What do you country guys think of G. Straight?

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 22 Jun 2006 5:59 pm

I was given a copy of George Strait's 50 Number One hits cd and I was listening to it going into work this morning. I personally found it a little bland but the thing that bothered me most about it was it seemd to be one love song after another, with no variation other than sometimes he is falling in love with the girl and sometimes he is breaking up with the girl.

Since I'm not a country guy myself, I thought I'd ask you guys where George Straight fits in the country pantheon. Is this guy someone you guys admire and like? Or is the consensus that he is part of the "new country" you guys are always railing against? Personally I found it dull as dishwater and was dying to hear some Willie Nelson.[This message was edited by Bill McCloskey on 22 June 2006 at 08:23 PM.]

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 22 Jun 2006 6:06 pm

yeah, traditional country should celebrate family values such as "I'm taking little white pills and my eyes are open wide" and "pardon me, I've got someone to kill".

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 22 Jun 2006 6:42 pm

Well, with the latest Willie Nelson revelations about "Cowboys", I'm kind of wondering myself..

Actually it wouldn't bother me if he wasn't Strait.

I wonder what he thinks about polti..pulot polli.. well you know...

EJL[This message was edited by Eric West on 22 June 2006 at 07:44 PM.]

Paul King · Post by **Paul King** » 22 Jun 2006 7:09 pm

The one thing I do like about George is his traditional style of country. You were listening to his 50 number one hits CD and that says a lot. I might also mention that there is steel guitar on every record I have heard him sing on. He is still popular and is a huge icon to the ladies. I hope he is around for a few more years.

Leslie Ehrlich · Post by **Leslie Ehrlich** » 22 Jun 2006 10:18 pm

George Strait's voice reminds me of Glen Campbell. Glen Campbell was a good singer in his time. My favourite George Strait tune is 'The Chair'.

Brett Anderson · Post by **Brett Anderson** » 22 Jun 2006 10:42 pm

George is one of my all time favorites. Earnest you touched on two of my favorite songs. You may not like them, but those two songs talk about things that are very real. Something that country music has forgotten about in recent years REALITY.

Larry W. Jones · Post by **Larry W. Jones** » 23 Jun 2006 1:01 am

He knows how to shave and get a haircut, and he wears a white hat.

Per Berner · Post by **Per Berner** » 23 Jun 2006 1:30 am

George Strait has recorded an awful lot of songs during his career, and a lot of them are awful, schmaltzy, too-slow-to-count-the-beats ballads with way too many chords. I suspect those are the ones that get the most airplay, and "50 number ones" is indeed loaded with them.

I bought my first Strait LP in the late seventies,a nd now own around 20 of his albums. As I see it, they usually contain one or two REALLY good songs, while the rest of the tracks make watching paint dry an appealing and fun alternative. But when he's good, he's one of the very best. Try songs like these instead:

A little heaven's rubbing off on me
I'm satisfied with you
Stranger things have happened
Cow town
Haven't you heard
Wonderland of love
Faults and all
Oh me, oh my sweet baby
Lovesick blues
Someone had to teach you
She loves me (she don't love you)
The king of broken hearts
I should have watched that first step
Any old time
Where the sidewalk ends
Stay out of my arms
I wasn't fooling around

...none of them are on "50 number ones", few are on any of his other "greatest hits" collections, but all of them are, IMHO, a lot better.

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Rick Garrett · Post by **Rick Garrett** » 23 Jun 2006 2:07 am

Amarillo by Morning is my favorite GS tune. But there's tons more that I really like too. I've always really liked his music. Reminds me of what country music is supposed to sound like. A lot of his songs sound like they will be classic country music someday to me.

Rick

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 23 Jun 2006 4:15 am

We really shouldn't be doin' this...

[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 23 June 2006 at 05:16 AM.]

Jesse Pearson · Post by **Jesse Pearson** » 23 Jun 2006 6:10 am

Wish I was in his band...

Brian Ainsworth · Post by **Brian Ainsworth** » 23 Jun 2006 6:25 am

His music was a big influence for me to learn pedal steel.. As a matter of fact I got to shake Mike Daily's hand at the Pepsi Arena in Albany eariler this year...

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Bryan Ainsworth

David Tunnell · Post by **David Tunnell** » 23 Jun 2006 6:27 am

In my opinion, there are few singers better than George Strait. Admittedly, he has, in his time, put out some pretty saccharine stuff that is not particularly to my liking. But he has also recorded some great traditional country and western swing stuff. He did a lot more western swing in his earlier days. The George Strait albums I like best are the ones done before the "Pure Country" album, which came out, I think, in 1992.

The "50 Number Ones" album is a good starter for George Strait music, but you would do better to find the original albums. First of all, many of his best songs weren't number ones. And, second, the "50 Number Ones" album contains shortened versions of the songs contained therein. They cut out a lot of the instrumental rides. I guess they did that to fit more songs on the CD, but I prefer the originals.

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Very truly yours,
David T. Tunnell
Alesis QS8; Peavey KB/A 300; Peavey KB5; BMI U-12; Session 500

Dave Burr · Post by **Dave Burr** » 23 Jun 2006 6:28 am

Bill,

Personally, I enjoy listening to George. However, I would have to say that quite a few of the songs on the 50 #1's don't make it to the top of my favorites list...
But, then again, I don't like most of the stuff on the radio. Some of his best songs never hit radio... IMHO. You should hear George and his band do Milk Cow Blues! Great stuff! I could string off a bunch more, but it would take too long.

Respectfully,
dBurr

Steve Hinson · Post by **Steve Hinson** » 23 Jun 2006 6:30 am

I like George Strait...his records sound really good and have been very consistent over the years...I try to buy everything he and Alan Jackson put out!

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http://home.comcast.net/~steves_garage

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 23 Jun 2006 6:49 am

Me too Steve!

The great thing about Gorgeus George is he doesn't always sound the same.

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 23 Jun 2006 7:11 am

Maybe after a 100 bad songs # 1's he will start doing good songs

But until then I guess he is barely getting by with just a good voice ,nice delivery great band,down to earth personality and oh yeah decent looks .

Sort of wonder where he would be today with good songs like kadonka donk and assorted top songs of today.

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Florida:Where its not against the Law to get caught Steelin.

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 23 Jun 2006 7:34 am

Remember that anything that charts at all is a reflection of the audience.
There is no "chart" without record sales.

ps
Do sax players like Kenny G?

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 23 Jun 2006 7:36 am

Can you say "Music Business".

He found his niche-he stuck with it-he made a fortune-he has the kind of career that classic vintage country artists had-ie. a fan base that stays with you for your whole career-he is the perfect modern country artist.

Brett Anderson · Post by **Brett Anderson** » 23 Jun 2006 7:52 am

I think alot of his success is due to the fact that Paul Franklin played on most of his songs. There's got to be a connection there.

Gere Mullican · Post by **Gere Mullican** » 23 Jun 2006 8:15 am

I don't think George Strait ever recorded anything I don't like. I like the way he has stuck with a mostly "country " sound and no guitar picking through an amp with a busted speaker. My all time favorite song of his never was a single and probably not on his "50 number ones". And I have never heard it on the radio or video. It is on his CD "Honkeytonkville". The song is called "Look Who's Back From Town". Fabulous picking by Paul Franklin.

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 23 Jun 2006 8:18 am

was it seemd to be one love song after another

Maybe he is trying to appeal to the distaff side.

Steve Hinson · Post by **Steve Hinson** » 23 Jun 2006 8:23 am

...I use George's(and Alan's)records to hear what the A-team guys(Paul,Brent,etc)are up to...

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Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 23 Jun 2006 8:36 am

Bill,

I played country music for 5 years or so before I heard any of the lyrics. Think of it as a classic art form. Note selection and arrangement are the important things. The lyrics just give the vocalist some syllables to sing. They aren't meant to be modern, earth-shattering poetry.

I like George Straight. never noticed what his songs are "about". To me, they are classic art.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b2005.gif" width="78 height="78">Bobby Lee (a.k.a. b0b) - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
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Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 23 Jun 2006 8:46 am

I played country music for 5 years or so before I heard any of the lyrics.

That's interesting,- for me, good country music has always been defined by the great story telling lyrics. But perhaps I'm leaning more towards the "folk" side of country than the "commercial" side (which I have to admit I don't care so much about).

Steinar

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"Play to express, not to impress"
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[This message was edited by Steinar Gregertsen on 23 June 2006 at 09:47 AM.]