HANNA CHU
A&E Editor
Ignorance is not bliss, country music is, and people need to stop dissing country music.
It’s interesting that those who say they hate country music really haven’t heard much country, and usually, they can’t even name any of the top country stars.
Attention country music hating ignorant people: Don’t be so quick to rule it out as an option during a time when pop music is at an all-time low.
Look at music that is popular among teenagers, the ultimate bandwagon jumpers: The All-American Rejects, T.I., Hawthorne Heights and Sean Paul.
Should people who only listen to music like this be allowed to judge what good music is?
Music with lyrics like “Wanna be the papa, you can be the mom” should really just be banned from airwaves.
Those lyrics are part of the chorus of one of Sean Paul’s popular songs “Temperature.”
Another example is T.I., one of the fastest rising stars, whose popular song “What You Know” reads “She see me on them dubs/In front of every club/I be on dro I’m buzzed/Give every ho a hug.”
I don’t understand how kids these days can be drawn to T.I. type music, but not Keith Urban, Jo Dee Messina and Brad Paisley.
It seems like people dislike country because they think it’s cool to make fun of country.
“I hate country music!”
“Oh … me too!”
It’s senseless.
Everyone should follow the lyrics of Ben Harper’s song “Burn one down,” which says, “Before you knock it, try it first. You’ll see it’s a blessing, and not a curse.”
I love country music, and I’m not ashamed to say it. And it’s not because I’m from Montana. I started listening to country music when I was an awkward junior higher in Orange County.
Country music is an instant lifter-upper. Having a bad day? Just pop in Keith Urban’s song, “Somebody Like You” or “You’re My Better Half.”
Country music is empowering. As a woman, I hear a lot of popular music that has lyrics that make women look trashy. But Shania Twain, for example, sings about what women really want in “Any Man of Mine.”
The lyrics are hilarious. Did I mention that country music is fun?
She sings “Any man of mine better be proud of me, even when I’m ugly, still better love me. I can be late for a date that’s fine, but he better be on time.”
Now celebrities are seeing the light of country music, and male country singers are hot on the market.
Recently, Renee Zellweger married Kenny Chesney (and then got an annulment), and Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman are allegedly engaged.
I better find me a country singer fast before they’re all gone.
On “American Idol” season four, Simon Cowell predicted early that Carrie Underwood would not only win the competition, but told her, “you will sell more records than any other previous ‘Idol’ winner.”
And she’s a country singer. Cowell also said he liked Kellie Pickler, another country singer, on Jay Leno.
Cowell certainly loves country singers for a guy that recently said he doesn’t like country music. He obviously knows that country is here to stay.
Watch out for KZLA. The country music genre is going to blow up.
3-13-2006