Gone Country

I crafted a beast of a country music playlist yesterday. I will not defend my musical taste beyond quoting Chuck Klosterman from Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs:

"The most wretched people in the world are those who tell you they like every kind of music 'except country.' People who say that are boorish and pretentious at the same time. All it means is that they've managed to figure out the most rudimentary rule of pop sociology; they know that hipsters gauge the coolness of others by their espoused taste in sound, and they know hipsters hate modern country music. And they hate it because it speaks to normal people in a tangible, rational manner. Hipsters hate it because they hate Midwesterners, and they hate Southerners, and they hate people with real jobs."

Wait, I lied. I will also add that what I LIKE about the Dixie Chicks, Tim McGraw, and even Toby Keith is that the lyrics are the foundation. I'm not good with instrumental music (as in, I lose track and fall asleep), and I like stories. Ultimately the point of the lyrics here is to craft a universal experience that everyone can relate to—or, in this particular case, everyone who has seen a corn field can relate to. And that means that standard, dated gender roles obbbvvviiiouuussslly come through—think sweet girl falls for a bad news boy ("Suds in a Bucket" by Sara Evans, "She's in Love with the Boy" by Trish Yearwood).

But when I got to listening to said mix/playlist/whatever Apple wants me to call it, I was floored by all the girl power going on. Like, those girls in cowboy hats are pulling (and have been pulling) on their fuck YOU boots.

We've got screw-you-for-cheating songs:

I dug my key into the side of his pretty little suped-up four-wheel drive,
carved my name into his leather seats...
I took a Louisville Slugger to both head lights,
slashed a hole in all four tires...
Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats.

Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats"

You should've said no, you should've gone home
You should've thought twice before you let it all go
You should've know that word, whatcha did with her
Get back to me...
And I should've been there, in the back of your mind
I shouldn't be asking myself why
You shouldn't be begging for forgiveness at my feet...
You should've said no, baby and you might still have me

Taylor Swift's "Should've Said No"

And woman-in-charge songs:

Now my momma told me in this dog-eat-dog world
You gotta work harder than a man
She'd say, yeah that's just what you need
Some romance book Romeo callin' you at work and messin' up your plans

Trick Pony's "On a Night Like This"

I get home 7:30 the house is dirty, but it can wait
Yeah, 'cause right now I need some downtime
To drink some red wine and celebrate
Armageddon could be knocking at my door
but I ain't gonna answer thats for sure.
There's gotta be something more!

Sugarland's "Something More"

And don't-fuck-with-me songs:

You can say you've got issues
You can say you're a victim
It's all your parents fault,I mean
After all, you didn't pick them
Maybe somebody else has got time to listen
My give a damn's busted

Well you're therapist says
It was all a mistake
A product of the Prozac
And your codependent ways
So, who's your enabler these days
My give a damn's busted

Jo Dee Messina's "My Give a Damn's Busted"

I won't be your Friday paycheck
I won't be the prize you flaunt
And I won't be your Martha Stewart, baby
Or your all-night restaurant

But I will, I will, I will be your everything
If you make me feel like a woman should
I will, I will, I will be the whole shebang
You know I will...but

I won't be your crutch to lean on
I won't wear stiletto heels
I won't walk a mile in your shoes
Just so I know how it feels

I won't be your obligation
I won't be your Barbie doll
I won't be the portrait of perfection
To adorn you wall

SheDaisy's "I Will...But"

I'm sure I'm overthinking the significance of this stuff, but I'm still impressed. So there.