I don't know why everyone else can't feel it, but when the CD goes in and the fumes of the song fill the truck, I get high into the music and am taken from my everyday routine if even for just a minute-long ride down to the Circle K. Even a quick hit of "Jack Blue" is greatly appreciated.
Amen to those who stood up for the right to right meaningful songs. Chris Knight has some of the best songs out there I wish I could find a copy of a cd with framed on it.
Chris Knight is a brilliant storyteller, who speaks to the hardships and struggles of small town life. I've been a huge fan of Chris since the first record, and am disturbed by some one saying his music is "whiny". Obviously, you don't know the first thing about Chris or his music. How can you pick apart a record as honest and real as "Enough Rope". I mean would you rather have an artist be something they are not? Chris is as real as it gets!!! Don't criticize what you can't even remotely relate to.
Just because Knight is not writing poppy, everything is happy country songs, doesn't at all mean that he's feeling sorry for himself or is taking his pain to seriously. He is just a good story teller and I think he has an amazing way of putting words and thoughts together. Why don't you get off your women's empowerment hight horse for a minute and try to listen to something different than Toby Keith singing about how good he once way, which i'm sure is in your CD player right now. Do you also think Johnny Cash or Merele Haggard were self pittying sexist?
"Enough Rope" is the only Chris Knight CD I've listened to -- the words that came to mind for me are "maudlin", "whiny", "sees himself as a victim". The thing about Knight lyrics that bother me the most are the anti-woman message in "Enough Rope" and "To Get Back Home". He portrays men as the helpless victims of conniving, greedy, controlling women. "You Won't Have Me to Kick Around Anymore," aka "Cry Lonely" sounds more like a sentiment expressed by an adolescent girl, not an adult male.
Because I couldn't see why anyone liked Knight's lyrics I went to his own website and read the "favorable" reviews his people posted, wondering what I was missing. Now I feel vindicated when the posted reviews use words like "fatalistic", "angry", "dark"and "raging". I would like to suggest that song after song after song of his victimization at the hands of society, women, developers, and life requires a double dose of Prozac to stomach. Mr. Knight makes a feeble attempt to credit God's Grace in "Saved By Love," but compared to all of the great praise songs, his lyrics are trite.
And please, don't compare him to John Prine. John Prine has a sense of humor -- Prine writes with tongue-in-cheek, whereas Chris Knight takes all his pain way too seriously, with a chip on his shoulder the size of Kentucky.
I can't summon up enough negative feelings to enjoy listening to "Enough Rope" again.
MH
My first CD and I loved it. This guy writes from the heart and you can just tell he has been there. (as I have been). I'll buy more.
Chris Knight brings raw emotion to his lyrics. His tales about jail, guns, hard luck, and the outlaw lifestyle are conveyed so crisply you can't help but wonder if this guy is writing from experience.
I don't even listen to country music. I'm an old school metal head! But this guy is one country singer I will always listen to. I own every album, and they just keep getting better!
GREAT CD,GREAT SINGER,GREAT SONGWRITER.JUST GREAT,GREAT,AND, OH YEAH,GREAT.GREAT PERFORMER TOO.JUST SAW HIM IN CHARLOTTE 8/10/06. GREAT....
