If it had not been for the wandering work of A.P., the Carter Family might not have been able to achieve the success and lasting legacy they hold in American music.
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The influence of Jimmie Rodgers on American music cannot be understated. He has been called the “father of modern country music” and he has influenced everyone from Hank Williams and Merle Haggard to Lynyrd Skynyrd. While he only recorded 111 songs in his career, they left a lasting impression.
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Before we begin, let me make myself crystal clear: this is not a top nine list. These songs are not ranked. I chose nine because I needed a limit and the number made making a collage of covers easy. While I would put a few of these on my all-time list, the point of this is to illustrate what makes songs great. I tried to put in a few familiar favorites, a few things a bit lesser known, songs that were complicated and songs that were simple. Ultimately, it is about illuminating what makes for a great song.
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In honor of my two years of sobriety, I thought, what better topic to write about than my favorite songs about booze?
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As a general rule, I don’t like to mix entertainment and politics. This is mostly because the only preaching I like to hear is on Sunday mornings. There’s a place for preaching, but it’s not in art. Art is supposed to bring awareness and ask questions. It can’t answer those questions for you. You shouldn’t give a crap what an entertainer thinks of politics, one way or another.
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One, I didn’t include Christmas songs. A lot of Christmas songs get me. Two, I didn’t include anything too personal, although if it’s not somewhat personal, you’re not going to feel it enough to be moved to tears.
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But perhaps what Hughes was best at was marrying the right song to the right scene. Think of the end of The Breakfast Club and “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” or the end of Pretty in Pink and OMD’s “If You Leave”. We grew up with this as an example, but Hughes knew… he knew that humans inherently tie memory to sensory stimulus. It’s a movie, he can’t make us smell or taste, but he can make us see and hear. I challenge you to listen to one of those songs and not think about Molly RIngwald.
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