"Murder on Music Row"
Content[edit]
"Murder on Music Row" is a lament and criticism of the ongoing trend of country pop crossover acts and pop influences on country music, a trend that has pushed traditional and neotraditional country music (and those who perform it) to the periphery. The lyrics metaphorically compare the pop trend to "an awful murder down on Music Row", and lament that "The steel guitar no longer cries and you can't hear fiddles play / But drums and rock and roll guitars are mixed up in your face."[5] In addition, the song also states that older traditional country artists "wouldn't stand a chance on today's radio," citing by nickname Hank Williams ("Old Hank"), Merle Haggard ("The Hag"), and George Jones ("The Possum").
Dierks Bentley/George Jones version[edit]
In 2006, Dierks Bentley and George Jones recorded a version of the song that was included on the album Songs of the Year 2007, which was only available in Cracker Barrel restaurants.
Parody[edit]
Country comedy artist Cledus T. Judd parodied the song as "Merger on Music Row", in a duet with Daryle Singletary, on his 2009 album Polyrically Uncorrect; the song lamented that music piracy had taken all the profits away from country music.