Posted on 03/14/2003 10:38:14 AM PST by UCFRoadWarrior
CMT: Earlier this year, Natalie Maines said in an interview that she hated your song "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue." Our CMT.com message boards went crazy after that. Do you think comments like that can get blown out of proportion?
TK: I think the only thing that got blown out of proportion is that they said there was a feud. I barely even commented on the situation. I've been told that she went in some major publications and made four or five [comments] like we were lobbing the ball back and forth. But it's America. She can think what she wants to about me; I don't care.
If she makes it a big war, I'll bury her. She can think about my song what she wants to. If she wants to get personal about it, then I'll be her Huckleberry. She said what she said, and hey … . The greatest thing that I find in it that's funny is that usually when somebody says something about this song, they open their blowhole and something flies out. They realize real quick, in just a few days, that they probably bit off more than they could chew. Because they start feeling the heat from the military, from families who have sons and daughters preparing to go to Iraq and who are in Afghanistan already and all the conflicts that we're in.
That's where I underestimated this song when I wrote it. It was just feelings that I felt, but I didn't realize that it was an anthem for the military people and how much it's meant to them. You step on their ground, they starting fighting back at you. So when somebody steps up and throws something out there at random just out of their blowhole that's really unnecessary, the next time you hear a statement out of them, it's a little lighter and then it's retracted a little lighter and a little lighter. Then Country Weekly comes out that we've got a feud. We don't have no feud. I haven't made it a feud yet.
It's a great way to sell magazines, but there's no truth in it. Somebody asked me one time what I thought about it. I said, 'Look, you're asking Barry Bonds, a super hit-maker songwriter. That's what I do, I write songs. I've had a string of No. 1's that I don't think anybody can take away from me, no matter who you are. I have been BMI songwriter of the year. I am a big-time songwriter, and first and foremost songwriter, so I'm in the big league of that. By you asking me my opinion on what I think of what she said about me, that's like asking Barry Bonds what he thought about what a softball player said about his swing. You don't do that. She's not a songwriter, so we can't discuss the mechanics of the song. Why don't you just go down on Second Avenue and pick one of those homeless guys and ask him what he thinks about it? To me it's the same. And that's all I've commented on. I haven't said anything about her song "Goodbye Earl" or any of that stuff.
CMT: Is there anything that you would want to say? You've got a platform now.
TK: I'm not into making it a war. I said all I'm gonna say about it. I repeated exactly what I told the Atlanta Constitution when they asked me. I said, 'Man, you're asking me to respond to something below the radar.' I'm a songwriter, she's not, and so she can say my song is ignorant, but it's ignorant for her to say that because she's not a songwriter. She said anybody could write 'boots in your ass,' but she didn't. She has never written anything that's been a hit, so it's ridiculous for me to have to respond to that. Now if Hank Cochran or Merle Haggard or somebody responds, then we'll sit down and discuss what I could have done better on that song. But I'm not going to get into a cat fight with somebody who can't write a song.
CMT: That song was a No. 1 hit in July, and you've been touring for months and months after that. Are you still getting the same reaction you did this summer?
TK: I dare anybody with a big mouth to show up at my show and just stand out there. I'll give them the stage. I tell you what, I'll go out and sing "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue" and anybody that wants to call it ignorant can walk right out on my stage, and I'll give them the mike and they can address the audience. I dare them. Bring it on, buddy.
CMT: I don't think they would live to tell the story.
TK: No, just bring it on. It's an emotionally moving [song]. It disturbs me every night how emotional people get over that song, and I think it's just real serious when you respond in a negative way to this song -- unless you're just trying to get a little heat off the hot man......
(Excerpt) Read more at cmt.com ...
Yep, the Ditsy Blix started realizing it in just a few hours . . .
Thats no attitude, thats a real man...... we're just not used to hearing one anymore.
Nope. It'll only be four bucks next time.
I agree. While I like some of their music, it has always bothered me that they gave the axe to a founding member. I don't remember the name of the gal they gave the boot. I would like to hear from her. Maybe Toby should invite her out on stage to sing a little back-up.
SMACK!!
Just get the coffee to go!
ROTFL... Why can't Ari Fleischer talk this way? lol
How appropriate for Shamu Maines.
Hat-Trick
Also believe me, no matter how great a sales person I maybe, my ideas on the war are just that, ideas. I have no experience or expertise regarding the subject. I have thoughts, but no expertise. So given these facts, why would I hold myself out to be a better judge of how to handle this situation then people who are trained and have spent their whole career dealing with these types of situations. Only a fool thinks they know a lot. A wise man listens.
Guess that after this situation is over, there maybe a lot of job openings in Hollywood. Hollywood will learn the business rule that pissed off customers not only never buy from you again, they also tell others to not buy.
I was thinking of buying the Chick's latest CD (I like the song "Traveling Soldier"), but not any more.
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