Comments on: Celebrating Life

By: Heather Williams

Heather Williams — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 00:44:07 +0000

Kevin,
I have never heard that song before. I listened to the dixie chicks version
http://youtube.com/watch?v=yrNkuQUhh3A

That Top of the World Song is very powerful. Thanks for the addition.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 03:26:56 +0000

Great topic.

My favorite song in this vein is “Top of the World.” The version by the Dixie Chicks is my favorite, but Patty Griffin, the songwriter, does a great job of it as well.

By: Heather Williams

Heather Williams — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:52:35 +0000

amu,

Thanks for the background. Interesting stuff. I was introduced to country in the early 90′s so my reference really starts there. I agree with you that it is an issue when country musicians can’t get support for music that doesn’t fit inside a certain box created by the industry. It should be clear by now that contemporary country music fans will flock to songs like gravedigger, hurt, etc.

Linda -

Thanks so much for the information on what Willie said about shooting the video. I still can’t imagine performing all those parts like Willie did and then have to go into a coffin.

I listened to the Dave Matthew’s version. I did not like it at all. I use to listen to Dave Matthews a long time ago and I liked some of his stuff. He is an aquired taste. I just will end by saying again — I just love how Willie covered the song Gravedigger. It was awesome!

By: Linda Banks

Linda Banks — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 03:50:34 +0000

I love that gravedigger video, too. I think it’s really powerful. Willie said they spent the night in the cemetary, then started filming at 6:00 a.m. They filmed all day, in the rain. All I heard him say about the coffin scene was that they wanted him to take off his boots, but he said. A cowboy is buried in his boots. Did you see Dave Matthews version?

By: amu

amu — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 21:33:50 +0000

Heather you must be a “spring chicken”, listing mostly to contemporary singers with songs about life, death and mortality.
Actually that is a theme that used to define the origins of country music. As the people in the remote valleys of the Appalachian mountains were pretty much isolated, several fiddler combos would play on weekends and tell people from other valleys what happened, who died etc… It was an early form of communication. Other so called “story songs” – today sometimes considered folk songs – would tell about murder, disasters, train crashes and other happenings in the world outside of their isolation. Most of these bands were “string bands” and not until 1927 (Legendary Bristol Sessions) was some of that “Hillbilly Music” recorded.
Even though the music emerged rapidly into several styles from there the theme of life and death used to be a constant factor in country music till about the millennium, when Nashville decided that they want use more uplifting, less drinking, dancing and cheating songs. Basically that’s when todays country music became rather bland.
So it’s not too much of a surprise that both songs you mention were recorded by rock outfits, before Cash and Nelson even thought of recording them. “Hurt” was a song by Trent Raznor from NineInchNails, “Gravedigger” was a song Dave Matthews (normally a rather mediocare songwriter) recorded. But I probably could give you a CDs worth of songs that were old staples in country music dealing with life and death.