# How did "Indian Outlaw" not kill Tim McGraw's career? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 10, 2009, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-indian-outlaw-not-kill-tim-mcgraws-career/480641 "2009-01-10T05:13:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-indian-outlaw-not-kill-tim-mcgraws-career/480641/1 "2009-01-10T05:13:00Z")
I remembered it was quite catchy when I was a kid(it was released in '94), but listening to it as an adult I realize the lyrics are as offensive as the tune is catchy. Not only did it not kill his career, it launched it. It was his first top 40 hit! I like some Tim McGraw, but I am shocked that this song did so well and did not hurt him. Meanwhile, the Dixie Chicks practically get blacklisted. Racist song=smash hit, lefty politics=pariah.I love country music, but I am guessing I am not their typical audience. ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-indian-outlaw-not-kill-tim-mcgraws-career/480641/2 "2009-01-10T05:48:21Z")
> [@Ataraxy](#): > > I remembered it was quite catchy when I was a kid(it was released in '94), but listening to it as an adult I realize the lyrics are as offensive as the tune is catchy. Not only did it not kill his career, it launched it. It was his first top 40 hit! I like some Tim McGraw, but I am shocked that this song did so well and did not hurt him. Meanwhile, the Dixie Chicks practically get blacklisted. Racist song=smash hit, lefty politics=pariah.I love country music, but I am guessing I am not their typical audience. It’s country music. That’s all you have to know. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-indian-outlaw-not-kill-tim-mcgraws-career/480641/3 "2009-01-10T05:49:37Z")
“Indian Outlaw” was (and still is) catchy. I think you underestimate the politics of the audience. Songs advocating vigilante justice, domestic violence, vengeful murder, blind patriotism, and the objectification of women routinely hit #1 on the country charts. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-indian-outlaw-not-kill-tim-mcgraws-career/480641/4 "2009-01-10T06:02:47Z")
_They all gather round my teepee Late at night tryin to catch a peek at me In nothin but my buffalo briefs I got em standin in line_ That’s hilarious. What an asshole. ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-indian-outlaw-not-kill-tim-mcgraws-career/480641/5 "2009-01-10T06:12:43Z")
Ever hear “Kaw-Liga” by Hank Williams? “Wore his Sunday feathers and his tommyhawk”? “Ever wonder why his face is red”? Compared to that, “Indian Outlaw” is pretty mild. The problem with country isn’t that, it’s that in the modern era (post 1990), virtually everything that suggests bad times is verboten. It’s turned a genre that was full of drinking, poverty, cheating, and crime into the same creepily always cheery vibe you used to get from Up With People. ---
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-indian-outlaw-not-kill-tim-mcgraws-career/480641/6 "2009-01-10T06:17:47Z")
> [@installLSC](#): > > Ever hear “Kaw-Liga” by Hank Williams? “Wore his Sunday feathers and his tommyhawk”? “Ever wonder why his face is red”? Compared to that, “Indian Outlaw” is pretty mild. The problem with country isn’t that, it’s that in the modern era (post 1990), virtually everything that suggests bad times is verboten. It’s turned a genre that was full of drinking, poverty, cheating, and crime into the same creepily always cheery vibe you used to get from Up With People. I love “Kaw-Liga.” It has a few objectionable lines, but overall I think it is less racist than “Indian Outlaw.” “Kaw-Liga” isn’t even about a real person, but a _wooden_ cigar-store style Indian, a statue IOW, if my understanding is correct. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-indian-outlaw-not-kill-tim-mcgraws-career/480641/7 "2009-01-10T06:41:07Z")
> [@Ataraxy](#): > > Meanwhile, the Dixie Chicks practically get blacklisted. Racist song=smash hit, lefty politics=pariah.I love country music, but I am guessing I am not their typical audience. It didn’t help the Dixie Chicks when they started dissing people who were otherwise part of their own fan base. Odesio ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-indian-outlaw-not-kill-tim-mcgraws-career/480641/8 "2009-01-10T06:44:14Z")
Anybody been to the Country Bear Jamboree at Disney World? In this country concert you get to a point in the show where this one bear starts singing in a maudlin tune about being surrounded by blood. Country music is steeped in violence, poverty, alcohol abuse, etc., that, in may respects, makes them resemble rap songs. :dubious: Ok, maybe that’s stretching it. The Dixie Chicks certainly follow that long tradition with songs like “Sin Wagon” and “Goodbye Earl.” \* They all gather round my teepee Late at night tryin to catch a peek at me In nothin but my buffalo briefs I got em standin in line\* Could this be an accurate depiction of some Native Americans? Living in abject poverty might make someone willing to sell their culture to tourist. Odesio ---
**Author:** ![unclviny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e274bd/32.png) [@unclviny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unclviny)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-indian-outlaw-not-kill-tim-mcgraws-career/480641/9 "2009-01-10T07:35:54Z")
Long (but related) story: I used to be a DJ at KPFT 90.1 FM ("the mighty 90!) in Houston, Texas, my show was followed by Tony who was/is a Banjo player/instructor in Houston. One morning Tony called to tell me he was going to be a few minutes late and he asked me to start his (Cowboy music) show, I had no problem except for not knowing ANYTHING about “his” flavor of music. He said “no problem, just put on a “best of” album”. So I grabbed a best of Porter Wagner (he was young on the cover) and put it on, a few minutes later the ALL the phone lines started ringing and the “hotline” light was flashing (the Hotline was a number only known to upper management and it was only used for emergencies). On this record was a song (apparently, I wasn’t listening) telling the story of his girlfriend/wife that cheated/was leaving him and therefore he had (sigh) “no choice” but to kill her! Tony came running through the door and put something else on and I left him to deal with the Hotline and the PO’d Folks on the phones. Unclviny ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-indian-outlaw-not-kill-tim-mcgraws-career/480641/10 "2009-01-10T08:14:45Z")
According to the Wikipedia entry on this song, it was controversial when it was released and some radio stations refused to play it. I admit I never thought about this song on any kind of deep level or considered it offensive, but musically it is kind of interesting and catchy. **Ataraxy** , I feel your pain. I like country music too, mostly the 80s and 90s stuff, and I’m about as liberal as they come. This only gets intensely annoying for me when a really good song comes out that I wholeheartedly disagree with, like\* Whiskey For My Men, Beer for My Horses\*, by that enormous tool Toby Keith. That fucker writes catchy little tunes about asshole things. And I think the comparison between country music and rap is not unwarranted. I’ve always considered them two sides of the same coin. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-indian-outlaw-not-kill-tim-mcgraws-career/480641/11 "2009-01-10T12:43:00Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > A > > **Ataraxy** , I feel your pain. I like country music too, mostly the 80s and 90s stuff, and I’m about as liberal as they come. This only gets intensely annoying for me when a really good song comes out that I wholeheartedly disagree with, like\* Whiskey For My Men, Beer for My Horses\*, by that enormous tool Toby Keith. That fucker writes catchy little tunes about asshole things. Ugh, that song is my worst nightmare. It’s such a fun _song_ and really, who doesn’t love the idea of bringing your horse to a bar for some beer? But the real subject of the song, the vigilante justice, is beyond sickening. I keep trying to point out what a disgusting song it is, and my friends all say “who cares? it’s a cute song!” and I try to explain that it’s important, because ideas in culture are important, even if and maybe especially if they’re wrapped up in cutesy lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-indian-outlaw-not-kill-tim-mcgraws-career/480641/12 "2009-01-10T14:02:18Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > Ugh, that song is my worst nightmare. It’s such a fun _song_ and really, who doesn’t love the idea of bringing your horse to a bar for some beer? But the real subject of the song, the vigilante justice, is beyond sickening. I keep trying to point out what a disgusting song it is, and my friends all say “who cares? it’s a cute song!” and I try to explain that it’s important, because ideas in culture are important, even if and maybe especially if they’re wrapped up in cutesy lyrics. Well, I just watched the video for the first time & in the video, the “vigilantes” set up the trap but then they brought in the police to make the arrest. I didn’t know ol’ Willie was singing along. What if the song is just about vigilantes helping catch the bad guys who are then strung up after a jury conviction in a fair trial? Can I like it then? ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-indian-outlaw-not-kill-tim-mcgraws-career/480641/13 "2009-01-10T14:28:15Z")
You’re welcome to like it whenever you want. I even like it, it’s hard not to, it’s very catchy. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-indian-outlaw-not-kill-tim-mcgraws-career/480641/14 "2009-01-10T16:25:18Z")
It’s certainly no worse than dozens of rap songs about pimping women and doing blow. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-indian-outlaw-not-kill-tim-mcgraws-career/480641/15 "2009-01-10T16:41:47Z")
> [@unclviny](#): > > Long (but related) story: > > I used to be a DJ at KPFT 90.1 FM ("the mighty 90!) in Houston, Texas, my show was followed by Tony who was/is a Banjo player/instructor in Houston. > > One morning Tony called to tell me he was going to be a few minutes late and he asked me to start his (Cowboy music) show, I had no problem except for not knowing ANYTHING about “his” flavor of music. He said “no problem, just put on a “best of” album”. So I grabbed a best of Porter Wagner (he was young on the cover) and put it on, a few minutes later the ALL the phone lines started ringing and the “hotline” light was flashing (the Hotline was a number only known to upper management and it was only used for emergencies). On this record was a song (apparently, I wasn’t listening) telling the story of his girlfriend/wife that cheated/was leaving him and therefore he had (sigh) “no choice” but to kill her! > Tony came running through the door and put something else on and I left him to deal with the Hotline and the PO’d Folks on the phones. > > Unclviny Was it particularly graphic or angry-sounding? Delia’s Gone by Johnny Cash and Hey Joe by Jimi Hendrix are both popular songs with similar subject matter and I’ve never heard of them being controversial. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-indian-outlaw-not-kill-tim-mcgraws-career/480641/16 "2009-01-10T17:40:48Z")
I thought I read somewhere that Native Americans were not offended by _Indian Outlaw_, but I don’t remember where I saw that. If someone shows me something different, I’ll be happy to admit my error. If Ice-T can scream _Cop Killer_ and still get a starring role on a major TV show dealing with police, I think we have to consider that whatever the song context, most people will enjoy the tune and not pay a whole lot of attention to what it’s trying to say socially. Unless, of course, the artist makes a big deal about how culturally important s/he thinks this song is. I’d say the vast majority of songs are written for the same reason Mark Twain wrote books…to make money. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-indian-outlaw-not-kill-tim-mcgraws-career/480641/17 "2009-01-10T18:08:17Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > And I think the comparison between country music and rap is not unwarranted. I’ve always considered them two sides of the same coin. In the early days of Country the culture was identical. ‘Outlaw Country’ and Gangsta Rap are about precisely the same things and for the same reasons. When they started getting rich they would make ostentatious displays of wealth. And just like when rappers moved into Beverley Hills, people were upset when country singers moved into Belle Meade. The upper crust citizens of Nashville were not happy when their town came to be known primarily for ‘Hillbilly Music’. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-indian-outlaw-not-kill-tim-mcgraws-career/480641/18 "2009-01-10T18:15:15Z")
I always thought it had purposefully stoopid lyrics about an Indian wannabe; I took it as a spoof. Plus it’s got the riff from “Indian Reservation.” What’s not to love? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Lucky\_13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucky_13/32/13209_2.png) [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-indian-outlaw-not-kill-tim-mcgraws-career/480641/19 "2009-01-10T18:17:19Z")
I think part of the reason it was such a hit was that it wasn’t the typical glurge that passes for country music nowadays. I swear, if I hear one more song about babies and Jesus and pick-up trucks and how Grandpa remembers coming back from the war, I’ll throw my radio across the room. It makes me miss the old country songs my dad used to listen to, with actual cowboys ( **not** “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” by our friend Toby Keith) and honkytonks and drinkin’ and cheatin’ and what not.