Rednecks and Bluenecks: The Politics of Country Music
Rednecks and Bluenecks: The Politics of Country Music
Customer Review: Entertaining and Informative
Country music in the US may be the most openly polarised genre politically, and Chris Willman brings that out well in this readable, entertaining, informative and amusing book. It’s generally even-handed, letting the characters speak for themselves, but then you know what they say about give ‘em enough rope!
Through that process it emerges that Democrats are generally flaky, na?ve and way too soft. They have power in Nashville which they’re unable or unwilling to use in the same way as Republicans, whose insidiously chilling influence is exemplified in the opening section dealing with the spiteful and vindictive treatment of the Dixie Chicks at the hands of conservative evil-doers. Some of the Republicans, however, deny that ever happened.
What the Republicans seem to be about, while they’re not bulldozing Chicks’ CDs (oh sorry, I forgot that didn’t happen), saving babies and making the world fit for Jesus, is kicking asses, sorting out commies (anyone to their left, basically) and playing benefits for the troops. The Democrats/liberals play benefits for the troops too. The Democrats also play benefits for Kerry, at which they espouse the kind of conservative, protectionist economic sentiments that makes you realise why Kerry probably didn’t deserve to win.
The Dems are, naturally, anti-war. But is it just because they’re anti-Bush?
Coming up roses for having a balanced perspective on the kind-of-Dem side are folks like Buddy Miller, Big & Rich and, of all people, Garth Brooks. I hope they don’t mind where I classified them there. Not so impressive are Steve Earle and Linda Ronstadt. I love their records; Steve cracks me up with his stories; Linda makes me tearful with her singing; but in political/economic terms they are more than a little mixed up.
Coming up roses for anything at all on the Republican side (which includes, with apologies here, Toby Keith) is, well, nobody really.
There’s a lot more the book tells you, and it’s a lot of fun being told. If you like country, alt country or their stars, are interested in the politics of the US, or just generally give a damn about the headlines and want to understand what’s behind them, this is a book you’ll want to read.
And for anybody who is looking for an American irony gene, the chapter featuring Merle Haggard is a must.
Customer Review: Excellent primer on the intersection of politics and country
If you're interested in American politics, even if you don't care about country, you'll find plenty of absorbing material in this book. Likewise if it's vice versa. But if both these things hold an interest for you, you've really hit the jackpot. There are plenty of surprises here, especially for anyone who has stereotyped all country people as conservative Republicans, or for anyone who thinks that the conservative Republicans who do dominate much of the genre are ignorant. it's a nuanced portrait of the American South as much as just a style of music. And there's a long section on alt-country/Americana, which of course leans way left, that will delight fans of that genre and probably confound any Toby Keith fans who pick up the book.
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