Ten great genre songs about songs and genres
By Jonathan Eig
COUNTRY – “ARE YOU SURE HANK DONE IT THIS WAY” by Waylon Jennings (1975)
There is an ordinance in Austin that states anyone wishing to launch a career as an outlaw country recording artist is required to cut a version of this song. That’s why everyone from Waylon’s Highwayman buddies to Steve Earle and Robert Earl Keen have done it. Travis Tritt and Clint Black. Alabama. The Mavericks. Even Chequered Past, Michael Des Barres short-lived mid-‘80s hard rock supergroup, recorded the song. And so did Hank Williams, Jr.
There’s a reason. It’s a sensational song, all about the Nashville system and the artists who fought like hell to win their autonomy from the machine. The genius thing about Waylon’s original is how it uses the very contemporary traditions that he is complaining about and still manages to win his argument due to his brilliant lyrics and that one-of-a-kind voice.
Musically, the song remains a little bit trapped, which may be why so many others have taken their shot at roughing up the sound to make it more Hank-like. Whatever version you prefer, it’s a bulletproof history of modern country music.
BLUEGRASS – “TATER TATE AND ALLEN MUNDY” by John Hartford (1976)
In the early ‘70s, John Hartford released two outstanding modern bluegrass albums for Warner Bros. Nobody paid much attention to Aereo-Plane and Morning Bugle, so the major label dropped him and he would spend the remainder of his career recording for the smaller Flying Fish Records and eventually for Rounder after they acquired Flying Fish.
His second release for Flying Fish was back-to-the-basics bluegrass. Hartford, who was a genius on anything with strings, played all the instruments himself. “Tater Tate and Allen Mundy” was a flat-out ode to all the greats. Hartford begins a cappella, singing “Bluegrass music playing in the park” before his fiddle joins in.
About a minute in, he begins his role call with Lester Flatt. At this point, the song has been slow and languid but for the final minute, Hartford speeds up to a standard bluegrass rhythm though he is doing it exclusively with his voice. I’ve never counted, but I’m guessing he name-drops about 75 performers in all, including the title characters – fiddler Tater Tate and banjo player Alan Munde (whose name is misspelled in the song’s title.)