From our follower @EJGleske, a former DJ and chronic videographer, comes a tongue-in-cheek country tune called “You Never Even Call Me By My Name” by Steve Goodman (1971). The tune attempts to cover every known country music lyric cliche — no easy task.
@EJGleske explains: “Goodman was known perhaps best for ‘City of New Orleans,’ which was known most by Arlo Guthrie‘s cover version, but that’s not his best song. ‘A Dying Cub Fan’s Last Request’ and ‘Chicken Cordon Bleus’ hit my spot, and when I want to wow folks who know not who Goodman is, I introduce them to ‘Talk Backwards.’
Steve wasn’t only about songs written from the funny bone; his ballads, from ‘City of New Orleans’ to ‘I Can’t Sleep’ to ‘If She Were You,’ tell a story in vivid detail, his voice and picking painting the most marvelous pictures.
Steve was a singer-songwriter’s singer-songwriter. His songs were covered by, well, everyone…from Baez to Denver to Guthrie to Kristofferson to Nelson and on down the line. Bumping into John Prine on the same circuit as often as he did, it was our good luck they collaborated on a number of songs. Many of them come at us with the full force of both men’s wit, which brings me to my submission. Goodman and Prine set out to write the ultimate country song, and put every hook and cliche of the genre into one thick mess. The obligatory modulation is at 1:54, and it works on all levels, musically and as satire.”
modulationoftheday.home.blog 