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Country music's 'Angry American'
U.Daily News ^ | August 6,2002 | Fred Shuster

Posted on 08/12/2002 3:56:22 PM PDT by Katya

This is from the Los Angeles Daily news which is part of the Los Angeles Newspaper group,so I've only posted an excerpt....it's a great article. Use the link for more.

It's been years since country crooner Toby Keith cared what you thought about him. His independent attitude was born long before he grabbed headlines recently for a swaggering jingoistic anthem celebrating the kicking of Taliban butt. Although Keith has long been a top country attraction, it wasn't until ABC News anchor Peter Jennings reportedly booted him off an Independence Day special (the network denies he was ever booked) that everybody else caught on.

The flap over Keith's "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American),' which contains the lines, "You'll be sorry that you messed with the U.S. of A./'Cause we'll put a boot in your ass/It's the American way,' sparked a surge of airplay and publicity that helped bump the Oklahoma singer-songwriter's ninth album, "Unleashed,' to the top of the pop and country charts upon its release last week. The disc has given the DreamWorks label its first No. 1 album.
snip

The album has received its share of praise. "Keith can deliver a controversial anthem like 'Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)' in a way that's moving, even if you don't subscribe to his America-right-or-wrong flag waving,' wrote Rolling Stone magazine.

Others aren't so sure. Dixie Chick Natalie Maines said, "Don't get me started,' when asked Monday about Keith's smash hit.

"I hate it,' she said. "It's ignorant, and it makes country music sound ignorant. It targets an entire culture - and not just the bad people who did bad things. You've got to have some tact. Anybody can write, 'We'll put a boot in your ass.' But a lot of people agree with it. The kinds of songs I prefer on the subject are like Bruce Springsteen's new songs.'


snip
"He's got heart,' Philips adds. "He was one of the first to walk around ground zero talking to firefighters and police when the event was still very fresh. Our crew came back later and said, 'You know, this guy speaks from the heart.' '
snip

(Excerpt) Read more at u.dailynews.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: country; tobykeith
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To: WyCoKsRepublican
I like the video, too. I think it was shot during a recent USO-type tour Keith did in the Balkans.
21 posted on 08/12/2002 4:52:48 PM PDT by mewzilla
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To: dubyaismypresident
The Dixie Chicks should be seen and not heard.

Well, two of them anyway.

22 posted on 08/12/2002 4:53:21 PM PDT by Mulder
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To: dubyaismypresident
oops to 16
23 posted on 08/12/2002 4:54:06 PM PDT by WyCoKsRepublican
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To: Katya
"I hate it,' she said. "It's ignorant, and it makes country music sound ignorant. It targets an entire culture - and not just the bad people who did bad things.

A pretty ironic statement, defending a culture that otherwise would never let her or her "chicks" raise their burkhas to whisper a note of their brand of "tactful" music, if forced to live under islamic rule (which is their end state). Looks like the ignorance is on them, as usual.

24 posted on 08/12/2002 4:54:18 PM PDT by TADSLOS
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To: TADSLOS
The album has received its share of praise. "Keith can deliver a controversial anthem like 'Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)' in a way that's moving, even if you don't subscribe to his America-right-or-wrong flag waving,' wrote Rolling Stone magazine.

Can anybody here tell me who they are referring to with the right or wrong comment? I presume it means that some folk think we were wrong for being the object of 9/11.

25 posted on 08/12/2002 4:59:11 PM PDT by jwalsh07
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To: Katya
Don't get me started on the Dixie Chicks.

I hate their music, it's insipid, it's uninspiring and it makes country music sound like the worst kind of assembly line pap. The kind of country music I prefer is Waylon Jennings, Dwight Yoakam, George Jones. I also like Toby Keith because he sings what he believe and is true to his music. Unlike some cookie-cutter, talentless boobs who dress like hookers and sing plain-vanilla songs that are written for them by others.

26 posted on 08/12/2002 5:09:59 PM PDT by SamAdams76
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To: jwalsh07
Can anybody here tell me who they are referring to with the right or wrong comment? I presume it means that some folk think we were wrong for being the object of 9/11.

It's the trendy way that leftist journalists refer to good old fashioned patriotism vs. being hip with a global, one world view. They can't (won't) make the distinction between patriotism and love of country vs. blind acceptance of U.S. foregein policy. You can be a flag waving patriot and still criticize some or all aspects of U.S. foreign policy and actions abroad. This takes real intellect and some logic, something liberals in general fail to grasp and liberal media types go out of their way to ignore.

27 posted on 08/12/2002 5:10:36 PM PDT by TADSLOS
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To: TADSLOS
The liberals need a big boot right up their ass.
28 posted on 08/12/2002 5:11:56 PM PDT by goldstategop
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To: Katya
Others aren't so sure. Dixie Chick Natalie Maines said, "Don't get me started,' when asked Monday about Keith's smash hit.

"I hate it,' she said. "It's ignorant, and it makes country music sound ignorant. It targets an entire culture - and not just the bad people who did bad things. You've got to have some tact. Anybody can write, 'We'll put a boot in your ass.' But a lot of people agree with it. The kinds of songs I prefer on the subject are like Bruce Springsteen's new songs.'

Natalie, I love you chix, but find it kind of catty to knock somebody else's song as "ignorant" when you perform one called 'White Trash Wedding' on your first appearance on the Grand Old Opry. tsk, tsk, tsk.

29 posted on 08/12/2002 5:14:42 PM PDT by hattend
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To: Katya
"It's ignorant, and it makes country music sound ignorant.

The Dixie Chicks need to examine becoming a crossover group - as in crossing over the Atlantic and doing the Euro-weenie routine, because they'll fit in much better there...

30 posted on 08/12/2002 5:15:17 PM PDT by dirtboy
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To: dubyaismypresident
I am so unfamiliar with them....question, which one is the Natalie chick?
31 posted on 08/12/2002 5:22:46 PM PDT by Katya
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To: Katya
I LOVE IT

Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American)


American girls and American guys
Will always stand up and salute
Will always recognise
When we see Old Glory flyin'
There's a lot of men dead
So we can sleep in peace at night when we lay down our heads

My daddy served in the Army
Where he lost his right eye
But he flew a flag out in the yard
Til the day that he died
He wanted my mother, my brother,
My sister, and me
To grow up and live happy
In the land of the free

Now this nation that I love
Has fallen under attack
A mighty sucker punch came flyin' in
From somewhere in the back
But as soon as we could see clearly
Through our big black eye
Man, we lit up your world
Like the Fourth Of July

(Chorus)
Hey, Uncle Sam put your name
At the top of his list
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
Start ringin' her bell
And it'll feel like
The whole wide world is rainin' down on you
Oh, brought to you courtesy
Of the Red, White, And Blue

Oh, justice will be served
And the battle will rage
This big dog will fight
When you rattle his cage
And you'll be sorry that you messed with
The US of A
'Cause we'll put a boot in your ass
It's the American way

(Chorus)
Hey, Uncle Sam put your name
At the top of his list
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
Start ringin' her bell
And it'll feel like
The whole wide world is rainin' down on you
Oh, brought to you courtesy
Of the Red, White, And Blue... oh
Of the Red, White, And Blue... oh
Of my Red, White, And Blue... oh

32 posted on 08/12/2002 5:26:52 PM PDT by ATOMIC_PUNK
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To: dixie sass; Memother; chesty_puller; mhking; Japedo; madfly; Snow Bunny; FallGuy; JohnHuang2; ...
BUMPS
33 posted on 08/12/2002 5:27:31 PM PDT by ATOMIC_PUNK
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To: WyCoKsRepublican
"Not being much of a country listener"

me neither...but it's grown on me too, particularly since 9/11...it's just so....American. Never been a Springsteen fan....not about to start...but I agree, Keith's song hit a nerve with me too. Bought his new CD over the weekend.

34 posted on 08/12/2002 5:29:06 PM PDT by Katya
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To: Katya
Natalie is the one in the middle in the photo above. The other two are sisters, I believe. I never knew Natalie was such a ditz-brain. To put down another artist's work in that manner is beyond tacky. Besides, she also insulted the taste of everybody who likes that song. Maybe she should keep her trap shut when not singing.
35 posted on 08/12/2002 5:40:24 PM PDT by Nea Wood
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To: Bigg Red
I used to be a country music fan back when there were songs like "The Fighting Side of Me" --Merle Haggard and others but when they tried to make it sound a lot like Pop I left it for Rock.
36 posted on 08/12/2002 5:45:03 PM PDT by FITZ
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To: Katya
I am so unfamiliar with them....question, which one is the Natalie chick?

The weight challenged, short lead singer.

37 posted on 08/12/2002 5:53:36 PM PDT by hattend
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To: FITZ
Funny to say that, "rock" music today absolutely sux.

Country music today is the same as the Eagles, Lynard Skynard, America, etc of the 70's that I grew up with. I embrace the country music scene...LOL!!! Especially Sara Evans (drool)

38 posted on 08/12/2002 5:57:44 PM PDT by hattend
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To: hattend
We're reversed then. I used to listen to Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, etc but switched to Metallica, Ozzy, AD/DC, etc.
39 posted on 08/12/2002 6:02:54 PM PDT by FITZ
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To: SamAdams76
One of my favorite country singers is Phil Vasser, even though his music has a lot of pop or rock sound to it. This guy writes nearly all his songs (He used to be a song writer), and have yet to hear a song that I didn't like.

I also like Alan Jackson, George Straight and others.

40 posted on 08/12/2002 6:39:29 PM PDT by FreedomFriend
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