25 Mar 04 - 11:33 AM (#1145853) Subject: General thoughts on George Jones? From: GUEST,stumd3 Just curious what people think of this old boy . . . Any thoughts about his music? |
25 Mar 04 - 11:54 AM (#1145876) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: DonMeixner Great voice for the songs he sings. Very poor example of a human being. Don |
25 Mar 04 - 12:03 PM (#1145891) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: Gern Greatest hard-core country singer of his generation. His vocal quirks and decorative gulps are the cliche of hurting country today. Of course he's open to criticism on a personal level and vulnerable to decline with age, etc., but he has recorded dozens of essential heartbroken hits over the last 50 years. Imagine how shallow mid-century country music would have been without "Window Up Above," "She Thinks I Still Care," "We Must have been Out of our Minds," "A Good Year for the Roses" and ...how many others would you like? Elvis Costello, for one, knows a good singer and songwriter when he hears one, and he loves to do George Jones songs. With the exception of Merle Haggard, George Jones is simply all that true country has left. |
25 Mar 04 - 12:13 PM (#1145902) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: Áine You said everything I was going to say, Gern. It's nice to see that there are some country fans on the Mudcat. You can hear George's life in his singing, and that's what makes it so unique, especially when you compare it to what passes for 'country' music these days. Just take a five minute gander at 'Nashville Star' on TV, and it doesn't take long to figure out what passes for 'country' now. Sad, sad, sad. No matter what happens to the genre in the future, at least we afficianados of scooting the sand dust with our boots on a dancehall floor while listening to ol' George moan on the jukebox can look back on the classic country artists who knew how to get you right in the gut with their songs. All the best, Áine |
25 Mar 04 - 12:16 PM (#1145906) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: Leadfingers Country Fans on Mudcat ? Why not - Country is just Commercialised American Folk Music. |
25 Mar 04 - 12:34 PM (#1145927) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: catspaw49 He's certainly the best at something. A friend and I were talking a few years ago and agreed that whenever you hear George, you visualize some guy sitting alone in the back of a smokey, dark, honky-tonk, a .357 stuck in his belt. He is listening to George Jones and staring at a little, worn, wallet-size picture of a woman, crying in his beer......and as the song ends he blows his brains out. Now I'm not sure how you classify that type of performer, but whatever it is, George is at the TOP!!! Spaw |
25 Mar 04 - 12:39 PM (#1145931) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: Amos G'yam hell, Áine ! Gayit hit say-idd!! :>)) Love, A |
25 Mar 04 - 12:44 PM (#1145942) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: Johnny in OKC I don't even listen to C&W any more. It's nothing but rock, with cowboy hats. Love, Johnny in OKC |
25 Mar 04 - 01:04 PM (#1145959) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: Sandy Mc Lean I have always loved his music. However, a few years ago I went to a live concert and was not impressed. He played, maybe all of 45 minutes, left a lot of his classics unsung, said good night and left with no encore. What he did perform was good but I felt ripped off. The funny thing was that about 10 minutes before leaving he told an enthusiastic audience that he would like to play all night for them. |
25 Mar 04 - 01:23 PM (#1145983) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: GUEST,stumd3 Thanks for all of your comments. They are interesting. I've always sort of considered him the kind of country music that I hate, but I got to the point where I could no longer ingore "the voice." I still have real reservations, however, in his taste of some of the songs he records. But, when the voice, lyrics and melody line up right it is powerful. (cold hard truth, color of the blues, window up above, aged 20 years in 5, she thinks i still care, etc.) As for the popular opinion that the songs are just too depressing, isn't it fair to say that some of the blues singers (often considered "cooler"?) sing songs just as depressing? "Lonesome Christmas Blues" by Blind Blake springs to mind. What do you think? |
25 Mar 04 - 03:36 PM (#1146095) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: Gern Like "Funeral Hearse at my Door" for example? |
25 Mar 04 - 03:55 PM (#1146108) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: GUEST,Martin Gibson This is my kind of thread. Glad to see others here who know real country music. George Jones is the direct link to the great country singers of days gone by such as Lefty Frizzel, Hank Williams, and Webb Pierce. I am no different from other country music historians who worship the musical ground he walks on. |
25 Mar 04 - 05:13 PM (#1146174) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: GUEST George Jones is one of the all-time greats. His foibles as a human being are irrelevant to his music, all that matters are the lyrics, the melodies and the voice. |
25 Mar 04 - 05:17 PM (#1146179) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: GUEST,Martin Gibson Ah, Guest, you left out the biggest part of country music. The feeling. |
25 Mar 04 - 06:39 PM (#1146227) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: Jerry Rasmussen Count me in... I have a ton of Jones's stuff... he's one of the few classic country singers who is still recording good material. Jerry |
25 Mar 04 - 09:16 PM (#1146321) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: GUEST,Grubby I think if you listen to George sing "Choices" it is almost certainly him reflecting on his personal troubles of the past. Great song and part of my song kit Regards Grubby |
25 Mar 04 - 10:33 PM (#1146360) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: Art Thieme He was the best. That said, I'd love to hear his rendition of things like Buffalo Skinners, The Dreary Black Hills, The Ballad Of Tom Joad, Pretty Boy Floyd, The South Coast or even The Flying Cloud. Tom Russell might do those effectively too come to think of it. With his phrasing and unique vocalizing abilities I think it'd be the shot in the arm that country music AND more trad sounding folk music might need. Art Thieme |
25 Mar 04 - 10:44 PM (#1146365) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: M.Ted He's hotter than a two dollar pistol.... |
26 Mar 04 - 09:55 PM (#1147229) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: smokeyjoe I've always thought of George Jones as a blues singer. What really draws me in is his voice; particularly his phrasing, and his tone. Lyrical content is usually the last thing that I notice. However, he still has the ability to draw you into his songs. Just listen to "Choices" on the 'Cold Hard Truth' album. If that don't make your hair stand up, I don't know what will, -ESPECIALLY for those of you that know about his past. |
26 Mar 04 - 10:21 PM (#1147241) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: Art Thieme Lyrical content has always been ALL I ever really cared about. For me, a song was just a story with a tune. If that tune and/or arrangement is any good, and tasteful too, well, that's just extra frosting on the cake. This is a bit o' thread creep, I know. But George Jones didn't need poetic, literary or intelectually stimulating dramatic content to put a song across. He was a rare one though. I just wish he'd tried to do that more. Hell, I wish country music still told tales in their songs like the BALLADS 2-LP set of records in the FOLKWAYS ANTHOLOGY did. The last time popular/country/blues music showed us a large quantity of those songs on a topic was when John F. Kennedy was killed. That was quite a long time ago ! Art Thieme |
26 Mar 04 - 11:06 PM (#1147256) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: Midchuck That said, I'd love to hear his rendition of things like Buffalo Skinners, The Dreary Black Hills, The Ballad Of Tom Joad, Pretty Boy Floyd, The South Coast or even The Flying Cloud. Tom Russell might do those effectively too come to think of it. Art, have you heard the brand-new Tom Russell album (Indians Cowboys Horses Dogs)? He has a song on it, "The Ballad of Edward Abbey" which uses the melody of "Buffalo Skinners," more or less. Kind of fun. "...if a man can't piss in his own front yard, he's livin' too close to town!" Peter |
27 Mar 04 - 12:36 AM (#1147307) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: Art Thieme No, I've not heard that. But will soon. Art |
27 Mar 04 - 12:55 AM (#1147320) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: richlmo He helped define "Country Music", I don't mean today's Country . I never was a big fan, but I did like "The Race Is On" and "White Lightnin". "He Stopped Loving Her Today" was a really powerful song. I think he seeems to have made a pretty big impression on Randy Travis!! Who was also pretty good for "Country". |
27 Mar 04 - 03:09 PM (#1147736) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: Mark Clark There are certain performers whose artistry is so great and whose presence is so masterful that one doesn't need to be a fan of their chosen art form to recognize their mastery. Baryshnikov, in his prime, was such a dancer. Michael Jordan in basketball, Perlman's violin, Bill Monroe in bluegrass, B.B. King in blues—all are or were masters of the first order. One doesn't need to be a fan of country music to see that George Jones, in his field, is one of these rare and great masters. - Mark |
27 Mar 04 - 03:11 PM (#1147737) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: Áine Very well said, Mark! All the best, Áine |
27 Mar 04 - 04:57 PM (#1147790) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: open mike Wasn't he in a relationsip with a female musician who subsequently sang songs about how he mistreated her? |
27 Mar 04 - 06:07 PM (#1147836) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: Midchuck Wasn't he in a relationsip with a female musician who subsequently sang songs about how he mistreated her? Umm, yeah, but on the other hand, I saw the Country Music awards quite a few years back, and he sang, "If Drinking Don't Kill Me, Her Memory Will" (which is my second-favorite of his, after "He Stopped Loving Her Today"), and in the final line, where the title line repeats once more, he sang, "...If drinking don't kill me, Tammy's memory will." Peter. |
27 Mar 04 - 09:06 PM (#1147905) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: open mike yes that means Tammy Wynette, right? Is it she who sang Stand By My Man? Guess she decided to stand far away.. |
27 Mar 04 - 09:18 PM (#1147910) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: Stilly River Sage Is it "is" or "was" regarding Jones? I thought he died. I'm not a fan of country music in general, though there are a few performers who crossed over and out or who have such a range that I am aware of them. SRS |
27 Mar 04 - 10:01 PM (#1147935) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: BuckMulligan I believe he's still alive (but admit to not having kept up). Someone said (perhaps apocryphally) "If we could all sing like we want, we'd all sing like George Jones." |
27 Mar 04 - 11:20 PM (#1147957) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: open mike he nearly died when his car hit a bridge but he pulled thru...and is living now. |
28 Mar 04 - 12:11 AM (#1147978) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: Art Thieme I've been told that Tammy used to take his car keys and hide them when George got drunk. Once he got pissed off, broke up a bunch of furniture and took the key to the riding lawnmower and headed down the median strip of the highway into Nashville. Only got as far as the gas (petrol) let him. Art Thieme |
28 Mar 04 - 01:03 AM (#1148000) Subject: RE: General thoughts on George Jones? From: open mike if you want to know more...go HERE |