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| Theories: Why a toothless hillbilly is better than you |
Posted by
Devin on Wednesday, November 20, 2002 - 04:08 AM PST
I’ve been thinking more about culture lately and how and why we’re losing it. The first part of this theory is a reasonable assumption about why a culture survives and why it dies. Cultures survive the same way a species does. The stronger cultural elements are passed on to the next generation while the weaker ones are forgotten.
Hillbillies get their cultural elements by learning the songs and the stories. We get our cultural elements from television and shows that are broadcast once, or if they’re lucky – reruns. One of the problems with this is that the stories that are actually true, don’t usually make it into reruns, but the fictional ones do. So the question is, how are we supposed to remember important things if all of the pieces that make up our culture are fictional? (Read my article
"Why Hoax Rose Red" for more of this thought).
Our songs don’t have the same dual purpose that redneck songs do. Our songs are just for entertainment, not to archive past events. Our past events are taught to us in school. Since by the end of high school, we have 12 times as much education as the average redheck, they have found other ways to learn themselves stuff. Of course, if you’re like me, you slept through most of your history classes. There is no way we’re going to remember stuff that’s presented in this way. It’s like forcing culture down our throats. And it will probably work about as well as it did for the Christian Missionaries, although the results might not be as interesting as Santaria.
Why do you suppose hillbilly folk heroes are remembered for hundreds of years, but ours are remembered for fifteen minutes? I’ll get to theirs in a few, but I should give an example of ours first. Does anyone remember that guy that cashed that junk mail check that said he may have just won a hundred and something thousand dollars? It happened ten or so years ago and was all over the news. He just threw that check in with his deposits, and the bank fucked up and cashed it. Then he refused to give it back for a while since the law said the money was his based on the way the check was written and how long it took the bank to catch the fuckup. I don’t know about you, but that guy is one of my heroes. Nobody I know has ever heard of him though, and I’ll admit I don’t remember his name.
Here is an example of a song that every hillbilly who’s ever sat on a back porch with a banjo knows by heart.
Jesse James was a lad, he killed many a man
He robbed the Glendale train
He took from the rich and he gave to the poor
He'd a hand and a heart and a brain
Oh, Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life
Three children they were brave
But that dirty little coward that shot Mister Howard
He laid poor Jesse in his grave
It was on a Saturday night and the moon was shining bright
They robbed the Glendale train
With the agent on his knees, he delivered up the keys
To these outlaws Frank and Jesse James
The people held their breath when they heard of Jesse's death
They wondered how he ever came to fall
Robert Ford, it was a fact, shot Jesse in the back
While Jesse hung a picture on the wall
Oh, Jesse was a man, a friend of the poor
He'd never rob a mother or a child
He took from the rich and he gave to the poor
So they shot Jesse James on the sly
Well, this song was made by Billy Gashade
As soon as the news did arrive
He said there was no man with the law in his hand
Who could take Jesse James when alive
Ok, now think about it. What person from our culture has a song that everyone knows which tells why they were famous, what they accomplished, how they died, and what people thought about their death? Major Tom maybe? Can you think of anyone who’s not fictional?
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the debate over the origins of the word hillbilly, some people think it simply comes from the fact that they’re always singing about some guy named Billy. On closer inspection this Billy seems to be Prince William of Orange who defeated King James II at the Battle of the Boyne, Ireland in 1690. Yep, they’re still singing about a guy who their ancestors thought was cool 300 years ago. Whether or not that is true, musical historians agree that their music definitely has celtic origins – so it’s not much of a stretch to think that the lyrics are as old as the music. Do you think anyone will be singing about you in 300 years? Probably not, but don’t worry – it probably doesn’t have much to do with how cool or uncool you are.
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| Why a toothless hillbilly is better than you | Login/Create an account | 15 Comments |
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Re: Why a toothless hillbilly is better than you
by AloneSoul (AloneSoul@hurting.com)
on Nov 20, 2002 - 11:38 AM
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Stepping off for a moment on to music, a good portion of people today are into shallow, boastful music, talking about how “dirrty” they can be or how much “money/bitches” they have. These people listen to the music they listen for many reasons, one of the saddest is because it’s “popular.” I wonder if the points you brought up have even crossed their piddling minds.
(I listen to music as a escape from the world or a exploration in the depths or reality itself.)
As you also mentioned, culture is passed from generation to generation and if the elders don’t care much about their own heritage, traditional education etc, then it’s less likely the child will too. When the child is forced to wallow around in a regulation stricken “education factory”, swallowing so much information per class, the child will become aggravated and less likely to learn/care about culture/personal heritage.
I say the parents of the children which make up our shallow culture are to blame for this. (And not Living Dead Dolls) *grins*
A well written article indeed.
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Re: Why a toothless hillbilly is better than you
by bettie_x (strangersangel@hotmail.com)
on Nov 20, 2002 - 12:32 PM
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Very very true devin.
That's why I like Johnny Cash so much...even tho his stories and songs aren't "true", they have a root in the same place as "hillbilly" songs...they tell a story, and usually they actually have a lesson in them.....his songs, like gangster rap, are about the "hard life" and crime and violence and deeds done wrong, but from the side of it nobody wants to see. The consequences of that life...most of his characters were singing their laments of their life gone wrong, of the consequences of that life, and usually from the point of view of being on a train heading to prison, on the run, moments before the gallows, or a lifetime in the pen. It's about lessons learned a lifetime too late.
We've replaced true dyed in the wool heroes with Icons, mostly pop culture Icons like sports figures, models, celebrities.....and we all know how long those people last. As long as their looks.
When was the last time someone accomplished something truly great? Conquered an evil, righted a massive wrong, was a HERO?
Even the old saying "I'll be famous when I'm dead" doesn't really apply anymore. A "hero" dies, and there's a massive outpouring of global greif, it's all over the news and media for a week.....and then nothing.
Nothing.
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Re: Why a toothless hillbilly is better than you
by MystryssRavynDarque (A1MANDI04@AOL.COM)
on Nov 20, 2002 - 01:29 PM
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Music, to me, should have an important message, or should make you feel good. I accept that there is rap music, and that people will listen to it. I also accept that everyone has their own taste in music, and that I cannot change it. I listen to many different styles of music from punk, christian rap core, classical, "classic" rock, "oldies" which includes sixties and seventies music, eighties, alternative from the early and mid nineties, etc. So many different types. The types I do not enjoy listening to are country, rap, pop, and r&b. If someone is listening to this, I will not bother them to change it unless it truly is bothering me. Music is, and always will be, a part of every culture.
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Re: Why a toothless hillbilly is better than you
by Dolorosa (SixOfSwords@IU.zzn.com)
on Nov 20, 2002 - 01:38 PM
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A very well-written document Devin. At first I was incredulous, and then skeptical, then horrified...which is a good sequence of events for a topic like this I think.
Thing is...I'm not sure it's rock-solid...very close...but Hillbillies aren't a stronger culture, though they are an older one than "ours" is...they are simply a more enduring culture.
Hillbillies are what they are...a hillbilly is always going to mean hillbilly...they have an insular culture, very stagnant, slow to change, but currently enduring.
But look at it this way...say time is an out-of-control semi-truck...Hillbilly culture, and similiar types are enduring...er...Armadillos...or something of the sort...
Now "our" current culture, which is more of a primordial soup of proto-cultures (leastways I think so) is a weird skittish and flighty ameoba deer-thing...
and these two critters are crossing the street...an here comes the truck...
Armadillo buckles down and armors up...splat...splattery aramdillo...
weird ameoba-deer thing gets nailed too...but gets splattered into a bazillion little bits...that soon branch, grow, branch, grow...and so on and so forth...a few of them will pop up resembling our little friend Billy-jo Armadillo...but they're different...
I guess thats how I figure it.
I don't mean to sound contrite or condescending...by saying it thataway...thats just the way I think it.
I have a bit of HillBilly blood in me...I still have family up in the West Virginia mountains...I've seen 'em, and I can tell ya'...from what I've seen of honest to god hillbillys...
Their blue genes ain't gonna' last them but another coupla' rolls in the holler o' evolution.
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Re: Why a toothless hillbilly is better than you
by Merry_Widow on Nov 20, 2002 - 01:40 PM
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Ahh, sweet lament. Farewell to the oral tradition. No longer does the griot sing the memories of the people around a campfire. Swish swish! Ha ha! Ha ha!
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Re: Why a toothless hillbilly is better than you
by Starlight (silverone@antisocial.com)
on Nov 21, 2002 - 03:38 AM
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Devin, it would seem you've managed to put the fact that as a whole, the oral tradition of story-telling is merely a thing of the past. I really admire some of the more primative groups of people who still manage to live in remote areas and still pass on their ancestral heritage by songs and stories around a fire.
I love our modern technology in all its glory, but I do think it would be wonderful if at least within a family (what really constitutes that anymore) group people could hand down tales of their ancestors to each generation. Even if only by way of telling stories of the more notorious members of the family. Perhaps in some way this might be happening, but it's not being done as a society as a whole. I almost want to say that it's because of the enormous size of places such as the United States, and how each state is the size of a country in itself, that we are unable to pass on stories from generation to generation. However, this simply isn't the case.
Maybe we have too many different sources from which to draw heroes and legends, because of television and the internet, but perhaps in at least some of the families stories may still be getting passed down. I like to think this is the case, but I know its rare if it is happening. I'm glad to know that even if we aren't all able to remember some of the modern day "folk" heroes that there are at least a few who can recall the name of those heroes.
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Re: Why a toothless hillbilly is better than you
by Closetgothbabe on Nov 21, 2002 - 05:16 AM
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This is a folk song my grandma likes to sing and
it reminds me of her when I think about folk songs.
She is very church oriented and loves god and seems
to have faith that he is her light out of all this
darkness. My grandma always tells me that she isnt
afraid of death cause she knows where she is going.
I will miss her dearly if she dies, she is my heart!
When she sings this song her eyes light up and she
seems to be perfectly happy with this thought. I know
this may be a little off the subject but it reminded
me of her and how much she loves me. I couldnt imagine
the world without her here. This article reminded me
of happier days when it was me and my grandma, living
together and how my heart was completly filled being
with her. We didnt have much money but we worked hard
and loved each other more than any words could ever
express.
Home, by and by, when our duties are done,
Meeting again with the lov'd that are gone;
Joy for the heart when all trials are past,
Home, by and by, home in Heaven at last.
Home, by and by, when my journey is o'er,
Resting in peace on that beautiful shore;
Safe thro' the gates to my home, by and by;
Nearer to God in his mansions on high.
Home, by and by, oh, how welcome the thought,
Serving the Master, we ever have sought;
Singing his praise with a heart full of joy;
Knowing the peace that no sin can destroy.
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Re: Why a toothless hillbilly is better than you
by callei on Nov 21, 2002 - 11:05 AM
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Someone made the comment that envy those people that have kept thier oral traditions alive, those enclaves hidden away in nooks and crannies.
That isnt the only place that oral tradtion lives. Oral tradtion has its roots in the non-literate and anywhere a large number of people gather and live together, you start to see the oral tradtions blooming. Yes i am refering to the slums. the songs are there as memory aids and to sugar coat history for the young; an indoctrination tool, if you will.
Oral tradtion tells you where you family, clan, tribe, and people stand on 'issues' like war, famine, disease, statesmen, valuables, and gods. It tells you who to fear and who to love and what others have done about that love or fear. For example oral tradition tells you that marriage is a good idea. You sing songs about people that get married, play games about being married, hear about how the gods made marriage and approve marriages, and come to belive that marriage is the 'right' thing, thereby making the simple act of makin' babies into something fordained by the gods and fundimental to your status in the family, clan, club, or tribe. It gives you roots and lets you feel that you are bigger and more abiding than just your life.
Yes, TV does the same things and sells you things to help you support the ideas that it gives you. It also (for this example) tells you that marriage is 'what is done' and tells you where you can buy the dress, the flowers, and what it is like to go through the marriage process.
Oral tradition tells the grand outline of your life, TV tells you the details of each act and where to buy the accessories. I think they work together in a way, with the TV substituting for the siblings and cousins and aunts and uncles that so many of us dont have, coming as we do from small families spread far from each other.
About the semi-literate thing... book reading is a solitary action, like masterbation or blowing your nose. You see what one other person thought about some thing that happened (evolution, sex, the gulf war, whatever) and you think about it. its a closed loop that shuts out the rest of the herd (family/tribe/clan/club/whatever else). Oral tradition is more of an open invitation orgy: it only works when lots of people decide to play together, to listen to that story of what happened and think about it together and all come to the same conclusions about the event (for the purpose of this example i guess that would be the orgasm or, possibly the showers)
All the TV that gets made is based in the oral tradition of the people that wrote the shows. Those are the stories that they know how to tell after all.
"it was a dark and stormy night"
"ms mary Mac"
"cinderella"
"playing house"
these are elements from the oral tradtion of the United States that get played out on the TV constantly and like in oral tradition the words may change but the melody stays the same.
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Re: Why a toothless hillbilly is better than you
by Tvileren on Aug 25, 2003 - 12:00 PM
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Quite impressive, but I am wondering (haven't read the other comments, so little time *sigh*) does the hillbillies themselves remember what the songs is about? or are they just singing along to a merry old tune they got from their father and him from his father and so on.. ? If so, then I don't see very much difference between them and us really.
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