Compare and Contrast

I have made a few references to "the type of music I would listen to." And on the way home from grocery shopping just a bit ago a perfect illustration was drawn. I was listening to Alt Nation 21 on Sirius and the following song came on...

This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arm's Race by Fall Out Boy (Download zip of song)

Lyrics:
I am an arms dealer
Fitting you with weapons in the form of words
And don't really care which side wins
As long as the room keeps singing
That's just the business I'm in, yeah

This ain't a scene, it's a goddamned arms race
This ain't a scene, it's a goddamned arms race
This ain't a scene, it's a goddamned arms race
I'm not a shoulder to cry on
But I digress

I'm a leading man
And the lies I weave are oh so intricate,
Oh so intricate
[x2]

I wrote the gospel on giving up
(You look pretty sinking)
But the real bombshells have already sunk
(Prima donnas of the gutter)
At night we're painting your trash gold while you sleep
Crashing not like hips or cars*,
No, more like p-p-p-parties

This ain't a scene, it's a goddamned arms race
This ain't a scene, it's a goddamned arms race
This ain't a scene, it's a goddamned arms race
This bandwagon's full
Please, catch another

I'm a leading man
And the lies I weave are oh so intricate,
Oh so intricate
[x2]

Yeahh…
Whoa-ohh

All the boys who the dance floor didn't love
And all the girls whose lips couldn't move fast enough
Sing, until your lungs give out

This ain't a scene, it's a goddamned arms race
This ain't a scene, it's a goddamned arms race
(Now you)
This ain't a scene, it's a goddamned arms race
(Wear out the groove)
This ain't a scene, it's a goddamned arms race
(Sing out loud)
This ain't a scene, it's a goddamned arms race
(Oh, oh)
This ain't a scene, it's a goddamned arms race

I'm a leading man
And the lies I weave are oh so intricate,
Oh so intricate
[x2]

---

Then I switched to 26 - Left of Center - and heard...

Gene Autry by Beulah (Download zip of song)

Lyrics:
Me and Mean Gene's got a beautiful voice
he carries me home on his beautiful horse.
Where she waits, I will ride ride ride
c'mon stranger just sing me a song
And if it's sad, I'll sing along long long
I told you I knew every word

When I get to California,
Gonna write my name in the sand
I'm gonna lay this body down
and watch the waves roll in

and when the city spreads out
just like a cut vein
Everybody drowns, sad and lonely
well everybody drowns, sad and lonely
well everybody drowns, sad and lonely, alright

Sweet dreams and color and sound
Highways in the fog waiting to be found
I'll start gold mines in the sky sky sky
They were clouds just waiting to cry

And with the wind
I'm dancing drift drift drift
in the shapes of the place that I miss

When I get to California,
Gonna write my name in the sand
I'm gonna lay this body down
and watch the waves roll in

I'm gonna rest this weary head
on someone who I think will care
When the stars and the sky start falling
I think you'll understand

That the city spreads out
just like a cut vein
Everybody drowns, sad and lonely
well everybody drowns, sad and lonely
well everybody drowns, sad and lonely, alright

Yeah I'm waiting for something to give
Well I'm waiting, I hope it's not me
Yeah I'm waiting...

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"Gene Autry" is much more my style, but I love the Fall Out Boy song too - and if you listen then you will understand just how different they are. Profiles on the songs individually will come later.