50s Country Music: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
If you’re a fan of country music from the 1950s, then this blog is for you! We’ll take a look at some of the best, worst, and most interesting country songs from that era.
The Good
The 1950s saw the birth of country music as a commercialized genre. Prior to this, country music was primarily a regional phenomenon, popular among rural Americans in the South and West. With the rise of mass media and the increasing mobility of Americans, country music began to boom in popularity, eventually becoming one of the most popular genres in the United States. The 1950s also saw the rise of some of country music’s most iconic artists, including Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, and Johnny Cash. These artists helped to bring country music to new audiences and create a sound that would influence generations of country musicians.
The Bad
Though there were many good country songs in the 1950s, there were also a lot of bad ones. Some of these were simply goofy andpainfully corny, while others had messages that were sexist, racist, or just plain harmful. Here are a few of the worst offenders:
“Get Along Little Dogies” by Tex Ritter – This song is about the struggles of working on a ranch, but it’s also full of racist stereotypes. It includes lines like “That Chinaman he don’t understand/He wants his laundry done by ten” and “The soothing smell of methane gas/Makes me feel at home again.”
“I Don’t Wanna Play House” by Tammy Wynette – This song is about a woman who doesn’t want to get married and have children because she doesn’t want to be tied down. It promotes the harmful idea that marriage and motherhood are traps that women need to avoid.
“Baby It’s Cold Outside” by Mae West and Cary Grant – This duet is about a man trying to convince a woman to spend the night with him, even though she keeps saying she should go home. The lyrics include lines like “Say what’s in this drink?” and “I ought to say no, no, no sir (Mind if I move in closer?).” The message is clear: it’s okay for a man to pressure a woman into sex, as long as he buys her a drink first.
The Ugly
The dark side of country music in the 1950s manifested itself in a number of ways. Some songs glorified alcoholism, promiscuity, and other forms of bad behavior. Others simply perpetuate negative stereotypes about Southerners and rural folks. Here are some examples of the less savory side of 50s country music.
