Today Show Blacklists Toby Keith But Features Singer Glorifying Johnny Taliban

NBC’s Today has yet to feature a segment with Toby Keith, singer of the #1 country hit, the pro-U.S. song “Courtesy of the Red White & Blue” which honors American soldiers, but on Monday it showcased Steve Earle and his yet-to-be-released tribute to the American Taliban, “John Walker's Blues.” Matt Lauer interviewed him and allowed him to sing the song in its entirety.

     In a July 21 story, “Twisted Ballad Honors Tali-rat,” the New York Post’s Aly Sujo described Earle’s song:
     “American Taliban fighter John Walker Lindh is glorified and called Jesus-like in a country-rock song to be released soon by maverick singer-songwriter Steve Earle.
     “The controversial ballad called 'John Walker's Blues’ is backed by the chanting of Arabic prayers and praises Allah.
     “Earle's lyrics describe the United States as 'the land of the infidel.’ Those fighting Osama bin Laden's declared jihad against the United States and Jews are said to have hearts 'pure and strong.’ The song says when Lindh dies, he will 'rise up to the sky like Jesus.’"

Today has yet to feature Toby Keith's #1 Courtesy of the Red White & Blue, but on Monday it showcased Steve Earle's yet to be released John Walker's Blues

Far from being embarrassed by the song, Today, after having ignored Keith’s song, which he has been singing for months and which has been out for a month on a number 1 album, the show was proud of its “get,” plastering “Today Exclusive” in the top corner of the screen.

Earle admitted he’s not a big star: “I don't get played on that many mainstream radio stations any way and I haven't in a long time and I've made that choice. I get played more on public radio stations than I do anyplace else.” He rationalized his pro-Lindh stance: “I felt like, that we needed a target because we couldn't get Osama Bin Laden and, and I saw a lot of that hate being directed at this kid."

Lauer was far from hostile to Earle, wondering if he was “surprised” by criticism of the song for being “anti-American” and asking softball questions like: "So why did you feel you wanted to write this song in the first place? What was it about the story of John Walker Lindh that captured your attention?" And, noting that “comparing” Lindh to Jesus “has gotten the attention of some people. What do you think about that?"

It isn’t as if Today hasn’t had an opportunity to showcase Keith, who had a natural news hook in his dispute with Peter Jennings over why he was cut from ABC’s Independence Day special on which he planned to sing Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue. In late July he was in New York City to promote the album, “Vanished,” on which the song is featured.

The CyberAlert linked above also provides links to where you can hear an audio clip of Keith’s song or an excerpt of the video for it. For all the background on the Jennings/Keith matter, the lyrics to the song which led Jennings to boot Keith from his show and a RealPlayer clip of Keith singing the song for CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, refer back to the June 14 CyberAlert: http://www.mediaresearch.org/cyberalerts/2002/cyb20020614.asp#3

(Neither ABC’s Good Morning America, no surprise given how he has called Jennings a liar, nor CBS’s Early Show have brought Keith aboard.)

But on Monday, August 19, Today was more excited about a song that will not be released on CD until late-September.

MRC analyst Geoffrey Dickens noticed how Today kept plugging the upcoming segment which aired in the relatively prominent 7:30am half hour. (Recall that Today didn’t put Ann Coulter on until the lowest-rated half hour, 9:30am.)

Substitute co-host Campbell Brown announced at the top of the show: "And John Walker Lindh is back in the news but this time it's with a twist. The so-called American Taliban is the subject of a song called John Walker's Blues by country star Steve Earle and in it Earle imagines the world from Walker's point-of-view. And now some are calling Earle anti-American and even calling for a boycott of the album. In a Today exclusive Steve Earle will be here in our next half-hour to sing the song for the first time in public and respond to the criticism."

Later she noted: "Coming up in our next half-hour what was American Taliban John Walker Lindh thinking?"
Lauer touted: "In a Today exclusive we'll hear from country music star Steve Earle who tries to answer that question. Do the lyrics to his song John Walker's Blues make him anti-American? After your local news."

Lauer at the top of the 7:30am half hour: "Coming up in this half-hour country singer Steve Earle has ignited a firestorm of criticism and controversy with a song called John Walker's Blues, which some charge seeks to justify even glorify the actions of American Taliban, John Walker Lindh. In a Today exclusive Earle is here to sing that song for us and respond to the criticism for the first time."

     Lauer set up the actual segment: "Country music star and Grammy nominee Steve Earle has a new album coming out called Jerusalem and one song on it has kicked up a storm of controversy. John Walker's Blues, which has yet to be released, is written from American Taliban fighter John Walker Lindh's point-of-view. Critics have called Earle anti-American and gone as far as to call for a ban of the album. Steve Earle good morning, nice to have you here."
     Steve Earle: "It's good to be here."
     Lauer: "This doesn't even come out 'til the end of September this album Jerusalem, right? So, so someone gets a hold of a copy of this song John Walker's Blues. Are you surprised word on this has spread as quickly as it has?"
     Earle: "Well I'm certainly surprised that it's spread two months before the record came out. I was on vacation and then we started hearing that a local talk radio show guy in Nashville, Steve Gill, got a hold of a copy of it from a journalist who had written a piece for the New York Post and he was looking for comments and it sort of went from there."
     Lauer: "So why did you feel you wanted to write this song in the first place? What was it about the story of John Walker Lindh that captured your attention?"
     Earle: "I have a 20 year-old son."
     Lauer helpfully noted: "And John Walker Lindh is 20 years-old too."
     Earle: "He's 20 years-old. It's really that simple and, and it was the, you know I didn't, I didn't think anybody else was gonna write this song. And it was just 20 year-olds aren't done yet. And I believed a lot of stuff when I was 20 years-old with all my heart that I don't believe any more. And I felt like, that we needed a target because we couldn't get Osama Bin Laden and, and I saw a lot of that hate being directed at this kid."
     Lauer: "Do, in your lyrics, in your opinion, you'll sing the song for us in a few minutes, in your opinion are the lyrics supportive of John Walker Lindh?"
     Earle: "They're actually not. They're an attempt to get inside his head and sing the song from his viewpoint. And of course I'm speculating there because we've had very, very little access to John Walker Lindh. The only things that came out of John Walker Lindh's mouth that are in the song, you know, I saw on television just like everybody else did. And they are in the song. And a lot of the song is, is what I learned about Islam and, and this revelation of how ignorant we are all about Islam in this country, just from the research that I did trying to make the song work."
     Lauer: "When you hear comments in the New York Post, quote, 'Twisted ballad honors Tali-rat.', 'American Taliban fighter John Walker Lindh glorified and called Jesus-like.' Steve Gill, the guy you mentioned in Nashville says, quote, 'The song celebrates and glorifies a traitor of this country’ and he goes on to say 'Steve Earle runs the risk of becoming the Jane Fonda of the war on terrorism by embracing John Walker and his Tali-buddies.'"
     Earle: "Just don't hold your breath on the aerobics tapes."
     Lauer: "Surprise you the comments? They are very strong, they're calling for a ban of the album."

Earle: "Not really. I mean, this, this is one song on a record that's, that's, that's a pretty, admittedly a pretty political record. I mean my last record was a lot of chick songs. But the world's changed a lot since then and, and so I'm writing about things that, that are going on around me and I'm assuming characters and singing with their voices. And I've done that before. This is my 11th album and I've always done that."
Lauer: "Why don't you sing it for us and we'll talk on the other side. This is John Walker's Blues."

I'm just an American boy raised on MTV
And I've seen all them kids in soda pop ads
And none of 'em looked like me
So I started lookin' around for a light out of the dim
And the first thing I heard that made sense was the word
Of Mohammed, peace be upon him

If my daddy could see me now – chains around my feet
Well he don't understand that sometimes a man's gotta fight for what he believes
And I believe God is great, all praise due to him
And if I should die, I'll rise up to the sky
Just like Jesus, peace be upon him

We came to fight the jihad and our hearts were pure and strong
And when death filled the air, we all offered up prayers
And prepared for our martyrdom
But Allah has some other plan, some secret not revealed
Now they're dragging me back with my head in a sack
To the land of the infidel

Lauer picked up he interview: "Steve Earle. Let me read, if you will, some lyrics from the song, 'If my daddy could see me now -- chains around my feet, you don't understand that sometimes a man has to fight for what he believes and I believe God is great all praise due to him and if I should die I'll rise up in the sky, just like Jesus, peace be upon him.' Comparing or, or even mentioning Jesus in this song has gotten the attention of some people. What do you think about that?"
Earle: "Well Matt. But, but that comes back to, where that line came from was my own ignorance of Islam and, and doing the research for it just trying to learn the Arabic words in the chorus and all that. I went on Islam.com and what I found was, that, something I didn't know was every time a Muslim say the name Jesus he says, 'peace be upon him,' because Jesus was recognized as, as the last prophet before Mohammed. And I never knew that and I don't think you could find one in 10,000 Americans that knew that. And that's why it's in the song."

     Lauer: "And when you say, 'Now they're dragging me back with my head in a sack to the land of the infidel,' what do you say to people who, who are going to hear that when it comes out in September and say, 'I don't, I don't want to hear this song I think it should be boycotted, it should be banned on radio stations?'"
     Earle: "Well I think it's-”
     Lauer: "I mean it's freedom of speech for you to write it and say it."
     Earle: "Right.”
     Lauer: "Is it their right to say boycott it as well?"
     Earle: "Well sure it is. And, and I don't get played on that many mainstream radio stations any way and I haven't in a long time and I've made that choice. I get played more on public radio stations than I do anyplace else. Occasionally I get played on commercial radio stations with the odd record, I make a lot of different kinds of records. But it, for me it's, it's a matter of when you assume a character you have to know as much as you can about that character and try to get in that voice. And I've always done it. There's been a, I've written about more despicable characters and in the voice of more despicable characters than John Walker Lindh."
     Lauer wrapped up: "The song is called John Walker's Blues. The album is called Jerusalem, out at the end of September. Steve Earle, thanks for your time."

Keith’s lyrics probably embarrass the Today producers while they are proud to highlight something which draws attention to how Americans are intolerant haters. -- Brent Baker

And what keeps them(Matt and Katy) happy more than anything is $$$$$$.

I would have to disagree with that.

What keeps Matt and Katy happy, is pushing an anti-American agenda, getting gobs of attention and money, and willing producers and NBC executives giving Matt and Katy verbal Monica's.

Townes Van Zandt wouldn't have written that crap and Earle knows it, he idolized him and opened for him.

Earle is an ex-heroin addict that self destructs no matter what music comes out of him. He's been doing it since he was twelve.

I don't think one can be neutral about Johnny Taliban

He was not being neutral, but telling a story. I find much of the work of John Lennon to be much more objectionable as far as content. In that music he was espousing a idea.

What we have here is a story as seen from the mind of a objectionable person by the name of Jonny Taliban.

See the difference? It is a first person ballad. A story of Lizzy Borden would also be viewed by some as objectionable but it is only the view of the person in the story. Not a advocation of the violence committed.

Tell the truth: how many of SE's songs have you actually heard?

I would like to hear this one as a rap tune:

Ah stuck a Needle in mah Arm,
Didn' think it would do No Harm.

But now mah Brains are Fried,
Mah Thoughts are Petrified!

Wrote a Song to Make Buku Bucks
From All Them Terrorist-Loving Shmucks

Ah Knew there would be Fans
Of Johnny Taliban

Went on NPR like a Ho'
Got a plug on the Today Show

Now I got me some Flash Cash
Gonna buy mahself a nice Stash

Brains are Fried!
Thoughts are Petrified!

Lets look at a few more points the author had and try and see which way he slants....

. And it was just 20 year-olds aren't done yet. And I believed a lot of stuff when I was 20 years-old with all my heart that I don't believe any more. And I felt like, that we needed a target because we couldn't get Osama Bin Laden and, and I saw a lot of that hate being directed at this kid."

And a lot of the song is, is what I learned about Islam and, and this revelation of how ignorant we are all about Islam in this country, just from the research that I did trying to make the song work."

, this is one song on a record that's, that's, that's a pretty, admittedly a pretty political record. --->Just what political points is he trying to get across? I think it is quite clear.

The album is called Jerusalem ---> Hmmmmm... Obviously Jerusalem has two slants religiously. Which way do you think this fellow leans?

I think P-J had this creep nailed from the beginning. He is anti-america.

I have no doubt about this guys politics. Although he is not alone in his beliefs. I know a bunch of libertarians on this site that feel the same way about the trial. Frankly, I don't.

The sentance was just in my opinion.

I believe the songwriter was excusing the mistakes of a twenty year old and not being pro-taliban or any other nonsense.

"And I felt like, that we needed a target because we couldn't get Osama Bin Laden and, and I saw a lot of that hate being directed at this kid."

SNIFF! Poor little "misunderstood" Johnny Taliban. Of course, the Heroin Addict was just being neutral about him and trying to "get into his head."

I believe the songwriter was excusing the mistakes of a twenty year old and not being pro-taliban or any other nonsense.

I guess we will have to disagree on this one. I think he made enough statements to show otherwise. Nothing concrete, but plenty tell tell.

BTW. I remember the song Copperhead Road. I did like it, but not the author (assuming they are the same) anymore.

I gotta go cook supper! I had no idea I would be defending a liberal artist today, but my first impressions were the same as yours untill I saw the guy last night on FOX. I re-thought my conclusions and found them to be too knee jerk for my taste. The guy seemed very sincere and the song was well done.

Best reasons for listening to Brooks and Dunn, Diamond Rio, Tim McGraw etc... is that that kind of music really drives the New York Times, Manhattenite curtural elite types apopleptic. They can justify enjoying the music of Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, and Waylon Jennings, but they cannot register or justify popular country. That alone makes it worth listening to sometimes. It's really just feel good music, focused grouped in front alot of women before its ever even recorded anyway, so what's the harm. Toby Keith is a genuine talent, however.

As for Steve Earle, I really don't care where he is "coming from" with this song. He is to the left of Phil Donahue or Michael Moore , so I will have nothing to do with him.

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