I found a really interesting blog online called 10 career lessons from country music written by Calvin Sun. The way he starts the blog was really good and helps prove our point that country music isn’t as mainstream as it could be because people do not take it seriously, even though there are good songs that can teach people life lessons. His opening paragraph reads: “Okay, stop snickering. Although this article discusses country music, it nonetheless can help you. Yes, I know all the stereotyped themes of country music: She leaves him, he cheats on her, his dog dies. And of course, let’s throw in Chevy trucks and the Tastee-Freeze. However, if you get beyond these initial impressions and really think about the lyrics, you can gain some insights into advancing yourself in your career by working better with others.”
He looks at 10 different ways to improve one’s life and supports each with lyrics from a country song. He then continues to break down the lyrics and show how they can relate to life experiences. The ten ideas and songs he used to support them were:
1. Set and manage expectations – Blue Clear Sky by George Strait
2. Don’t trust your memory alone – Write This Down by George Strait
3. Remember that your electronic creations hang around – Write This Down by George Strait
4. Use the right medium to communicate – I Can Still Make Cheyenne by George Striat
5. Think before you speak – It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett
6. Keep the customer informed – That Ain’t No Way to Go by Brooks and Dunn
7. Tell customers when a problem is fixed – Already Gone by the Eagles
8. Have a positive attitude when you communicate – That’s Be All Right by Alan Jackson
9. Don’t forget that lost customers are difficult to get back – Love Is Like the Mississippi by Brooks and Dunn
10. Do what’s right for the customer – Almost Home by Craig Morgan
This is a very interesting article that you should all look at. I always knew country music lyrics were more about life stories, family, etc., but I never really made a connection between country music and life the way that this article has.
-Natalie Boyce
I totally agree. Country music is more than just music. It is life with a soundtrack behind it. The lyrics always amaze me because there is so much wisdom behind them. They are real lessons learnt from real situations. They aren’t cushioned existences, like some of these teens in Hollywood who pretend they know what they are singing about.
Natalie, thanks for your kind comments on my article. However, lol please be advised that I am a “he” not a “she” lol.
Thanks and all the best.