# Suggestions for country music sensibilities with leftist political orientation? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 21, 2008, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-country-music-sensibilities-with-leftist-political-orientation/434318 "2008-01-21T00:36:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-country-music-sensibilities-with-leftist-political-orientation/434318/21 "2008-01-21T17:32:06Z")
A lot of Johnny Cash’s songs are compatible with leftist politics. ---
**Author:** ![SkeptiJess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SkeptiJess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkeptiJess)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-country-music-sensibilities-with-leftist-political-orientation/434318/22 "2008-01-21T20:01:58Z")
[QUOTE=astorian] Even though I’m from NYC, I was touched by Williams’ “That Old Coyote Town,” which tells the story of a small community in West Texas that’s slowly dying. [/QUOTE] Yeah. That’s another of my favorites. [Here](http://www.lyricstime.com/don-williams-old-coyote-town-lyrics.html) are the lyrics. I don’t understand why Williams didn’t get better play. He has a gorgeous voice and many of his songs were both heartbreaking and unusual. Another of my favorites of his is [Maggie’s Dream](http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/williams-don/maggies-dream-10631.html) about a spinster truckstop waitress. “Maggie knows the truckers most by first name What they’ll have to say and what they’ll order And they take her in their stories to places far away And then leave her with the dishes, dreams and quarters” Sad and real and beautiul. Who could ask for more from a country song? ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2008, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-country-music-sensibilities-with-leftist-political-orientation/434318/23 "2008-01-22T00:31:47Z")
Vic Chessnutt, Mark Linkous, and Cracker. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2008, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-country-music-sensibilities-with-leftist-political-orientation/434318/24 "2008-01-22T00:50:52Z")
Vic Chesnutt did an experimental version of Modern English’s- I’ll stop the world (and melt with you). _Modern English- I’ll stop the world_ comes after _Lucero - War_ in my playlist. Coincidence or the language of alphabets? ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2008, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-country-music-sensibilities-with-leftist-political-orientation/434318/25 "2008-01-22T18:14:34Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] I’m a big John Prine fan, but always heard him on rock stations. And you should warn the OP that the song you’re referring to is about 40 years old. 🙂 [/QUOTE] John Prine is usually filed under ‘Folk’ or ‘Rock’ but he’s really a lot of country. Pretty much all of his first album is at least country-ish, and is pretty much all lefty (“Paradise”, “Sam Stone”) I saw him live in 1991 (that’s during Gulf War I for those of you following at home). Before one song he said “You know, some things never really go out of style. Unfortunately, this song is one of them.” Then played “You Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Any More”. Unfortunately, he could say the same thing today I think. I concur with a lot of the “Alt-country” suggestions, but don’t shy away from reclaiming a lot of the classic country catalogue. Willie Nelson is an anti-government pothead from way back, and as mentioned Johnny Cash was explicitly about standing up for the little guy, and they’re not alone. Country music has been grabbed by the right wing, but it doesn’t have to be, any more than loving your family means you have to support torture. Much of classic country is about the little guy and often how he’s getting screwed by bosses and big companies; and you can’t get much more left-wing than that. Heck even something as seemingly pre-packaged and mainstream as Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5" is about the dehumanizing effects of capitalism. Even the gospel-based songs are about coming together to bear up under hard times, and sometimes finding the strength to struggle for what is morally right; as far as I know, few of them are really about hating people who talk funny, the benefits of unchecked capitalism, or the importance of a strong police state. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-country-music-sensibilities-with-leftist-political-orientation/434318.md?page=1)