Posted on 09/21/2001 9:46:20 AM PDT by dead
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. - Young children exposed to country music score lower on IQ tests than kids raised on rock 'n' roll, declares controversial music professor Dr. Roger Solett - and he bases his startling claim on the results of a study of 1,000 kids!
"Country music makes kids stupid," he said. "It's the mind- warping lyrics." And he cited a few examples drawn from what he called "some of the most popular country songs of the past two decades." On the list:
"I'd Rather Have a Bottle in Front of Me Than a Frontal Lobotomy."
"Get Your Tongue Outta My Mouth 'Cause I'm Kissin' You Goodbye."
"If You Wanna Keep Your Beer Cold, Put It Next to My Ex-wife's Heart."
Dr. Solett is the former director of the prestigious Chopin Symphony and a professor of music. He said he and his research team gave IQ tests to 500 6-year-olds whose parents played country music in the house or car daily.
"They're Billy Ray Cyrus, Faith Hill, Clint Black, Randy Travis, Garth Brooks fans - and their children scored, on average, 10 points lower on standard IQ tests than 500 6-year-olds whose parents are rock 'n' roll junkies," said Dr. Solett.
"Now what's the difference between rock and country? It's just wild people banging on drums and strumming guitars in both cases. Lots of howling. Lots of noise. The only difference between rock and country is that country is stupid - the lyrics, I mean.
" 'I wanna whip your cow . . . I fell on a pile of you and got love all over me . . . Drop-kick me, Jesus, through the goalposts of life' . . . I mean, c'mon, this kinda stuff'll warp your mind."
But Dr. Solett's controversial study, and particularly his views, are not shared by many, if any, of his peers. And a member of his own research team, who asked to remain anonymous, told Weekly World News, "He hates hick music with a passion."
I'd tell you, counselor, but you couldn't handle it.
Junior Brown (the greatest electric guitarist ever in any genre), Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton (her new bluegrass stuff is poetry, as opposed to her crappy pop hits of the 80's), Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Lyle Lovett, Alison Krauss, Lucinda Williams, Willie Nelson, Dwight Yoakam, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson (his new "Austin Sessions" CD is a masterpiece), BR5-49.
Plus, the old classics (Eddy Arnold, Hank, Ernest Tubb, Patsy Cline, Doc Watson, Jimmie Rodgers, Chet Atkins) won't lower anybody's IQ.
But the most important question is - Where the hell is Bat Boy?
Also excellent for cleaning around your house !!
I'm a huge Jr Brown fan, BUT, obviously you have never heard Albert Lee(NOT the British Bluesman) play. Check out MCA's album release they did on him in their 1980's series, "Masters of the Steel String Guitar."
Any of the cuts will do, but I'm especially moved by 'T-Bird to Las Vegas' for it's sheer drive, amazing melodic creativity & complexity, and complete virtuosity.
It's true to say that Albert lacks a certain 'Star' quality (w/ looks akin to Lyle Lovett before LL got trendy) but as a guitarist/instrumentalist, in the genre of RnR, Country(where todays BEST true RnR is played) and Jazz, Albert Lee has no equal. If you haven't heard of him you're in for a real treat. His 'pedal steel ' technique on a Tele sans any 'hardwear' tricks/alternations is simply beyond phenomenal.
MHO of course.
That being said, I'll stand in line at my very first chance to catch Jr.B's fireworks up close and personal.
"I generally despise country music, but if this is the same one I've heard (on non-country radio), it's one of my favorites."
So you just go where you go and do what you do and be who you want to be, but when she burns you again and your phone doesn't ring, baby it's me ... Mary Chapin Carpenter.
From You Never Had It So Good.
Ooohhh! I know where he is coming from. I am in a hard spot. I like Hank Williams, Bob Wills, Hank Snow, Jimmy Rogers type of country but barfalot on the current stars. Country music can recover if it returns to the older type music. New guys and gals are just marketing tools.
(I'm heading for my backyard shelter. I just hope the cannibals next door don't spot me.)
For the most part, I agree with you... I do like my Tim McGraw and my Toby Keith though. "How d'ya like me NOW!"
There're some who'd insist the names above are not "Country Music;" rather, they're the replacement for bubble gum music as provided by the PC crowd who usurped Nashville.
What's interesting is the fact this genius seems to have missed remarking on the magnificent contributions by the "Rap Artists" who're *infesting* the airwaves today.
I'd think listening to that crap would have the same effect as a full-blown lobotomy; which assumes there were a brain present to lobotomize.
Of course, there I go again.
Upsetting the "sensitive", re-distributionists running amok hither & fro'.
geshhhhh.
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