The songwriters, hunched over hamburgers and sweet iced tea at Brown’s Diner, allowed that a cut entitled “I’m Takin’ My Country Back” by the Honky Tonkers for Truth sounded like a hit to them.
The song is among 20 on a CD released online by the Music Row Democrats, an organization of country music songwriters, singers, executives and promoters dedicated to helping oust the Republican majority in Congress in the November elections.
“Conservative Christian Right-Wing Republican Straight White American Male” is another cut on the CD by Todd Snider, an artist who arrived in Nashville after stops in Austin and Atlanta. Or, as Snider describes himself “a tree-huggin,’ peace-lovin,’ pot-smokin,’ porn-watchin’ hippie.”
Not your stereotypical county music song or singer.
While conceding that country music is widely perceived as a bastion of conservative politics, the Democratic group claims a membership of about 1,200 in “the industry.”
However, many have kept their political views to themselves, cautious after the Dixie Chicks saw their records struck from radio playlists and were forced to cancel concerts because of slack ticket sales after they criticized President Bush.
“They took a real . . . economic hit” for voicing their views at a concert in England, said John Scott Sherrill, a songwriter whose hits include “How Long Gone?” by Brooks & Dunn and Josh Turner’s new song, “Would You Go With Me?”
When the Music Row Democrats held their first meeting in late 2003, “I went because I wanted to see who else was going to show up,” Sherrill joked.
“The majority of country music listeners in Tennessee and across the country are Republicans and conservatives,” countered Chris Devaney, executive director of the Republican Party of Tennessee. “The message being delivered by the Music Row Democrats is not one that would resonate with these types of voters.”
But Bob Titley, former manager of Brooks & Dunn, said the hard-working folks who listen to country music are ripe for the Democratic message.
The CD can be downloaded for $20 from the group’s Web site, musicrowdemocrats.com, and proceeds will go mostly to Democratic candidates.
Sherrill and songwriter Robert Ellis Orrall said it would be pointless to pitch such songs to record executives. While pro-war songs like Darryl Worley’s “Have You Forgotten [About Bin Laden]?” and Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” are played on country music stations, audiences hear few, if any, lyrics that are anti-war.
Like many country music songs, Orrall’s contribution to the CD was inspired by a true-life incident — when he discovered that Al Gore had become his Nashville neighbor after the 2000 presidential election.
Gore even makes a cameo on the song.
“Hey Man, I like your song. But you need to get over all that stuff,” Gore says. “Hey, this is a great neighborhood.”
– – –
Country in stereo: Lyrics from the left and right
ON THE DEMOCRATS’ CD
“I’m Takin’ My Country Back”
By the Honky Tonkers for Truth
Country music’s got mommas and daddys
They’ve got bar rooms and old heartbreak songs
But I’m here today to stand up and say
How I feel about my home sweet home
What’s left, what’s right, and what’s wrong
And I’m takin’ my country back
Boys you ain’t been doin’ her right
Oh I been watchin’ you and I don’t like
How you been treatin’ my stars and stripes
You took our jobs and sent ’em overseas
Now we owe billions to the red Chinese
You blew the budget and you botched Iraq
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So I’m takin’ my country back
Now you don’t know my name
But you know who I am
I’m your everyday work hard play hard
Raise kids and pray hard workin’ man
And Lord knows I love this land
DEFINITELY NOT ON THE CD
“Arlington”
by Trace Adkins
I never thought that this is where I’d settle down,
I thought I’d die an old man back in my hometown,
They gave me this plot of land, me and some other men, for a job well done,
There’s a big White House sits on a hill just up the road,
The man inside he cried the day they brought me home,
They folded up a flag and told my mom and dad, we’re proud of your son
Chorus:
And I’m proud to be on this peaceful piece of property,
I’m on sacred ground and I’m in the best of company,
I’m thankful for those things I’ve done,
I can rest in peace, I’m one of the chosen ones, I made it to Arlington
I remember daddy brought me here when I was eight,
We searched all day to find out where my granddad lay,
And when we finally found that cross,
He said, “Son this is what it cost to keep us free”
Now here I am,
A thousand stones away from him,
He recognized me on the first day I came in,
And it gave me a chill when he clicked his heels, and saluted me.
— Cox News Service