Darius Rucker Wants ‘Wagon Wheel’ Grammy or “Country’s Screwed”
Former Hootie & The Blowfish frontman and country music carpetbagger/interloper Darius Rucker says he deserves a Grammy nod for his #1 hit “Wagon Wheel,” or quote, “country music’s screwed.”
“Wagon Wheel” is the long-suffering country music tune that started as a chorus from a Bob Dylan demo that was in turn fleshed out by Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show and released on their 2004 Major label debut album O.C.M.S. Despite little or no radio play, the Old Crow version was certified gold from its cult following amongst independent music fans. Then Darius Rurcker cut a version of the song on his 2013 album True Believers that has since been certified platinum.
Darius Rucker made the comments during an interview with sports personality Dan Patrick.
“‘Wagon Wheel’ did okay, that was a big hit. I’m waiting for the Grammy nomination,” Rucker said. “I haven’t had one of those in a long time (laughs). If ‘Wagon Wheel’ doesn’t get nominated for a Grammy, country music’s screwed. It’s simple as that. If it doesn’t get nominated for a Grammy, country music’s screwed. I really believe that. I’m not saying it should win it, but it should be nominated.”
Why exactly country music is “screwed” if the song is not nominated was not elaborated upon by Rucker. Though the comments were made in a somewhat jocular moment with Dan Patrick, Rucker did repeat himself, and emphasize “I really believe that.” Whether Rucker is perceiving some bias or even racism, or if it is a somewhat subtle jab at the recent direction of country and specifically its male performers and their flight from substance is hard to determine.
The appeal of “Wagon Wheel” amongst country music fans of all stripes is hard to deny from its commercial success in multiple realms. But its propensity to be overplayed and blurted out as a request by inebriated fans has dubbed it the “Free Bird” of our generation. Rucker said he initially “didn’t really get” the song until he saw a school performance with his daughter that included it. The song was nominated for both Single of the Year and Song of the Year at the CMA Awards held last week, but did not win either category.
Rucker’s comments can be heard at the 9-minute mark.
November 15, 2013 @ 11:14 am
Just an FYI OCMS wasn’t their debut album. They had Greetings from Wawa and Eutaw and I believe a live album out prior to OCMS
November 15, 2013 @ 11:39 am
It was their first major label record, and is considered their first major release. And yes, I know the song first appeared on their “Troubles Up And Down The Road” EP, but this is the problem with any time you mention the song. You call it a Darius Rucker song, and people correct you that it’s an Old Crow song. You say it’s an Old Crow song, they correct you that it’s a Dylan song. You say it’s a Dylan song, they correct you that Ketch Secor co-wrote it, or say that it was in fact written by Arthur Crudup. The lineage of this song is so muddy, and in some respects dirty because Old Crow was playing and cutting it before receiving permission from Dylan, it all makes me want to curl up in a country music fetal position and suck my thumb.
“Wagon Wheel” is a modern American country music classic, in an era when modern classics no longer exist. But its ubiquitousness, the arguments that ensue when it’s even mentioned, to now this stuff with Hootie make me just wish it had never been written. Which is a shame because ultimately it’s a good song.
November 15, 2013 @ 12:43 pm
I always liked the version on Troubles Up And Down The Road. Don Helms played steel guitar on that one, I believe. I always felt that the version on OCMS lacked life. Those guys had been playing it so long, they pretty much played the life out of it by that point
November 15, 2013 @ 11:16 am
Holy shit! Ego much, Darius?
November 15, 2013 @ 11:20 am
100% of the morons who listen to pop country radio think that Darius Rucker wrote that song, and most of them probably don’t know that he was in Hootie and the Blowjobs.
November 15, 2013 @ 11:27 am
Eating dinner at my brother’s and his wife watches The Voice and some kid gets on their and explains he’s going to sing “Wagon Wheel” by Darius Rucker…. I about lost it! Then Shelton goes on and on about how great that Darius Rucker song is…
November 15, 2013 @ 1:09 pm
I’m sure you’re a blast at parties.
November 15, 2013 @ 2:45 pm
First off, I ever considered watching The Voice anywhere at any time even remotely having something to do with the act of partying I’d kill myself. Second, when you’re sister-in-law sings Taylor Swift karaoke all night you tend to do anything an everything you can to not get invited back.
November 15, 2013 @ 2:46 pm
*if
November 15, 2013 @ 10:35 pm
*your
November 18, 2013 @ 9:21 am
I went back and changed my wording of the sentence which originally called for the contraction ‘you are’. My sincere apologies for offending you maybeth. That’s ‘maybeth’ with no capital ‘M’, correct? A tad on the selective side of grammar enforcement aren’t we, maybeth? Well thank you maybeth for finding the time in your busy day to correct my grammar. You also must be a blast at parties.
November 15, 2013 @ 11:24 am
I’m curious as to how many times a reproduced song has been nominated for a Grammy. On top of that this song was originally produced so recent and (as far as the Grammy’s are concerned) within the same genre.
November 15, 2013 @ 11:32 am
I suspect the answer is much higher than you think, especially in country music. All the classic artists used to cut the same songs over and over again until someone turned it into a hit.
November 15, 2013 @ 11:50 am
It was quite common. Just wonder how many times it’s actually happened to win a Grammy. I love both George Jones and Conway Twitty’s versions of “Walk Through This World With Me”.
November 15, 2013 @ 11:27 am
What the hell? Who says that? I agree, as much as I want that song to just disappear. It deserves a Grammy. But that Grammy belongs to Ketch Secor. I’m not even a fan of Old Crow, but that is a really well written song. It should have gotten an award 10 years ago when it first came out. But for Darius Rucker to act like he has some sort of claim over the song… I don’t think so. Maybe that’s not what he meant, but he sounds like an arrogant jackass. Country music is screwed if shitty artists like him keep destroying the genre
November 15, 2013 @ 11:45 am
I agree it’s the Old Crow Medicine Show version that deserves the Grammy nod if any of them do. But in fairness, if Rucker is nominated or wins, Secor and Dylan will also be credited as the songwriters.
November 17, 2013 @ 1:08 am
That would be a painful medium Triggerman. I think if Paul McCartney ever shared a pint with Delerious Rucker he would put a conjoling arm round his shoulder and say, “sorry lad, but OCMS kicked yer bloody ass on that song”. All kudos to Bob Dylan too but I never paid attention to the song til OCMS did it!
November 17, 2013 @ 1:52 am
I am sorry, but after watching the OCMS video of “Wagon Wheel” yesterday, I feel like venting about this topic.
First, the instrumentation is very good, but the vocals are just bad. The shrillness in Ketch Secor’s voice grates on my ears.
Secondly, the video is sexualized trash. It is no different than the videos accompanying the current frat-boy “country” songs.
Overall, Darius Rucker’s version contains much more wistful vocals, and as a bonus comes with a stellar video that portrays the true beauty of the landscape and culture of the rural South.
November 17, 2013 @ 2:05 am
By all means Eric, please share the links to your opinion. What are you comparing, a live OCMS video to an Official DR release?…more likely than not!
November 17, 2013 @ 2:18 am
OCMS video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gX1EP6mG-E
Darius Rucker video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvKyBcCDOB4
November 15, 2013 @ 11:27 am
Holy hubris, Batman!
November 15, 2013 @ 11:43 am
That doesn’t sound to me like he was making a serious statement.
November 15, 2013 @ 11:48 am
I do think he said it during a lighthearted conversation, but the fact that he said it twice to reiterate the point, and then said, ” I really believe that” makes me feel like we should take him at his word. The ambiguity for me lies in what he means by country music being “screwed.”
November 17, 2013 @ 1:12 am
Hopefully in his convoluted ego he means he will quit (trying) playing country. I can only hope…
November 15, 2013 @ 11:49 am
Hootie, if that is your real name…I don’t know how to tell you this, but…you blow. You blow.
November 15, 2013 @ 1:11 pm
He blows more fish than Kanye West.
November 15, 2013 @ 12:05 pm
No, Darius, country music is screwed if That’s My Kind of Night IS nominated.
November 17, 2013 @ 10:09 am
Ain’t that the truth!!!! I think Wagon Wheel has a traditional country sound and I think that is what he meant by the statement. Plain and simple. If LB or JA are nominated and Wagon Wheel is not – I agree…country music is screwed.
November 15, 2013 @ 12:05 pm
You know, I was reading about this little incident on Yahoo! this morning and thought to myself: “I wonder when Trigger will get ahold of this?” I must say, though, you’re far less negative about his pretentiousness than I was expecting. I was kind of hoping to see a rant, but it IS a rather vague statement. Oh, well. On the subject of the song itself, I might be in the minority, but I actually prefer Rucker’s version. I’m not sure if it’s intentional or not as I’m not a big fan of Old Crow Medicine Show, but Secor sounds like he’s straining to find a tune in their version (i.e. he can’t sing, or at least sounds like he can’t in the song).
November 15, 2013 @ 12:27 pm
See, this is the thing. I’m not on Team Darius by any stretch, and I do think that him saying he deserved the nomination with such forceful language is hubris. But I can read many things into him saying “country music’s screwed,” including that his perspective is that if they pass over nominating a song that is well-written (regardless by who or how much it has been overplayed0 and instead nominate songs like “Cruise” and some country rap or who knows what else, that country is making the wrong decision and it would be symbolic on how the substance of country music is in decline. I’m not saying that is what Darius is saying, but I can certainly see him giving that perspective.
We’ll see how big this thing gets, and if Rucker is forced to make a clarification. If he does, I’m sure he doesn’t have the guts to double down and say he thinks it should be nominated because the rest of the songs in country suck, but that doesn’t mean that what he thinks. What are the other options? That he thinks country music is bias? The played the hell out of the song and it was a #1. The Grammys are voted on by members, and unlike the ACM’s and the CMA’s to a large extent, are devoid of industry politics, especially in the country realm.
November 17, 2013 @ 1:26 am
“The Grammys are voted on by members, and unlike the ACM”™s and the CMA”™s to a large extent, are devoid of industry politics, “…sorry Triggerman, I wish I could believe that, but…I also wish I was popsicle and the commercial music industry would suck me!
November 17, 2013 @ 8:34 am
I’m not saying the Grammy’s are awesome. I responded to a comment, agreeing that the Grammy’s have a much more open system when it comes to voting for awards, which they do.
November 17, 2013 @ 3:56 pm
Yeah the grammys are a lot harder to predict. Somehow I can’t see Luke Bryan or FGL winning any Grammys. I think they’re more likely to lean towards kacey musgraves or Miranda Lambert. Here’s hoping Ashley Monroe creeps in for a nomination.
November 15, 2013 @ 12:11 pm
I like ths song and liked it when OCMS released it also. I’ve never gotten too much into if a song is overplayed or not. “Freebird” is a great song, I’m not gonna let the fact that people yell out for it all the time ruin it for me. Songs can be overplayed, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a great song still. It’s been years since I have heard “Freebird” covered at a show and last weekend I was driving and it came on the radio. Halfway through it, I thought “man this is a great song”. There were obviously a lot of people who have never heard OCMS version of “Wagon Wheel”, because this single went multi platinum I believe, so I think good for these people that they got to hear this song.
I think he has to be talking about the direction of country music with the “screwed” comment. I know it may seem a little odd coming from somebody who is part of Hootie, but that has to be it. Probably the fact that the song has very traditional country roots and also went multi platinum, he may feel like it would be a slap in the face to more traditional country if it’s not nominated. The grammy’s are usually pretty good about nominating more obscure artists. The grammy’s are where Kacey Musgraves could easily win multiple awards, that voting audience will give her votes, simply due to the messages in her songs.
November 15, 2013 @ 12:32 pm
I certainly think that is a possibility with the “screwed” comment, and I agree, as an organization that is voted on by a wide swath of members and is generally void of the same industry politics that plague many awards, The Grammy’s tend to reward the artistic success to a greater degree than the commercial success, at least in country. I could see Kacey getting some big Grammy nods. She’s the style they tend to gravitate toward.
November 16, 2013 @ 6:03 pm
While I still find his choice of words arrogant, I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s what he meant myself.
Regardless of one’s overall opinion of Rucker, I have to give him credit in that he has consciously juxtaposed his genre-hopping efforts. When he released his sole R&B album “Back To Then” in 2002, it was produced and marketed as nothing more than it was: a modern Rhythmic spirit in the spirit of Brian McKnight. In contrast, I have given all three of his country albums a listen, and while they surely are mediocre and mostly flavorless, at the very least he has had the decency of setting aside his R&B influences and rather regurgitating the trademark Hootie & The Blowfish MOR sound with token banjo and token pedal steel.
There are dozens upon dozens of genuine artists I’d rather hear on the airwaves than “Hootie” any day. But at the very least, I feel I can respect Rucker in that he has a genuine sensitivity to contrast, and he would be true to his word if he wanted to cut a modern corporate country record and nothing other than that, or perhaps take another stab at an R&B album with an end result that is nothing other than that either.
Also, I believe Rucker when he refers to his love of country music. I actually feel it is coming from a real place because he is equally as honest about admitting in this same interview with Dan Patrick that all three favorite concerts of all-time were non-country acts (Def Leppard being a notable standout). His output sorely fails to live up to the spirit of the country music he grew up listening to by leagues of longshots, but at least his appreciation of country music is coming from someplace real (as opposed to, say, Lenny Kravitz or Parmalee).
November 15, 2013 @ 12:27 pm
It is a sad state of affairs, when I mistake and ACTUAL country music headline, with an Onion News Headline. I thought I was going to read this, and it was going to be one big gab!! Come to find out, he actually said that………barf!!!
November 15, 2013 @ 12:31 pm
“Wagon Wheel” is the only good #1 country song that came out this year. It is also just about the only good hit country song by a male overall that came out this year (with the exception of Gary Allan, Zac Brown Band, and maybe a couple others). In that sense, Rucker is absolutely right. A Grammy for this song would send a powerful message against the frat-boy, laundry-list, rap-rock trend.
Also, as you mentioned, the award for Song of the Year would go to Secor and Dylan, since they wrote “Wagon Wheel”.
November 15, 2013 @ 12:42 pm
I’d be interested to from whom Dylan stole the original lyrics. I’d be willing to be he didn’t come up them on his own….
November 15, 2013 @ 1:26 pm
There’s many articles devoted to the subject, but Dylan has attributed his demo “Rock Me Mama” to blues legend Arthur Crudup in the past, though in the official publishing the song is attributed to Dylan/Secor. Dylan’s also be accused of plagiarism many times over the years, but then he appears to plagiarize on purpose just to screw with people and perpetuate his mythos, so who knows what the real truth is.
November 15, 2013 @ 1:52 pm
Trigger,
I’ve read what you wrote about Dylan’s plagiarism in the past, and I’ve been an amateur historian on the subject over the past several years. Its seems to me that every instance where Dylan has been accused of plagiarism, it has turned out to be 100% true. He has plagiarized all of his “art,” including not just his music, but his paintings, as well. The guy is a total fraud.
November 15, 2013 @ 2:24 pm
the only proven instance i know of is when he stole a bunch of lines from an obscure book published in japan by an American (i think) writer and used them on one of his records from about ten years ago. ive been a Dylan fanatic for over 30 years and that’s the only time hes ever been caught red handed as far as i know. yes i do know about the paintings but hes an amateur painter at best so i don’t see the crime in copying his betters while enjoying his hobby.
November 15, 2013 @ 9:57 pm
I think that is overstating it, RD.
Bob Dylan has written thousands of songs and recorded seemingly hundreds of albums. In his early days, he was working within the folk tradition of taking old folk tunes and stock material and rewriting them into original material with modern lyrics and themes. His recent problems seem to stem from taking this mindset to other media where it isn’t really appropriate. But even if he were found to be guilty of plagiarism in a few instances, to say his entire oeuvre is worthless or plagiarized isn’t really fair.
November 15, 2013 @ 2:11 pm
the only lyrics Dylan took from Crudup was the phrase “rock me mama” but he does use it in the same way albeit wordier and with a different sound. i have no idea if Crudup came up with the phrase or if it was one of those things people said and no one knows who where it came from.
i hadn’t heard about crudups version till today and it just makes the story of how the song came to be that much cooler and fits in perfect with what bebe posted below.
November 15, 2013 @ 12:39 pm
This is just another depressing example of how the music industry has taken hold of artistisanship and creative communities. As many of you probably know, in the past, music was seen as a community experience. In places like the Appalachias, music was passed down through families, and communities. Over time songs changed, in their sonic quality as well as their lyrical presentation. Today these songs are labeled under the genre of “old-time,” with tunes like “Angeline the Baker,” “Greasy Coat,” “St. Anne’s Reel,” etc. And what is important to realize about these songs is, not only have they continued to be performed for generations, but also that their original creator and/or origins is not necessarily known. No single individual has his or her named signed as the creator of the tune “Richmond,” for example, because these songs were created by communities of people who believed the best way for music to exist in people’s lives was through sharing. Now this may all sound very sappy, but to think about how those tunes have been immortalized in comparison to how many songs written today, will most likely not survive as long. Audience members who love the song “Wagon Wheel” squabble over who is the creator of the song. But if we are able to learn anything from our old-time roots musicians we would realize that everyone shares a different version of a tune – no one holds claim over music – and if someone will associate music with an individual the conversation usually goes something like this:
Participant 1: Hey, I really like the way you play that tune. Where’d you learn it.
Participant 2: I learned Bruce Molsky’s version.
Participant 1: Wow, it’s got some really nice elements in it.
Now I’m not saying we should all play traditional tunes and stop creating originals, but what I am saying is that we as a community, must wake up and realize that music survives trough the experience of sharing it – rather than claiming ownership over it.
November 15, 2013 @ 1:33 pm
Very good point Bebe, and “Wagon Wheel” is one of the very few songs of our generation that has withstood the test of time like the old standards, and maybe it’s because it has this multi-generational collaborate effect to its final outcome.
One of the reasons the songwriting rules were set in place by Roy Acuff and Fred Rose (it happened through country, though the rules effect every genre) was because songwriters were being taken advantage of, and songs were getting stolen and the commercial rights were going to the wrong people. But as you point out, it also seems to trap the ability of a song to evolve over time. It’s just another example of how technology constricts us.
November 15, 2013 @ 3:57 pm
This is what I was thinking earlier. Prior to today I had only heard that Wagon Wheel was written by Ketch, based on the Dylan piece. After reading Triggers mention of Arthur Crudup and reading elsewhere that it goes back further than that to Big Bill Broonzy and even further back than that, I was thinking how it was similar to the old time songs and blues songs that changed and evolved over the time.
And like Trigger said in reply to this, I really don’t think it’s a coincidence that this song has endured as well as it has and gained the (relatively) massive popularity that it had while not being a big hit until this most recent version.
November 15, 2013 @ 7:58 pm
I agree, the song’s endurance and popularity is not a coincidence. Even though every musician with an acoustic guitar will roll his eyes when asked to play wagon wheel — I still think this song is a modern day example of creative and artistic sharing. All art comes from other art. What makes me roll my eyes, personally, is when people somehow believe that a tune can only have one creator, or when someone (like Darius) attempts to claim ownership over the tune – which is obviously produced from a community of artists and supported by a diverse community of audience members.
November 15, 2013 @ 12:42 pm
While I really would like to know what he means, I’m not for certain if HE knew exactly what he meant. Unless he was trying to say that a somewhat-traditional sounding tune stands a big chance at losing to far worse songs that came out this year. There were plenty of them and I’m 99% sure that his take on the song (which I now have a really hard time listening too) will lose to something awful. His statement was interesting. It seems to imply that he could possibly view himself as a Savior of the genre. (Sigh) I’m giving this too much thought already. The more I think about it, the more I would like to him hear him elaborate. None of this “simple as that”. Also interesting that this comes from a guy who more-or-less admitted to switching to Country to grab some cash. http://music-mix.ew.com/2009/04/30/darius-rucker-t/
November 15, 2013 @ 1:39 pm
Well, this story has blown up all over the innernets, so Rucker may be forced to clarify his statements soon, or maybe they’ll hope they get buried over the weekend. But I’ll say this: even though he may believe “Wagon Wheel” is better and the other songs are awful, it would be political suicide for him to say so, especially because he’s already in a compromising position because of how arrogant his statement came across. So I don’t expect him to double down and say something negative about current country, I expect him to say he was misunderstood, or joking, kill everyone with kindness and apologies, and move on. But who knows.
November 16, 2013 @ 6:08 pm
Really? Thus far, I’ve only seen one linkback to the original source, which was Radio.com News.
I surely hope Rucker is pressured to clarify his comments here, but I can’t exactly agree this story has “blown up.” Then again, if not for this site, the Great Old Farts & Jackasses Gaffe of 2013 quite likely would never have achieved anywhere nearly as much publicity and outreach. Lightning can very well strike twice here, thanks to you.
November 16, 2013 @ 8:17 pm
Apparently there was some thread on Yahoo that another commenter referred to about it, and Taste of Country ran a story about it as well. But it seems to have lost legs. Weekends will do that to news stories. If it was Monday, this story may have blown up. Now I think it has blown over.
November 17, 2013 @ 3:11 am
nah, I’m a shiftworker Triggerman, Gladder than to hell to catch ya when I can though! 😉
November 15, 2013 @ 12:42 pm
Oh, brother. Humility thy name is not Darius.
November 15, 2013 @ 12:57 pm
Forgive the obvious racial insinuation comparing him to Charley Pride, but Charley Pretentious sounds like a good moniker for Hootie…
November 15, 2013 @ 1:25 pm
I’d love to get a clarification, because these comments are wide open to interpretation. I feel like Rucker may have something greater to say about or contribute to the genre, but money ultimately wins the day with him.
Former Capitol Nashville president Mike Dungan talking about the first country songs Rucker played for him:
“They were Vern Gosdin-style tear-in-your-beer ballads or Texas two-step shuffles, neither of which is the flavor of the month. If we had to adjust anything in our thinking, it was to come back a little more to the pop side.”
http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2008-12-10/news/36844337_1_hootie-darius-rucker-cowboy-hat
November 15, 2013 @ 1:44 pm
This is the equivalent of calling a girl when very drunk – he’s not necessarily wrong for doing it, but nothing good will come from it.
Nothing good ever came from admitting that you care about a music award before the fact.
November 15, 2013 @ 2:01 pm
There are country artist who have had same amount of time and longer in country than him. They don’t get near the recognition or promotion he receives. What an ego. He should be grateful.
November 15, 2013 @ 2:19 pm
Hmmm, not a Darius Rucker fan and I am soooooooooooooooo sick of Wagon Wheel (and felt that way long before his latest version) but I read his comment as being something like this “Wagon Wheel deserves to be nominated for Grammy or they (whoever nominates whatever) are being disrespectful of country music as genre”. Of course it might seem a bit self-aggrandizing that he happened to be the performer but he could be including it for songwriting credit too.
November 15, 2013 @ 3:31 pm
If “Wagon Wheel” wins the Grammy for Country Song, then the award will go to Dylan and Secor. Darius Rucker has no songwriting credit on it.
November 15, 2013 @ 2:42 pm
You are mixing up and fusing Dylan’s multiple instances of plagiarism. He stole entire verses and lines from Henry Timrod. Timrod is by no means an obscure poet. His work is included in the Columbia Anthology of American Poetry, and any other decent anthology. Dylan also stole lines from Junichi Saga, a Japanese writer. I am ignorant of Japanese literature, and I have no idea whether Saga is well-known. He also plagiarized his own autobiography by ripping lines and paragraphs from multiple sources and reproducing them whole. Burned out hippies and devotees might think this is cute, or novel, but its just a guy with very few, if any, original ideas, perpetuating a massive fraud on an unsuspecting audience.
Over the years, there have been art thieves who have re-produced, nearly flawlessly, great works by master painters. Only the most trained of eyes could tell the difference. But these thieves were not artists, and what they produced was not art. It was a total rip-off. Only in Bob Dylan’s own mind, and those he has deluded into believing him, is plagiarism “part of the folk tradition.”
November 16, 2013 @ 10:47 pm
I am well aware of the instances of alleged plagarism you are talking about, and I think Bob Dylan was wrong for lifting lines from Timrodor and Saga. I’m not a lit. expert, so I don’t know to what degree using phrases from a poem is acceptible, but it seems like Dylan probably went about it the wrong way. My point wasn’t that Dylan wasn’t in the wrong or maybe even guilty of plagarism in that instance, but that those charges must be weighed against his enitre creative entire body of work and incredibly prolific career. I mean, I=it only seems fair.
The reason I mentioned the concept of the “folk tradition” was because it was relelvant to the conversation about the evolution of the song “Wagon Wheel” and also to provide a context as to why Dylan might have thought it was kosher to “quote” other poets or writers in his books. For example, he reworked tradional material in his folk days, and during his high-concept rock period, he often referenced works of literature, stories, historical figures, or other cultural artifacts in his songs. I was saying he might have taken the technique of borrowing bits and peices of culture too far, or tried to utilise this technique in other media (his biography) where it is less appropriate. And if you’re going to start dismissing artists wholesale for borrowing bits from previous sources in a musical context, you’ll first have to point your cannon at Johnny Cash, who borrowed the melody and lyrical structure for “Folsom Prison Blues” from the blues song “Crescent City Blues” by Gordon Jenkins.
The only other thing I’ll say on the subject is that If you really think the entire creative output of Dylan’s fifty-year long career is akin to a counterfeit *Mona Lisa* or that BD is a guy with “few, if any original ideas,” I just don’t think you’re actually paying attention to his work.
November 15, 2013 @ 2:52 pm
Mr. Rucker:
What you have just said…is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard.
At no point in your rambling, incoherent diatribe did you say anything even close to what can be considered a rational thought. And everyone on this board is not dumber for having read it.
I award you no points. And may God have mercy on your soul!
November 15, 2013 @ 3:45 pm
Hootie has always not been my thing as a rock frontman or a “country” artist. He apparently has a arrogant streak in him. Whatever, Darrius real music lovers never respected you in the first place because of lack of talent not race.
November 15, 2013 @ 4:02 pm
Did he say that he wasn’t respected because of his race? Why is that even being mentioned?
November 15, 2013 @ 4:09 pm
Darius Rucker did not mention race in his comment.
November 15, 2013 @ 8:15 pm
I’m not sure if your response was for me but I was asking TX Music Jim, since he is the one that brought race up. I know Darius didn’t.
November 15, 2013 @ 8:32 pm
No worries! I was responding to TX Music Jim.
November 17, 2013 @ 3:22 am
…”because of lack of talent not race.” purty sure he was just clarifying that Delerious Ruckers feedback was not inspired by his shade but by his lack of originality or lack of “proffessional ” shut the fuck up!
November 18, 2013 @ 12:47 pm
In my opinion, I beleive race was implied by Rucker in his comments. No not outright mentioned but implied, none the less.
November 15, 2013 @ 4:20 pm
Wait. I thought Country Music was already screwed. Is he suggesting that a Grammy Award for his song would be one way of Saving Country Music?
November 15, 2013 @ 4:45 pm
I kind of want to see Charley Pride chew Darius Rucker out for playing the race card.
November 15, 2013 @ 8:33 pm
When exactly did Darius Rucker play the race card?
November 16, 2013 @ 8:23 am
I tend to think that he probably wasn’t playing the race card in this instance. The one time that I thought he might have been doing so was a little after shortly after he got that racist tweet. He said something to the effect of “some people say my music isn’t country, but you know what that means. Because they can’t be talking about the music.”
November 17, 2013 @ 3:27 am
TRASHVILLE inserted the race card when the promoted a “NEW MARKET” over established “TALENT”!
November 15, 2013 @ 7:25 pm
That boy’s about as country as Woody Allen in a Stetson.
What was it Dale Watson said about force feeding us that sh!t.!?
November 15, 2013 @ 8:35 pm
“Boy”???
This is an unfortunate context in which to say that, to put it mildly.
November 16, 2013 @ 8:12 am
Darius Rucker is a 47 year old man from Charleston, South Carolina. He went from bland roots rock (Hootie) to bland mainstream country. Not a huge jump. And I’d say his version of Wagon Wheel is more country than the typical pop country radio fare, however watered down it is from the OCMS version.
November 17, 2013 @ 3:35 am
“boy” is an unfortunate choice of words considering everybody wants to be so politicaly correct these days, if you were talking about Hank, Lefty or George being “good ol’ boy’s” wouldn’t nobody have said a damn thing,…so who’s bringing the “race card” into it?
November 16, 2013 @ 7:32 am
Man this sickens me to death, first of this clown is a real piece of shit he was a shitty pop singer and is a shitty wanna be country singer. And the fact he covered this tune shortly after ocms is absolutly out of this world and to want a nod for ot too!!!! Dr is about as country as kid rock.
November 16, 2013 @ 9:39 am
Darius Rucker is not real country but that being said I would lean towards Rucker’s comment would be based on the quality of the song and not because he sang it. Rucker writes a lot which he should at least get credit for that. He has never made that comment about a song he wrote. Couple that with the fact he has made clear his love for good country music. Remember he named his second album was entitled Charlston, Sc 1966 as an ode to one of his favorite artists Radney Foster’s album “Del Rio, Tx, 1959.
November 16, 2013 @ 10:53 am
I believe Darius is referring to the “country music is screwed” to the current hiphop influenced country. Darius came from a non-country background and for him, his album is as close to country as it gets (from a mainstream country point of view, his albums sound more country than that of Thomas Rhett and Luke Bryan)
November 16, 2013 @ 5:51 pm
At least Rucker has had the decency of juxtaposing his R&B and country efforts! 😉
November 16, 2013 @ 11:17 am
Thought I was listening to a Kayne West interview there for a second. “I am a god”, “I don’t give to charity because I AM the charity”.
Please go away Hootie.
November 16, 2013 @ 5:47 pm
Narcissism aside, I fail to see how “Wagon Wheel” WON’T get a nomination in that respective category anyway.
It is the second best-selling “country” single of 2013 (besides Florida-Georgia Line’s “Cruise”……..which even that is questionable at least because most of its sales have stemmed from the Nelly re-mix this calendar year). In addition, its #15 peak on the Billboard Hot 100 points to broader cultural appeal beyond the confides of the “country” format in a way very few other releases have effectively been able to mimic this year.
If I had my druthers, I don’t think it SHOULD be nominated surely. But it can’t be denied “Wagon Wheel” has all the ingredients of a surefire leading contender that is monstrous commercial success, crossover appeal and at least lukewarm respect among older listening demographics to who the Grammys usually veer toward in terms of listener demographics.
If somehow it doesn’t get nominated, I would dare argue it was snubbed. But yeah, Rucker’s ego surely wasn’t attractive to hear.
November 16, 2013 @ 7:05 pm
Wagon Wheel is one of the best and most country recent mainstream songs. Country is screwed because country radio is playing too many pop and weak country songs and not playing enough great country and country women.
November 16, 2013 @ 10:49 pm
Getting back to the subject at hand, I think it’s interesting that Dylan credited Arthur Crudup with the idea for “Wagon Wheel.” I’ve listened to Dylan’s original jam/demo, and I’ve listened to Arthur Crudup’s “Rock Me Mama,” and other than that one key phrase, I don’t see much direct similarity. Still, like others have said, I think it’s really cool to be avle to trace the roots of a musical or lyrical idea as it develops, then blossoms into a sort of underground folk anthem, then turns into a actual pop hit. I remember reading a story about Jakob Dylan asking Ketch Seccor how old he was when he fleshed out the verses for “Wagon Wheel,” and when Ketch told him he was 17. Jakob replied that he wasn’t surprised, because “nobody in their 30s would have the audacity to finish a Dylan song.” 😉
As for ol’ Hootie, I’m gonna choose to believe he was referring to the integrity of counrry music when he made his comments. I don’t care for his music, but he seems like a decent guy, I’ll try to assume the best. The other option is that he’s a raging narcisist. 🙂
November 17, 2013 @ 7:37 am
But Dylan, in his 70’s, had the audacity to “finish” numerous Hank Williams songs, and even farm them out to his son, Norah Jones, and Sheryl Crow, of all people….
November 20, 2013 @ 10:47 pm
On hank Williams death bed he told bob Dylan to go to his house and tell his wife that in the basement there were boxes full of songs he had written but never recorded and he told Dylan he could have any of them that he wanted… this was before bob Dylan even signed to a record label and had no.money he had a relationship with hank. My father was very close friends with bob Dylan for many many years
November 17, 2013 @ 2:43 am
http://youtu.be/1gX1EP6mG-E , OR http://youtu.be/hvKyBcCDOB4 GUESS WICH ONE WAS PRODUCED BY TRASHVILLE! This is not a “racist comment”! OCMS kicked this song in the ass but were put on a back burner with promises of Grand OLE SLOPPRY fame…cause they needed a musician to suck in…another market…THATS my pinion and I’m stickin’ to it! THANK YOU TRASHVILLE!
November 17, 2013 @ 3:03 pm
The second one was produced by Nashville, but the first one resembles a typical Nashville video far more closely. It looks like it could have been produced by Luke Bryan.
November 17, 2013 @ 6:00 am
I just used the word boy in its everyday sense, as opposed to girl. It made me laugh out loud when I saw the irate reply. The problem with those “boys” and girls in thrall to all this PC crap is they look for possible offence in every word, even the most innocent.
I can’t imagine it makes for a very happy time of it. I kind of doubt women find it all that attractive either. 🙂
November 17, 2013 @ 7:42 am
What a sad life it must be, constantly on alert, analyzing every word, heard or read, searching the globe for any perceived whiff of injustice. It must be tiring.
November 17, 2013 @ 7:04 pm
As much as like like Old Crow Medicine show, I think Hootie’s version of Wagon Wheel might be better. Less screechy vocals, and you can actually understand the damn lyrics. Course the end of it is a bit over the top with the harmonies.
November 18, 2013 @ 7:04 am
I hate this song regardless of who’s singing it . My hatred for it finds an extra gear when cheese-ass Rucker tries his hand at it . I wish the guy were still able to finance his lifestyle with Burger King royalty checks and weekend gigs on the frat house circuit like he did in his glory days .
November 18, 2013 @ 10:37 am
eh, country music is already screwed. Rucker’s version of WW getting nominated would actually only solidify that it is. WW is almost ten years old (the OCMS version that became popular). In fact, most people who keep up with country/roots/americana are sick of the song. So much so that bar and clubs are putting up signs that say “No Wagon Wheel” as a warning to bands to not cover it. And along comes the establishment to award that as a the showcase of country music? Already screwed.
November 18, 2013 @ 12:26 pm
I’ve thought about this for a few days now. As much as I don’t like this version of the song, I think he has a point, although it’s vague what he means by “country music is screwed.” First, the quote came up in very lighthearted conversation. Not as ego-driven as it sounds when reading it in a headline (the quote itself is no worse than making a disgusted face into a camera after losing at an awards show).
“Wagon Wheel” is a well-written song that leans towards the traditional side of country music, more so than most of his potential Grammy competition. I think all Darius meant was if the Grammy’s don’t have room for a song like that in country music, then “country music is screwed,” and I totally agree.
November 19, 2013 @ 12:51 pm
I always appreciate your awareness Trigger. Thanks for taking up for us “screwed” country songwriters that just write to write. Not for nods, or anything, but to write. I don’t even know what “real Country” is anymore. I just write songs, they sound like country. Keep it up, and give em hell!
November 19, 2013 @ 3:56 pm
I find it hilarious that a Johnny come lately to the country genre who recorded a song that’s not even an original, or even a song that hasn’t been covered already by more able artists is throwing in his two cents, presumably, about the state of country music. I guess he think it’s “genuine country”, and that he has a leg up on so many other people. I think Mr. Rucker needs to go back to the drawing board while simultaneously shutting the hell up.
November 20, 2013 @ 9:41 am
There’s a limited amount of time for this cast of characters to do what they do.
This includes Sheryl Crow.
Jumping on the bandwagon because “there’s alot of money to be made”…doesn’t guarantee you a miracle.
When you operate in a “Walmart frame of mind”, this complicates the miracle.
November 20, 2013 @ 1:39 pm
No matter how much it bothers him, no matter how much he tries to dissuade people from doing it, no matter how many albums he releases under his name, I take great comfort in the fact that Darius Rucker will always be known as Hootie.
November 20, 2013 @ 10:41 pm
First of all! I give no recognition to rucker or old crow because this was a work of the GREAT Bob Dylan…. I don’t care if Jesus himself did a remake of a simple demo Dylan put out.. NOONE I REPEAT NOONE will ever come close to the musical genius Dylan possesses. If this song was to get a Grammy I would shoot Tucker and give the Grammy to Bob… I dont think people really understand how far of a reach bob Dylan really has in music people don’t even know that some of their favorite songs by people like journey Jim hendrixs Cher Mumford and even yelawolf the rapper have used Dylan’s poetry and made HITS.
November 21, 2013 @ 11:30 pm
“NOONE I REPEAT NOONE will ever come close to the musical genius Dylan possesses”
Hank Williams, Brian Wilson?? And both of them could also sing : )
November 22, 2013 @ 12:55 am
In my opinion, the most interesting part of Wagon Wheel are the verses. They were written almost entirely by Ketch Secor.
November 21, 2013 @ 11:27 pm
That he’s even considered “Country”, among other things (people, songs, etc), could have signified that. The fact that he’s a member of the most coveted institution in Country Music (probably ALL music) meant Country Music was so much more than screwed, more like raped (imho) & not for the first time. : (
November 23, 2013 @ 8:24 am
I am pretty damn sure country will be just fine without “Ole Hootie.” After all country did survive the 90’s without him.
January 18, 2014 @ 8:32 pm
This article popped in my head while I was browsing over the Grammy nominations for fun.
“Wagon Wheel” only got a token “Best Country Solo Performance”. All the nominations in that slot are a joke. Of all 5 nominations the only song written or co-written by the person that sang them is Hunter Hays (I want crazy). I can’t think of any performances of those songs that stand out either (I don’t get it at all). Almost all of the country nominations are a joke too.
I guess country music isn’t screwed now Wagon Wheel got nominated (snicker).
Review – Darius Rucker’s “Homegrown Honey” | Country Perspective
October 17, 2014 @ 8:01 am
[…] charts like “Burnin”™ It Down” or “Leave The Night On.” Maybe that factor will make Darius beg for another award because of whatever entitlement he sees in himself. Darius, you”™ve strayed far from wherever you […]