Country Music

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“Whenever humans come together for any reason, music is there, weddings, funerals, graduation from college, men marching off to war, stadium sporting events, a night on the town, prayer, a romantic dinner, mothers rocking their infants to sleep and college students studying with music as a background—music is and was [always] part of the fabric of everyday life” says Daniel Levitin (Shah). Music seems to be one of the most primitive and fundamental aspect of human culture (Shah). Some researchers suggest that music predates language itself and as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once said, “…music is the universal language of mankind.” Some eight basic themes can be said to characterize country music (Buckley 294). Songs sometimes only contain one, whereas others contain several (Buckley 294). However, the idea is for one to control and the others are subordinate roles. The central or the control theme dictates the songs classification (Buckley 294). The themes are satisfying and fulfilling love relations, unsatisfactory love relationships, homes and family, country, work, individual worth, rugged individualism, and patriotism (Buckley 294). The themes unmistakably express daily life problems and emotions (Buckley 296). Although other genres of music contain some of these themes country is the only one that contains all eight (Buckley 296). These themes are symbolic and form a world that is widespread to country (Buckley 296). Second, the themes do not ever change (Buckley 296). Writers often try to recreate the themes so they present differently but ultimately remain unchanged (Buckley 296). Third, the nonappearance or presence of instruments does not usually make music country (Buckley 296). Fourth, country music appeal... ... middle of paper ... ...06): 19-22. Academic Search Premier. Web. 7 Nov. 2013. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=23307132&login.asp &site=ehost-live&scope=site Sacks, Howard L. “Creating Country Music: Fabricating Authenticity (Book).” Social Forces 77.3 (1999): 1237-1239. Academic Search Premier. Web. 7 Nov. 2013. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=1770693&login.asp& site=ehost-live&scope=site Shah, Vikas. "The Role of Music in Human Culture." Thought Economics. N.p., 13 Mar. 2013. Web. 6 Nov. 2013. http://thoughteconomics.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-role-of- music-in-human-culture.html Shusterman, Richard. “Moving Truth: Affect And Authenticity In Country Musicals.” Journal Of Aesthetics & Art Criticism 57.2 (1999): 221. Academic Search Premier. Web. 7 Nov. 2013. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.asp&site=host-live&scope=site

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