Why was Garth Brooks so popular in Ireland?

Pandora2 · 17-07-2013 09:19PM

CuriousG wrote: »

I love him! Think he is great... I am under 60....and under 30....and under 25.... I'm not ashamed... :P

Embrace the freedom!! :pac::pac:

demanufactured · 17-07-2013 09:31PM

Because sheep will listen to whatever ****e the radio tells them to.

17-07-2013 09:31PM

Pandora2 wrote: »

it's what you learn after you know it all that's important.

I like that

Mark Twain put it this way:

“When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.”

The more I know, the more I realise I don't know

Meangadh · 17-07-2013 09:46PM

Irish people have a real thing for country music. In fairness, there'd be a huge connection between our own traditional music and country music, especially the instruments used-like fiddles, accordians, whistles etc.

Combine that with some good marketing and a reasonably good looking man (or someone your Mammy would like anyway) and Garth Brooks is your uncle. Or your cup of tea or whatever.

There is still a huge following for country music in particular around the Midlands and slightly north of that in this country, and not just with older people. Not my cup of tea but what harm, whatever you're into yourself!

Femme_Fatale · 17-07-2013 09:50PM

I'd imagine some C&W has its roots in Celtic folk, what with the Ulster Scots settling over there.

ollie1 wrote: »

When I was in school they made us do line dancing in PE with Garth Brooks songs.

Same. Line-dancing was huge for a few months - among all ages.

Duckworth_Luas wrote: »

MOR country music is huge in Dublin

Dublin's Country 106FM.

Bambi wrote: »

A country and western hipster, god between us and all harm, what next?

It's become "cool" all right to listen to Emmy Lou Harris and other non Dolly Parton kinda country music.

Pandora2 · 17-07-2013 09:55PM

Meangadh wrote: »

Irish people have a real thing for country music. In fairness, there'd be a huge connection between our own traditional music and country music, especially the instruments used-like fiddles, accordians, whistles etc.

Combine that with some good marketing and a reasonably good looking man (or someone your Mammy would like anyway) and Garth Brooks is your uncle. Or your cup of tea or whatever.

There is still a huge following for country music in particular around the Midlands and slightly north of that in this country, and not just with older people. Not my cup of tea but what harm, whatever you're into yourself!

My Mother was a huge fan of trad, that took her to Blue Grass, she loved the blues, Rock & Roll, Pop, Disco anything good to her ear in fact!! It was a rich education! We went to see Genesis together, Dolly Parton, Barbara Streisand, David Grey, The Stereophonics, Paul Brady...I could go on! She flew with me to the US to see Annie Lennox & Sting! Why would you deny yourself? Fill your boots!

Pandora2 · 17-07-2013 09:57PM

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

I'd imagine some C&W has its roots in Celtic folk, what with the Ulster Scots settling over there.

Same. Line-dancing was huge for a few months - among all ages.

Dublin's Country 106FM.

It's become "cool" all right to listen to Emmy Lou Harris and other non Dolly Parton kinda country music.

Been listening to Emmylou since I was 14, and that's not today or yesterday! Mum had a good ear! Oh and don't underestimate Dolly, she is a very accomplished songwriter and is respected by all of Nashville! Many of the latter day Country artistes considered hip would only give their right arm to duet with Dolly!

irishguitarlad · 17-07-2013 10:40PM

Never was a fan of Garth Brookes but Dwight Yoakam who was around the same time was awesome, he could play guitar like a beast!

mike65 · 17-07-2013 10:53PM

Crossroads community hall on a Sunday night writ large.

See Michael Buble, see Neil Diamond and so on. Middle of the road pap.

Naid23 · 17-07-2013 11:06PM

Apparently I was conceived to 'aul Garethy baby'. And my mam went into labour on my little sister at the gareth brooks gig in croke park...

Then we were all brought up with him.. Great for the sing song! Ha "oh ive got friends in low places....."

efb · 17-07-2013 11:14PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndNoJQDCK_Y

efb · 17-07-2013 11:15PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gS-F4rfU4ns

Wattle · 17-07-2013 11:56PM

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

I'd imagine some C&W has its roots in Celtic folk, what with the Ulster Scots settling over there.

Same. Line-dancing was huge for a few months - among all ages.

Dublin's Country 106FM.

It's become "cool" all right to listen to Emmy Lou Harris and other non Dolly Parton kinda country music.

I really like Emmylou. The stuff she did with Gram Parsons was great as are Wrecking Ball and Red Dirt Girl.

Femme_Fatale · 18-07-2013 12:03AM

Garth added pop/rock to country music (already massive in Ireland, if less so among younger people) and had catchy tunes, rousing ballads, etc. And was quite good-looking. A spot-on formula for Ireland, especially among the wimmenz. I'd refute he was as bland as Michael Bublé, to be fair.

Wattle wrote: »

I really like Emmylou. The stuff she did with Gram Parsons was great as are Wrecking Ball and Red Dirt Girl.

Yeh I do too but someone was wondering about C&W hipsterism and there definitely is - among some of the fans of the above kinda stuff.

MadsL · 18-07-2013 01:40AM

Chucken wrote: »

He made country music sexy

frag420 wrote: »

I think you just killed the internet with that statement!!

Watch these and tell me country music ain't sexy, I dare ya.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB7ONnfIjaI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaSy8yy-mr8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM7NQQ0Lfu4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLOEqQW-Bmo

Jamsiek · 18-07-2013 03:22AM

I never got the appeal of him tbh. I remember a lot of my friends going to see him and they thought I was mad when I refused a ticket to go.

I remember cringing when witnessing a crowd trying to sing Garth Brooks in a late bar. Awful!

Pandora2 · 18-07-2013 07:17AM

This is turning into a very interesting thread, going to enjoy listening to the suggestions, and Country music is sexy! How can you sing a 'somebody done somebody wrong' song without passion!

I bought the boots he walked away in! :pac::pac::pac:

Pandora2 · 18-07-2013 07:28AM

Wattle wrote: »

I really like Emmylou. The stuff she did with Gram Parsons was great as are Wrecking Ball and Red Dirt Girl.

Emmylou was always considered 'hip', even back in the 70's, Linda Ronstadt too, from whom derived the Eagles, I could go on and on...It's a link in a chain, if I've learned one thing it is that music is ever evolving! Just listening too some of the vidoes posted and it's come a long way from Hank Williams and Kitty Wells but, it's still Country!! I read the lining notes of every album I ever owned, in excess of 500 or so when CD's arrived! I knew the name of every backing singer, drummer, who they played for before, who they went on to play with....and music took them off in some very diverse directions. I miss lining notes!

Emmylou and Gram Parsons were in the grip of a grand passion and it showed in their music.

Pandora2 · 18-07-2013 07:48AM

Naid23 wrote: »

Apparently I was conceived to 'aul Garethy baby'. And my mam went into labour on my little sister at the gareth brooks gig in croke park...

Then we were all brought up with him.. Great for the sing song! Ha "oh ive got friends in low places....."

I love those little tit bits of info parents drop on kids! You were conceived to Garth Brooks, the concert etc

I remember telling my much younger Sister 16, in a panicked fashion after she made a beeline for the front at Michael Jackson...and I was trying desperately not too lose her, 'I can't go up there...I'm pregnant, your gong to be an Auntie!!' Then he launched into Billie Jean!!

Great memories!

We were dancing and hugging and crying and laughing!!

daveirl · 18-07-2013 08:21AM

This post has been deleted.

mike65 · 18-07-2013 08:29AM

daveirl wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

I would nearly pay to see Crooks sing country and do line dancing.

Sam Kade · 18-07-2013 08:36AM

daveirl wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Who the fcuk is Gareth Crooks?

18-07-2013 08:44AM

Ya gotta love a bit of GB,
always good for a larf!

Lelantos · 18-07-2013 08:59AM

Used to be a Garth Brooks cover band here called "Hector Pickaxe & The Floating Crowbars" did well for a while......lead singer is now in Afghanistan clearing landmines...karma?

Jamsiek · 18-07-2013 09:01AM

Sam Kade wrote: »

Who the fcuk is Gareth Crooks?

Footballer FYI

Duckworth_Luas · 18-07-2013 09:02AM

Lelantos wrote: »

Used to be a Garth Brooks cover band here called "Hector Pickaxe & The Floating Crowbars" did well for a while......lead singer is now in Uganda clearing landmines...karma?

I'd pay to see Garth Crooks clear a few landmines!

kupus · 18-07-2013 09:30AM

WesternZulu wrote: »

Yeah it will.
The deaths and country and western music are its winning formula!

Give the people what they want...simple formula really.

Duckworth_Luas · 18-07-2013 09:31AM

kupus wrote: »

Give the people what they want...simple formula really.

Super Sunday on Sky, Garth Crooks line dancing in a Ugandan mine field?

Aglomerado · 18-07-2013 11:48AM

His song "The River" was my class song for Leaving Cert 1994, we sung it in unison at the Grad Mass!

Pandora2 · 18-07-2013 01:06PM

Aglomerado wrote: »

His song "The River" was my class song for Leaving Cert 1994, we sung it in unison at the Grad Mass!

Aw Glee does Country!

Why was Garth Brooks so popular in Ireland?

Comments