All That Glitters

..,....- Sex brings up (and fails to address?)- why it's Madonna's (use of images of) bise)(uality in not 'queer enough', why it's boring, and (my some depth, but concludes "I do not thinkthat Perfect Beat v2 n1 July 1994 favourite) why it is the true sequel to Gone an unconditional celebration of Madonna's With the Wind. John Champagne is a lot more work is a good political choice"(l67). Pat serious (and a lot more graphic, one assumes Califa, discussing the S/M element ofSex, also partly in reaction to the fact that Sex is ·~ust says "I feel deeply ambivalent about some not foul enough" [116]) but also deals with body who has not paid her dues using my the numerous contradictory critical responses community as a series of bizarre backdrops aroused by Sex. Interestingly, unlike hooks, ~ for a photo shoot"(I77), but nevertheless ar Champagne saw the Vanity Fair spread as gues from an anti-antipom position that the S/ parodies of 1950s Playboy layouts, exhibiting M community "will still find itself in the a 'camp sensibility' that boded well for Sex, but awkward position of defending Sex"(i84). he was ultimately disappointed. 'Camp' re appears {frequently) in Carol A. Queen's Perhaps the most telling testament to Ma Lewis, G.H. (ed) (1993) correct! y), "these diverse views of country championing ofSex -perhaps we are all being donna's charisma and star power is that none begin to suggest what a fascinating and multi prudes in that the thing we talk least about is of the writers in the two volumes (other than All that Glitters - Country Music in faceted phenomenon this music is". the sex, but then again, maybe the point is that Simon Frith) devote more than a passing America, Bowling Green State Univer it isn't really sex, in which case how can we mention to the fact that Madonna has a voice, sity Popular Press. applaud Madonna for "making us talk about sings and (co) writes much of her material; 1be book's principal focus is on what Lewis sex" (150)? and that her voice, delivery and music have As a number of contributions to this volume terms 'modem' country music in America developed and altered over her career. Far observe, the popularity of country music has that is, country music as it developed from the Kirsten Marthe Lentz approaches the ever from being the 'primary text' (in Alan Moore's steadily increased over the past two decades. 1950s onwards- and this is explored through enticing question ofMadonna's 'authenticity' phrase) music is, in these books, largely the Although the writers make this assertion in seven sections which address performers who or otherwise- the "frustration with the inabil 'missing text'. Given that the very raison I connection only with the music's growing have been major influences on modem ity to know her, to identify her- sexually or d'itre of these books is that Madonna should American audience, the same is equally true country, regional forms and influences, hooky otherwise"(l66). Of course this is one of the be taken seriously as an object of analysis it t in many other parts of the globe. In Britain, tonk culture; aspects of the country music secrets of her success - because we can't seems odd that her music is relegated to the for instance, both Nanci Griffith and k.d.lang industry, the emotions and values espoused definitely identify her as gay or bi, she can sidelines. American Cultural Studies might I followed in the footsteps of rock star Eric by country music, the socio-political issues appropriate gay imagery (and sell it) without be learning to look, but it still seems deaf to the Clapton by playing London's prestige clas raised by and within the music, and the advent any real taint... Lentz discusses the issue of sounds of popular culture. sical music venue, the Royal Albert Hall, on of a 'new country' sound via a new generation I their last UK tours. And both Griffith and of perfonners. Each section is prefaced by an Lang, together with other so-called 'new introduction which usefully concludes with a country' singer-songwriters such as Lyle playlist. Lovett, enjoy fairly regular airplay on radio stations and programs that are not exclusively Given the range of disciplines from which the devoted to country music. writers are drawn, the approaches, styles and methodologies employed in the articles vary Yet, as George Lewis himself argues in his enormously (from the anecdotal to the in introduction, country music has on the whole terpretation of statistical data) and - failed to attract substantial interest within unsurprisingly, I feel - any reader will find popular music studies. lbis anthology ofwide some pieces more immediately interesting ranging articles, essays and conference papers than others. One of the more illuminating written by historians. sociologists, musicolo contributions for this reader, for instance, is gists, folklorists, anthropologists, ethnogra Joli Jensen's essay on Patsy Cline which phers, communication specialists and jour e)(amines a whole range of factors which nalists is, then, both timely and to be wel shaped the singer's career and public image, comed. Although the very diversity of per and the way Cline initially resisted perform spectives brings its own problems, All That ing the·more popular material which contrib Glitters not only makes a valuable contribu uted substantially to her success and has since tion to a burgeoning academic discipline, but helped redefine her as 'classic' country. as the book's cover notes assert (absolutely Equally e)(cellent is Lewis's own chapter on Perfect Beat II v2 n1 July 1994 Perfect Beat Ill v2 n1 July 1994 ,..- ~ country music in Maine which helps chal and should inform its study. so that, taking the book as a whole, the reader white, predominantly rural, predominantly lenge the prevalent myth ofcountry's Southern is offered a fairly extensive analysis of Nel southern audience" (260), and in view of origin by a detailed study of the music's For instance, many of the contributors discuss son's music, performance style and image efforts elsewhere in the book to debunk the development in the north-eastern state and thequestionofcountrymusic's(increasingly) and how they can be contextualised within the myth of country's Southern origin, it seems looks at how the regional style interacted with popular appeal and endeavour to assess what country music industry/scene as a whole. strange not to include some discussion of, for the emerging national sound of Nashville. constitutes that appeaL A broad general instance, the black influences on the music or agreement emerges that the lyrics are of fun But among the issues that are not followed up black country performers such as Charley Among the many other stimulating essays, damental importance to listeners: the nature is, for instance, the musicological aspect of Pride, OB McClinton (both mentioned in two other pieces are worth noting here. In his of the music is that the lyrics are usually country - made all the more evident through passing by Thompson) and the harmonica examination of the so-called 'outlaw' country highly unambiguous, addressing clearly de the book's very emphasis upon lyrics. In their player DeFord Bailey, or Solomon Burke's musicofWillie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, lineated themes, and are meant to be heard. highly detailed studies of lyrics, several unexpected success with a country song in the Michael Dunne undertakes a fascinating ex As Karen Saucier asserts, 'the lyrics of a writers seem to imply that this emphasis is 1960s while he was signed to Atlantic Records. ploration of the growing self-reflexivity in country song attempt to tell a complete story justified because, as Saucier explicitly states, their songs, suggesting that this functioned to in a "three minute soap opera"' (244). In "unlike other forms of music where melody is These omissions mean that at times the book 'co-opt' their listeners into the world of the attempting to characterise the country music equally important, the essence ofcountry music feels as if it has been structured to fit the 'outsider' singer-songwriter and helped tum 'story' several writers reiterate recurring is its story' (my italics: 224). While lyrics material that was available- excellent though the 'rebellion' into a phenomenal success. In themes- such as love, failed relationships and may be a crucial dimension in the popularity much of that material is - and this is particu his essay on Alison Krauss, Marie Fenster honky-tonking - but also argue that, on the and function ofcountry music-and obviously larly apparent in the final section, 'If Wishes highlights debates around the definition of one hand, it offers something familiar and require study - this tends to suggest that the Were Changes: Country at the Crossroads'. blue grass music in a manner very similar to ordinary to the listener and, on the other, it sound, rhythm, instrumentation and arrange In his introduction to this section Lewis em thewaycriticselsewherehaveexaminedthem articulates the contradictions that have to be ment plays no role whatsoever. If this were phasises at some length the importance of in relation to cajun music. negotiated in everyday life. Thus, country the case, it fails to explain why certain versions Gram Parson and Emmylou Harris to country music is seen as something which fundamen of particular songs become popular while music's development over the past two dec Singling only these particular articles out for tally interacts with the lives of its listeners. others do not, or why Patsy Cline had to ades, yet none of the essays included in the mention is not intended to deny the value of record what Jensen terms 'smoother material' section directly address either performer.

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