![]() ![]() Who'd a-thunk that in MTV's infancy, the band to put Texas on the video map would be. Songwriters: Simon LeBon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, Andy Taylor, Roger Taylor Texas Towns & Places 15 "Rio," Duran Duran And if the images of Dumas and Laredo are as opposite as the sound of "Asshole" and "Rio," well. It did beat out "Texarkana," "Asshole From El Paso," and "Rio," however. "No!" was the resounding reply, mostly from youthful critics, with one veteran saying, "It's not in Texas." Yet three people nominated the song, doubtless reflecting Dave Marsh's sentiment: "Texas is stolen Mexican territory anyhow!"Īnd what of "I'm a Ding Dong Daddy (From Dumas)," the bouncy swing ditty by Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys that inspired this survey? It didn't place in the Top 10, but it was the 12th favorite song on the list, just behind the 11th, "Streets of Laredo" by Marty Robbins. "Does 'Nuevo Laredo' count?" asked Joe Nick Patoski of the Doug Sahm favorite. There's no doubt that what critics do best is argue. No one younger than 35 voted for the Johnny Mercer-Harry Warren chestnut "I'm an Old Cowhand (From the Rio Grande)." All ages voted for the Doobie Brothers' "China Grove." "Get a fucking life," he squawked, but when Simon LeBon sings "dance across the Rio Grande," he's name-checking the Lone Star State. No one older than 35 voted for Duran Duran's "Rio," and the flak from one voter made ears scorch. And that was one of the few rules: The title had to say "Texas." Rules, of course, were made to be broken, so there's one notable exception.Īge reflected strongly in choices, too. Non-Texas based critics admitted being daunted by the "overwhelming selection" of songs suggested the honed-down list of 500 or so titles considered was a drop in the bucket to the estimated 3,500 songs that mention the state, a city, or place in its title. Jody Denberg, for one, almost begged off, saying, "As a New Yorker I feel so unqualified to participate," yet his sensibility in programming KGSR belies his origins. name a genre, and someone is singing about Texas in it.īesides the majority of the Chronicle Music staff, voters included a number of esteemed musicos not even based in Texas. Murder ballads, disco tunes, school anthems, television show themes, post punk, classic country, hot jazz, smokin' blues, New Wave. Songs about the state of Texas generally celebrate its spirit and geography - and love. Songs about Texas towns and places usually involve love - unrequited, young, old, lost, newfound, enduring. Texas - like New York, California, and the whole South - just seems to inspire music.Īnd here's something that became obvious in listening to hundreds and hundreds of songs. This Ding Dong moment happened in the wake of the Chronicle's Texas Top 40 last November, an effort that was so much fun to be part of that it didn't take long to marry the two in concept. Besides making me crazy, it got me thinking about the phenomenon of a state that inspires so many songs. "I'm a Ding Dong Daddy (From Dumas)" got stuck in my head last April. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |