Rabz’ Radio Show May 2023 – Country and Western


As proudly declared by Bob of his eponymous Country Bunker to Jake and Elwood as the latter two search for gigs to raise some funds for the Penguin’s orphanage property tax bill. When you’re on a mission from God, all bets are off.  

Having said that, I am not a fan of this musical genre. In the US, it had its roots in the Southern States from around the (nineteen) twenties and was largely inspired by the travails experienced by rural and blue collar workers. In parallel to the Blues, the music featured down to earth bare bones instrumentation including banjos, fiddles, harmonica and various types of guitar. Just as Detroit would become the spiritual home of Motown, Tennessee would eventually be recognised as the spiritual home of C&W.

A healthy C&W scene has also been present in Oz for around the same period of time, where the music was informed and inspired by the massive, beautiful and often brutal and terrifying outback expanses traversed by various less than glamorous personages.

It has a long and proud tradition, citing such giants of Australian literature as Banjo Patterson and Henry Lawson. Its most famous exponent is of course, the peerless Slim Dusty, who has rightfully earned his place as one of the most popular Ozzie musicians of all time.     

Anyway, here’s the two intro tracks – the second was arrived at after some recent “fluid” discussion with a fellow Cat commenter whose musical opinions I’ve always valued.

The Blues Brothers (masquerading as the Good Ol’ Boys), performing “Rawhide” at Bob’s Country Bunker:

“Take me Home, Country Roads”, as belted out by Merlin shortly before his untimely demise in “Kingsman – the Golden Circle”:

For WolfmanOz – in relation to the above song, the ship’s pilot and straw hat wearing good ol’ boy Tennessee in “Alien Covenant” name checks it when the crew are trying to decipher an unintelligible message beamed from (cue spooky music…) LV426.

Yee-ha! Let’s hear your favourite C&W ditties, Cats. You know you want to! 

109 thoughts on “Rabz’ Radio Show May 2023 – Country and Western”

  1. We play both kinds of music at the Cat!

    Blues Brothers is such a fine little movie. I loved the Penguin.

    4

  7. I liked the second clip – I’ve never seen the film.

    John Williamson is another Australian country legend. I also vaguely remember the Rantan Band, though cannot recall any of their songs.

    Kasey Chambers has been a modern superstar, beginning in country, but also embracing other genres. Her distinctive nasal tone takes some getting used to, but she has produced some fine songwriting.

    Slightly off-topic, but Kasey recently did an interesting banjo-lead cover of Eminem’s Lose Yourself.

    2

  11. Everybody has been zeroed out, somebody really doesn’t like country music.

    1

  18. roots …
    banjo came with the Africans
    harmonica came with ze Chermans
    the fiddle has been around a long time
    guitar and mandolin, Europe
    stringed instruments are probably pre Holocene

    it’s a melting pot

    3

  21. Crossie,
    I haven’t kept track of Kasey over the past ten years, but I liked her first four or five albums.

  35. calli says:
    May 6, 2023 at 7:35 pm
    Okay. Here’s Circuit Rider.

    I’m a sucker for vocal harmonies.
    Completely off topic, but I still recall the Melanesian choir from the soundtrack of the film The Thin Red Line. (The audio tracks only, come in the ‘extras’ section of the DVD). Sorry, back to the topic now …

    1

  41. From Sancho’s link above:
    Like the tide, I’ll always roll out again.

    Noice.

  43. Rabz thanks for posting that song- Clint looks so young! Gave me goosebumps.

  48. Rabzsays:

    May 6, 2023 at 8:02 pm

    I was born under a Wanderin’ Star, I tells ya … ?

    Possibly the most tuneless voice in Christendom.
    Flat as a shit-carter’s hat.

    3

  53. Apologies. Just scrolled down the comments and found confirmation. As you were.

  68. I had a Noel Watson CD some years ago. An Aussie bloke with a deep voice, he didn’t stick to country tunes, but did have a decent set of pipes. Waltzing Matilda I guess is folk rather than country, but … you know. (Not great sound quality in this clip, but some familiar footy faces).

  71. Ruby Don’t Take Your Love To Town</a

    That song was originally written about a Korean War veteran – “that crazy Asian war” – and there was a counterpart written from Ruby’s point of view.

    1

  75. eric hinton says:
    May 6, 2023 at 8:49 pm

    Wow. That was an interesting listen. A relic of a past that some want all knowledge of incinerated.

    1

  76. Sancho: Is this Broderick Smith doing vocals for Chisel?

    I don’t think so Muddy.
    I think it might be Ian Moss.
    Hard to tell.
    Dimly lit video on my smudgy phone.

    1

  83. Willie Nelson … Texas

    forget Jazz

    nobody does that mode, woven whimsically through Tex-Mex, that Willie does.

    his effect is everywhere and across all genres

    we’ll be sorry when he’s gone

  84. Since no one else has spoken of Slim Dusty
    Redback on the toilet seat, which immortally sums up the trouble we have with climate change:

    “Now just forget what’s on your mind and call a doctor please;
    because I’ve got a feeling that your cure
    is worse than the disease.”

    Lights on the Hill, because.

    5

  88. Like you Rabz not really a fan of C&W but enjoyed your post and the comments.

    For WolfmanOz – in relation to the above song, the ship’s pilot and straw hat wearing good ol’ boy Tennessee in “Alien Covenant” name checks it when the crew are trying to decipher an unintelligible message beamed from (cue spooky music…) LV426.

    Never would have known that – not really a fan of Alien: Covenant, but great pick-up.

    1

  92. Robert’s Western World in downtown Nashville is the home of country music in all of its variations which, on any given night, will include rocky stuff like this. Great spot!

    2

  94. Marty Robbins. Gunfighter Ballads. My favourite is Big Iron but I like all of the tracks.

    2

  97. Thanks, Cats. It’s been a much more enjoyed thread than I expected.

    Still got some of the standout tunes rattling around in my head, including Jackson and Ring o’ Fire.

    Now we need to come up with a theme for next month’s Radio Show.

    Suggestions are much appreciated.

    1

  99. Alamak

    Was just thinking about a Blues thread. It is my favourite music, being an unrepentant romantic. Although many previous radio show threads have crossed into that territory.

    For “these times” might be somewhat limiting yet somewhat interesting.

    1

  102. I just can’t do the link – I’m sorry
    Jimmy buffet come Monday
    Jim Croche I’ve got a name
    Glen Campbell – Galveston
    Eagles – take it easy
    Lucinda Williams Drunken Angel
    Rabz you understate the entire genre. It’s simple the individual, the solo rider, the space, the vastness and freedom of movement.
    The dialogue of the songs are excellent

    4

  107. Was just thinking about a Blues thread. It is my favourite music, being an unrepentant romantic. Although many previous radio show threads have crossed into that territory.

    For “these times” might be somewhat limiting yet somewhat interesting.

    Fair point – getting into specific themes might limit discovery which is best part of the “radio” threads imho.

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