This great American Country

           One of my secret loves is country music. It's not actually a secret from those who know me, but I suspect I wouldn't be classified as someone who likes country music. When I hear certain songs on our local station (FYI: 106.5), though, I just, well, feel patriotic stirrings. They actually played an instrumental, twangy version of the Star Spangled Banner the other day (my kids asked what the song was and I tried to stop the tears from falling as I explained what it was about. I was driving and it just seemed a little weird and traumatizing, not to mention dangerous, to let myself go, emotionally).
          Anyway, I don't love all country music (I can proudly say that I just had to google a billboard chart to find Taylor Swift's name, so that I could explicitly distance myself from her), but I also don't know quite how to categorize what I do like. I think it's probably most accurate to say that I love it because it's American (except for that Aussie, Keith Urban, who I don't really like, anyway) and, from there, it's safe to say that I prefer the more outlaw end of country: Johnny, Willy, Kris, Waylon...Toby. But, then, that would exclude George, who I think deserves every single of those 50+ number ones. George, with his lifelong commitment to Norma, and his latest hit, "I found God today" would not hang with Willie. So, it's outlaw overlapping with Americana.
        It's really patriotism, though, that draws me to country. I heard a song the other day (Toby, in fact) about not messing with the US because this "big dog will fight when you rattle his cage" and it made me proud to be American. Not that I'm into wars. But, that's the American spirit: it's feisty, proud and independent. It's the person who owns their little brick ranch house, which is meticulously kept. Who considers the bank more of a foe than a friend, and doesn't want to borrow any more than they have to. Who clips coupons (that's just seems sooo American!), holds more than one job if they have to, and has a respectful fear of addiction. I don't know why I added that last part: GW Bush is in my sidebar and his struggle with alcoholism just seems very American.
        So, right now, while my CD player is broken in my car, and I'm waiting for a windfall so that I can replace it, my kids are getting a good dose of country. Because some of the songs are "adult", I alternate with classical, which just might cause someone's head to explode.