Opinion of Toby Keith's "Angry American (Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue)"

[Alcon]

You may better remember this as the "boot in your ass/it's the American way" song.

Probably one of the stupidest pop songs released this century, and that's saying something.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Negative. All country is crap.

[Moooooo]

Love County. 

Dont care for Toby Keith, though.  Im more of a George Strait, Old Kenny Chesney, kinda' guy myself.

But I must say this was a damn good song at the time it was relased.  It really hit the nail on the head.

[Nym90]

Negative, both for its genre and its content, though moreso the former.

The line Alcon quoted almost makes me wonder if the song was meant to be humorous.

[Speed of Sound]

Negative. All country is crap.

That, and I got a strnage sensation like I wanted to punch him in the face..........again.

[Cubby]

I don't like this song, but I do like a few country artists, like Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and Shania Twain (although the songs of the latter 2 are like country/pop crossovers). I also liked an Alan Jackson song from 2004 called "Remember When".

[opebo]

This song was embarrassing and dumb, just like most of country music, most of the reaction to 9/11 generally, and more broadly, American culture as a whole.

[minionofmidas]

Never heard of. Thankfully.

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

Negative. All country is crap.

[Vincent]

Negative, mainly because of the content. The genre doesnt relly bother me, although I prefer older country music.

[??????????]

VERY positive. And what's up with all these Americans responding... "Oh my its so horrible and offensive..waaa waaa". Americans really need to grow a pair and learn to fight back against our enemies.

[Alcon]

VERY positive. And what's up with all these Americans responding... "Oh my its so horrible and offensive..waaa waaa". Americans really need to grow a pair and learn to fight back against our enemies.

I don't think it's offensive, and I don't think anyone here has.  I dislike it because it is a painfully stupid song.

Also, how is liking a country song or speaking out against terrorism "growing a pair" or "fighting back against our enemies"?  I like the intent of the song, but he could not have expressed it in more of a lame-brained way than the lyric I quoted.

[A18]

I agree with Alcon. Stupid song, but not 'offensive.'

[WalterMitty]

i like a lot of toby's stuff.  but he has gone overboard with all of this 'america rah rah rah' crap.

'shoulda been a cowboy' is his best song.

[Gabu]

Here are the full lyrics:

American Girls and American Guys
We'll always stand up and salute
We'll always recognize
When we see Ole Glory Flying
There's a lot of men dead
So we can sleep in peace at night
When we lay down our head

My daddy served in the army
Where he lost his right eye
But he flew a flag out in our yard
Till the day that he died
He wanted my mother, my brother, my sister and me
To grow up and live happy
In the land of the free.

Now this nation that I love
Has fallen under attack
A mighty sucker punch came flying in
From somewhere in the back
Soon as we could see clearly
Through our big black eye
Man, we lit up your world
Like the 4th of July

Hey Uncle Sam
Put your name at the top of his list
And the Statue of Liberty
Started shaking her fist
And the eagle will fly
And there's gonna be hell
When you hear Mother Freedom
Start ringing her bell
And itll feel like the whole wide world is raining down on you
Ahhh Brought to you Courtesy of the Red White and Blue

Ohhh Justice will be served
And the battle will rage
This big dog will fight
When you rattle his cage
And you'll be sorry that you messed with
The U.S. of A.
'Cause we'll put a boot in your ass
It's the American way

Hey Uncle Sam
Put your name at the top of his list
And the Statue of Liberty
Started shaking her fist
And the eagle will fly
And there's gonna be hell
When you hear Mother Freedom
Start ringing her bell
And itll feel like the whole wide world is raining down on you
Brought to you Courtesy of the Red White and Blue

Uhhh Ohhh
Of the Red, White and Blue
Ohhh Ohh Oh
Of My Red, White and Blue

The song is certainly, uh, very direct, in the sense that it clubs you over the head with its meaning.  If you like to masturbate to people yelling "USA USA USA USA USA OMG WE ARE SO AWESOME", I suppose I can see how people could like listening to it.

[Nym90]

VERY positive. And what's up with all these Americans responding... "Oh my its so horrible and offensive..waaa waaa". Americans really need to grow a pair and learn to fight back against our enemies.

I don't think it's offensive, and I don't think anyone here has.  I dislike it because it is a painfully stupid song.

Also, how is liking a country song or speaking out against terrorism "growing a pair" or "fighting back against our enemies"?  I like the intent of the song, but he could not have expressed it in more of a lame-brained way than the lyric I quoted.

Exactly. The lyric you quoted makes it sound like the intention was to be a parody; it feeds right into the stereotype of America's image that many would like to portray.

[The Duke]

I don't like country at all -- except Toby Keith.  He's quite funny, especially in his videos.

I happen to like the song in question, and I like it even more because it refuses to treat our enemies with kid gloves.  Instead, it honestly expresses a perfectly defensible moral outrage at those who killed 3,000 people.

Unfortunately, we live in a society where the expression of anger is seen as insensitive or simple-minded.  Anger is actually a very defensible reaction in certain instances, and all the Toby Keith song does is express that emotion through song.  The fact that certain people object to the honest emotional reaction expressed in the song says more about the person who's objecting than it does about the person who's singing.

[Nym90]

I don't like country at all -- except Toby Keith.  He's quite funny, especially in his videos.

I happen to like the song in question, and I like it even more because it refuses to treat our enemies with kid gloves.  Instead, it honestly expresses a perfectly defensible moral outrage at those who killed 3,000 people.

Unfortunately, we live in a society where the expression of anger is seen as insensitive or simple-minded.  Anger is actually a very defensible reaction in certain instances, and all the Toby Keith song does is express that emotion through song.  The fact that certain people object to the honest emotional reaction expressed in the song says more about the person who's objecting than it does about the person who's singing.

I have absolutely no problem with someone being angry, or expressing their anger through song. You are correct that anger is a natural emotion and that it is healthy to feel it in such a situation as this. I certainly felt angry about what had happened, and still do to this day.

However, there is a big difference between that and trying to claim that the American way is to kick a** and take names. Keith is playing into all of the negative stereotypes of America as an arrogant nation and as one that uses violence to solve all problems. I know for a fact that is a false stereotype, and therefore I am not going to approve of anyone furthering that misperception.

[The Duke]

However, there is a big difference between that and trying to claim that the American way is to kick a** and take names. Keith is playing into all of the negative stereotypes of America as an arrogant nation and as one that uses violence to solve all problems. I know for a fact that is a false stereotype, and therefore I am not going to approve of anyone furthering that misperception.

Toby Keith's call to arms became American policy in Afghanistan, so I wouldn't say its all that stereotypical.  It worked out pretty well, by the way.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Not as stupid as that "Have You Forgotten" song though, which makes a rather idiotic connection between Iraq and 9/11 that does not exist.

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

Country music is crap in general.

[opebo]

VERY positive. And what's up with all these Americans responding... "Oh my its so horrible and offensive..waaa waaa". Americans really need to grow a pair and learn to fight back against our enemies.

You are probably thinking of different people when you say 'enemy' than I would, States.

[??????????]

VERY positive. And what's up with all these Americans responding... "Oh my its so horrible and offensive..waaa waaa". Americans really need to grow a pair and learn to fight back against our enemies.

You are probably thinking of different people when you say 'enemy' than I would, States.

Yes yes, we know you hate an America and a patriot.

[opebo]

VERY positive. And what's up with all these Americans responding... "Oh my its so horrible and offensive..waaa waaa". Americans really need to grow a pair and learn to fight back against our enemies.

You are probably thinking of different people when you say 'enemy' than I would, States.

Yes yes, we know you hate an America and a patriot.

No.. I wasn't referring to those.  I was referring to your rulers.

[minionofmidas]

VERY positive. And what's up with all these Americans responding... "Oh my its so horrible and offensive..waaa waaa". Americans really need to grow a pair and learn to fight back against our enemies.

You are probably thinking of different people when you say 'enemy' than I would, States.

Yes yes, we know you hate an America and a patriot.

No.. I wasn't referring to those.  I was referring to your rulers.

States just forget "are" between "and" and "a", Bo.