That’s a rather ungainly song title. Couldn’t he have come up with something a bit catchier?
What’s that mean?
Red Headed Stranger and Phases and Stages are my two favorites. They’re both essentially concept albums - RHS is a western movie in song, and P&S covers the breakup of a marriage from both perspectives.
I’ve always liked his version of “American Tune” by Paul Simon
Well, there are some bees, that aren’t quite the same as other bees. And some birds, that aren’t quite like other birds… 
I will admit that I did wince at the over-simplification of gender and gender roles in the song, but I’m willing to look the other way in this case. You can’t have everything.
Just a general “Country Music” reply:
Willie
Waylon
Johnny
Loretta
Patsy
Hank Senior
Dolly (before she completely sold out)
Have all released so much “Gotta have it” music it isn’t funny.
What I like in today’s country:
Allison Krause and Union Station
Nickelback and the like
Don’t like:
Toby K.
Garth
Dixie Chicks and their numerous imitators
The faux punk red neck chicks that have shown up
The faux tough Tim McGraw imitators
Tim McGraw is okay in small doses only
Conway
Porter
The Country “Celine Dion” Twangy Power Divas
Too little I like, and too much I dislike to list them all – don’t get me started on other pop categories.
He didn’t write it. It’s a cover of a Pansy Division song. You know, Pansy Division, with songs like “He Whipped My Ass on the Tennis Court (And I Fucked His Ass in Bed)” and “(And Then We Fucked Like) Bunnies.”
Toby Keith used to write really good stuff.
Tim McGraw has the cahones to do songs no one else would.
I think you mean “Nickel Creek.” They rock. In fact, their latest CD has a song with a guest drummer that is in no way country or bluegrass, it’s pure rock.
And for a really good, really country song in the modern era, listen to Sara Evans sing “I Learned That From You.”
Let’s not forget Jerry Jeff Walker, folks!
According to the Reuters article I read this morning, it was written by Ned Sublette, about 20 years ago.
Anyway, Willie’s the one singing it now.
“Willie Nelson’s” “new song”? You mean a cover, don’t you? “Cowboys Are Frequently Etc.” was released by Pansy Division in 1994. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pansy_Division
Ok…since we’re already skipping merrily down the tangent path toward the “undefinable genre<—>folk<—>bluegrass<—>country<—>undefinable genre” continuum…here are the artists and groups that I dig on, in no particular order:
Hoyt Axton
Johnny Cash
Willie Nelson
Hal Ketchum
Alison Krauss
Union Station
Nickel Creek (though their losing me with some of their latest stuff)
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Kim Richey
Sara Evans (sometimes she is too smarmy, twangy, and preachy, but she has a great set of pipes and a tendancy to record infectious (imho) songs)
Kathy Mattea
Ryan Shuppe and the Rubber Band
Sugarland (especially their pre-label demo “Premium Quality Tunes”, when they had more attitude and edge)
Jennifer Nettles (of Sugarland, specifically the work she did previously in The Jennifer Nettles Band)
Kristen Hall (of Sugarland, specifically her previous solo work)
Kristian Bush (of Sugarland, specifically his work while in the duo Billy Pilgrim)
Mandy Barnett
Keith Urban
Little Big Town
Dwight Yoakam
K.D. Lang
Martina McBride (see Sara Evans comments above)
Mindy Smith (see Sara Evans comments above)
Trisha Yearwood (see Sara Evans comments above)
Nancy Griffith
Patty Griffin
Shawn Colvin
Lyle Lovett…
…anyone?
…hello?..
Disagree. Well, yeah, it’s legally “valid” or whatever but a boycott based on bigotry is not as ethically valid as one based on, say, fighting bigotry. There’s a qualitative difference between refusing to play Willie Nelson because he’s singing positively about gay cowboys and refusing to play, say, Guns ‘n’ Roses because they sing negatively about gay people.
The single is #13 on iTunes top downloads list.
There’s a small hint in the OP that indicates that he knew that, but you have to be pretty sharp to catch it:
Hehe.
I like your pants around your feet
And I like the dirt that’s on your knees
And I like the way you still say please
While you’re looking up at me
You’re like my favourite damn disease
from Nickelback’s Figured You Out is a bit different than
*Where am I today? I wish that I knew
'Cause looking around there’s no sign of you
I don’t remember one jump or one leap
Just quiet steps away from your lead
I’m holding my heart out but clutching it too
Feeling this short of a love that we once knew
I’m calling this home when it’s not even close
Playing the role with nerves left exposed *
from Nickel Creek’s Reasons Why.
If it makes you feel any better, I sometimes conflate their names as well.
Try and find the version of “Willow Weep For Me” Willie did with Tin Hat Trio. Absolutely haunting.
(ER fans would recognize it-it’s the song Luka and a nurse were dancing to in the episode where Carter goes to Africa).
<Bill O’Reilly> What say you Mr. Glutton? </Bill O’Reilly>
And I’ll wager that he could not care less.
Well, maybe he could care less but he’d have to try real hard.
your view on ethics is entirely subjective. Firstly, this is not like the Dixix Chicks who had the audacity to be surprised that free speech comes at a price. Nelson, however, is making a statement about homosexuality. Whiile that statement may be perfectly reasonable and rational to you or I it may not carry the same weight with others. To others, it may be a direct contradiction to their belief system and as such they believe they need to protest against it. We have every right to reject their protest but that doesn’t delegitimize their right to protest. We can question their positions and point out the many flaws therein but their right to protest is as legitimate and important as any other form of protest.
Lastly, by banning certain songs because they may or may not offend is walking a dangerous line towards censorship.