The Lost Trailers - “Holler Back”

Seriously? Whan one of Gwen Stefani’s cultural confections results in a response song you’ve you’ve got to wonder what these boys were thinking. Maybe we can go on a date with Gwen? (memo - she’s married.)

We all have our guilty pleasures (mine is Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head”) but to use one as a springboard for inspiration? That’s like sTarting the 4th quarter 30 down against the Celtics…DAMN YOU CELTICS!!!

I think you’re giving this song way too much credit. This thing was written as a sing-along, “holler back” if you will, for a concert audience of drunk coeds. I don’t hear anything more sophisticated than that.

Hmm, gotta remember to shoot Willie an email …

Chris N., I hope you’re not suggesting that Willie is in the least bit discriminating when it comes to collaboration??

My favorite Willie duet of all is “Back on the Road” with Lil’ Black, on which Willie actually raps. I swear to you, this does exist:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/lilblack

Guy, actually Kenny was approached by Willie’s people; they had collaborated on ‘Sunny Ole’ Sky’, on Kenny’s album, and liked how it sounded.

For the record, I too appreciate that he is daring in these decisions. I dont always think the outcome is as great as other choices, but I like that he marches to his own drummer. I did truly enjoy the songbird disc that was produced by ryan adams, and think teatro with daniel lanois was damn near a masterwork. At some point however, the whole practice of working with so many different types of artists and releasing such a diversity of styles (reggae, cindy walker tribute, country pop, etc…)becomes tired and cartoonish even for willie.

Oh, Brady, you are a wealth of information, aren’t cha?

You act as if “holler back” isn’t a common phrase - to this very day. It was a well established bit of slang well before Gwen’s song too…. it’s not “rad” or “all that,” it’s a fairly engrained saying. I don’t think this group is riding the coattails of anyone… and I haven’t even heard the song (and honestly haven’t heard a song of their’s I like much).

Natch? Neato.

Kenny,

If there was one, it looks as though The Lost Trailers won although I think the big boss just likes them more (and the fact they have an established following and a ‘history’ of albums already, even if the label doesn’t care to ‘reissue’ those albums).

I would like the Jypsi music more if it sounded more like the way they sound when they’re down at Layla’s. Nashvillians, wouldn’t you agree?

Dan–
Whether or not the songwriters “meant” to directly comments on Stefani’s song is irrelevant. The cultural impact of “Hollaback Girl” is far more wide-reaching than the phrase “Holler Back”. Without that song, I doubt most of the Country audience would have any idea what “Holler Back” means. In that sense, “Holler Back” (the song) only makes sense as a reaction to Stefani–otherwise, it would be like taking a random piece of urban slang and discussing it in a country song.

I always thought there was something a little defensive about that. Sometimes it’s a good shorthand for distinguishing between the radio format and the genre, which are two very different things.

Jim -
My point in introducing the (hypothetical) concern that the song could have been perceived to have been capitalizing on Stefani’s was that ANY song that is critiqued on the basis of “cultural relevance” is bound to look crass for one reason or another. Granted, there are some songs which are inextricable from the context they were written in or are meant to address, but for the general purposes of a critical review I would think it much more canny to grade a song according to its distinguishable merits (some of which you did mention) rather than some highly individualized notion of the song’s degree of “fit” within popular culture.

I guess what it comes down to is that we disagree about the extent to which this song can stand alone as a viable piece of music removed from the shadow of “Hollaback Girl.” You seem to think people will hear the hook and write it off as “silly and outdated” (if I may quote “Zoolander”); I think people will hear the hook and not even notice (or care about) the slight evocation of a hit-gone-by because they’ll be too busy having a good time listening to a fun, well-delivered record. Who knows.

I completely agree with Dan. And if you’re going to review a song, don’t spend 3/4 of your review talking about a completely different song. I love the song (I also love Gwen’s, but that’s neither here nor there) and think it’s a fun summer song-why the need to overanalyze it’s cultural significance? At least Jim got one thing right-Stokes Nielson is a songwriting stud!!!

I agree with others in that this song has nothing to do with Stefani’s song. I think you may have missed the boat on this one. When I first heard the song I thought that it was a clever play on words and the phrase that is often used in pop culture, not particular to a song. Just a guess If we’re looking at it in that light, the phrases “Holla”, “Holla Back” can probably traced to southern, country roots; “I’ll give you a Holler”. It’s funny how this phrase seems to have run from country, to Hip-Hop (Fabolous: “Holla Back Young’n”) to Pop (Stefani) and now to country music seemingly forgetting that they originated the phrase.

All that said I did enjoy the some of the musical merits of it and I’d give it a Thumbs Up.

Mr. Malec - You are a moron. This song in no way has anything to do with Gwen Stephani or her song. The song is comparing how silly the hip hop slang is to a country boy. And the song has a great southern rock beat, which makes it a fantastic song to those that listen to country, which you apparently do not. Please get a clue about the genre you are writing about before you write about it.

FYI - A “hollaback girl” is a cheerleader who is a follower. She doesn’t make the decision for herself, she just “hollers back” what the others say.

ALL OF U R ******* STUPID

I don’t always agree with the criticism expressed by this site’s staff or the people in the comments section, but I somehow doubt that using the caps lock key is going to make your argument that everyone who has posted in this thread save for ‘Susan’ is ‘fucking stupid’ any more compelling.

This is an wesome somg and has nothing 2 do with gwen stefani and songs come and go there are alot of older songs i kno that my friends dont kno because there old ut this is song is sooo awesome

I actually like this song…. I crank it up pretty loud myself when it plays. As someone who is tired of people who think they are something they are not, I love it. I also like that for once someone realizes that most of us who grew up in rural areas in the south mostly party in fields with a big bonfire(AKA Holler). Kinda makes me think of my high school days. And I don’t think this has anything to do with Gwen, more making fun of those who use such idiotic slang (although we in the south are just as guilty)