Country Singles Jubilee 6.02.09: The Statue Of A Fool In Boots of Chinese Plastic Edition

Posted by Jasper Jones on 06.02.2009

This week's Jubilee includes a depressed angry American, a harlot, fresh meat, a monument to us all, and footwear from the Orient!

Welcome back, Jubileers! Finally, The Jubilee returns to it's regular format this week but with one major change. From this point on, the I Bet You've Never Heard This Song portion of the column will now cover many types of music, not just country. This shake things up a bit and allows me to expose some readers to other songs that country folks might enjoy that aren't necessarily "country".



The nominees for the Americana Music Association's annual awards were released recently. Buddy Miller dominated with five nominations. Justin Townes Earle, son of Steve Earle, picked up three. Alejandro Escovedo, The Flatlanders, and Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson picked up two nominations each.

Here are the full list of nominees:

Album of the Year
Real Animal - Alejandro Escovedo
Written In Chalk - Buddy and Julie Miller
Jason Isbell & The 40 Unit - Jason Isbell & The 40 Unit
Midnight At The Movies - Justin Townes Earl

Artist of the Year
Alejandro Escovedo
Buddy Miller
Justin Townes Earle
Raul Malo

Instrumentalist of the Year
Buddy Miller
Gurf Morlix
Jerry Douglas
Sam Bush

New & Emerging Artist
Band of Heathens
Belleville Outfit
Justin Townes Earle
Sarah Borges

Song of the Year
"Chalk" - written by Julie Miller, performed by Buddy Miller and Patty Griffin
"Country Love" - The Gourds
"Homeland Refugee" - written by Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and Butch Hancock, performed by The Flatlanders
"Rattlin' Bones" - Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson
"Sex and Gasoline" - Rodney Crowell

Duo or Group of the Year
Buddy & Julie Miller
The Flatlanders
Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson
Reckless Kelly


MUSIC TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Top 40 Country Singles Reviews

Toby Keith - "Lost You Anyway"



Toby Keith has had lots of success with his latest album. That Don't Make Me A Bad Guy was released back in October of 2008 and was certified Gold by December. It claimed the number one spot the week of November 15th, giving Show Dog Nashville, Toby's own label, it's second Number One album. The first two singles released, "She Never Cried In Front of Me" and "God Love Her", each made it to Number One on the country singles charts. The latter of the two received raved reviews from yours truly, which is not an easy task. 80% of the songs on That Don't Make Me A Bad Guy were co-written by Keith and Bobby Pinson, who had a minor hit of his own in 2006 called "Don't Ask Me How I Know". The remaining two songs were co-written with Vicky McGehee and Eddy Raven. Longtime country fans will remember Eddy Raven for his 80s country hits "I've Got Mexico", "Operator, Operator", and a few others.

"Lost You Anyway" is the third single from Toby Keith's 2008 album That Don't Make Me A Bad Guy. I had I high hopes for Mr. Keith after his incredible single "God Love Her". Unfortunately, "Lost You Anyway" does nothing for me. It's one of those "if I had only done this, she'd still be here" song but with a depressing twist of pessimism thrown in for good measure. Keith's vocals seem despondent and distant, almost like he himself isn't feeling the song. There's bad sad country and good sad country. Good sad country can make you feel for the singer even if you know nothing about what they are experiencing. For example, I've never drank myself into a stupor because a woman left me. However, I feel for poor George Jones in "If Drinking Don't Kill Me, Her Memory Will". The song is powerful enough to draw me in and stir emotions. "Lost You Anyway" falls into the bad sad country song category. It never once hooks the listener and will only have a lasting effect on those going through a similar situation. That's why George Jones' song will be remembered for decades to come, and Toby Keith's will be forgotten next year.



Rating: 1.5/5

Blake Shelton - "I'll Just Hold On"



Despite the first single, "She Wouldn't Be Gone", reaching Number One, Blake Shetlon's fifth studio album Startin' Fires hasn't exactly been starting any fires. The album, released back in November 2008, has only peaked at Number Seven on the country albums chart so far. I wouldn't count Blake Shelton out just yet though. Depending on the success of the subsequent single releases, I could most definitely see Startin' Fires becoming his first Number One album.

"I'll Just Hold On" is the second single released form Startin' Fires. It currently rests at the Number Twenty-Three on the Billboard Hot Country Singles Chart. Depending on how you look at it, the song is about a slut or a girl who just leads you on. Basically, Blake has become infatuated with a girl who has a "gypsy soul", meaning she likes to screw a guy a few times and then hit the road. Knowing that she will leave him without reason at anytime, he's decided to just enjoy the ride while it lasts. What else can you do? Other than the subject matter, the song is pretty uninteresting. It's definitely not something that is going to find heavy rotation on my Ipod, but I really can't put my finger on why. Shelton's voice sounds good and he's into the song, unlike Toby Keith in the last review. "I'll Just Hold On" is no where near as powerful as Shelton's last single, "She Wouldn't Be Gone". Perhaps if "I'll Just Hold On" was not the follow up to a song like that, I'd like it more.

Favorite Lyric: "A night or two of loving you is better than never at all"



Rating: 2.5/5

Love and Theft - "Runaway"



Love and Theft is a new country trio comprised of Brian Bandas, Stephen Barker Liles, and Eric Gunderson. The trio of youngsters (all just 25 years old) met through mutual friends in Nashville and decided to throw their lot together and see what happens. They impressed some folks at a ASCAP event which eventually got them signed Carolwood Records. The guys spent most of 2008 opening up for Taylor Swift. In fact, Liles is the Stephen of Swift's "Hey Stephen" from her Fearless album.

"Runaway" is the first single to be released by Love and Theft and will be included on a studio album set to be released later in the year. The song is about just what you'd expect it to be about with a title like "Runaway". The guy's job sucks. His girl sucks. His car sucks. All he wants to do is get the hell out of dodge and start over somewhere else. He wants to hit the proverbial reset button on his life. You don't notice many country elements in the song at first, but if you listen hard enough you'll find them. The light mandolin, the vocal harmonies toward the end, and the song's subject of escaping a nothing-happening small town are all country music staples. The rest of the song, especially the chorus, sounds like it came from a Bon Jovi song. What really impressed me is the fact that the guys write their own material and play their own instruments as well. This is great songwriting for anyone, especially someone so young. All in all, I like it. If Love and Theft can keep producing catchy music like this and never stray too far into Rascal Flatts territory, they're good in my book.

Favorite Lyric: "A hundred miles in, I've got a stupid grin On my scruffy face/ With every cigarette, I'm burnin' my regret/ Don't wanna leave a trace"



Rating: 4/5

Retro Country Single

Ricky Van Shelton - "Statue of A Fool"



"Statue of A Fool" is an incredible country song that became a hit for three different country stars in three different decades. Now that is one powerful song! It was a Number One hit for Jack Greene in 1969, a Number Ten hit for Brian Collins in 1974, and a Number Two hit for Ricky Van Shelton in 1989. Greene had a couple of Number One songs in the late 60s. He's mainly known or his 1966 smash hit "There Goes My Everything". The success of that single gained him the 1967 Country Music Association's Male Vocalist, Single, and Album of the Year awards. Once the 70s rolled around, Greene's star waned, but he continued to tour and appear on the Grand Ole Opry. Collins is a footnote in the history of country music. His only claim to fame is his Number Ten hit with "Statue of A Fool". He released singles through out the 70s, but had trouble even cracking the Top 40. Ricky Van Shelton's version of the song is my favorite by far. I may be a little partial here though because Shelton is one of my favorite underrated country singers of all time. It's a shame that great songs like "Crime of Passion", "Simple Man", and "Somebody Lied" have nearly been forgotten.

The classic sound of the whining slide guitar and the sympathetic piano give the song a strong sense of hurt and reflection. I love how it slowly builds to the big finish. The lack of choruses really makes you feel as if the song is building to something really important. Ricky Van Shelton's high vocals are perfect for the song that almost has a Roy Orbison feel to it. The song is a masterpiece and I dare any of the new generation of country singers to tackle something like "Statue of a Fool".

Favorite Lyric: "So build me a statue/ and oh, build it high/ so that all can see/ then inscribe 'The World's Greatest Fool'/ and name it after me"



I Bet You've Never Heard This Song

The Pretenders - "Boots of Chinese Plastic"



If you don't know who Rock N Roll Hall of Famers The Pretenders are, you must have been under a rock for last three decades. They band's heyday was definitely the late 70s to early 80s, but they've steadily put out albums since then full of really great music. Chrissie Hynde and the boys are usually associated with British punk or 80s music. However, their first album in six years, Break Up The Concrete from 2008, has a bit of a honky tonk/rockabilly influence on it. This could be a direct result of this album being recorded in Akron, Ohio (where Chrissie is originally from) instead of overseas.

"Boots of Chinese Plastic" is the first single from the album. The first time you hear this song it will capture your attention. The ADD/energetic riffs combined with Hynde's social lyrics create a sound that will stick with you for the rest of the day. It's rockabilly, punk, honky tonk smashed together and thrown in your face...and you like it! It's a real shame this song isn't ripping up the charts right now.

Favorite Lyric: "And every dog that lived his life on a chain/ knows what it's like waiting for nothing/ and by the way you look fantastic in your boots of Chinese plastic"



That's if for this week's Jubilee! Tune in next week for more country music action!