I don't know what it is about country and western songs ( a lot of them anyways) or people to whom the music appeals to (many of them) but this ass, Toby Keith, needs to be boycotted.

Max Blumenthal, for the Huffington Post reports that Steve Colbert had Toby Keith on to sing and to interview. Colbert had Keith play a song as well. Before I post the lyrics I think it should be pointed out that Colbert and the audience (and Colbert)seemed to have no issues with this. Maybe I'm missing the irony or something but here you go:

quote:

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Grandpappy told my pappy back in my day, son
A man had to answer for the wicked that he'd done
Take all the rope in Texas
Find a tall oak tree, round up all of them bad boys
Hang them high in the street
For all the people to see

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and:

quote:

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We got too many gangsters doing dirty deeds
too much corruption and crime in the streets
It's time the long arm of the law put a few more in the ground
Send 'em all to their maker and he'll settle 'em down
You can bet he'll set 'em down...

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If it wasn't clear enough by the above lyrics exactly what this racist redneck had in mind, the video for the song, as described by Max is thus:

quote:

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Those who doubt the presence of racist undertones in Keith's "Beer For My Horses" should see the song's video. (The embed link to the video's Youtube version was disabled by Keith's record label so you have to click here to watch it). Cue ahead to 3:00 and watch as Keith intones, "We got too many gangsters doin' dirty deeds." The singer's words are not-so-subtly accompanied by the image of a swaggering black man sporting short dreads and baggy clothes. Thus the profile of Keith's ideal lynching candidate is revealed.

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Thoroughly disgusting. Next this ass will be playing at a Rethuglican convention while the crowd longs for the glory days of the old west.

Toby Keith's Pro-Lynching song.

Edited to clean up grammar and pst the link...

[ 31 July 2008: Message edited by: Stargazer ]

[ 31 July 2008: Message edited by: Stargazer ]

quote:

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She flies me away over that mountain
Way up higher, than I’ve ever been
She takes me down, down to the water
To the river of love, yeah and I’m jumpin’ in

She’s an old fashioned girl
A little bit like Mama
A little bit like Minnie Pearl
In the middle of a new, crazy world
She’s an old fashioned girl

She rolls down the road, hand out the window
Not in a rush, just taking her time
She ain’t that worried, that there ain’t a lot of money
She knows we’ll get buy on just a dollar or a dime

She’s an old fashioned girl
A little bit like Mama
A little but like Minnie Pearl
In the middle of a new, crazy world
She’s an old fashioned girl

Yeah the way she looks always makes me smile
And the way she loves never goes out of style

When my soul flies away, over that mountain
Way up higher than I’ve ever been
I’ll be looking around for my sweet angel
And the old fashioned dream I’ve been livin’ in

She’s an old fashioned girl
A little bit like Mama
A little bit like Minnie Pearl
In the middle of a new, crazy world
She’s an old fashioned girl

A little bit like Mama
A little bit like Minnie Pearl
In the middle of a new crazy world
She’s an old fashioned girl
She’s an old fashioned girl

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quote:

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Originally posted by Stargazer:
Jebus, the "progressive" people on the Huffington Post side apparently have no issues with this. Looks like the US is in serious denial.

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His lyrics are horrifyingly sexist, and so are his videos.

How about holding your girlfriend captive with a heavy-duty shovel in your hand and her arms bound behind her back? A Little Too Late

quote:

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Originally posted by Ghislaine:
I read the HuffPost piece and my impression was that they had a serious problem with it and outlined some historical facts about racist lynching in the South. (including a very disturbing picture or a public hanging).

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I'm afraid to click on the Toby Keith lyrics to the other songs.

quote:

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Originally posted by Doug:
I'll just continue watching him with the sound off.

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[ 31 July 2008: Message edited by: remind ]

quote:

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Originally posted by Boom Boom:
Toby Keith is an asshole. The Dixies really laid into him in their movie "Shut Up and Sing" and made up t-shirts that read: FUTK (f*ck you Toby Keith). I love the Dixie Chicks.

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Oh, yeah, that is so awesome! I didn't know they made that tshirt.

Them Chicks is so cool, right? (martin---context, buddy, context). I just had to make me this here tshirt for my Second Life guy to wear. And, now I'm gonna be talking with a country twang till I git my fix of the Dixie Chicks.

Good OP by Stargazer, I am activated against this fool Toby Keith now. I had no idea that he was getting away with shit on TV.

One of my fave Dixie chicks tunes, Sin Wagon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBn1R5kRq1s

was the song Toby sang satirical? I'm not familiar with his work, I'm not a country fan.

I'm a Dixie Chicks fan though, loved their song "Not Ready to Make Nice" and the other tunes on that album.

Colbert has had O'Reilly on as a guest in the past. He'll have anyone and everyone from all spectums on the show and roast them all

[ 31 July 2008: Message edited by: TemporalHominid ]

At any rate, Toby Keith is not a satirist. At least not a self-aware one.

quote:

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Colbert has had O'Reilly on as a guest in the past. He'll have anyone and everyone from all spectums on the show and roast them all

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Sexism also sells music. (Can we please limit the focus in this thread to racism? Thanks.)

I remember an anti-Chicks singer from the film "Shut Up and Sing", I guess it was Keith. Can't boycott someone I never would have supported, but thanks for starting the thread, Stargazer.

Edited to add: Re Huffington Post: I don't read unmoderated comments, but it no longer surprises me to see the ways white so-called "progressives" don't get the severity of racism in the U.S. It pisses me off/makes me sad though.

[ 01 August 2008: Message edited by: bigcitygal ]

And thank you for the excellent suggestion Blairza, of putting pressure on Universal about Toby Keith's racism. However I wonder if they will just dismiss any complaints, as being nonsensical do to "artistic" expression afterall, they have numerous POC, that are signed to them too.

Here is a link to Universal phone numbers and feedback form.

In related news, Angelina Jolie, her with the adopted children from Vietnam and Africa, is still on the fence over who to vote for.

Rosanne Barr tore her a new one with this blog entry:

quote:

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Also miss jolie says she likes mccain too and hasn't decided who to endorse....huh? Aren't you supposed to be somewhat enlightened, or do you not know that the african daughter you hold in every picture had parents who suffered and died because of the republican party's worldwide economic assault on africa over the last few decades since reagan? whaaaa...??????!!!! (for that matter, the thai and cambodian sons you are photo'd with weekly too who's pictures you sell to raise money to help the poor? Their families are victims of America's right wing military incursions too. Mccain wants to continue with the idea of war for profit...the americans are over that thinking now! They have drugged our troops and lower classes into supporting their oil business atrocities for long enough. We want to save not lose our souls thank you. Now go back to making your movies about women who love to handle big guns that shoot hundreds of people to death. Ps....it might be good for your asian and african children's self esteem to know you support a brown man for the leader of the free world.)

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Pretty close to perfect. Here is what she had to say about Toby Keith:

quote:

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thank God you saved your ass by coming out as a democrat for Obama. You have done our country a great service, and I am so glad you did! I was wonderin about you lately with your "beer for my horses- swilling the old right wing grog" there for a minute. But, now I see you did it just right, and I am proud of you, son!

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quote:

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Originally posted by Stargazer:
Willie Nelson??

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