Malcolm Gladwell

So, like, is it any surprise that country music, which comes from Nashville, the epicenter of the Church of Christ, is, like, the least happy music known to man? No, it's, like, depressive.

So, like, is it any surprise that country music, which comes from Nashville, the epicenter of the Church of Christ, is, like, the least happy music known to man? No, it's, like, depressive.

One of my favorite country songs about heartbreak is, I think it's George Strait. Does Fort Worth ever cross your mind? Which is a classic. I mean, you can't, if we're going to talk about country music and sad songs, we're starting with George Strait. Now, okay, so I'm going to read to you some lyrics to Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind? This is the opening stanza.

One of my favorite country songs about heartbreak is, I think it's George Strait. Does Fort Worth ever cross your mind? Which is a classic. I mean, you can't, if we're going to talk about country music and sad songs, we're starting with George Strait. Now, okay, so I'm going to read to you some lyrics to Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind? This is the opening stanza.

Cold Fort Worth beer, this is how it begins. Just ain't no good for jealous. I've tried it night after night. You're in someone else's arms in Dallas. Does Fort Worth ever cross your mind? Darling, while you're busy burning bridges, burn one for me if you get time.

Cold Fort Worth beer, this is how it begins. Just ain't no good for jealous. I've tried it night after night. You're in someone else's arms in Dallas. Does Fort Worth ever cross your mind? Darling, while you're busy burning bridges, burn one for me if you get time.

What's hilarious about this is this song is all about parsing the cultural distinction between Fort Worth and Dallas, which looms large in the minds of people from Texas. And the rest of us are like, what? This song makes no sense to anyone who's not from Texas. I want to give you a, you left me here to be with him in Dallas. And I know it hurts you at the time.

What's hilarious about this is this song is all about parsing the cultural distinction between Fort Worth and Dallas, which looms large in the minds of people from Texas. And the rest of us are like, what? This song makes no sense to anyone who's not from Texas. I want to give you a, you left me here to be with him in Dallas. And I know it hurts you at the time.

Well, I wonder now if it makes a difference. Does Fort Worth ever cross your mind? It's 20 miles away. It's a whole song. It's a whole song about a stretch of interstate. It's just so fantastic. This is what's so hilarious about it.

Well, I wonder now if it makes a difference. Does Fort Worth ever cross your mind? It's 20 miles away. It's a whole song. It's a whole song about a stretch of interstate. It's just so fantastic. This is what's so hilarious about it.

It's so petty and so, but like, this is why rock and roll can't do a breakup song, because a breakup song requires a certain level of emotional and narrative specificity, and rock and roll is too obsessed with being universal.

It's so petty and so, but like, this is why rock and roll can't do a breakup song, because a breakup song requires a certain level of emotional and narrative specificity, and rock and roll is too obsessed with being universal.

No, no detail. Did Prince ever write a song about, did St. Paul ever cross your mind? No. No. No, because that's not the business he's in. He's not in the business of evoking this kind of strong emotion. He was aware of the distinction between Minneapolis and St. Paul, but chose to overlook it in his songwriting. That's why he's a rock musician or a R&B musician and not a country musician.

No, no detail. Did Prince ever write a song about, did St. Paul ever cross your mind? No. No. No, because that's not the business he's in. He's not in the business of evoking this kind of strong emotion. He was aware of the distinction between Minneapolis and St. Paul, but chose to overlook it in his songwriting. That's why he's a rock musician or a R&B musician and not a country musician.

No, no, no. You have to understand the song here. The reason why it's not, does Dallas ever cross your mind? That's a wholly different song. that Fort Worth is the ugly stepsister. Fort Worth is one step down the rung. So she left him to upgrade in Dallas. To move up. Yeah. That's why it hurts. If she left him for a dude in Fort Worth, he's fine. He's moved on. He's fine. Another girl in Dallas.

No, no, no. You have to understand the song here. The reason why it's not, does Dallas ever cross your mind? That's a wholly different song. that Fort Worth is the ugly stepsister. Fort Worth is one step down the rung. So she left him to upgrade in Dallas. To move up. Yeah. That's why it hurts. If she left him for a dude in Fort Worth, he's fine. He's moved on. He's fine. Another girl in Dallas.

No, no, no, no, no. He's in Fort Worth. What did she do? Got up one morning, drove down the interstate and upgraded her situation, leaving him in a pile of tears in Fort Worth.

No, no, no, no, no. He's in Fort Worth. What did she do? Got up one morning, drove down the interstate and upgraded her situation, leaving him in a pile of tears in Fort Worth.

Where I want to live. No, no. What you're just identifying is that she's made stronger stuff. That's what that's about. And some of this is like, is bathos. Am I pronouncing that right? Is it bathos or bathos? Yeah. Pathos. Pathos or pathos? No, I think bathos is the word I want. Bathos? B-A-T-H. Bathos. Definition. Definition.

Where I want to live. No, no. What you're just identifying is that she's made stronger stuff. That's what that's about. And some of this is like, is bathos. Am I pronouncing that right? Is it bathos or bathos? Yeah. Pathos. Pathos or pathos? No, I think bathos is the word I want. Bathos? B-A-T-H. Bathos. Definition. Definition.