greenpass: The Musical Party

July 31, 2004

The Musical Party

Now that I'm a bit more removed from the madnesss of the convention, I looked back on it from a musician's perspective (since I must admit that is what I spend much of my time doing).

The convention sent a very pleuralistic musical message with the performers they chose.

We are the party of protest songs, they said (Peter, Paul and Mary; "This Land Is Your Land").
We are the party of rap (Black Eyed Peas) and R&B (Wyclef Jean).
We are the party of immigrants (chinese drum ensembles) and of inner city arts initiatives (a wide assortment of minority choirs and dancers).
We are the party of funk, soul and motown (the house band, Patti LeBelle, the obligatory repitition every day of "Go Johnny Go", "Dancin' In The Street", "Celebration" and other DNCC-blessed classics).
We are the party of white men singing with acoustic guitars (Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp) and of women singer/songwriters (Carole King).
We're even the party of amateur opera singers that sing the national anthem (and may I just say that Sergeant Danny Clark from the Massachussetts State Police, who sang on Thursday afternoon, can pull me over on the highway any day...)

But God forbid that we be the party of country. If you are one of the millions of Americans who like country music, the message was clear: bugger off to the RNC. Not necessarily the best message to be sending...I know progressive country singers are in short supply, but I think my point still stands.

Posted at 10:26 AM in Convention 2004 | Permalink

Comments

You are so right.

Where were the Dixie Chicks?

Posted by: Jenny | July 31, 2004 at 02:58 PM

No country? Willie Nelson is chopped liver?

What about American Idol wannabes singing jumped up show tunes? I didn't hear any of that.

Posted by: Ailita Bugg | July 31, 2004 at 03:27 PM

Like Jenny, I was surprised to not see the DCs. Which reminds me, is there any chance of Toby Keith not performing at the GOP Convention?

Posted by: Mac Thomason | July 31, 2004 at 03:31 PM

At yesterday's Bush rally, when he walked off they played some country tune "Only in America."

Posted by: Dimmy Karras | July 31, 2004 at 04:22 PM

I have to agree with Alita Bugg - Willie Nelson is country music royalty. Not to mention he collaborated with Toby Keith on a big hit this year. And he's a famous Texan.
It would be hard to get a bigger name in Country Music than Willie Nelson without digging up someone dead.

Posted by: Garibaldianne | July 31, 2004 at 04:44 PM

Count me in on the "What about Willie" camp. Seems as country as they get. As to why other progressive country acts might not want to show, well the right did a good job scaring off the Dixie Chicks, don't you think? They made an example out of them to scare off the Garth Brookses out there. These folks aren't stupid. They know they depend on their audience for the livlihood. If a significant segment are hard-core GOPer's, showing up at the DNC will be a risk. Most celebs are risk-adverse by nature, so I can't blame them. Especially with the way the Dixie Chicks were treated, which went well beyond the treatment of "okay to be left-wing" celebs like Janeane or Danny Glover.

Posted by: BStu | July 31, 2004 at 07:03 PM

Not to be pedantic (of course, I'm being pedantic) we owe Woodie Guthrie BIG TIME for _This Land is Your Land_. Not to mention the bi-partisan folks at www.jibjab.com. (feh!)

Posted by: pseudolus | July 31, 2004 at 10:39 PM

Oh, and as for Willie, I was a little disappointed in him and his collaboration with Toby "can I get a bigger hat?" Keith and the arguably reactionary _ Whiskey For My Men, Beer For My Horses_. Heh, maybe it's just me. I worship Willie and this tune bummed me out no end.

Posted by: pseudolus | July 31, 2004 at 10:49 PM

Steve Earle would have been good!

Posted by: sjb | August 02, 2004 at 02:47 PM

You don't have country music at the convention when the only country singer there sings with a gospel choir as backup. It ain't country without the pedal steel guitar, the wailing fiddle and the usual country subjects - women, boats, pick-up trucks, 9/11, fishing, that sort of thing.

He may be a country singer, but I bet his performance at the convention (much as I enjoyed it) got him voted out of the country hall of fame for insufficient country cred.

Posted by: Zoe | August 02, 2004 at 02:54 PM

Word, Willie.

And also, though John Cougar Mellencamp isn't technically country, he gets damn close. Especially with "Small Town," which he sang in person before Edwards came on.

Posted by: theorajones | August 02, 2004 at 06:02 PM

But who could they have gotten? It is my impression that Clear Channel has done a more impressive job of gathering up Country stations than any other type. It would need to be an artist that had the market power to go against the big media companies (Your looking at the Willie, Alan, Garth level.) I was hoping for Alan Jackson singing "Where Were You" for the Sept. 11 Tribute.
On top of that they would have to be Democrats.
That is not going to be a long list of people. I would imagine that the Dixie Chicks management has sat down and said let's try to keep them out of political situations for the next little while.
Am I the only one that wishes Toby Keith would stop picking out good songs so I could just hate him? Yes "Angry American" and "If I was Jesus" are terrible but "Wish I Didn't Know Now" and "You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This" are great songs.

Posted by: Michael | August 02, 2004 at 11:16 PM

my dad is realy special to me.i am 10 and he is turning 50.he REALY likes you so i was wondering if you could please play some songs at 627 cottonwood in buffalo ny on august 27.MY DAD MEANS THE WORLD TO ME.PLEASE

Posted by: sami christ | August 09, 2004 at 09:11 AM