appropriate method for achieving the marriage. Another example is Chris Young’s (2009) “Voices.” As discussed above (see Pp. 14 for lyrics), the singer’s mother, acting in her conventional gender role as the encourager of religiosity, reminds him to “drop some cash in the offerin’ plate on Sunday” and to “say a prayer every time [he lays] down at night.”In one case, Christianity played a more central role as the singer discussed their life struggles and how their faith in God is a prime source of comfort and strength. This is found in “Hello World” (2010) by Lady Antebellum:Every day I drive byA little white churchIt's got these little white crossesLike angels in the yardMaybe I should stop on inSay a prayerMaybe talk to GodLike he is hereOh I know he is thereYa, I know he's there…All the empty disappearsI remember why I'm hereJust surrender and believeI fall down on my kneesOh hello worldNarratives depicting a working class way of life were found in only five cases. These included two songs in which people clearly did manual labor. An emphasis on the physical strain was present in one of these songs, as was the focus on the coming reward. In Rodney Atkins’s (2010) “Farmer’s Daughter” the reward was spending time with the farmer’s daughter: “I’m on the tractor and she’s on my mind/and I can’t wait till its quitin’ time.” In Taylor Swift’s (2010) “Mine,” a working class framing illustrated the economic troubles that the couple was having, and how such trouble functioned to solidify their romantic love:You were in college working part time waitin’ tablesLeft a small town, never looked backI was a flight risk with a fear of fallin’Wondering why we bother with love if it never lastsI say "Can you believe it?"As we’re lying on the couchThe moment I can see it.Yes, yes, I can see it now…But we got bills to payWe got nothing figured out…And I remember that fightTwo-thirty AMYes, everything was slipping right out of our handsI ran out crying and you followed me out into the streetBraced myself for the goodbye‘cause that’s all I’ve ever knownAnd you took me by surpriseYou said, "I’ll never leave you alone"You said, "I remember how we felt sitting by the waterAnd every time I look at you, it’s like the first timeI fell in love with a careless man’s careful daughterShe is the best thing that’s ever been mine"You made a rebel of a careless man’s careful daughterYou are the best thing that’s ever been mineDo you believe it?Going to make it nowI can see itI can see it nowIn James Wesley’s “Real,” (see Pp. 24-25 for lyrics) class was invoked as he focused on how common, hard-working people were barely scraping by.The theme of Modernization was present in five cases. Modernization covers subthemes such as technological advances, global capitalism, specialization, and the “rat-race.” The “rat-race” term describes contemporary economic and social conditions: ceaseless capitalistic pursuits and the rapid pace of modern life. Modernization could have been subsumed in the political/ideological category, but was kept separate because of the popular notion that country culture has much to say about this. Of these five cases, three possessed some form of critical stance on modernization in general, one indicated personal frustration, and one suggested personal disinterest. One critical stance was discussed above—George Strait’s “The Breath You Take” as he argues that life is not about trying to win the rat-race, implicating that being consumed with acquiring material wealth is debasing (see Pp. 22 for lyrics). Eric Church’s (2010) “Smoke A Little Smoke” begins with his desire to retreat from fast-paced life and continues with a nostalgic quality, resulting in an ethos critical of modern life: Turn the quiet up, turn the noise downLet this ol' world just spin aroundI wanna feel it swing, wanna feel it swayAnd put some feel good in my soulDrink a little drink, smoke a little smokeWant a little more right, and a little less leftLittle more right now, a little less what's nextAct like tomorrow's ten years awayAnd just kick back and let the feelin' flowDrink a little drink, smoke a little smokeIn James Wesley’s (2010) “Real,” the artist is critical of global capitalism, as he sings about “a job you lose ‘cause it moves to Mexico.” Lady Antebellum’s (2010) “Hello World” seemingly presents a personal frustration with modern life:Traffic crawls, cell phone callsTalk video screams at meThrough my tinted window I seeA little girl, rust red minivanShe's got chocolate on her faceGot little hands, and she waves at meYa, she smiles at meHello worldHow've you been?Good to see you, my old friendSometimes I feel cold as steelBroken like I'm never gonna healLastly, The JaneDear Girls (2010), in their tribute to country existence, suggest that the narrator has a personal disinterest in modern life because of the happiness and simplicity found in country living:I was born off an old dirt road 40 acre farm no highway no interstate And I drive an old rusted out Chevrolet, the boys all rubber neck while their out makin' hay …I'm just a girl that needs a little sun, a little rain, an open field to play Hey, I'm a wildflower, growin' in the sunshine soakin' up the way of life I was raised in,runnin' barefoot bloomin' in a summer shower, ponytail dancin' I can't help it. I-I'm a wildflowerDiscussion and ConclusionCountry music has become the most consumed genre of music in America. In this analysis, the objective was to identify the lyrical content being consumed. With the contents of country music identified and categorized, some level of coherent analysis is possible. Although the analysis is of a small sample of country music on a given date, it is to some extent useful in gaining empirical understanding of contemporary popular culture. The analysis reveals a few nuggets of information about popular country music. First, the most popular theme is romantic love in various forms, a finding consistent with Van Sickel (2005). This theme often laid the foundation for the presentation of a variety of other topics. In these cases of romantic love, generally a typical narrative is found that includes conventional gendered interactions, masculinity, and femininity. At times, these lyrics are colored with a theme of family in which gendered behaviors are important to the narrative. What are clear in the analysis are the connections between the themes of romantic love, gendered interaction, masculinity, femininity, and family. What makes this music country? In analyzing the cultural attributes traditionally associated with country music, it is found that the Southern/Rural theme is most common. When presented, it often provides detail to the primary message of the song. Country music’s voice on political and ideological issues is almost non-existent, and when it does emerge, it rarely articulates a position that can be easily located on the political spectrum. This finding is consistent with Van Sickel’s 2005 study that searched for political and ideological content in number one country songs from 1960 to 2000, finding almost none. Along that same line, contrary to popular notions, discourse critical of modernization is rarely presented in popular country music. Criticism of modernization was clear in three songs, but none contained discussion of a morally superior past, which is the specific viewpoint on modernization that is claimed to pervade country music. Given the flare up of politics in popular country music during the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, one might expect there to be a moderate level of political discourse in country music in 2010. With the current intensity of the Afghanistan War, foiled terrorist attacks domestically, and the rise of the Tea Party, there are plenty of simple political issues for country music to engage. However, patriotism, pro-military rhetoric, or any other specific political values were not identified in the data. Regarding “authenticity,” contemporary popular country music artists do discuss some themes indicating the genre’s roots. The geographic or environmental setting of a Southern, rural life was given attention in over one-third of the songs. Beyond that, authenticity is largely absent; Christianity, conservative politics, anti-modernization sentiments, and the working class ethic are rarely discussed. This research is postulated to some extent on the idea that music functions to reflect, reinforce, or construct culture and consequently society. Although ascertaining empirical evidence of such social-psychological processes is extremely difficult and beyond the scope of this research, some theoretical discussion of this idea is appropriate (Leighley 2004; Saucier 1993). The data show that the most popular country music primarily contains the theme of romantic love, often framed in terms of conventional, heterosexual interaction. From the sociological vantage point, it is immediately clear that these themes are entirely social and that their conjunctive presentation is not coincidental; these themes are symbiotic. Generally, without romantic love, family does not emerge, eliminating a field for gendered interactions. Masculinity and femininity are to a great extent social constructs that are learned and reinforced through social interaction, taking on particularly crucial meanings in sexual settings. The analysis reveals an overwhelming presence of these themes, and because each of them generally conforms to ideas of conventionality, the linkages among them work to construct dominant themes that agree with societal notions of normalcy. Clearly, the music reflects and works to solidify that which is found in mainstream American society. With the exception of one feminist perspective, the data reveals country music’s proclivity to re-present the romantic love status quo. Notes1. The title quote is a lyric in Carrie Underwood’s (2009) “Mama’s Song.”ReferencesAdorno, Theodor W. 1973. Philosophy of Music. Seabury.Albrecht, Milton C. 1954. “The Relationship of Literature and Society.”American Journal of Sociology 59:425-36.“A-Z Lyrics Universe.” 2010. AZ Lyrics. Retrieved November 27, 2010. ()Boulton, Andrew. 2008. “The Popular Geopolitical Wor(l)ds of Post-9/11 Country Music.” Popular Music and Society 31-3:373–87.Buckley, John. 1993. ‘‘Country Music and American Values.’’ Pp. 198-207 in All That Glitters: Country Music in America. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green State University Popular Press.Leighley, Jan E. 2004. Mass Media and Politics: A Social Science Perspective. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.Maguire, Edward R., and Jeffery B. Snipes. 1994. “Re-Assessing the Link between Country Music and Suicide.” Social Forces 72:1239-43.------. 1995. “Country Music, Suicide, and Spuriousness.” Social Forces 74:327-29.Saucier, Karen. 1993. ‘‘Images of Women and Men in Country Music.’’ Pp. 241-58 in All That Glitters: Country Music inAmerica. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green State University Popular Press.Stack, Steven, and Jim Gundlach. 1992. “The Effect of Country Music on Suicide.” Social Forces 72:211-18. ------. 1994. “Country Music and Suicide: Another Look” Social Forces 72:1245-48“Top Country Songs & Charts, Country Music Hits, & Popular Country Music Charts (Week of November 27th, 2010).” 2010.Billboard.Retrieved November 27, 2010. ()Van Sickel, Robert W. 2005. “A World without Citizenship: On (the Absence of) Politics and Ideology in Country Music Lyrics, 1960-2000.” Popular Music and Society 28-3:313-331.DiscographyBilly Currington. 2010. “Let Me Down Easy.” Enjoy Yourself.Blake Shelton. 2010. “Why Are You When I’m Not Looking.” All About Tonight.Brad Paisley. 2010. “Anything Like Me.” Hits Alive.Carrie Underwood. 2009. “Mama’s Song.” Play On.Chris Young. 2009. “Voices.” The Man I Want to Be.Darius Rucker. 2010. “Come Back Song.” Charleston, SC 1966.Eric Church. 2009. “Smoke A Little Smoke.” Carolina.George Strait. 2009. “The Breath You Take.” Twang.James Wesley. 2010. “Real.” Real – Single.Jason Aldean. 2010. “My Kinda Party.” My Kinda Party.Jerrod Niemann. 2010. “What Do You Want.” Judge Jerrod & The Hung Jury.Joe Nichols. 2010. “Shape I’m In.” Old Things New.Justin Moore. 2009. “How I Got to Be This Way.” Justin Moore.Kenny Chesney. 2010. “Somewhere With You.” Hemmingway’s Whiskey. Lady Antebellum. 2010. “Hello World.” Need You Now.Miranda Lambert. 2009. “Only Prettier.” Revolution.Rascal Flatts. 2010. “Why Wait. Nothing Like This.Reba. 2010. “Turn On the Radio.” All the Women I Am.Rodney Atkins. 2010. “Farmer’s Daughter.” It’s America.Sunny Sweeny. 2010. “From A Table Away.” From A Table Away – Single.Taylor Swift. 2010. “Mine.” Speak Now.The JaneDear Girls. 2010. “Wildflower.” Wildflower – Single.Tim McGraw. 2010. “Felt Good On My Lips.” Number One Hits.Toby Keith. 2010. “Bullets In the Gun.” Bullets In the Gun.Zac Brown Band. 2010. “As She’s Walking Away.” You Get What You Give. ................
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