Rare late Johnny Cash footage

Here's an hour-long video of Johnny Cash's last appearance at The Carter Ranch. He's frail of body here, but strong of spirit. Some of this is a little difficult to watch because his famously powerful voice is showing the strain of his years, but it's still an important piece of footage that reminds you of Cash's greatness.

Parody of Eric Church's "Drink in My Hand"

Republican

(Satire & Parody of Eric Church's "Drink in My Hand")

Early Monday morning I'm takin' them bribes

I don't do much work but still I climb climb climb

Boss man should make that money any way he can

Let's extend those tax cuts, I'm a Republican

Talk it up, I'll vote it down

If you're for it I'm against it if your skin is brown

No need for explainin' to the simple man

As if you didn't know, I'm a Republican

Yeah, my hands they may be bloody but man I love war

Drop a big daisy cutter through a Muslim's door

Chill down the Cristal, warm up the band

Time to celebrate cause I'm a Republican

Talk it up, I'll vote it down

Who really needs all these poor people around?

5 4 3 2 1 I'm a Haliburton man

In case you didn't know, I'm a Republican

Make me want to go ooh ooh ooh when I see smoke stacks

Painting that pretty sky-blue to a lovely shade of black

If you want to talk to me, buddy here's the plan

Get the kickbacks kickin', I'm a Republican

Grow it up, I'll cut it down

Turn an old-growth forest into dry, bare ground

Be my Mrs. Reagan, I'll be your Gipper, Nan

Just say no to drugs!, I'm a Republican

I'd rather give gays the chair than a pair of rings,

Cause it makes me feel funny when Elton sings

I'll roll out that ol' red carpet long as you're not Mexican,

I love Jesus, not Hay-soos, I'm a Republican

Talk it up, I'll vote it down

Obama is okay except the half that's brown

I turn on the Fox News station, so I know the plan

We're in this together, I'm a Republican

Yea let's send all of the liberals to live in Iran,

Then we'll bomb 'em all to hell, I'm a Republican

aahooooh

YouTube Gems: The Sheepdogs

From that bastion of southern boogie rock, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, here's The Sheepdogs with "I Don't Know."

YouTube Gems: Bo Phillips (Toby Keith Parody)

Rita already posted this at Rawhide & Velvet, but it fits right in here too. Check out this parody of Toby Keith's inescapable "Red Solo Cup!" The lyrics are posted here.

Snap Judgements - Promo Only Country Radio January '12

Trace Adkins - Million Dollar View

Like I've said before, Trace's songs are usually gold nuggets or turds. This one actually falls somewhere in the middle, for the first time in a while. The lyric resembles something I'd have written back in my aspiring lyricist days. Which is to say, a decent idea with a few good lines thrown in, but doesn't have much new to say. The tune is kinda unmemorable.. okay, very. Trace's general charm will probably lift this into the top 20, but it doesn't sound like a smash.

C+

Keith Urban - You Gonna Fly

Why he (actually, our old friends the LoCash Cowboys wrote it) chose to give it a grammatically incorrect title is beyond me. That's the only thing really different about this song from his last 20 singles. You not gonna be surprised by the formula: anthemic guitars, plucking banjo, uplifting lyrics, female friendly subject matter, foot-tapping beat, solid guitar solo. That's Keith's career in a nutshell. Nothing offensive here - completely catchy and totally interchangeable with most of his other songs.

C+

David Bradley - If You Can't Make Money

"If you can't make money/make out with somebody/if you can't make money/make love"… that's the gist and it goes no deeper. Nice sentiment, but I'd like to see it developed a little further. It's a tolerable song, but David's vocals aren't particularly distinctive. The cheesy crowd cheering at the end knocks this down half a grade.

C

Lauren Alaina - Georgia Peaches

Wow, she doesn't sound like Carrie Underwood for a change. And the instruments are all country.. the instrumentation, however is rocked up. Oh no, the chorus is half "oh -whoa-ohs." Not cool with me, almost ever. "We got homegrown in our genes" opens itself up for way too many jokes. Okay song, but the chorus destroys it for me. Oh yeah, and she name drops Jason freakin' Aldean. WTF?

C-

Uncle Kracker - My Hometown

Is this a Montgomery Gentry cover? Nope. Kracker's saying "America's my hometown" here, pandering to everybody, not just small town lovers. Tuscaloosa, New York, San Diego, everybody gets mentioned so hopefully every radio station will play it. This sounds like something of a hit, but it's pretty dull - one chord and the truth. On a positive note, Kracker's vocals are getting better. Nothing to see here.

C

Love and Theft - Angel Eyes

Is this a Jeff Healey Band cover? Nope. There's only two guys in the group now - so which one's love and which one's theft? Eh, really dull song. A Jeff Healey cover would have been better. "There's a little bit of devil in her angel eyes" ….who cares? Female friendly, for females who don't really care what they're listening to, anyway. Yawnz.

D+

Rodney Atkins - He's Mine

Rock! Oh wait, country. But it's got a rocking swamp groove. Is this a declaration that he wants custody in the divorce? This is a tried-and-true Rodney Atkins formula tune… several story snippets framed by an interlocking chorus that fits each scenario. Not as godawful as some of his recent singles, but meh.

C

George Strait - Love's Gonna Make it Alright

This was my least favorite song on George's new album at first, but it's grown on me. You would think George + repetitive chorus would = boring, but it doesn't here. It's kinda cheesy, but he can do whatever he wants at this point and it'll sound just fine. 

B

Gloriana - (Kissed You) Goodnight

This started with some promise with a little well-defined regret in the lyric, but it's all downhill from there. Crap. This is ready-made for a Glee episode. Schmaltzy show-choir girly junk. I was embarrassed someone might hear me listening to this. They make Lady Antebellum sound like Megadeth.

F

Billy Currington - Like My Dog

I kinda liked this the first time I heard it, but it never struck me as single-material. Still doesn't, but my opinion of it has dropped. The edits drive a nail into this song. What? You can't say "hell" on the radio now? If this promo only collection is any sign, 2012 will be the most neutered (see what I did there?) year ever in country music. Also, the dogs barking as censorship of the word "bitch" sounds like it was edited in on an old Emerson cassette tape recorder. Awful.

D

Craig Campbell - When I Get It

Another edit-out of "hell." Really people? Hell hell hell hell hell hell hell. Get over it. This song is a deep consideration of the times we're living in. Not really, but it does hit on the economic problems we're living through, with a bit of humor. It's okay, that's about all I can say about it.

C

Andy Gibson - Wanna Make You Love Me

This guy's voice has about as much grit as greased plastic. Sissy crap. I guess Andy noticed that Chuck Wicks wasn't on the scene and decided to jump into his namby-pamby slot. Wait, that sounded homo-erotic. Sorry, this utterly sucks. Jimmy Wayne could pound this guy into submission.

F

Levi Hart - We All Make Mistakes

Sound like an Uncle Kracker song at the start. More middle-of-the-road radio ready country. I've heard this guy is good, but this song wouldn't bear that out. The chorus is very nearly catchy, but not quite. The guitar work sounds canned. Boring. 

D

Sugarland with Matt Nathanson - Run

Do I have to? I like some of Matt's music. Not this. Can't Sugarland write an actual chorus anymore? If it wasn't for all the caffeine I'd consumed today, I'd be gone by now. If Zzzz was a grade, I'd give it to this song. 

D+

Mark Cooke - Any Way the Wind Blows

This song isn't anything special, but at this point, anything with an actual melody sounds like a masterpiece. This one has one. The lyrics are unspectacular but the tune makes this listenable. Coulda been a hit in the late 90's. Not sure about now.

C+

Toby Keith - Red Solo Cup (Album Version)

This is the one with the naughty bits. Testicles and whatnot. I guess I have to actually nail down my feelings about this song now… I've been beating around the bush because I don't know. I like a lot of the stupid lyrics. The chorus irks me because it's decidedly ramshackle and tossed-off, but an earworm none-the-less. Uh, well… 

C-

Toby Keith - Red Solo Cup (Vegetables - Explicit)

This is the one where "testicles" is replaced with "vegetables." That's dumb. In a song this flimsy, it's enough to knock off a grade.

D-

Toby Keith - Red Solo Cup (Bleeped - Explicit)

This is the one where "testicles" is replaced with "whoop!" Even dumber. 

F