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July 17, 2006
Southern Songs
Categories: Sounds
I just watched the The Greatest Southern Rock Songs on CMT. I don't really give much creedence to this network in any way. It's owned by Viacom. They never, ever talked about Johnny Cash until after he died. And Brett Michaels showed up on this particular special. Yet, I watched this countdown, because I am a huge sucker for any sort of countdown that remotely coincides with anything I am interested in.
I won't say the countdown is a load of crap, but one can't help but wonder. I knew "Sweet Home Alabama" would be at the top of it before it even started. I knew there would probably be at least three Lynryd Skynyrd songs, it was just a guess as to which other song would be on there besides "Freebird" and the aforementioned "Alabama" (is "Gimme Three Steps" really better than "Simple Man" or "Tuesday's Gone"? You gotta be kidding me.) The Allman Brother's Band songs were almost obligatory and obvious, although I was glad to see they made it on there twice. And then there was a bunch of random stuff. "Hold On Loosely"? I know .38 Special rose from the Skynyrd ashes, but that song sucks. As does "Fooled Around and Fell in Love". Blech.
What about some CCR or Tom Petty? The later is from Florida and wrote "Southern Accents" fer crying out loud. And I know CCR is from California, but so is Little Feet and "Dixie Chicken" made the list. No love for "Born on the Bayou" or "Long as I Can See the Light"?
How about some songs about the South?
I'd have to include Drivin' and Cryin's "Honysuckle Blue" on any list I made. And it's not Southen Rock, but Ray Charles' "Georgia on My Mind" says something fine about this part of the country. Ryan Adams has a bunch, when he's not being a NYC boy. "Jacksonville City Nights" is a country album about Jacksonville, NC. "My Sweet Carolina" just kills me everytime I hear it; I can see him sitting in some shitty apartment in Manhattan, wishing he was back in North Carolina. And while "Midnight RIder" and "Ramblin' Man" are great, give me "Jessica" for Allman Brother's jammin, or "Southbound" for some boogie, or even "Blue Sky" if you want some Dickie Betts vocals.
Any other additions?
Posted by Nakia at July 17, 2006 07:14 PM