I'm not a big fan of what passes for "country" music these days, frankly I find it to be more "pop-western" than truly "country", but, after a little research, I see that you agree. Wikipedia says about you:
In addition to this "non-commercial" sound, the lyrics of the opening track and first single, "Long Time Gone", explicitly attacked contemporary country music radio, accusing it of ignoring the soul of the genre as exemplified by Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, and Hank Williams.Well, I couldn't agree more. I must admit that I didn't find "Ready to Run" anywhere near this ideal, however, but I see there is an idealism and independence found in your lyrics that makes you very much the heirs to those three greats of country - in spirit at least - if not in sound.
You had my respect by 2003 when you spoke out against the war. Indeed, I was surprised: "Them? Well, it's nice that someone on the inside of that subculture is talking." Obviously this same surprise worked against you in certain circles. Not that you need telling, obviously, but if there is one thing I've learned in the past year it is that when a large, ignorant, rabid mob is calling for your blood, that's when you know you're doing something right. Whether you are an expatriate writer criticizing Islam, a dissident fighting against a fascist regime, or even a Danish cartoonist, there is a special kind of honor in being right when everyone else is wrong.
To be honest, I still didn't like your music. That was until "Not Ready to Make Nice." Don't get me wrong; musically, I find it a little cloying, but lyrically? It's awesome. It is reminiscent of the good old days of Woody Guthrie, to say nothing of the fact that it has country music all riled-up. When Reba claims that you have your "foot in your mouth" for this song, you have to know that she's just scared. I mean, you may not have your own sitcom on the WB, but you have managed that most delicate of feats: trading an audience of knuckle-dragging AM Radio lovers for an audience that made you the most heavily-downloaded artist on the entire interweb. Well done.
Nor did the oh-so-enlightened ladies of The View pass you over to criticize after taking a quote from you guys out of context. They even ripped up a copy of Time magazine which dared to feature you. Future Today Show puppet Meredith Viera said, "We started these girls - back in 1998, they couldn't get arrested. We were one of the first national shows to give them a platform, because they deserve a platform - they are incredibly talented performers." I wonder if she realizes that you already had three Billboard hits (two in the #1 position) and had performed at the inauguration of President Clinton? That's not what I would consider obscurity, but then again, you didn't have to get 50 million Americans to phone in votes to make you popular. O! the perils of Democracy!
Even Fox News (shock!) is against you! Yesterday they compared you, rather unfavorably, with Michael Anthony and his anti-immigrant anthem "Fly With The Eagle", a song that has been adopted as the soundtrack to the actions of the Minutemen. I strongly encourage all readers to take a close look at the two songs at the link provided.
What I find most disturbing about all of this is the Us vs. Them attitude that is fostered so strongly by your opponents, and when you oppose someone who states that you are either with him or are a terrorist, then I suppose you can't really be surprised, but this is music for god's sake! At any rate, I'm sure I don't need to tell you to keep it up, and for now, know that you've found a place on my iPod.
sincerely,
a new fan
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