Big & Rich with Faith and Love

We can talk about the different sounds, sub genre’s and tastes of music that fall underneath the umbrella genre of what is country music. And while the duo I have been listening to all day most certainly don’t have the traditional sound that I consider “pure” country music and while their roots hail in Rock and Roll the two of them have come together (and apart) to make some of the best music in the last 14 years that have not only shaped country music but told the story of country music’s people no matter how raw and painful it is. (They make me cry a lot).

An another thing that brings me to Big and Rich is the fact that these two are great Christian musicians and really stand in their beliefs and it comes out in so much of their music. I always believed that actors, musicians, writers, the people with fans and the ear of a nation had the responsibility to push for change, to make art that made people not just feel but think. Musicians can do so much good with not only charity like the country music family is known for but, also for keeping with the American movement, our hope of staying afloat, fighting when times are tough, calling out those who made times tough weather it be an abusive spouse or a over indulged corporate America and keeping with Big and Rich’s “Love Everybody” motto.  

1.)    8^th of November: 1^st of all any music video that opens with Kris Kristofferson is bound to be amazing and destroy me emotionally and 8^th of November is no different. 8^th of November 1965, a day that they have immortalized with the story of soldiers they know personally from the 173^rd Airborn, their sacrifice in Vietnam and it’s introduction tells how Big Kenny came to have that top hat of his. Vietnam will live in infamy as a complicated and questionable decisions by America but the respect comes to anyone who can and will still support a generation of unwilling and unintended warriors and Big and Rich have always been veteran supporters.

2.)     Wild West Show – I just love this song and you can hear the traditional native American flutes and chants in the background and see it in the music video. While this is a different tone than 8^th of November

3.)    Holy Water- The open credits of the music video state it was written for John Rich’s sister Charlene and all the others like it. A song for and dedicated to victims of abuse and while it’s a beautiful song once you know the background of the song it definitely defies a deeper meaning to the music and the duo’s “Love Everybody” message they support.

4.)    That’s Why I Pray: Let’s shout to them again for being a duo that has had no problem calling out the BS of the online bullying, teenage pregnancy and the economy. Also remember that both Big Kenny and John Rich come from extremely religious Christian backgrounds. John Rich’s father is preacher who preaches at Mardi Gras and has a prison ministry in Tennessee. While both boys were shown to be partiers Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy for example but listening to their music and hearing the both of them discuss their belief in God is truly something that is beautiful to see.

Now I’m begging for forgiveness
I wanna make a difference even in the smallest way
I’m only one person, but I can feel it working
I believe in better days
That’s why I pray

5.)    Saved: This is off of the “Horse of a Different Color” from way back in the beginning in 2004. The song title itself says exactly what it’s about “last night I told the devil where to go…”

I can go on for hours about go into detail on every song that Big and Rich has but no one wants to read a novel here. Deadwood Mountain, though please listen to this if you like a darker sounding song that concerns old outlaws.

Big and Rich have taken their time apart both having solo careers and there is one song from John Rich’s solo career that really needs to have light on it. Once more it hosts Kris Kristofferson and is another song that exposes the dark side of the US economy, especially during the last recession, that everyone was trying to pretend didn’t happen. The song itself makes me cry but the music video destroys me as it is a fate that so many were facing all over the country and while the economy has ticked up lately it’s still a looming threat.

Shuttin’ Detroit Down- Shows a man Big John, near retirement (Kris) loosing his job in Detroit after 30 years of service when they had to do the layoffs and the big companies were getting bailed out by the US government and everything was still going to hell in a handbasket. The video story shows Big John getting walked out and an outspoken other employee, Billy, fighting with the boss because John had been there over thirty years but the first who were cut in the layoffs were the one’s closest to retirement. The music video ends with Billy, John and Johns wife crying in the yard as Johns furniture is being repossessed and John Rich walking through an empty factory. The economist and DC were rescuing bankers and corporations and the little man was losing everything and no one was really paying attention to that and John Rich didn’t have a problem calling them out on it.

Well pardon me if I don't shed a tear.
Their selling make believe and we don't buy that here.

Because in the real world they're shuttin' Detroit down,
While the boss man takes his bonus paid jets on out of town.
DC's bailing out them bankers as the farmers auction ground.
Yeah while they're living up on Wall Street in that New York City town,
Here in the real world they're shuttin' Detroit down.
Here in the real world they're shuttin' Detroit down.