Haggard single critical of media coverage of Iraq war

[LauraK]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) A new Merle Haggard song that's critical of the media's coverage of the war in Iraq is garnering so much attention that it's being rushed to thousands of radio stations around the country, a spokesman for the country singer said Thursday.

''We're mailing it out as we speak,'' Tom Thacker, vice president of Hag Records, said of the song ''That's the News.'' ''It's going to a broad range of stations.'' ..

The new song chides the media for focusing on celebrity news and the death of Laci Peterson and her unborn child while fighting continues in Iraq.

Haggard sings, ''Suddenly it's over, the war is finally done/Soldiers in the desert sand still clinging to a gun/No one is the winner and everyone must lose/Suddenly the war's over, that's the news.''

The song ends with the lines, ''Politicians do all the talking, soldiers pay the dues/ Suddenly the war is over, that's the news.'' ..

In an essay on Haggard's Web site, the singer writes, ''I don't even know the Dixie Chicks, but I find it an insult for all men and women who fought and died in past wars when almost the majority of America jumped down their throats for voicing an opinion. It was like a verbal witch-hunt and lynching.''

More here

[Fovea]

1. Damn

Spine, served atcha Musgokee OK stylee.

[Shakeydave]

2. But Natalie and the Girls.............

are still banned!



"F" em all!

[Nambe]

4. The Chicks are doing just fine! CD sales are back and tour sold out.

Their concerts are getting standing ovations when freedom of speech is flashed. They have picked up a much broader fan base and have become agressivly active in a 'get out to vote' base called "Rock The Vote".
www.rockthevote.org/ This campaign is aimed at young people that have never voted and never plan to...just to rid the world of the bfee. Two of the group leaders are anarchists, but the main backers are from the music industry. They will be airing ads on MTV and other media music venues to be determined.

Banish bush From Texas Too

[Shakeydave]

5. Sweeeeeeet!

Thanks for the update! :hi:

[Jackpine Radical]

15. I heard the Chix on local country radio

a day or 2 ago. Obviously not banned here.

[madrchsod]

3. ten bucks

it doesn`t get played. merle doesn`t get played on the radio anymore..how long did johnny cash`s last song and video get played..merle in the 60`s sure ain`t the merle of today.

[indictrichardperle]

6. Merle is a patriot

all the kids being killed and wounded for the rich fat cats, are working class kids, white-many from rural areas, blacks and hispanics.

Ken Adelman, Richard Perle, Feith....none of them served and none of their kids serve now.

The troops are really getting screwed, i dont care how bad the conditions, the neo-cons wouldnt give them a second thought.

[Nambe]

30. Check out all the movies and DVDs on Merle

http://www.7samurai.com/r/show/se/2824990.html

[MsChiff]

14. you may be surprised

I'm in NE Ohio, so traditional country doesn't get very much airplay. But Willie has been showing up lately (although mostly because he duets with more recent stars). Johnny Cash is still getting attention on CMT's rotation. George Jones does, too. OK, not much, but more than just a few years ago. Country has such a bad reputation as uneducated trash. Little do most people realize that if you can survive listening to people singing through their nose, there are some excellent lyrics, melodies, and genuine musical talent to be savored. I think Merle has a chance. It's just a different marketing game than it used to be in the 60's and 70's. He will have to be willing to play the game.

[Gman]

7. HA! Let's see them give Merle "Okie From Muskogee" Haggard

the Dixie Chick treatment!!

Whatcha gonna do Clear Channel????? Just how big do you think you are????

[DemBones DemBones]

24. A warning about Clear Channel: their next move seems to be to

take over the music booking business. Imagine if they control not only airplay but who plays live in your town. Imagine a much, much smaller pool of musicians, all with Clear Channel sucking their blood.

[trapper914]

41. They already do.

If an act wants to play a competing non-Clear Channel venue in a city, they are often threatened with a boycott of all Clear Channel venues...don't know if they throw in a radio playlist ban as well.

[crissy71]

28. we don't smoke marijuana in muskogee

we don't take our trips on LSD....
we don't make a party out of lovin...

Gotta love Merle - he gets out of jail, writes the anit-hippie anthem (he was actually writing from the perspective of his father - claims he doesn't really think that), parties like madman, hangs with Willie and Kristofferson

Hopefelly he'll get some airplay - there's a lot of indie stations (NPR and college) that'll put it out - it's a great story

[grytpype]

8. I just got a shitload more respect for Merle Haggard.

This strikes right at the very heart of Bush's support base. Very bad news for Bush.

[karlschneider]

9. Wow. I am a real, genuine Okie from Muskogee. I shit you all not a pound

How 'bout them apples?
;-)

[stickdog]

38. Another Okie says hello

If you`re ever in Oklahoma,
you better move around at night
`cause they don`t like no transportation
slipping by in-and-out of sight
and they don`t care about Dallas, Texas
and they don`t care about Wichita
so if you`re ever in Oklahoma,
you better move around the law.

[robertarctor]

10. Good for Merle, one of California's finest

Hag's always had the cojones to be controversial. He's one deep songwriter who understands the mindset of the working-class American.

[Nlighten1]

11. Can we "grass roots" the media?

Between "The Matrix" and this song will people begin to wake up?

[stevedeshazer]

12. Thanks, Merle

Maybe this will get airplay to the pickup truck crowd.

[inthecorneroverhere]

13. calling the local country station.....

Merle Haggard will get the requests!

[Jackpine Radical]

16. If you can stand country music,

why not start calling in & requesting Merle's song? Anything by the Chix too, esp. Traveling Soldier.

[alaine]

22. This is such a great idea. I e-mailed my local station

when all this went down, in support of the Dixie Chicks. (yes, of course it is a Clear Channel station). And several weeks after the controversy I was watching a commercial for this same station and the Dixie Chicks flashed on and I e-mailed them again to thank them for not cutting the Chicks out of the spot.

I am so glad it happened although I hate it for the DC, without that whole affair we may have never had the fight going on about keeping the media caps at 35 instead of 45%. The vote was 400 to 21 to roll it back down to 35% in the house and dubya is shitting in his pants. I'm tripping on the fact that the NRA and NOW are fighting for the same cause. BUSH is gonna have a hell of a time vetoing this if it gets such numbers in the Senate, which I bet it will because everyone's campaign contributors are backing the amendment. Senators know they can't get elected without bucks. And if Bush vetoes he puts himself against the NRA and church groups, etc. and shows himself to be the imperialist that he is. All because of a few words from Natalie Maines. Thank god for her big mouth and lack of foresight!

[MaineDem]

35. That song makes me cry

Every time I hear "Traveling Soldier" I want to bawl my eyes out.

I remember those days and the soldiers and sailors. Sad!

[Merlin]

17. He's returning the salute from the Dixie Chicks

I'm a recent convert to quality country music (after seeing the Coen Brothers' flick Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou?).

Went out and bought the Dixie Chicks' Home cd after their brave stand. Amazing! You can actually understand the lyrics, and they are pretty damn good lyrics. Long Time Gone has this criticism of the blandness of today's Clear Channell world:
...
We listen to the radio to hear what’s cookin’
But the music ain’t got no soul
Now they sound tired but they don’t sound Haggard
They’ve got money but they don’t have Cash
They got Junior but they don’t have Hank
...

Long Time Gone
c. 2003 Dixie Chicks

[Frances]

20. Thanks for posting those lyrics

They say a lot to me, a former country music fan.

I think Merle Haggard is hitting a chord with the rural folks. Their sons and daughters are joining the military because there isn't much future for them on the farm. These folks thought that Bush was one of them, but they're finding out the hard way that he was just using them.

[Tempest]

32. Don Henley's tip of the hat to Merle

Well, it's a cold, cold, cold, cold, cold, cold, cold, cold Post, postmodern world
No authenticity, no sign of soul
The radio won't play George and Merle


They're Not Here, They're Not Coming

[DS1]

18. hypocritical idiot scumbags

You asked for it, you got it, you should have to deal with it you line-dancing tobaccy chewing morans!

[stevedeshazer]

19. Dude,

Merle fans aren't line-dancers or terbacky chewers. Never were.

[Frances]

21. Well, actually,

I do take line dancing class at the senior center. It's good exercise for the body and the mind for us old folks.

Look at it this way--if I don't keep my mind sharp, then I will swallow all that baloney the Republicans are feeding us. And if I don't keep myself healthy, you will lose a Democratic vote.

[Merlin]

23. Reminds me of that John Belushi line...

You may remember the brilliant, ironic SNL recorded skit.

Belushi, as an old man, is walking through a snow-covered cemetery on a blustery day, wrapped in a winter coat, scarf & hat, moisture dripping from his old man's mustache.

He's saying, in a strained, old man's voice, "Here lie all the greats of Saturday Night Live. Gilda, Chevy, Morris, Dan, all of 'em. Those were the best years of my life. Yet, I'm the one... I'm the one who survived them all. Why? Why?

(long pause, looking down)

(Looks up, suddenly, with a gleam in his eye)

I know why! Cause I'm a dancer! (clicks his heals and dances off through the snow.)

[stevedeshazer]

34. Then keep dancin'

I'd rather watch, but I like to sing Merle's songs.

Whatever keeps you healthy and voting! I hope you're not dippin' though. Chew, that is.

[bushisanidiot]

25. Poncho and Lefty Ride Again!!

Damn, he and Willie have to team up for a tour.. I'm gonna have to go get his new album now! :) :)

[CafeToad]

26. I did not realize that this guy was still alive

I always feel a bit foolish to get this dead/alive thing wrong, but in this case, I apparently have company - I just accessed his website (not sure if it was the official one) and see that he's recently had a "Still Alive and Kickin'" tour. Guess, if you have to put "Still Alive" in the name of your tour, there must have been some opinion to the contrary out there that needed clearing up . . .

[dbt]

27. You KNOW you're f*cked when Haggard calls you out!

:bounce:
dbt

[VolcanoJen]

29. Kick!

:dem:

[LeftHander]

31. TOby Kieth will record it

I'm a ford truck man....that's what I driiiiiiiivah!


What a whore the country music industry is....they smell money and the jump on it like zombies on a pile of guts....

[Tempest]

33. Toby Keith - Rightwing Whore

"I was raised southern Democrat, and my dad and granddad would roll over in their graves if they knew I voted Republican. My dad used to say, 'We don't have enough money to be Republicans.' Well, I do have enough."

[stickdog]

39. Just a moran millionarie voting his pocket book.

But what are his fans' excuses, other than obvious bad taste?

[BeHereNow]

36. President Haggard!

Merle is the KING of Country!!!
I say we make HIM president.

Anybody who can write a song like
"Every Fool Has A Rainbow" gets my vote.

I am a HUGE fan of the Hagg.

What's really tremendous about him releasing this
song right now, is the fact that his following, many of which
fit the "good ole boy" niche, folks you might think of as
support the president, love God, Guns, and the country,
will pay attention to what Merle says about the state of things.
I predict more DUers from that sect after this song goes PLATINUM!

Everybody buy a copy TODAY!!!
Support indy artists!
The dumb ass major corporate labels won't
give a legend like Merle the time of day...
Sad, but true.

BHN

[BeHereNow]

37. The Hagg's Tour Schedule:

Here's a link to the King's tour schedule:
http://www.merlehaggard.com/Tour.shtml

http://www.merlehaggard.com

is his official website...

If you"ve never seen him in concert, well...
you just haven't lived!

BHN

[Best_man23]

40. If the local Clear Channel station here boycotts Haggard

I know some folks who do listen to country that will call them on it immediately; they were POed when CC boycotted the Chicks.