I’ve heard a country music song use the word rock in its lyrics before. Not as the stone, not as the motion but as the compliment, like in the phrase, “You rock!”
I’m fairly certain the compliment definition of rock came directly from the music form. Because, as well, the phrase “rock and roll” has positive connotations in English.
So when I saw this recent Dwight Yoakam song entitled “Rock It All Away”, I had to see if the word “rock” was meant as the compliment. I can’t help it, I find it humourous when country up sells rock because these two music forms are usually in competition with each other.
Now I still haven’t played the song enough to uncover the lyrics and their intent. But there is a literal reason the word “rock” in the title is funny. As someone in the comments section of Youtube was so kind to point out, this song sounds very much like the rock song “Crimson and Clover” by Tommy James and the Shondells or even the ’80s cover by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts.
Now my brother Lance used to regularly perform as a country artist and he had some insight into its relationship with rock music. I remember in the eighties he mentioned that he thought the styles in country music were 15 years behind the styles in rock music.
That simple relationship might not hold anymore. This Yoakam song is out well over 15 years after the ’69 release of Crimson and Clover or even the ’83 cover. However, the problem might simply be that Dwight Yoakam has had a decades long career in country music. His first recordings came out in the mid ’80s which is roughly 15 years after Crimson and Clover did.
So anyways, country music, you rock! That is 15 years after rock rocks.
