Country Music: A Reflection of Lifestyle

Growing up in a rural part of Arkansas taught me that there is two types of people, those who like country music and those who do not. To clear things up, when I say country music I don’t mean musicians like Luke Bryan and Taylor Swift; I mean musicians like Hank Williams, George Jones, Waylon Jennings, and Merle Haggard. Where I am from these are considered to be the classics, making them some of the best examples of country music. Country music is more than just music it is a way of life, which is why there are many things that liking or not liking country music can show about a person.

Instantly when I know that someone likes country music, I know that they know how to slow down and enjoy things. This is obvious to me because true country music is often slow, which intensely bothers those that can’t slow down to enjoy a song. I know this because when I ask people from my home town why the don’t like country music the first answer that almost all of them come up with is that it is too slow for them. The same people that I ask this question are usually those that live, what I could call, an uncomfortable pace. They’re always in a hurry to get

things done. These people who can’t seem to enjoy country music often lead lives that have a much faster pace. The pace at which a person lives their life can say a lot about them. Those who know how to slow down to enjoy a country song often want to slow life down so much that the passing of time disturbs them. That fact partially explains why it is mostly the older generations who like country music. On the contrary, those who lead fast paced lives are in a hurry to reach their goals and are determined to get things done to the point that they often rush past and miss out on things. Which would explain why it is mostly the younger generations who do not like country music.
Another thing that liking country music tells me about a person is that they like to understand meaning behind a song. Country songs almost always have a definate meaning behind them. Other songs often have vague meaning or let the audience decide the meaning behind them, leading to confusion. This absolute understanding of the meaning behind the songs leads to a very relaxing listening experience. Those who like other types of music are often more aware and tense, because they are often trying to interpret the meaning of the song or they are thinking about another meaning they heard and can’t decide which is true.
One of the characteristics of country music that make is so relatable is that most songs convey emotion.

Everyone knows how different emotions feel, so when they hear it accurately portrayed in a song they can sympathise with the singer. The way country songs convey emotions in a simple way, can tell you that those who like this music like for things to be simple. Those who like country music do what they can to lead a simple life. Songs of other genres often convey emotions in a much more complex way. The people who like these other genres often like they idea of having complex emotions and leading complex lives. How complicated a person's life is often directly correlates to the pace at which they live their lives. Which is parallel to how the meaning in a country song directly correlates to the emotion behind the

song.
Next, those who like country music enjoy the twang. The twang in the music is more than just a unique sound, it’s a tradition. When you hear and enjoy the twang of country music you are enjoying a sound that many other country music lovers have before you. Looking back and being able to enjoy the past is an important life lesson, because there is an endless number of things that we can learn from those that lived before us. Those who don’t enjoy country music, prefer new sounds. These new sounds write the future of the music industry, and can help the listener to learn to adapt to change. Looking ahead to prepare for and being able to adapt to the future are also very important characteristics.
Those who like country music know how to slow down, how to relax, how to learn from the past. Those who like other music know how to live at a fast pace, how to be aware, how to look ahead to the future. The true talent lies in those that know how to live slow and fast, to be tense and relaxed, to look backward and forward. Being able to accept and enjoy different types of music will change more than just what you hear in life, it will change how you live your life.