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Post by YAKMAN is ICHIBAN on Feb 6, 2024 13:31:31 GMT -5
My first concert in 2003 was seeing Toby Keith and Blake Shelton. My middle school memories were just constantly playing his music and waiting for his music videos on CMT. Seeing him perform at the People’s Choice Awards last fall was like watching a frail Freddie Mercury singing “These are the Days of our Lives,” and a frail Johnny Cash singing “Hurt.” A dedicated artist that is determined to perform to the very end. Prayers go out to his family and friends. THAT'S who I'm confusing him with. (If that's any indication of how much I follow country music) I was like WHOA how was he 62?! Cancer sucks.
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J. Hova
Don Corleone
Emotionally exhausted and morally bankrupt
Posts: 2,013
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Post by J. Hova on Feb 6, 2024 19:43:21 GMT -5
My parents listened to a lot of country when I was a kid, so I heard a lot of his music when I was growing up. I still listen to country at times and I liked a lot of his music. Now gather round kids while I tell you how "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue" was a perfect encapsulation of how the USA felt post 9/11.
He also did a TON of USO and military base tours over the years, so he will always have my respect for that.
RIP.
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mystermystery
Dennis Stamp
Still in the White Hummer
Posts: 4,426
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Post by mystermystery on Feb 6, 2024 21:10:12 GMT -5
I will say that upon hearing the news, I realized I knew both "Should've Been a Cowboy" and "How Do You Like Me Now?" lyrics word-for-word despite probably hearing neither for years.
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Post by Beets by Schrute on Feb 6, 2024 21:21:59 GMT -5
My first concert in 2003 was seeing Toby Keith and Blake Shelton. My middle school memories were just constantly playing his music and waiting for his music videos on CMT. Seeing him perform at the People’s Choice Awards last fall was like watching a frail Freddie Mercury singing “These are the Days of our Lives,” and a frail Johnny Cash singing “Hurt.” A dedicated artist that is determined to perform to the very end. Prayers go out to his family and friends. THAT'S who I'm confusing him with. (If that's any indication of how much I follow country music) I was like WHOA how was he 62?! Cancer sucks. Blake was at the start of his career when I saw him. Had just a couple hit songs.
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Post by sarkerpolseng on Feb 7, 2024 14:18:54 GMT -5
I feel the dude was Islamaphobic and perpetuated Islamophobia to others with some of his music and statements.
He was good to the troops, but dude kinda sucked.
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chazraps
Wade Wilson
Better have my money when I come-a collect!
Posts: 28,029
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Post by chazraps on Feb 7, 2024 14:37:28 GMT -5
Now gather round kids while I tell you how "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue" was a perfect encapsulation of how the USA felt post 9/11. When the news broke I started looking up a lot of the post-9/11 pre-Iraq War country songs and it was interesting how many of them are not only absent from streaming, but not on any physical release at all as they were rushed out by the artists as MP3s on their websites for free download. Now, outside a YouTube upload from the aughts set to a slideshow, it's like a lot of these songs never existed despite charting and significant radio play. Of course you have the biggest ones like "Courtesy of the Red White and Blue" and "Have You Forgotten" readily available (the latter very recently got a super gross tonedeaf update lacking any self-awareness called "Have We Forgotten") - but I was very surprised how Clint Black's "I Raq and Roll" was nearly impossible to find outside - here's the creepy part - numerous karaoke sing-along versions. The song was a big enough hit to warrant multiple karaoke options, but not big enough to have existed digitally beyond a free website download. The same goes for protest songs from notable artists at the time like Beastie Boys' "In a World Gone Mad." No physical release, no formal digital retailer release, just the MP3 from the website and that's all there's ever been. Now, every single song I've mentioned in this post uniformly sucks - HOWEVER - as cultural snapshots/importance they do reflect the feeling of the time despite being awful to listen to. I bring this up as we're approaching so much of the aughts/early digital age music being lost, it'll probably become more and more challenging for future music historians to really track these things down for educational/documenting purposes. That same decade you have so much of the mixtape/free download EP era and these projects from artists - which at the time people feared wouldn't have the credits/linear notes properly saved to know who to attribute and who contributed to what - but now might slowly become harder and harder to find and negotiations for streaming platforms carrying these titles is apparently challenging for one reason or another.
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Post by James Fabiano on Feb 7, 2024 16:41:22 GMT -5
Seems like people on all sides have shown respect to him, which surprises me. I was sure that social media being what it is, we wouldn't get that.
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Post by Lizuka #BLM on Feb 7, 2024 16:44:35 GMT -5
I feel the dude was Islamaphobic and perpetuated Islamophobia to others with some of his music and statements. He was good to the troops, but dude kinda sucked. Shout out also to Beer For My Horses which is a happy singalong song about, uh, how we don't have enough lynchings anymore.
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mystermystery
Dennis Stamp
Still in the White Hummer
Posts: 4,426
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Post by mystermystery on Feb 7, 2024 18:00:09 GMT -5
I feel the dude was Islamaphobic and perpetuated Islamophobia to others with some of his music and statements. He was good to the troops, but dude kinda sucked. Shout out also to Beer For My Horses which is a happy singalong song about, uh, how we don't have enough lynchings anymore. I mean, "How Do You Like Me Now?" is a cheerfully performed vengeful dudebro of a song when you're reading lyrics like, "I only wanted to get your attention, but you overlooked me, somehow. Besides, you had too many boyfriends to mention and I played my guitar too loud." or the big 'give it to her' part "He never comes home, and you're always alone, and your kids hear you crying down the hall," where the woman's big sins seems to be not liking him back, being upset when he acted out by 'writing her number on the 50-yard line," and mocking him for trying to make it as a musician (because she should be rooting for him?). That said, I have literally every word stuck in my head because it was daggone catchy.
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J. Hova
Don Corleone
Emotionally exhausted and morally bankrupt
Posts: 2,013
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Post by J. Hova on Feb 7, 2024 19:47:27 GMT -5
Shout out also to Beer For My Horses which is a happy singalong song about, uh, how we don't have enough lynchings anymore. I mean, "How Do You Like Me Now?" is a cheerfully performed vengeful dudebro of a song when you're reading lyrics like, "I only wanted to get your attention, but you overlooked me, somehow. Besides, you had too many boyfriends to mention and I played my guitar too loud." or the big 'give it to her' part "He never comes home, and you're always alone, and your kids hear you crying down the hall," where the woman's big sins seems to be not liking him back, being upset when he acted out by 'writing her number on the 50-yard line," and mocking him for trying to make it as a musician (because she should be rooting for him?). That said, I have literally every word stuck in my head because it was daggone catchy. It also doesn't hurt that "How Do You Like Me, Now?" became a catchphrase for a good chunk of the aughts.
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Gunhaver
Mephisto
"Gunhaver! You actually have a gun!"
Posts: 666
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Post by Gunhaver on Feb 8, 2024 0:55:42 GMT -5
Now gather round kids while I tell you how "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue" was a perfect encapsulation of how the USA felt post 9/11. Of course you have the biggest ones like "Courtesy of the Red White and Blue" and "Have You Forgotten" readily available (the latter very recently got a super gross tonedeaf update lacking any self-awareness called "Have We Forgotten") Have You Forgotten is my go-to example of 9/11 revenge anthems and problems with country at the time. It managed to age worse than most songs in its niche despite how successful it was. Not surprised he decided to revisit it, given nothing he's done since has surpassed it.
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ayumidah
Wade Wilson
Don't bother pretending I seem fine, I like that I'm a mess
Posts: 28,190
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Post by ayumidah on Feb 8, 2024 2:46:34 GMT -5
Now gather round kids while I tell you how "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue" was a perfect encapsulation of how the USA felt post 9/11. When the news broke I started looking up a lot of the post-9/11 pre-Iraq War country songs and it was interesting how many of them are not only absent from streaming, but not on any physical release at all as they were rushed out by the artists as MP3s on their websites for free download. Now, outside a YouTube upload from the aughts set to a slideshow, it's like a lot of these songs never existed despite charting and significant radio play. Of course you have the biggest ones like "Courtesy of the Red White and Blue" and "Have You Forgotten" readily available (the latter very recently got a super gross tonedeaf update lacking any self-awareness called "Have We Forgotten") - but I was very surprised how Clint Black's "I Raq and Roll" was nearly impossible to find outside - here's the creepy part - numerous karaoke sing-along versions. The song was a big enough hit to warrant multiple karaoke options, but not big enough to have existed digitally beyond a free website download. The same goes for protest songs from notable artists at the time like Beastie Boys' "In a World Gone Mad." No physical release, no formal digital retailer release, just the MP3 from the website and that's all there's ever been. Now, every single song I've mentioned in this post uniformly sucks - HOWEVER - as cultural snapshots/importance they do reflect the feeling of the time despite being awful to listen to. I bring this up as we're approaching so much of the aughts/early digital age music being lost, it'll probably become more and more challenging for future music historians to really track these things down for educational/documenting purposes. That same decade you have so much of the mixtape/free download EP era and these projects from artists - which at the time people feared wouldn't have the credits/linear notes properly saved to know who to attribute and who contributed to what - but now might slowly become harder and harder to find and negotiations for streaming platforms carrying these titles is apparently challenging for one reason or another. I was kind of reflecting on this myself earlier because a person on another site I go to mentioned some of this and someone replied, saying they didn't believe any of it without sources and the only proof I could really find was one lyric site that still had them listed.
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Post by Limity (BLM) on Feb 8, 2024 2:58:51 GMT -5
Of course you have the biggest ones like "Courtesy of the Red White and Blue" and "Have You Forgotten" readily available (the latter very recently got a super gross tonedeaf update lacking any self-awareness called "Have We Forgotten") Have You Forgotten is my go-to example of 9/11 revenge anthems and problems with country at the time. It managed to age worse than most songs in its niche despite how successful it was. Not surprised he decided to revisit it, given nothing he's done since has surpassed it. I don't think any other song can top just how bad Iced Earth's When The Eagle Cries is for a 9/11 song. It didn't even age badly, it started out horrible.
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Post by Alice Syndrome on Feb 8, 2024 5:57:44 GMT -5
Now gather round kids while I tell you how "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue" was a perfect encapsulation of how the USA felt post 9/11. When the news broke I started looking up a lot of the post-9/11 pre-Iraq War country songs and it was interesting how many of them are not only absent from streaming, but not on any physical release at all as they were rushed out by the artists as MP3s on their websites for free download. Now, outside a YouTube upload from the aughts set to a slideshow, it's like a lot of these songs never existed despite charting and significant radio play. Of course you have the biggest ones like "Courtesy of the Red White and Blue" and "Have You Forgotten" readily available (the latter very recently got a super gross tonedeaf update lacking any self-awareness called "Have We Forgotten") - but I was very surprised how Clint Black's "I Raq and Roll" was nearly impossible to find outside - here's the creepy part - numerous karaoke sing-along versions. The song was a big enough hit to warrant multiple karaoke options, but not big enough to have existed digitally beyond a free website download. The same goes for protest songs from notable artists at the time like Beastie Boys' "In a World Gone Mad." No physical release, no formal digital retailer release, just the MP3 from the website and that's all there's ever been. Now, every single song I've mentioned in this post uniformly sucks - HOWEVER - as cultural snapshots/importance they do reflect the feeling of the time despite being awful to listen to. I bring this up as we're approaching so much of the aughts/early digital age music being lost, it'll probably become more and more challenging for future music historians to really track these things down for educational/documenting purposes. That same decade you have so much of the mixtape/free download EP era and these projects from artists - which at the time people feared wouldn't have the credits/linear notes properly saved to know who to attribute and who contributed to what - but now might slowly become harder and harder to find and negotiations for streaming platforms carrying these titles is apparently challenging for one reason or another. Which is funny because when you look on the flip side of that, American Idiot and BYOB are direct responses to that environment and they have a billion Spotify streams between them
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schma
Hank Scorpio
Posts: 6,923
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Post by schma on Feb 8, 2024 9:25:55 GMT -5
It's funny, I was a country fan (well still am but mostly out of the loop) at that time and I noticed the increased politicization of country music in general, but most of the songs people are talking about here I've never heard of. The big ones I remembered were Angry American and Where were you? by Alan Jackson.
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schma
Hank Scorpio
Posts: 6,923
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Post by schma on Feb 9, 2024 11:42:06 GMT -5
Stephen Colbert gave a Tribute to Toby Keith on a recent show. I didn't realize they were such good friends.
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Post by Hit Girl on Feb 9, 2024 13:01:18 GMT -5
Some of his songs sounded like GTA parodies.
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Post by Hernan on Feb 9, 2024 19:17:03 GMT -5
Only knew him on from his contribution to TNA's launch event and suplexing double J. Same here in addition of his WWE appearance one time (I think it was either 2009/2010). I wasn't exposed to Keith too much because country isn't popular in my country (different culture there). The most country so to speak I've gone listening myself was Shania Twain and Sheryl Crow. Sucks he passed away at a young age though. Which is funny because when you look on the flip side of that, American Idiot and BYOB are direct responses to that environment and they have a billion Spotify streams between them I've always considered BYOB one of System of a Down's worst songs. No matter how many times I listened to it just to analyse it deeply, I just can't get it into it. Maybe that's just me who hasn't seen/heard any SOAD song worse than that.
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Dr. T is an alien
Patti Mayonnaise
Knows when to hold them, knows when to fold them
I've been found out!
Posts: 31,375
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Post by Dr. T is an alien on Feb 9, 2024 19:52:46 GMT -5
I feel the dude was Islamaphobic and perpetuated Islamophobia to others with some of his music and statements. He was good to the troops, but dude kinda sucked. Yeah, I had a really hard time liking him as a result. I wonder if he personally mellowed out after working with Willie Nelson, who seems like one of the most genuinely wonderful people of the world. If nothing else, the relationship gave us “Beer for my Horses” and “I’ll never smoke weed with Willie Again”, two songs I legitimately enjoy.
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Gunhaver
Mephisto
"Gunhaver! You actually have a gun!"
Posts: 666
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Post by Gunhaver on Feb 9, 2024 20:02:38 GMT -5
I feel the dude was Islamaphobic and perpetuated Islamophobia to others with some of his music and statements. He was good to the troops, but dude kinda sucked. That's about where I am with it. I remember him supporting some great charitable causes, then I remember the post 9/11 persona and the xenophobia and yeah.
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