Just for s & g, I headed over to Billboard to check out how the Dixie Chicks have been doing since the flap over Natalie's remarks about Bush. Interestingly enough, their album is still number one on the country charts. At number two – Toby Keith. Vocal anti-war artist – number one, vocal pro-war artist – number two. Draw your own conclusions.
I don’t think a conclusion can be drawn here. I don’t like the Dixie Chicks and what they said doesn’t change that. I like Toby Keith and what he says does not make a difference. I just don’t think the majority of Americans care enough in either direction to drop an artist from the favorites list =). I do think a personal attack like the one Natalie Maines did is counterproductive and that is probably why it was such a big flap initially. If she wanted to make points based on solid fact instead of just being nasty she would have probably been met with less backlash.
I just found it amusing that artists from both sides of the debate were at the top of the charts. Especially given the fact that there is supposed to be a ‘boycott’ of Dixie Chicks albums.
Your comments confirm what I believe, being that people don’t make their musical selections based on politics. If I did, I’d be purging 75% of my CD and tape collection. That ain’t happenin. I likes what I likes regardless of politics. For instance, the “Lion and the Cobra” is a haunting and incredible album, even if Sinead is a politically naive idiot.
4/18/2003 4:44:00
I agree completely. By the way, if you can find copies of any of Toby Keith’s “Bus Songs” they are quite humorous.
A little bit of trivia for ya:
Toby Keith and Darryl Worley both record on the DreamWorks label, owned by Universal Music Publishing Group, which is owned by Vivendi, a ***French*** company!
Heh heh heh…
4/22/2003 2:39:00
I LOVE the Chicks, I like Toby I just bought both their new albums. But I disagree with a lot of statements Toby Keith made on his interview with Dan Rather…. inviting Natalie to make statements in front of “his” fans… Wake up we can like both you and the Dixie Chicks! If you think we cant I choose the Chicks! The war was/is wrong – Natalie was right. Living in a democratic society means we have the obligation (not just the right) to challenge our government when we do not agree with them.
Toby Keith appears to be a red neck idiot with the lyric of his Angry American song… it has a reference to his father, but it is obvious what the song is about… he just tried to capitalize on a tragedy by writing a song about an event that was very tragic… it’s different if you write a song to get out your emotion..he wrote it to make a buck and get more airplay.
To give some background.. I am a Marine Vietnam Vet and I think his song looks very BAD for Americans.. BTW Toby, you work for a French company…
Natalie… stick to your guns… you rock chick
12/14/2003 3:49:00
Toby is right in this regard. Who is natalie to say him and his fans are ignorant.The was was just and it had to be done. piece of crap saddam was killing his own people. so wake up AMANDA and get with the times. dixie chicks blow
12/14/2003 12:56:00
For the record, Natalie did NOT say Toby and his FANS are ignorant. She said, when asked what she thought of his “boot in your ass song” that she didn’t like it – that it was ignorant and made country music sound ignorant. Toby is a hypocrite. Gets on his soapbox about freedom, and brags about how nobody can stop him from rattling feathers and speaking his mind. His whole schtick is “telling it like it is”, yet he gets incredibly irritated when someone else tells it like it is…..especially someone with different beliefs. Right after her comment about the president, Natalie added, “but we support the troops”, however, that part of the statement was never publicized. I have met Toby and whoever said he was an ignorant redneck hit the nail on the head. His arrogance will bring him down one day.
12/15/2003 7:08:00 AM
Toby Keith is an ignorant, close-minded, right-wing war monger. I know what you are all thinking, “Great, we got some liberal facist hippie bitching now.” Wrong. I hate both conservatives and liberals, they are both wrong. I don’t like country music, but that isn’t the point. I have been keeping an eye on this ordeal, and have to side with Natalie just because she had balls to stand up against our half-assed president, and Toby Keith. I think Toby Keith should pick up a newspaper, or book, assuming he can read. Also, he should shut the hell up and stop pretending to represent the average American, because he doesn’t.
TANNER,
When are you going to get on the Got all the Answers ticket for the 2004 election? I will vote for you!
You need to get a fucking clue idiot. Toby Keith may not represent the average American, but you sure do. The fact of the matter is that the average American is an ignorant, lazy, self-absorbed unconcerned sheep that cares about just about nothing that does not directly affect him. At least Keith got off his ass and took a stand about the ignorant Dixie twit. By the way, the reason the bitch made that statement to a bunch of dumbass Generation X Brits is to boost their music sales. She has no clue about what is going on in Iraq,and neither do you unless it comes out of Dan Rather’s mouth.
1/8/2004 2:22:00
The most interesting comment from Toby Keith in Dan Rather interview: “I haven’t decided yet if the war was a mistake”. Even if he did decide that it was, he probably wouldn’t announce that conclusion, until after his career runs its course because he would lose “face” (record sales) with his core fan base. Some of whom who cannot seem to be able to make a distinction between supporting our troops and supporting a decision to take part in a particular war.
My nephew was permanently injured while taking part in, the taking over of, the Baghdad airport. I proudly displayed a Welcome Home sign for him as our local TV station featured his return. I am proud he kept his word to fight bravely in any war that his commander-in-chief decided that this country needed to engage in. At the same time, I am not sure that my president made the right decision. I thank God I live in a country where I have the FREEDOM to publicly disagree with my president and not get executed for it.
A Patriotic American from the Midwest
1/8/2004 11:37:00
the average American is NOT ignorant, lazy, etc as Esteban asserts.
we are, though, wholly misinformed by our so-called “media” which just gives out little bits and pieces, including a great deal of misinformation, while ignoring the REAL stories.
Toby Keith? Dixie Chicks? let them speak their minds. this is supposed to be a democracy we’re having here, people.
The Dixie Chicks Are Hot And They Have Awsome Voices… There All Anti American Whores… The Traveling Soldier Was Totally A Fixed Song To Sell Records… And Toby Keith Is A Real American Patriot That Stands Up For The RED WHITE And BLUE… And Thats My Story And I’m Stickin To It….
Timmay
toby keith is an idiot. the dixie chicks were dead on the money.
someone stated above that “the dixie chicks are being counterproductive [by criticizing the bush administration, the war, and the reasons for war].”
The fact is, americans are overwhelmingly ignorant. By natalie voicing her opinion it has made quite a few americans QUESTION the government, its motives and actions. that is a GOOD thing. the last time a population didn’t question its government was germany in the 30’s — and that didn’t turn out too well, did it?
11/20/2005 18:39:00
toby keith is a typical american thinking of himself as a hero for being a arogant son of a bitch. nothing is worse than someone making a decision wether it be wrong or not later finding out it was wrong not admitting it then blaming someone else