A Country Pride anthem done right? Can't be.
In which Joe compares the mastery of Blake Shelton to the juvenile pandering of Justin Moore. Alternatively, Sentences that made sense ten years ago and now sound like incoherent ramblings.
Authenticity is a virtue that is highly prized in contemporary country music culture. In certain circles, authenticity is gauged through a lens of rural affiliation. The more “Country” the perceived image of the star singer, the more an ambitious marketing campaign can cash in on the relatable cultural similarities. Often artists will lean into the identitarian nature of the scene and release songs solidifying their place in the rural authenticity hierarchy. This often leads to a feeling of fracture; an us versus them mentality that reinforces priors. Doubling down on core audiences is a reasonable marketing tactic but leaves many fans left on the outside looking in.
A great example of a track that manages to thread the line between anchoring itself in a rural setting without sacrificing universal appeal is the Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins 2010 duet Hillbilly Bone. It is by no means a lyrical masterpiece- the rhythmic B-B-B-Bone refrain in the chorus is nearly an automatic disqualification for that. The thumping percussive production is a harbinger of instrumental styles soon to take over the mainstream sound of radio and grates on the ears in a manner typical of bombastic arena country. However, the duet of Adkins’ and Shelton’s voices meld together nicely and it is a fun and enjoyable listen.
The uniqueness of the song is understood most within the broader context of the country music landscape at the time. The signs of the bro-country revolution were simmering beneath the surface, albeit having not fully emerged into the early 2010s behemoth that dominated the hearts, minds, and airwaves of Nashville. The slow evolution of the fanbase from the historically adult-centric demographic to an audience of adolescent frat party bros was already happening, fueled by the inclusion of more heavy rock sounds as well as a growing emphasis on rural identity. Ironically, as the topic shifted towards being country, the songs sounded less country than ever.
Exclusivity became a dominant thematic undercurrent. Perhaps triggered by the ever-shrinking populace of the rural American community, being country became an identity that an artist had to cloak themselves in. Artists who formerly donned the 1990s staple of a cowboy hat switched over to ballcaps and bare heads as a subconscious message of unity with the common country folk. The messaging in the song became ever more tailored to the “in crowd”. Songs like Small Town USA (not a generic stand-in, an actual song title from this period) became omnipresent on country radio playlists.
It was within this context that Hillbilly Bone was released. It featured two artists who along with a select few others, were synonymous with the 2000s country scene. These artists are by no means country music purists, although Adkins has held on to a slightly more traditional sound than Shelton (see his dalliances with country rap and the unforgettable old farts and jackasses soundbite etc.) and have had no problems following trends over the years. In fact, the peak of Adkins's success was created by following along the post 9/11 resurgence of patriotic sentiment with his hit tearjerker ballads. Arlington and Till the Last Shot’s Fired are my personal favorites of that era. The trend-chasing nature of the artists is in part what makes the theme of the song so interesting.
The thesis of the song is simple. Regardless of what background you come from- I got a Friend from New York City who ain’t even heard of Conway Twitty- we all have a “hillbilly bone down deep inside” that Country music taps into and resonates with. The song goes on to tell us that one does not need to be from the sticks to let out a big Yeehaw! when the fiddle saws at a Honky-Tonk. The unity being expressed here is remarkable. As an illustration of the radio scene at the time and how this song stood in direct contrast, let us examine a hit song from Justin Moore that hit radio a bit more than a year later.
Bait a Hook (admittedly a guilty pleasure of mine) honed in on the urban-rural divide in a much more divisive manner. It is interesting to note the defensive posturing that is commonplace throughout many of the country pride songs. In Bait a Hook, the narrator is trying to explain the apparent absurdity of the girl’s choice to go to the city guy. His reasons range from the city guy driving a Prius to the punchline of the track, that this city boy is uneducated in the most basic staple of country life; fishing. The man is so incapable that he can’t even bait a hook, the slightly desperate tone of Justin Moore proclaims.
The song essentially divides the audience into the right side- the country way of life and the wrong side- the city dwellers. If you are a city dweller, you are not invited to the party. The song makes the reasoning for the exclusion very clear. After all, you can’t even bait a hook!
Hillbilly Bone takes a more unifying approach without impeding on the uniqueness of country life. By emphasizing the common humanity between City and Country folks, the song both expands the market audience and also uplifts the country modes of life in a positive manner without actively pushing down and denigrating the “Others”.
I’ll end off with a quote from one of the premier country music bloggers on the internet, Mr. Kevin John Coyne from CountryUniverse.
“You can celebrate the rural without diminishing the urban, trusting that the commonality of the human experience transcends the boundaries of geography.”
Joe