Democrats to reclaim country music

Daily Telegraph ^ | November 20, 2007 | Toby Harnden

[Zakeet]

Democrats angered at the image of country and western as Right-wing “redneck music” are planning a tour of Middle America during the 2008 election campaign by Nashville artists opposed to the Iraq war.

An alliance called the Music Row Democrats is poised to re-launch itself early next year in an attempt to seize back country music from the Republican camp and spread their message that President George W. Bush’s party does not care about ordinary people.

Slowly but surely, more country singers are performing songs critical of the Bush administration. Merle Haggard, who once sang the anti-hippie anthem “Okie from Muskogee” for President Richard Nixon at the White House has even penned a tribute to Hillary Clinton.

In his “Hillary", dedicated to the Democratic front runner, Haggard sings: “This country needs to be honest/ Changes need to be large/ Something like a big switch of gender/ Let's put a woman in charge."

Pro-war songs like Toby Keith's "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue" and “American Solider”, and Darryl Worley's "Have You Forgotten (About Bin Laden)?" still dominate country music stations.

But some country stars such as Tim McGraw – who has said he may run for Tennessee governor – have “come out” as Democrats.

“Republican Blues”, by the bluegrass artist Tim O’Brien, dealt with issues ranging from domestic spying by the US government to the Hurricane Katrina disaster.

Music Row Democrats was first formed in 2004, after the Dixie Chicks were boycotted and banned from country radio stations when their lead singer Natalie Maines said just before the Iraq invasion that she was ashamed Mr Bush was from her native Texas.

It now boasts more than 1,300 members in Nashville, the home of country music.

[Steve_Seattle]

"In his “Hillary", dedicated to the Democratic front runner, Haggard sings: “This country needs to be honest . . . "

If Merle thinks that electing Hillary is the way to return honesty to politics, he's had a few too many tokes.

[normy]

Well McGraw became a complete sissy after he married Hill and Hill is shunned by her own home state. She even came out with a song called Mississippi Girl to prove she wasn’t a Diva. We saw freak at the country music awards and know better.

[sticker]

At least three of the folks pictured are dead, of course that doesn’t mean they can’t vote for democRATs

[Pietro]

Yeah, I've heard the dims are trying to get religion too.

Seems they wanna be just plain ol' folks like the rest of us.

[HiTech RedNeck]

words: “Yeehaw! Heehaw!” (repeat endlessly)

[Long Island Pete]

Merle must have quit drinking and became a sissy.

Also must have forgotten that it was a Republican that gave him a full pardon of all his past crimes. Can Merle say thank you Ronald Reagan?

[Chuck54]

I guess if one leans to RAP music you just might think country sucks.

Rap music doesn’t appeal to most country music lovers.

[Resolute Conservative]

I never bought his crap because he cannot sing nor can his shrill wife.

After Garth’s first album he went down the suck trail too all screaming and no music, but hey the kids like it ( from Pure Country - a great stab at Garth and all the crock ( country-rock ) losers ).

[raccoonradio]

I have a book about this, Rednecks and Bluenecks

Picture liberals singing along with these songs:

Cause I’m for the Bible and I’m for the flag
And I’m for the workin’ man, me and ol’ Hag
I’m for the people who can’t get no respect
Politically un-correct
(The Bible? Oh no! How about we sing “Imagine no
countries/...And no religion too” instead...?)

This ain’t no rag, it’s a flag
(It’s a flag of terrorism and repression and injustice!)

Cause we’ll put a boot in your ass it’s the American way
...And the statue of liberty started shakin’ her fist
And the eagle will fly and there’s gonna be hell
When you hear mother freedom ringin’ her bell
And it’ll feel like the whole world is coming down on you
(But war is wrong! Give peace a chance!)

[AFreeBird]

And the Grand Ole Opry just invited Charlie Daniels to join them. Quite an honor. And Charlie would have no trouble telling the dems exactly what he thinks of them and their anti-American attitudes.

[Emmett McCarthy]

I don’t think a good song has any damned politics to it. I don’t mean these disposable “flavor of the month” chart songs. Real songs which continue to evoke the heart, stir the soul or awaken the mind of the listener. And, as for distinctions between “country”, “rock” or “pop” or whatever - mostly the difference is whether the guitar player used a Telecaster or a Les Paul - or maybe a pedal-steel rather than a string section. People should realize that radio is not in the music business. Radio is in the business of selling commercials to car dealers.

[raccoonradio]

>>Mavericks
“I want to know why politicians lie”

“I’m going to say this once again. I want you to listen
to me. I did not have sexual relations with that woman...”

[wideawake]

Merle Haggard has become a punk in his old age.

Sad to see.

[TexasRepublic]

Message to liberal CW stars — I can ignore you too.

[JamesP81]

To me, this partly reflects the disconnect between Nashville “country” (a/k/a overproduced pop music with guitars) and real country music, which by and large you do not hear on the radio

The local country pop station around here plays less real country music than the local classic and southern rock station. I hear more Charlie Daniels on the classic rock station than I do the country station.

Of course, that's OK, because I really like the classic rock too.

[Dick Vomer]

Right wing or left wing, country still sucks

[raccoonradio]

Countryfied comedian Jeff Foxworthy tells it like it is

http://hotair.com/archives/2007/04/21/jeff-foxworthy-tells-it-like-it-is/

He says country music isn’t about politics (some would not agree) but it is about the brave soldiers...
“Country music doesn’t have to be politically correct.
We sing about God because we believe in him...We get up and go to work, we get up and go to church, and we get up and go to war when necessary”

[teddyballgame]

Country Music performers sing about:

God
Country
Family

Exactly where does the Democratic Party fit in there???

[wideawake]

Rap music doesn’t appeal to most country music lovers.

I enjoy both genres very much.