Nashville Anthems: Dissecting 80s & 90s Country Music

In the first of a trilogy of feminine perspectives in the 90s, we tackle Shania Twain's lighthearted 1997 hit "Don't Be Stupid".  Twain puts a twist on stereotypical gender roles, and not for the first time, but how does her protagonist's response to her man's stereotypical suspicion give us a perfect example of Twain's brand of 90s feminine empowerment?

We follow one "Pure Country" hit with another: 1992's "I Cross My Heart".  George Strait doffs the pyrotechnics (or something like that) and gets intimate in this one, but how do these rolling harmonic and melodic hills frame this speaker's specific message of commitent?  And what about that key change??

George Strait takes us back to his acting days, with 1993's "Heartland". Strait's signature honky-tonk style sounds right at home on this Texas-sized arena stage, but how do this song's lyrics try to take us somewhere else? And what tensions might this song encapsulate between the journeys of "Dusty" and real-life George Strait?

It's vintage Judds, with their 1987 classic hit "I Know Where I'm Going". This cut is a prime example of the Judds' signature acoustic-with-attitude shtick, but how does heavy harmonic ambiguity in this one leave us less sure of our destination that Wynonna and Naomi seem to be?

Our first encounter with Doug Stone taps into his rowdy side, with 1994's indignant, deliciously unhinged, "Addicted to a Dollar". Stone shows us what angry, working class honky-tonk sounds like in the mid-90s, but what indications do we have in this song that this first person narrator is ever actually going to muster the courage to tell anyone to take this job and shove it?

In this episode, we explore why George Strait's career-defining 1983 classic "Amarillo by Morning" isn't just a great song, isn't just Strait's own favorite, but is in the conversation for greatest of all time.

We finally tackle the song that's been at the top of our list all along, Alan Jackson's 1994 hit "Gone Country".  Is this classic the straightforward celebration it sounds like?  Or might the on-the-nose harmony and melody hint at something more satirical in the lining of this new kinda suit?  Watch this video, listen to this episode, and let's find out!

We revisit mid-90s Girl Power as Reba cuts her hair and changes her tone, from victim to victor, in her 1996 hit "How Was I to Know".  The first-chorus rug-pull is clever enough on its own, but how is this moment pivotal not just for this song, but for McEntire's entire corpus?  

This year's Christmas episode takes us back to 1982, and Dolly Parton's nuanced version of "Hard Candy Christmas".  Chords, lyrics, and melody all keep this song subtly shifting between bitter and sweet, but how does Dolly Parton's exquisite delivery turn this one from lovely to legendary?

Alan Jackson takes the Lovable Loser through a 12-bar blues romp complete with lighthearted fun, virtuoso solos, and even some poetic justice, in his 1995 hit "I Don't Even Know Your Name". But is it more George Jones this time, or Buck Owens?

Diamond Rio restacks the harmony and dishes out the twang in their 1991 hit "Mirror, Mirror". Everyone's delivering blue notes on this one, but how do the lyrics and tonality suggest something darkly humorous about the singer's hardluck introspection? (Also, what exactly is the Mandela Effect?)

Alabama takes us back to the past in more ways than one...or two...with their 1981 hit "Old Flame". Their typical vocal harmonic fun is there, but what is it about the lyrics of this one that suggests an internal dialogue about a relatable external threat?

We head back to the personal ads to peruse Chely Wright's "Single White Female". There are several unique rhythmic and harmonic things going on in this quintessential 1999 hit, but what do those defining musical characteristics have to do with the simultaneously forward and reserved lyrics?

We dive into the waters of Alan Jackson's signature song, 1993's "Chattahoochee".  It's Alan Jackson, so it's going to be earnest neotraditional honky-tonk, but how does the authentic nostalgia in this one take it from good, to great, to all-time classic? (And what exactly is a hootchie-cootchie?)

We dive deep into Alabama's Cajun-flavored 1984 anthem, "If You're Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)". This one has always had us screaming "Cotton-eye Joe!" from back the row, but is there something larger going on here about Alabama's posture toward the impending neotraditionalist wave?  Hmm... let's open up this case and see what's inside.