… here are a few songs of the South that I actually happen to like – because, hey, they’re good.

A reader sent over a few song recommendations for some deep-fried country music. Now, I realise that to most people it must seem extremely weird that a dyed-in-the-wool metalhead like me would actually appreciate country music. And there is good reason to think this.

After all, most country music seems to consist of nasal whining with twangy guitars in the background, while someone sings forlornly about a woman who took his dog, his car, and his house, and ended up costing him his job too.

Even worse, quite a lot of country music seems to involve extremely sappy love songs. And those simply burn my ears – it does not really matter who sings ballads (and there are some supremely cheesy heavy metal ballads out there, by the way), I generally cannot stand them. (Though there are exceptions.)

But – country music that has real BALLS? Oh yeah. Definitely a fan.

Such as, for instance:

And, of course, the unofficial anthem of the South:

Since we’re on the subject – it cannot be a coincidence that some of the best guitarists around are Southerners.

For example:

And of course the one and only STEVE MORSE – for my money the greatest guitarist ever, alive or dead:

Oh, all right, one more – the late, great Randy Rhoads:

I’ll say one more thing about country music: it is a reflection of the character of the South and the Midwest.

Yes, it can be cheesy and sappy and silly. That simply reflects the deep idealism and romanticism that is at the heart of every true Southron. These are the people who built America with their bare hands, often in dangerous conditions and doing back-breaking work.

But it is also stirring, powerful, and masculine. And that, too, is a reflection of the character of the people.

Southerners are not the sorts of people who back down from a fight. They do not appreciate rudeness, Godlessness, or uncharitable behaviour. They are warm and hospitable to a degree that astonishes most Northerners – or, as the Southrons call them, the “damn Yankees” – but they make it very clear that, if you go to the South, you are expected to abide by their codes of behaviour and conduct.

You are expected to stand for the national anthem, respect veterans, hold open doors for ladies – note, I said ladies, not just “women” or “creatures that look kind of sort of like women if you squint really hard” – and generally be a decent human being.

In short – they’re the kinds of people that I rather like to be around.