Dak,

You are right. It is not that interesting. If you were to come to Nashville, you would hear about 200 of these a night. It is actually exactly what most newer writers write. And a lot of Californians seem to think this is still where country is. Ut has changed a lot.

Country and rock actually did a "swap" in the late 90's. Rock went into a more negative, angst ridden type of music with the Seattle Grunge movement, then led into the anger and street sounds of Hip hop and rap.

Country morphed into more "Friends in Low Places" and party oriented songs. Much due to attitudes in the culture as 24 hour news and depression, the Internet took over. People didn't have to go to a sad country song to tell them how bad things were. The "Crying in your beer" era was over.

In this day and age, even if there is a song with a more somber message, the music is much more uplifting and counters the down side. But again this is nothing new. In 1981, when George Jones recorded the song most consider the saddest country song, "He Stopped Loving Her Today" he didn;'t want to record it. "I'll bet $100 that no one will ever buy that depressing piece of crap." Is what George said. He lost that bet.

But the attitudes in Country started changing about that time and that was just about the last really sad country song that came out.

Now the "rope of hope" or "twist on the tale" songs rule the roost.

These types of songs are best left to the Californian's to do. They seem to like depression out there. Overall. this kind of song is what a lot of Californian's think is still country.

We'll let them keep thinking that.

MAB