Loud and Clear

Chords

You're playin' DJ on our road trip and my ears are going numb
It's taking every bit of patience not to mute it with my thumb
Maybe pretend that it malfunctioned and I'll fix it when we stop
But then you say "this one's my favorite" and you crank the volume knob

You don't square dance in your Daisy Dukes or line up in your boots
You're favorite 'burban type is "sub", you're more salon than you're saloon
The only farms you've ever seen are in Stardew or Harvest Moon
So how'd the anti-howdy-doody get so hooked on country tunes?

I've tried to give it all a chance, I promise you I did
But I can't tell when one song ends and when the next hit song begins
Twenty minutes in... lets just call it what it is
Every so-called country classic sounds a little bit like this

A big bar crowd sing-a-long
A four-chord kinda country song
Where the chorus always mentions beer
And the title (the title!) the title hits loud and clear

Its always so repetitive, they've got nothing to say
Every aspect is generic, every lyric feels cliché
I respect the men and women and the instruments they play
But the hacks that they are backing have put all their skills to waste

Cause the stars are all so similar, so handsome, could it be
Another well-connected white boy up and moved to Tennessee
Has a network out in Nashville, plays a chord or two or three
Add a fourth and ride a horse and you can end up on TV singin'

A big bar crowd sing-a-long
A four-chord kinda country song
Where the chorus always mentions beer
And the title, the title hits loud and clear

Did you ever think

That I don't care about the lyrics or the themes
I don't need my entertainment to be more than what it seems
Its importance doesn't hinge on if the chords are all unique
These are all the songs my dad put on the stereo for me

And all my oldest memories, as far back as they go
From the car seat to the front seat all involved the radio
Blaring Toby, Keith or Urban, other names I barely know
And when I hear them he is here like he was 20 years ago

And maybe when it came to this he was a simple man
Didn't listen for the lyrics, didn't care for indie bands
So attack me for my music choice, I know it's pretty bad
But I love these simple songs 'cause they remind me of my dad

So just let me sing along
Cause he comes through in these country songs
In the car its almost like he's here
And can I hear him… yeah I can hear him... loud and clear