Comments on: John Michael Montgomery Enters Rehab For Substance Abuse

By: Carolyn (rainy nights)

Carolyn (rainy nights) — Sat, 31 May 2008 20:51:02 +0000

Adding on the last previously posted bit of Ashley Monroe news, Ashley has a profile for the music she’s working on with Trent Dabbs.

http://www.myspace.com/ashleymonroetrentdabbs

By: Jeremy Potts

Jeremy Potts — Fri, 16 May 2008 12:45:46 +0000

Funk, that’s probably true. If I were a Coulterite, my reaction would probably be to call the songwriters fags and suggest we invade the publishing company, kill their CEO and convert them to Christianity.

Kelly, that’s a fair point, and I agree that were I confronted with a song called something like ‘Hit The Gays Repeatedly with a Large Mallet’ or ‘Burn the Jews’ I would probably dislike the song regardless of its melodic merits.

By: Funk

Funk — Thu, 15 May 2008 16:45:04 +0000

Jeremy, if you are a doppleganger for Ann Coulter, first, get yourself a sandwich. Second, you wouldn’t be able to understand the lyrics.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:44:35 +0000

Jeremy, I agree that a song can be enjoyable even if you disagree with something that is being stated in the song. the key difference here is between “disagree” and “offensive”. Brady said it earlier, if a song displays a promotion of hate, and it offends someone for any reason, it is reasonable to not like the song as a result, regardless of the musical quality. As I said earlier, I am a Christian. If I hear a song that has a great tune, and simply questions the existence of Jesus Christ, that isnt necessarily offensive. I only disagree with that sentiment (as I do not question His existence). If a different song is stating that Christians are stupid and Jesus Christ is a myth, then I would likely lean towards being offended and likely wouldnt care what the music offered from any standpoint. I stress the difference between simply not agreeing and truly being offended in this matter, because it is a large difference.

By: Chris N.

Chris N. — Thu, 15 May 2008 02:44:36 +0000

Not to be picky, but I believe Steve regularly describes himself as a “borderline” Marxist.

By: Jeremy Potts

Jeremy Potts — Thu, 15 May 2008 00:52:20 +0000

I don’t see why you have to agree with the political or ideological perspective in a song to like it for its musicality.
I dislike the sentiment of ‘Courtesy of the Red White and Blue’ but I still like the song - melody, arrangement and most of the lyrics (although I think the ‘boot in your ass’ line is cringe-worthy independent of its idealogical basis).
I’m an ardent atheist but that doesn’t diminish the impact of a song like ‘Believe’ - it works because Ronnie Dunn believes in the sentiments of the lyrics. I don’t have to - it’s the same gut punch it would be if I was a regular church-goer.
Subtlety isn’t a necessary ingredient for a great lyric - Ohio is pretty explicit and straightforward, but that doesn’t make it any less of a great song. ‘Tin soldiers and Nixon coming/We’re finally on our own/This summer I hear the drumming/Four dead in Ohio’ is a great lyric, and it would still be a great lyric if I was an idealogical doppleganger for Anne Coulter.
I’m a liberal, but I’m pretty sure I could like a song called ‘Let’s Privatize Social Security’ if Jim Lauderdale wrote it. On the other hand, I’ve heard plenty of cliched lefty anti-war songs that just make me cringe because their lyrics and melodies are terrible. I can’t imagine not buying someone’s record just because I disagree with the politics expressed on it - unless they’re promoting Neo-Nazism or the like.

By: mickers

mickers — Wed, 14 May 2008 20:26:16 +0000

by steve earle’s own words, he isn’t a liberal. he’s leans left, obviously. but that doesn’t make him a liberal. he is a self-styled maoist; he is a marxist. by his own words, not mine. he would be insulted if you called him a liberal (or one of his records ‘liberal’). just saying. just because something leans a bit left does not make you a liberal.

and that was the word i was looking for: ‘hopeful’. ‘jerusalem’ (the song) is hopeful. therefore, probably impossible. :)

By: Leeann

Leeann — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:36:57 +0000

Ah, Gaby, now I’m sad that I flipped away from the Carrie performance at the very end. I didn’t know Vince would be singing with her. I guess that’s what I get for not watching the whole Carrie performance, huh? I’ll have to admit that “Jesus Take The Wheel” is not a song that I like too much. I’m a Christian, but that song didn’t do anything for me. I didn’t start warming up to her until after that song. Hearing Vince on it whould’ve been cool though.:)

By: idlewildsouth

idlewildsouth — Wed, 14 May 2008 05:27:55 +0000

I’m getting into this way late in the game, but im still gonna jump in. I very heartily disagree with pretty much every word thats every come out of steve earles foul mouth, but can still dig his music, even his political songs. You just cant beat good songwriting.

On Toby Keith…Im not so sure his song was political, but if it was, ok then. To say him using the term ‘the american way’ makes it political seems a bit ludacris to me. Of course thats the american way (not that i have a problem with that). Until the korean war that was one hundred percent the way America handled things. You mess with me, I kill you.

Yes, id say its pretty accurate that most of the people that say Toby’s song isnt political probably agree with him. However, with him, i dont know that its so much political as it is marketing. When he had pictures of natalie maines and saddam together on his stage, that wasnt a political statement, it was a marketing statement. That whole drama cemented his image as the arrogant, cocky, dont mess with me country redneck. He didnt necesarily set it up, but he sure didnt run from that controversy. Kudos to him, i say.

By: Lynn

Lynn — Wed, 14 May 2008 03:20:33 +0000

Okay, I’ll jump into this one. :)

I don’t mind political songs when they are done right. I’ve noticed that the political songs I like and have endured tend to drive the point home without being overly obvious. I really didn’t like the post 9/11 phase in country music for this reason. See “Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning,” “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue,” “Bumper of My SUV,” “American Soldier,” “Have You Forgotten.” They felt like lame, contrived attempts to pander to an audience and make a quick buck and it really ticked me off.

The best political songs -in my opinion - are more subtle. Think John Lennon’s “Imagine” or Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “These Times They Are A-Changin’,” Seeger’s “Where Have All the Flowers Gone,” “If I Had a Hammer,” “Turn Turn Turn,” CCR’s “Fortunate Son,” Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come,” Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land,” Springsteen’s “Born in the USA.” All of these songs will stand the test of time and endure and have meaning throughout generations. I think the best protest songs should.

In my opinion, these songs are more powerful than what is out there today:
“Yes, and how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind,
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.”

For those that think Keith’s song wasn’t political, it’s because you agreed with him. Many of us who didn’t turned the station because we found it offensive. (Note: We did not call in and yell and demand it be taken off the air! We simply turned the station…which is the sane and proper response.) I don’t see the Dixie Chicks’ “Not Ready to Make Nice” as a political song. Their most “political” songs are two of their best - Patty Griffin’s “Truth #2″ and Bruce Robison’s “Travelin’ Soldier.” They are both the best sort of “protest” song.

Lastly, I was pretty excited that I knew who Steve Earle, Chris Knight, etc. were when reading these posts. Before I started reading this blog, I had never heard those names before. Now I own music from both of them and like them both. I agree with whoever said that Steve Earle is occasionally hard to understand, but I’ve enjoyed the music from him that I’ve heard. I currently have “Galway Girl” stuck in my head (yes from the movie). So, thanks for introducing me to new music!