This thread is proof that we are ready to talk about race and racism. If we weren’t, we’d all just listen to the song and say, “It’s a modern day Ebony and Ivory. How wonderful is that we can all get along! Now let’s talk about something else.”
I’m just glad I live in Yankeeland. Apparently, in some other places, people spend LOTS of time and energy thinking about the important issue of how to throw passive-aggressive symbols into each others’ faces (what is this, Yugoslavia?)
Run away with me, Sampiro. We’ll lounge on the beach sipping cocktails and you will rework lyrics of bad songs and I’ll laff until I get heatstroke.
A country/rap crossover already puts you behind the eight ball. Not a lot of overlap in fanbases,
My pedigree is about as Deep South as you can get and I’ve lost count of the times I’ve been caused a Lost Cause apologist for saying slavery was a complicated issue that can’t be ethically viewed with a 21st century eye and that the South had some very valid gripes against the North. I certainly don’t think that white southerners should “apologize for and [be] shamed by a practice that ended 100 years before they were born” in general.
HOWEVER, if they choose to wear a symbol that’s directly associated with a war whose primary purpose from the southern side was white supremacy and the continuation of slavery, then they should not be surprised if somebody assumes that they are pro-white supremacy and the continuation of slavery. If somebody came into a Starbucks wearing a picture of George III that said “Please take us back!”, I probably would assume they were anti American Independence.
Oh, I took it to mean “Don’t assume I’m a racist because I wear a rebel flag, and I won’t assume you’re a thug because of the way you’re dressed.” Not necessarily ignoring the years of slavery and systemic racism, just not blaming the one guy because of the t-shirt he’s wearing. Maybe I’m being too generous.
The line is: “You don’t judge my gold chains, and I’ll forget the iron chains.”
Which is stoopid!!!
What if he were a Dukes of Hazzard fan?
If for no other reason than that it rhymes the word “chains” with the word “chains.”
I remember learning that fact on this board some time ago- probably from Sampiro, maybe from another poster. It completely changes the context of the discussion.
Yeah, this is the song I was thinking of, except I wasn’t clever enough to think of it. Well done, Sampiro.
Sampiro FTW.
I was told about this song by about a dozen friends. I admit that I didn’t listen to Paisley’s lyrics that closely the first time. I do like him, though, he’s one of two or three country artists I’ve actually purchased a track of - “Alcohol,” which explains that the chemical has been helping White people dance since antiquity. (Now that’s a funny line.)
What got me was LL’s idiotic rap. As Enginerd notes, LL has never opined on issues of race, so I don’t know why I thought he actually might have something meaningful to say, but it’s like a sheltered ninth grader’s essay on how he’s tormented by reverse racism with a middle schooler rapping over it. I mean, equating the annoyance of being stereotyped with chattel slavery requires an astonishing lack of knowledge of history. The line “RIP Robert E. Lee” also stuck in my craw.
The only good of this is that it’s bringing an issue to the forefront to a community that doesn’t typically engage in this discussion, I would think (White male country fans). But it’s a self-pitying reflection that does little to advance the conversation.
And I’ll thank all of you to not compare this dreck to “Ebony and Ivory.” It’s a paean for interracial harmony, not an apologist’s revision of history. Furthermore, a White Englishman doesn’t have the same immersion in American racial politics as a West Virginian. By the by, did anyone see the picture of Paisley and LL together that was on the YouTube version? LL looks like Paisley’s Big Brother mentor.
Don’t lie you all heard that in your head.
Paraphrasing Bill Maher’s comment on LL Cool J and Brad Paisely: “They have proven with this song that sometimes segregation might be a good thing.”
This song is not good.
The album as a whole isn’t bad, though it isn’t one of his best.
Can’t wait to see what Weird Al does with this one!
This just in: Brad links to -
Well I laughed.
That’s far worse than being a Skynard fan.
ETA: And I’m not even a Skynard fan.