Shut Up And Sing

When Air America stations organize listener boycotts and rallies where liberals throw Toby Keith CDs under a steamroller, call us.

 

Doesn't answer the question.

 

Actually, Guy, I think it does.

Toby Keith's not doing a documentary about life as America's most targeted musician.

 

I don't understand. If an individualknocks those knocking the Dixie Chicks, but kills (figuratively) Toby Keith, is s/he as inconsistent as one who does the reverse?

 

8 seconds with Natalie is BYH's fantasy.

 

It depends on how vociferiously one kills (figuratively) Toby Keith.

 

I can't speak for everyone else, but what bothers me about Toby Keith is not necessarily his "America should stick a boot up the world's collective ass" and "I'm Mr. Patriotism" schtick (although I do find that distasteful), it's the fact that he's clearly cashing in on that attitude, which has the clear stench of being manufactured for just that reason.

Could it be that 9/11 "changed" him, and he all of a sudden became a Ford kinda guy? Anything's possible. But his whole being smacks of "war profiteer" to me, and that's what rubs me the wrong way about him in the end.

The Dixie Chicks, on the other hand, did nothing of the sort. They didn't take their anti-war stance to make more money. Or, well, if they did, it was a very ill-conceived money grab because they've clearly been hurt more by it financially than helped.

So I don't consider it at all the same thing, G_I. I admire the Dixie Chicks for taking an unpopular stand that hurt their careers, at least in the short term. Toby Keith, on the other hand, has painted himself as someone I'm pretty sure he's not. And even if he is, it's hardly been a bold stand to take, especially since this transformation has basically coincided with his ascension up the ladder of country/pop music popularity, along with the increased bulging of his wallet.

 

Yeah but Columbo, in a Sox-Yankees twist, has bought up all the rooms at the hotel she's staying.

 

You don't need a room.. a closet will do for 8 seconds

 

I'm going with the live stuff.
I'll check back.

 

Fen,

Dixie Chicks songs worth checking out (live or otherwise):

Wide Open Spaces
Let 'er Rip
Ready to Run
Cowboy Take Me Away
Goodbye Earl
Sin Wagon
Let Him Fly
Long Time Gone
Traveling Soldier
Top Of The World
Long Way Around
Not Ready To Make Nice

 

The few radio stations who organized such boycotts and rallies did so under the protections of their First Amendment rights, as did the Dixie Chicks with their comments and songs. People could have gone straight from an anti-Dixie Chicks rally and still bought a Dixie Chicks CD or concert ticket. There has never been one instance of supression of their right to A. make a living and B. exercise their right of free speech.

However, they did make the mistake of alienating their customer base. Their own fault. The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young etc., made political statements in their music and supported those statements in other ways, and their natural base supported those stances. I'm sure people who did not agree with them made personal decisions not to listen to their music on the radio, not to buy a record/tape/CD or not to buy a concert ticket based on that disagreement. However, I never heard any entertainers and their supporters in the media and/or fans piss and moan as much as for the Dixie Chicks.

Maybe criticizing the Bush administration alienated a higher percentage of the Dixie Chicks' base than coming out against Vietnam or Nixon by the Beatles or CSNY, but that's their tough luck. They could have just, as the thread is titled, shut up and sang.

One more point: I do believe I heard many, many, MANY more snide remarks and insults about Ann Coulter's physical appearance before I heard anyone rip Natalie Maines for her weight. And the first time I ever heard anyone calling Natalie Maines fat was about six posts before this one.

That said, about Natalie Maines: I'd hit it...as long as she didn't talk.