Country, spelled even as country is a Western musical genre which was originated in the southern United States in the early 1920s. It takes its roots from different genres such as folk music, country gospel, blues, Americana, cowboy etc. Country songs are composed with string-accompanied musical instruments such as electric guitar, banjo, violin and fiddle. They are composed of ballads (a narrative or story) vocalized generally in simple form and harmony. These are some romantic and tragic stories.

ABBA – a Swedish group formed in Stockholm in 1972 has used some good old ballads in their composition.  Even Boney M another famous band has used beautiful ballads in their compositions. In late 2000 Boney M released Their Most Beautiful Ballads – a compilation album of their recordings.

Country has a niche class of listeners. It’s a fallacy that country fans are countryside lads with no work or area lazy class. The modern country music has evolved with a specific style yet with an American way of acknowledging of class and place. In my opinion, country singers are classier. World over the musicians are yet to come to agreement whether country music constitutes “real” country, and whether artists who call themselves country music artists are really “country” artists because some mainstream pop singers also call themselves country singers.

Country music stands out because of its rustic lyrics in short story in rhyme which is simple and naive.  The songs are at times happier with fun, at times angry, sometimes tragic, sarcastic, while some are even patriotic. They are easily memorised and tacit.

They are opposite of rock; in rock the lyrics are the least important part of the song. In a rock you just don’t understand the words because they are slurred or snowed under by the music. The rock songs are dominated by the loud orchestra used in the song which makes the lyrics indistinct; whereas, country music is down-to-earth and the modest form. What I like best about country music is that it has an array of human emotions and it concerns what occurs in a human life. I love country because it gives me a sense of where I belong, it keeps me grounded.

I list here some of my favourites:

• • Walkin’ after midnight, Artist: Patsy Cline, Album: Patsy Cline Showcase 1961

• Mama Tried, Artist: Merle Haggard, Album: Mama Tried, 1968

• Marguerita, Artist: Elvis Presley, Movie: Fun in Acapulco – 1963.

  This song tune was copied in movie Zuk Gaya Asman in 1968 in the song “kaun hai jo sapano me aya” by music directors Shankar-Jaikishan.
  
  

• Take me home country roads, Artist John Denver -1973

• Some broken hearts never mend, Artist: Don Williams, Album Vision – 1977

• Tie a yellow ribbon around the old oak tree, Artist: Tony Orlando, Album: Country Hits Vol 2 – 2009

• The Gambler, Artist: Kenny Rogers Singles Album -1979

• Yellow is the colour of my true love’s hair in the morning, Artist: Donovan, Album: Colours

• I want to hold your hand, Artist: The Beatles, Album: Meet the Beatles – 1964.

  The tune of this song was copied by music directors Shankar-Jaikishan in their 1965 movie Janvar and the song is “dekho ab to kisko nahin hai khabar”

• Raindrops keep fallin’ on my head, Artist: Billy Joe famously known as BJ Thomas, Movie: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid – 1969 film.