I don’t like country music. I’ve said that till it sounds like the refrain of a classic. There’s something about it that just……I cringe.

However, I looked at my iTunes downloads today and realized that my last 10 purchases have been country: LeeAnn Womack’s “Last Call,” Trace Adkins’ something about memory, three John Corbett songs, a Kenny Chesney–I don’t even know who these people are (except Corbett–Chris on “Northern Exposure” and one of my most favorite characters in TVland.) The songs are ones I ran into randomly and related to in some way. And I just got the new Alison Krauss/Robert Plant cd. Country? Not sure, but sorta.

Furthermore, one of my guilty pleasures right now is the CMT show “Gone Country,” where celebs are competing for a chance to record for some guy I’ve never heard of named Rich something or something Rich–they think it’s worth competing for, at any rate. The attraction? George Clinton trying to sing country, and Mickey Dolenz doing a kick-ass job of singing country. Yea, Mickey of the Monkees–see why I’m watching? Shelia E is on and doing an impressive job, too. But Mickey’s gonna win!

So why do I think I don’t like country? As a guitar player and storyteller, I should like it. That’s what it is, really. And I like pop/folk, and heard a lot of roots country when I took my country music class in grad school–which required a night at a Honky-Tonk and learning the Texas Two-Step. Lots of fun.

So again, why…redux. I think I’ve figured it out: uber-emotionalism, which I’m not comfortable with, and traditional values, meaning theology that I find unsound, unthinking patriotism, and frequent gender stereotyping and objectification.

I think too much. I think I’m proving that again. (Hence, discomfort with uber-emotionalism). Maybe I need to weed through the annoying country and just enjoy some of the Honky-Tonk, life story type songs. Pop music isn’t really catching my interest now; it might be time to find some cowboy boots and change the station on my radio!