Sunday Morning Coming Down

Other than the obvious sound and style, there are some lyrical elements which make up a truly great Country record. Any song which includes one or more of these gets a big fat Country tick in my book:

1. The singer has been wronged by a lover or partner, and is expressing sorrow at the loss;
2. The singer has wronged a lover or partner, and wants you to know they feel really bad about it, but ultimately don’t regret it;
3. The singer has wronged a lover or partner, and wants you to know they feel really bad about it, and realises they made a mistake;
4. Somebody has died, and the singer is sad about this;
5. Somebody has died, and the singer is quite pleased about this;
6. The singer has deliberately killed someone and wants to boast about it;
7. The singer has accidentally killed someone, and they feel really bad about it, but it was definitely an accident;
8. The singer is feeling sad and lonely, usually as a result of numbers 1, 3, 4 or 7 or in exceptional circumstances all four;
9. The singer has a strained/non-existent relationship with either parent, usually their father;
10. The singer has been reconciled with the parent, resents them for all the years of absenteeism, but will try to put that behind them;
11. The singer loves his/her Mommy;
12. The singer wishes to thank God for something that has happened;
13. The singer wishes to curse or question God for something that has happened to them;
14. The singer likes an alcoholic beverage, beer or whisky being the tipple of choice (it’s a very rare event when Pimm’s gets a mention in a Country song, which is why there are no Country songs about going to Wimbledon);
15. Probably something about guns.

See how many of those you can tick off from this:

Robbie Fulks – Rock Bottom, Pop. 1

More Country Bingo this time next week.

(More soon.)

Sunday Morning Coming Down

I haven’t posted anything from Robbie Fulks’ wonderful Country Love Songs album for a goodly pinch of time now, so armed with that knowledge makes this morning’s selection easy enough.

This is great – not as good as his favourite tune of mine – She Took a Lot of Pills (And Died), since you asked, which I’ve previously posted – but it is still pretty fine:

Robbie Fulks – Tears Only Run One Way

In case you fancy giving that other Fulks tune I mentioned a listen (and there really is no good reason why you shouldn’t), I’ve re-upped it, here.

More soon.

Sunday Morning Coming Down

More from that “Rich Hall’s Countrier Than You” documentary that I mentioned last week now, and an artist who features there, performing and being interviewed, and who has featured here before:

Robbie Fulks – Every Kind of Music But Country

She’s not right for you, Robbie.

With thanks to the regular reader who kindly sent me a copy of that entire album recently. I’ll name no names but you know who you are. Cheers!

More soon.

Sunday Morning Coming Down

Now, I did say today’s song wouldn’t be any more cheerful…

I think I got this from regular reader George’s old blog, but he says it may have been Charity Chic that posted it.

Either way, thanks, and here’s another fine entry into the “Song Titles Which Only Occur in Country Music” catalogue:

Robbie Fulks – She Took A Lot Of Pills (And Died)

Splendid use of the brackets there, by the way.

More soon.