What would Dolly do?
Someone once called me the Queen of Easy Listening. I can’t remember who it was. They were probably right.
I actually have quite an eclectic taste in music, if the quality is good for its genre, I enjoy it, or at the very least I appreciate it for the effort put in.
I have happy memories of the first album I owned; Live, Throwing Copper. It was a birthday gift from two school friends who thoughtfully removed the ‘explicit lyrics’ sticker before they wrapped it so my parents didn’t put it in the bin before I had a chance to enjoy it. After my second divorce I found myself listening to Lizzo and Kesha; doesn’t take a shrink to work that one out and I have loved Mumford and Sons, enjoyed Gordi and even have a bit of Salt and Peppa on my mix-tape playlist.
I do however draw the line at that Doja Cat woman – no one should ever remove the ‘explicit lyrics’ sticker from her albums. I was actually a little embarrassed, it’s very explicit and definitely requires a warning. That is nothing more than shock pop.
However, my go-to, comfort giving, always enjoy, mood enhancer is Country.
Growing up there were only 3 respectable music genres; Classical, Gilbert and Sullivan and a little Barbershop. I’m not sure Gilbert and Sullivan is it’s own genre in the real world but in our house it definitely was.
Music was controversial. Anything not included in the above 3 genres was deemed to not be ‘real music’. It was trash and it would never stand the test of time. It had zero quality or cultural significance and needed to be turned off immediately my dad walked into a room.
Bill Ray-Cyrus – bless him. If he knew that our family had a full-blown argument, to the point of tears, over his song Achy Breaky Heart, he’d be shocked. I am 100% certain he did not intend for Achy Breaky Heart to be a controversial tune – he is no Bob Dylan and there wasn’t a war in Vietnam. It was the 90’s.
Whilst at the time, my older sister was the Achy Breaky Heart fan, perhaps my love of Country started there. I love the lyrics of Country, the up-beat tunes, the accents, the stories. It’s just fucking great!
It’s been implied that I should be embarrassed by my love of Country, like an embarrassing crush but I will not be peer pressured into denying my love of the genre.
I listen to music all the time, I live on my own and I like the background noise, but there’s some music I can’t listen to anymore. Music is powerful and the connection of a song to a period of life can bring on a physical response deep in my gut. It’s like a familiar smell, it just takes you back.
My last ex-husband and I started seeing each other around the time Paulo released These Streets. When I hear Paolo Nutini now, my stomach turns and I think it’s incurable. It’s a shame, I really did love Paolo.
Hozier, I saw him live with my last ex-husband a few months before he walked out. After the concert, we had a drink at a nearby bar. He tried to start a fight with a man sitting at a table next to us who touched me for some innocuous reason. Whilst I had appropriately dealt with the situation, my ex-husband felt it needed his input and escalation and shortly we were required to leave the venue; me embarrassed and him having scratched an itch.
Hozier and I had to take some time apart. There’s still a twinge but Hozier and I are working through it and I think we’ll get there, there’s still a good chance of reconciliation.
My theory is that if I consistently listen to Country, it will never associate itself with a notable period in my life, it will just be a generic soundtrack and that way Country and I never need to break-up.
What would I do without knowing what would Dolly do?
