I have to admit that my knowledge of Country Music was bordering on non-existent before my New Movements investigation of legendary Country legend ‘Randy Mann’. But like a toddler getting it’s first sip of alcopops I was soon hooked and looking for my next guilty taste. But rather than invest many hundreds of hours developing and nurturing a real sense of the history of Country Music, I took my iPod down to the offices of my friend Twist Pendleton, editor of Classis Country magazine ‘The Country Gent’ and here’s what he loaded me up with:

1. You’re Cheatin’ Scum – Clancy Ray Jarvis
2. Drive on down my love bucket – ‘BJ’ Buffy St. Livergummer
3. Got Me a Whole Head Full of Doubt – Doubting Doug Dremmel
4. Fill me up then chuck me out yer back door – Lily ‘Lovelace’ Watkins
5. You’ll have to untie me if you want your breakfast a cookin’ – Lily ‘Lovelace’ Watkins
6. It takes a man to cry, it takes a fool to let other inmates see – Weepin’ Willie Scott
7. Ain’t gonna sit down for weeks – Lily ‘Lovelace’ Watkins
8. I ain’t so sure – Doubting Doug Dremmel
9. Two Time Me (One Time). – Clancy Ray Jarvis
10. Walkin’ Down Main St Bow Legged – Lily ‘Lovelace’ Watkins
11. Show me a woman, I’ll show you a ticket to hell – Gary Dolores
12. Thinkin’ beyond a woman’s love – Weepin’ Willie Scott
13. (Everybody’s doin’ it…) ‘The slurp slurp song’ - ‘BJ’ Buffy St. Livergummer
14. Not Necessarily - Doubting Doug Dremmel
15. Let me do all the things you’ve dreamed about (but thought were plain illegal) - Lily ‘Lovelace’ Watkins
16. Twice bitten once upon a heartache – Clancy Ray Jarvis
17. A Dog called Mary Lou – Gary Dolores
18. Starin’ at my broken heart (in the bottom of your half empty glass) – Clancy Ray Jarvis
19. The Prettiest Little Inmate of All – Weepin’ Willie Scott
20 My love is like a moistened rose awakenin’ in the dew - Lily ‘Lovelace’ Watkins

I’d recommend this selection to anyone who was under the impression that Country Music was somehow obsessed with sexual impropriety, hard luck stories and abusive relationships. It certainly opened my eyes to the full emotional breadth of Country Music and has proved a springboard on to other country artistes, some of whom are not incarcerated in San Quentin or spending vast sums on reconstructive surgery and cocaine.

What I wasn’t prepared for was my discovery of a recording by England’s World Cup winning squad of ’66 extolling their achievements in trouncing West Germany 4-2 after extra time. Featuring George Cohen on tea chest base, Big Jack Charlton on slide guitar and a deft piece of fiddle by Alan Ball the song ‘Crossin’ the Line (the whole balls gotta)’ is a remarkable duet between Martin Peters and Gordon Banks and it’s appearance in West German country music charts of the time go some way to explaining the healing that took place in the German psyche following a game in which many German’s felt that they had not only been robbed but very possibly assaulted and horribly cheated by a nervous referee in front of a fiercely partisan crowd.

I look forward to seeing England’s midfield duo of Gerrard and Lampard uniting (possibly with the backing of alt. Country legend Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse) to explain away a semi-final defeat to South American opposition and featuring Wayne Rooney on the Dobro and John Terry on Banjo.