Last week the theme of the Mewsic Moves Me blog hop was songs with animals in the title, and I lamented the lack of such in Conway's country catalog. After posting, our good friends and fellow music lovers at Stunning Keisha reminded us of one of his duets with Loretta Lynn titled Spiders and Snakes. (Google, why did you fail me?!?!) No matter, because it inspired our theme for this week...snake-related titles!
SOMEONE SEND HELP!!!
I'll say right up front this is probably the silliest song I've ever heard, and Conway and Loretta rightfully chuckled through most of it. I love it though because it shows what a fun and flirty relationship they had.
Conway found his true home and superstardom in country music, but songs like this show he could still rock, even late in his career!
Back in the day I used to watch a ton of country music videos on the now defunct TNN (The Nashville Network). This one used to be on a lot. I can't get over the fact that it's been viewed nearly 100 million times on YouTube!
Charley Pride is the most successful African-American artist in country music, but this Mel Tillis written song, apparently too intense for country listeners, failed to chart. I had never heard it before doing this search for country songs to fit my snake theme and I really like it.
Lastly, for this week only I'm making an exception and veering away from my tradition of only selecting country songs for these posts. Since our friends at Stunning Keisha inspired our theme, here's a song by their favorite band R.E.M.
Do any of our choices catch your ear?
My human remembers that Steve Earle song, and album. That was when he was married to the A&R woman who discovered Guns N' Roses. Interesting times.
ReplyDeleteOh, Mudpie, I am so afraid of snakes! Even the photo creeps me out!
ReplyDeleteEEKS! Unique theme you chose. Last week, a big black snake slithered across the road in fron of my mom and I, it w as repulsive.I don't like snakes.
ReplyDeleteMum likes Copperhead Road.
ReplyDeleteAround here, we get Garter snakes but we don't see them often.
Purrs Georgia,Julie and JJ
Snakes are very cool animals, but I certainly don't want any living with me. Finding them in the wild is fun, however...if I'm not running away, that is...
ReplyDeleteI know a different version of the Spiders and Snakes but didn't know that Conway and Loretta did a version.
ReplyDeleteYou aren't gonna believe this but I actually heard of "Spiders and Snakes" in fact TW had the ear worm after you mentioned it and wondered if that was the song. She also kinda likes Steve Earle. Surprise. Nothing beats that REM song. TW forgot how much she loves it (and Michael too).
ReplyDeleteSnakes? Not for me! They are the source of nightmares. Just the thought of them creep me out. Hope you'll join us next week when our theme is songs that mention a beverage in the title.
ReplyDeleteOMC, Mudpie, you're in the snake pit! We're sure glad the musical serpents you shared sound far nicer than the sight of that snake trapping you. We want to come help get you out of there, Mudpie, but we're frozen in place with fear!
ReplyDeleteI totally forgot about TNN! We never had cable growing up - but I remember channel surfing at my friends' houses. Bear wants you to know that he'll save you from the snake pit, Mudpie. No one threatens his girl and gets away with it!
ReplyDeleteThat's a very scary picture, Mudpie! My parents listened to a lot of country music when I was little, and I remember "The Snakes Crawl at Night" from back then. Haven't heard it in 40-some years, though! :)
ReplyDeleteCathy,
ReplyDeleteI like how you used last week's theme to roll out a theme within a theme using only spider and snake songs. :) Spiders usually don't bother me if they are small. It's the wolf spiders (or other large spiders) that usually creep me out and make me scream like the girlie-girl that I am. Snakes I demise and am a little paranoid while outdoors for fear I'll step on one. Growing up in southern WV it wasn't uncommon to see Copperheads or Rattlesnakes near the road or in the garden or even in the yard. It always terrified me, too. My late mother-in-law killed plenty in their garden with hoe chopping off their heads. That just gives me the willies thinking about it. I recall one summer after we moved into this house, we had the garage door up doing either car or yard work when a copperhead slithered inside. DH reacted fast and killed the vermin. Anywho, I your song choices were anything but creepy and I enjoyed the introduction to most of these titles. I always liked Jim Stafford & Dolly Pardon's performance of "Spiders & Snakes". In fact, it was Stafford's version I remember, not Conway's. Thanks for joining the 4M on the dance floor and again, I'm sorry for being so late to the party. Have a boogietastic week! ;)
Dah....I'm sorry I called you 'Cathy', Melissa! *smack forehead* I told you it's been one of those weeks. I didn't sleep well last night is all I can say and I hope you'll forgive me for the mix up!
DeleteI had heard a song with the refrain, "I don't like old sneaky snake! He laughs too much; you see, when sneaky goes whizzin' through the grass, he tickles his underknee," exactly once, and don't think my brother had heard it at all, when someone with whom my mother probably shouldn't have left us saw an enemy of hers walking up the street.
ReplyDelete"Quick! Get out there on the porch and sing 'Sneaky Snake'!"
"I don't know 'Sneaky Snake,'" said my brother.
"Everybody knows 'Sneaky Snake'! If you don't know all the words, just make up some as you go! Sing! And DANCE!"
Mostly to shut the person up I hustled through a fast version of a "Ring Around the Rosie" dance and a mumbled memory of the refrain, then tickled my brother's knee. So then this chronological adult let us back indoors.
I've heard the song again since, but don't know who sang it or what the verses are about--only the refrain.
Eek! That is some photo of you Mudpie with the snakes.
ReplyDeleteCopperhead Road - it's been a while, but I LOVE that song. Apart from that, REM's song sounded like REM. I think I can undestand why the Charley Pride song didn't chart - was a bit - kind of creepy? "Snake Boots" was fun (I'm liking Conway Twitty more and more). Having said that, I think I'm still a bit more partial to Jim Stafford's original of Spiders & Snakes but I could have my arm twisted a little on that...just no spiders or snakes, please.Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDelete