Country music's 'Angry American'

U.Daily News ^ | August 6,2002 | Fred Shuster

[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.
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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.'

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"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.' '
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[bfree]

If right-wing patriotism is selling for Nashville, there will be more right-wing patriotism recorded there.

Gee, it's sure strange, but I've never heard anything ever referred to as "left-wing patriotism". Message there?

[Musket]

I wonder what these linguini spined liberals would think of Johnny Horton.

[wardaddy]

Amen to that!

[wardaddy]

Sad fact of life is that creative arts folks tend to be more emotive and hence the vast majority of them flock to liberalism like moths to the flame.

That has been my experience with the many I've known barring a few exceptions.

[Katya]

"BTW, which one of the Chicks is is this?

Someone posted a pic of the chicks on the first page of this thread...and it was pointed out to me that it's the short one. I believe the one in the middle matches that description.

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

The kind of country music I prefer is Waylon Jennings, Dwight Yoakam, George Jones.

Amen, bro! I saw George Jones this spring, and he was an unabashed flag-waver. Halfway thru the show, he did a song about the Vietnam Memorial and there wasn't a dry eye in the house. He ended the show with "God Bless the USA" while two roadies brought out huge American flags - once again, not a dry eye to be seen, as the crowd of 2000+ sang along at the top of their lungs. The Possum is the man!