Pondering Pandering: Bo Burnham's "Country Song"

Country is perhaps the most controversial genre of music because it seems everyone either loves it or hates it, with no real middle ground. Bo Burnham, a comedian/musician whose act is comprised primarily of song, took this controversy head on in his "Country Song," which is subtitled "Pandering." You can check it out here (he uses some choice words so wear headphones).

Burnham's parody of what he calls "stadium country" references the typical country themes in both sound and lyric. He imitates the sounds of any given country song, using violin and twangy guitar with a relatively slow tempo, and an unnecessary key change two-thirds of the way through. In his lyrics, he first addresses the big motifs in country music in his first few lines:

A dirt road
A cold beer
A blue jeans
A red pickup
A rural noun, simple adjective

 He goes on to criticize the proprietors of stadium country, commenting on how they prey on and pander to the rural communities they write songs about, even though many of them would not choose to live or work in the ways they describe in their songs. He sings:

I walk and talk like a field hand
But the boots I'm wearing cost three grand
I write songs about riding tractors
From the comfort of a private jet 

This isn't the only song of his that does so. In fact, many of them walk the line between comedy and social commentary, like "Lower Your Expectations," "Straight White Male," and "Repeat Stuff."