Cheerful music...

[helen99]

I remember when there was a big flap about I Used to Love Her by Guns n Roses.

Then today I heard Knoxville Girl by the Louvin Brothers, about which there never was the slightest flap.

And then of course there is the Finnish band Värttinä, who wrote a song about a woman who ate her children, and another song with the following lyrics: "I throw off sparks, I tear from my tongue words as twisted as tree-roots. I poke the fire of hatred with my words, I hurl hate back at you. My mood blackens, blacker than the mind of any mortal. My loathing drips blood, my pain slashes, curses, drenches with pus."

Um, All-rightee then. So anyway.

It's funny that people singled out GNR's "I used to love her," when in fact much folk music worldwide (for example, music from Finland and Tennessee) goes where that song never dared to go.

Comments

[rangermorgiah.livejournal.com]

Well also, you're never going to hear that music on 98 Rock. I had never heard of the above before reading about it here. I think when something is widely distributed, and people from outside of that culture are exposed to it, then they freak out.

Of course, they still ignore the dark sides of their own cultural legacy, but Axel was just so very clear about it ;)

[helen99.livejournal.com]

No, no you're probably not going to hear the darker side of Folk on 98 rock. However, I did hear the Louvin Brothers song on 105.5 AM WAMU (listener supported Bluegrass), right there with the gospel and an occasional honkytonk... Sort of not what I expected. Listening to the song, my reaction was, omg, did I hear that right? What the hell is *wrong* with that songwriter?? It never occurred to me that they shouldn't play it though - I'm all in favor of playing any and all folk music uncensored - it's a historic thing!