Slim to Freddy… back through Garth to Keith.
I went through a very long phase in my life when I didn’t like country music… I was brought up on Slim Dusty and Johnny Cash and Olivia Newton John. I was not into silly dusty old, boot scootin’ country music for a good decade of my life. Hell I grew up with it and overdosed big time!
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So, with a lot of CountDown under my belt, a little cash in my wallet, and my own cassette player I made the break… I could actually choose my own music, so I rebelled. I was heavily into (first Abba then) Queen, Phil Collins, the Eurythmics and Wham! (I know!). I particularly adored Andrew Ridgely… although it was a bit hard to see his pretty broken-nosed features and his funny little pal (the one that could actually sing!) through the soft focus sometimes. But I was devoted to Freddy and Phil, Annie and Andrew. I revelled in lyrics that were beyond the “lonesome blues” laments of my childhood, wallowing instead in the sound haze of synthesisers, rockin’ beats and disco. I was an 80’s teenager. What can I say?
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Eventually, I moved back to my home state and my baby brother decided to re-educate me. Every time I was in the ute going somewhere with him, on would come Garth Brooks. And despite my anti-country stance, I felt myself starting to bop a bit in the passenger seat.
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Sensing a weakness, my brother (whose nickname is Pig, not given by me and to the ongoing chagrin of our mother) actually roped me into organising a group to attend the a Garth Brooks concert. (I’m a bit of an organiser, and if I have to say so myself, wrangled some amazing seats!). Not content with having me silently bop to one side, Pig copied off the words to the songs on his latest album and posted them to me weeks prior to the event. Homework! He’s a very thorough boy, is our Pig.
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And I tell you folks, that Garth Brooks may be an ageing, puddin’-lovin’ dude, but the boy can put on a show like nobodies business. It was the best concert I have ever been to… the crowd was ENTIRELY on their feet and rocking that place all night. Better than Eurythmics, Dire Straits, even the double act of Elton John and Billy Joel (I know, stone me later, but take my word for it – the show was amazing!).
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So anyhoo, I was back. I was infected with the ‘country’ bug. Of course I kept it closet for a long time… I had a somewhat cityfied reputation to uphold.
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One of the great bonuses of being a journo on a reasonably large paper, is that you meet people. People you might not otherwise meet. So a number of years ago (pre-family) I was doing a series of features on the Sunshine Coast – the biggest criminals, the biggest artists, etc.
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And I did a feature on the biggest stars of the area. Among them were A) Steve Irwin (who was an emerging star back then and totally approachable… oh, my heart still aches) and B) Keith Urban.
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Very few people on the coast (or even in the Australian greater community) had heard of Keith. He was some shaggy singer from Caboolture being touted in America as the Next Big Thing. But I had to really talk the editor into including him in the lineup. So I rang his Mum and Dad (as you do) as Keith was in Nashville. They were gorgeous and only too happy for me to do an article on their son. I visited their little townhouse, and they gave me photos and information, and a lovely cup of coffee.
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They also actually loaned me their only copy of his first album – and boy were they sorry. I was supposed to have it for a couple of days: listen, review, return. Right!
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I waved goodbye and popped it into the CD player of my little Mazda 626 wagon and that was it. That CD stayed and played for a good month. Mr and Mrs Urban kept leaving sweet little messages:
We loved the article, dear.
Thanks so much.
Er, would you mind very much returning Keith’s CD?
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Just so you know, I did eventually return the CD – I’m really a nice girl at heart. But it was really hard to do. Keith’s Mum and Dad’s first album copy – wonder what that would fetch on ebay now?
*slap!*
Ouch! OK…
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Anyhoo. I still love Keith.
In a “you enjoy a great marriage with our Nicole and produce lots of gorgeous shaggy talented offspring” kinda way. And my kids love him too. They bop their heads and do air guitar as he plays.
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I thought I would share their very favourite Keith song… they sing a haphazard version along with the CD, and bop like crazy and ask me to play it again.
So I do!
(Drives SSB nuts)
Hope you enjoy…
Hang on: before you listen, one thing. You need to listen to the words… for many months I thought Keith sang: Tiger in my pants, instead of Tiger in the Tank. I don’t know why. It seemed to make sense at the time.
SSB looked at me gravely and said:
“It’s tank, not pants.
What kind of a song do you think this is?”
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Warning: it’s loud and the clip has a very strange wobbly legs moment, as well as a dodgy semi-naked Keith shot that this fan has doctored up.
If you can live with it, so can I.
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Pretend you’re in the back seat of a dusty Prado, on the road to Granite Glen and…
Ch, ch!
11 Comments
jeanie
After talking to you this morning, I mentioned to ‘Salina that you had one of her favourites on the blog.
She sang her version “I pull my mums blue jeans on…”
Later, after she begged for a piece of carrot cake, V said he had refrained from mentioning that she may have needed to put on her mum’s blue jeans if she ate too much carrot cake.
I told him it was a good thing he didn’t, because then he would have to soothe the feelings of BOTH women in the house.
Anyway – off track – I remember the Garth concert (being the official taxi driver for the occasion) and baby brother’s conversion attempts. It didn’t really work on me, although I can handle it for a few hours.
Jenni
I went through a country hating phase in high school, too. Garth Brooks is one of the artists who helped pull me out of that. I’ve never seen him in concert, but my mother-in-law says he is one heck of a showman and that nobody does a concert like Garth. Yeah, he ain’t much to look at, but he has serious talent.
Keith Urban, on the other hand, has never been a favorite of mine. I don’t mind him much (like I do Rascal Flatts–ICK!) and there are a few of his songs I like, but he is a little too pop and a little too pretty. Blue Jeans is one I’d never heard before and though it’s pretty pop, it’s also pretty catchy and I kinda like it.
Oh! Your comment about Wham! and Andrew Ridgely made me laugh:o) We watched Music and Lyrics last night and the band Hugh Grant is in and the 80s video reminded me so much of Wham! I told dh that it was a total rip off of a Wham! video and that Hugh Grant’s character is like the other guy from Wham! who just sort of disappeared. I couldn’t remember his name. Dh just looked at me like I was cracked. “I never listened to Wham!” Well, to tell the truth I never paid much attention to them either, but–embarrassing confession–I thought George Michael was so hot when his Faith album came out. LOL! This admission after that comment about Keith! I guess my tastes have changed:o)
Bush Babe (of Granite Glen)
Jeanie – V is a very brave man… and yes, that concert was something else. And I remember you singing along to Tom T Hall with the rest of us!!! He heh.
Jenni – I agree with you about Keith being too “pretty” but he has always been a bit of a dag rather than a Alpha-male bloke. I think he hides behind that hair personally. But he’s quite sweet and Nicole loves him, so nuff said! I don’t listen to country all the time either, but love this particular song as it has a good “keeping me awake” melody. Always an advantage on the road.
PS Who is Rascal Flatts?
🙂
BB
Tracey
That’s a cover version of that song isn’t it? Who sang the original? Which I think I prefer! Sorry!! Not necessarily anything AGAINST Keith Urban, because I seem to have this thing against many cover versions of songs.
(sorry, guess that means you’ll have to do better on your Keith Urban promotion if you’re going to win me over!!!)
Tracey
[ok, answering my own question: It was a David Dundas. Back in ’76.]
You Tube link
Guess I’m showing my age, but I’m betting you still prefer Keith!
Bush Babe (of Granite Glen)
Hey Tracey… not wanting to sell anyone on anything at this site!!! God knows I am no saleswoman… This is my KIDS favourite song of Keith’s (who does lots of cool original stuff but isn’t everyone’s cuppa tea – horses for courses.)
SSB and I did listen to the Dave Dundas version last night (has anyone ever heard of him again?) and I do have vague recollections of it from my childhood. Bit too synthesised for me but a goldie nonetheless. Just a groovie tune really, and hard to get out of your head!
I guess I feel an affinity with Keith because of the story relayed in the blog, because he is originally a dag-made-good-eventually (there’s hope for us all!) and his stuff is just fun. It won’t change the world, but it may make it happier for a little while…
🙂
Tracey
Oops didn’t mean to imply you were pushing him! I tend to want to like something that someone has taken the time to blog about!! The blogging world has broadened my horizons immensely – I love that about my blog reading. My ‘Keith’ knowledge is sadly lacking, so as an Aussie I do want to use your post as a catalyst to listening to more of his music. What do you recommend of his originals?
[My husband stayed the night in Caboolture on Saturday night!!]
Bush Babe (of Granite Glen)
Trace… glad you have an open mind!!! Still getting over my defensiveness at liking country music I guess…
*blushes furiously*.
If you REALLY DO want to sample some Keith (and I am by no means an expert in this dept) I’d recommend his really early stuff like “Somebody like You” and “It’s a Love Thing” which are totally twangy and light and fun, or his tribute to his Dad (Song for Dad, on Golden Road album). I must be getting sentimental, but love the lyric:
When somebody says I hope I get to meet your dad,
I just smile and say, you already have.
Did someone say they had some emu oil to sell? jeez louise, talk about a sales pitch!!!
🙂
BB
baby~amore'
I have been to a Garth Brooks concert my husband is a great fan – Garth is unreal on stage.
I listen to DH’s music on our long country drives but not always.
I like Keith Urban too …it is a great version of Blue Jeans.
BB you have had a very interesting life as a journalist.
Rock on… Country music does rock if you can understand the lyrics I am always getting the words wrong…
Cutie Judy
Saw Keith and Kenny Chesney last summer in Mass.
Keith totally rocks on the guitar, I had no idea!
Kenny is my real favorite, his songs actually ‘speak’ to me, and I am a 49 yr old Grandma!
1st time reading you….can’t wait to look back in the archives!
jp
ps…….Keith without his shirt?!?!?
OMG!!!
Alexie
Unfortunately I haven’t got any idea about what you been talking but absolutely like music. We may not share the same genre but it speaks one common things for all individuals who are into music. It speaks of our soul.:)
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