There's Two Kinds of People In This World...

Those who like Country music, and those who don't.

I don't, and when I'm king, there'll be some decrees in this regard.

Country music is, as all Buffy fans know, the music of pain. Nothing good ever happens in a country song, with the obvious exception of 'Goodbye Earl' by The Dixie Chicks (sigh...).

A good friend and colleague of mine, when asked what sort of music he liked, replied "Both kinds - Country and Western". Now, notwithstanding the obvious reference to The Blues Brothers, I was forced to question him.

We discussed the genre in general, and Tony explained that country music is about life - real life happening to real people.

Why anyone would want to sing about divorce, cheatin', being drunk, murder and Christmas is beyond me - I'd hate to live in a world like that...

Okay, so it's not (sorry, it ain't) all doom and gloom, except of course for Earl (see above), but in my experience, the exceptions are few.

The Dixie Chicks (sigh...) - actually, that's their name on this side of the Atlantic - manage to turn it on its head every time, with happy songs like 'Sin Wagon' and wistful songs like 'Without You'.

'Hello, Mr. Heartache' is, I'm told, the ultimate ballad, but, not being a music scholar, who am I to argue, while 'Not Ready To Make Nice' is their considered rebuttal to critics.

But I must admit I'd scarcely heard of the Dixie Chicks before Natalie Maines's famous (or indeed infamous) remark in London, so it was curiosity more than anything else that made me listen to their music.

And now that it seems they're turning to Rock, it means I don't need a reason to listen to country any more...

Except for Johnny Cash.

And Alison Krauss...

Damn.