"That’s blood and hair in that picture from castrating bulls and giving
them shots that day. We didn’t stage any of that. We got started at 5:00
a.m. and worked all day and he ended up getting some incredible photos
while we were working."
(Cody Johnson / Billboard.com, October 13, 2023)
Texas is so big that in many ways it is a world unto itself. This is particularly true for the music scene, whose stars are often hardly known beyond the borders of the state. And typically they don't even care about it.
One person who nevertheless took the step and did so with great success is a 36-year-old former rodeo rider from Sebastopol, a tiny community with a Ukrainian name right in the heart of Texas. His name is Cody Johnson, but his fans affectionatelty just call him CoJo. Not only has he opened the door to the rest of the country, but his third album for major label Warner Nashville has steadfastly positioned him in both worlds. As his sold-out performance in front of 20,000 people on February 2, 2024 at the Bridgestone Arena in the heart of Nashville impressively proves.
On top of that, Cody Johnson reached number 1 on the radio (Billboard Country Airplay) chart of March 1, 2024 with 'The Painter', a declaration of love written by Benjy Davis, Kat Higgins and Ryan Larkins and dedicated to his wife. It is already his second number one, following 2021's 'Til You Can't', and third consecutive top 10 hit (after 'Human').
The single currently holds at over 66 million streams on Spotify and its tasteful lyrics make the art of painting a metaphor for a love that recreates the world with bright colors. It is the first single from the album "Leather", released on November 3, 2023. A project that makes no compromises musically and is nothing but country with a touch of Texas.
Cody Johnson identfied so much with the title song describing what makes a cowboy, written by Ian Munsick, Jeremy Spillman and Rivers Rutherford, that he not only recorded the song right away, but also made it the namesake of the album. "I'm at a point in my career where I don't have to answer to anybody, I'm just going to record what I want. And that’s why I titled it that way", he confidently stated via countrynow.com.
The album contains 12 songs and a deluxe version planned for late summer or fall 2024 will add 12 more to it. It's not yet clear what the follow-up single to 'The Painter' will be. And the artist does not commit himself when asked by americansongwriter.com: "Let's not make a plan of that's the next single, and that's the next single. Let's see what happens…see what streams, see what reacts at live shows, and let the songs battle it out for themselves instead of us making a plan based on an algorithm that's going to work."
One song that would suggest itself easily is 'Dirt Cheap'. The ballad written by Josh Phillips is right down the alley of CoJo being a textbook example of what characterizes country.
The production is sparse, even for a ballad, with piano and steel guitar delivering its primary instrumentation. But that's quite intentional. Because it puts Cody Johnson's warm baritone voice right in the center of the song and the listener can't help but follow the lyrics.
Which falls in with country music's love for telling stories like no other genre does. And 'Dirt Cheap' does exactly that. With the right choice of words, it creates touching pictures of life circumstances in just 4 minutes time. The particular lyrics connect personal memories with personal values. And when Cody Johnson turns to a speaking voice, it underlines the aspect of telling an event that could have really happened.
Not entirely unexpected, 'Dirt Cheap' is about tradition and family and contrasts the connection to one's own roots with economic aspects. In other words, the song brings up the old wisdom that money can't buy everything.
They came in thinkin' top dollar
to that old cotton crop farmer.
They knocked on his screen door and he said:
"Lord, what you need, boys?" And they said:
"You know all the others went and cashed out.
We got the subdivision all mapped out,
it'll sit right here on this land,
and you could leave town a rich man."
And he said, "Boys, whatever you're offerin', it won't be enough.
I still see her pink bow in her brown hair.
She's in the big city now, but she still calls home.
She's comin' back next week and, man, it's been too long.
And over there, under that white oak tree,
beside the cross, where my best buddy's buried,
lays a puppy posted up in the shade,
that woman never could turn away a stray.
I guess that's why she said 'yes' when I got down on one knee.
Oh, long as all this is here, why the hell would I ever leave?
You can't buy that kind of dirt cheap.
(Dirt Cheap / Josh Phillips)
And ultimatey, songwriter Josh Phillips not only adds a catchy melody to the lyrics, but he also brings in the element of word play that is so typical of country songs. Words deliberately taken out of context, become the title of the song. So while the lyrics speak of land that cannot be bought cheaply, the title does the opposite and calls (the song) dirt cheap. Which may put the casual listener on the wrong track. Or in other words, makes it necessary to listen to the entire lyrics of the song in order to fully grasp its concept.
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