Singer Toby Keith speaks out on ABC Censorship

USAToday ^ | 6/13/2002 | Brian Mansfield

[Lou L]

Country singer Toby Keith has some choice words for Peter Jennings.

Toby Keith says the producer of an ABC 4th of July TV special rescinded an offer to have the country singer perform his current hit after the show's host, World News Tonight anchor Peter Jennings, heard the song and vetoed it.

[BornOnTheFourth]

Me too. He's gorgeous and I love his attitude.

[FreeTally]

If I were Toby, I'd sing it anyway as he walked on stage, unplanned.

You mean pull a Jim Morrison?

Thats how I think every performer should handle "censhorship requests" from networks. Just say it anyway. If they "bleep" it out on the 8-second delay, so be it.

[xsmommy]

xshub has been informed that when toby shows up at the door, i am going with him!

[FreeTally]

The controversial, patriotic song tells of a veteran who lost his eye in a combat training mission and also features a number of confrontational verses.

Unless Keith didn't write the song, its about his father, not just some random veteran.

[BornOnTheFourth]

Just stop at my house on your way!

;-)

[VRWCmember]

Nobody wrote an angry American song, and this was one.

I don't know, but I thought "This ain't a rag, it's a flag" by CDB was a bit on the angry and confrontational side.

[BornOnTheFourth]

He wrote the song. He writes almost all the songs he sings. He was very close to his father.

[TxBec]

Toby Keith is da man bump

[xsmommy]

sure! we'll come visit!

i saw him at Nissan Pavilion last June when he was touring with Brookes and Dunn. xshub and i were 5th row center and i had meaningful eye contact with tobe. SIGH!

[xsmommy]

swoon. i know you dislike hearing the meaningful eye contact story, tx, but BornontheFourth just had to be told!!

[BornOnTheFourth]

Lucky girl!

Now, back to work for me!

have fun!

[flying Elvis]

Someone should start a list comparing the musical reactions to 9-11 by country musicians and rock and rollers.

[ravingnutter]

You are really missing a treat...it is definitely one of those songs where you roll down your truck windows, crank the volume up and sing with emotion. It's a Texas thang...LOL!

Go Toby Go!

[stainlessbanner]

This is the same thing Charlie Daniels told the CMA's when they would not let him perform "This ain't no rag". Country roots run deep and strong in our nation - detractors like pretty boy Jennings can shove it.

[TxBec]

I saw him first :P

[nina0113]

The Charlie Daniels song:

This ain't no rag it's a flag
And we don't wear it on our heads
It's a symbol of the land where the good guys live
Are you listening to what I said
You're a coward and a fool
And you broke all of the rules
And you wounded our American pride

And now we're coming with a gun
And we know you're gonna run
But you can't find no place to hide
We're gonna hunt you down like a mad dog hound
Make you pay for the live you stole
We're all through talking and a messing around
And now it's time to rock and roll

These colors don't run and we're speaking as one
When we say united we stand
When you mess with one, you mess with us all
Every boy, girl, woman and man
You've been acting mighty rash
And talking that trash
Let me give you some advice
You can crawl back in your hole
Like a dirty little mole
But now you're gonna pay the price

You might of shot us in the back
Now you have to face the fact
That the big boys' in the game
And the lighening's been flashing
And the thunder's been crashing
And now it's getting ready to rain

Chorus:

This is the United States of America
The land of the brave and the free
We believe in God and we believe in justice
We believe in liberty
You've been pulling our chain
We should've done something 'bout you a long time ago
But now the flag's flying high and the fur's gonna fly
And soon the whole world's gonna know

This ain't no rag, it's a flag
Old Glory red, white and blue
The stars and the stripes when it comes to a fight
We can do what we have to do
Our people stand proud
The American crowd is faithful, loyal and tough
We're good as the best and better than the rest
And you're gonna find out soon enough
When you look up in the sky
And you see the eagle fly
You better know he's a heading your way
Cause this ain't no rag it's a flag
And it stands for the USA
USA
USA
USA

[skeeter]

While I've never been a fan of Country Music, I'm starting to lean more and more to it because they mostly all seem to be "true Americans", patriotic and all that.

I hear that. I grew up on rock, but my kids (half asian) LOVE country music & have me listening to it. I willingly suffer the occasional saccarine schlock because they seem like my kind of people.

Besides, some of the artists are pretty good, Kieth among 'em.

[snooker]

TOMPETERDAN ... the twilite years

[TxBec]

Alan Jackson's song is another favorite of mine. This patriotism in country music has always been around. I remember seeing Doug Supernaw in concert years ago, a day or so after the OKC bombing. I was in a small, but very noisy club. He said for everyone to take off their hats and offer a moment of silence. The place felt silent and although it is a worn-out cliche, you really could have heard a pin drop for about 2 minutes..

[stainlessbanner]

I saw CDB in Middleburg, FL and let me tell you it was awesome. When Charlie sang "This ain't no rag" he came to the chorus and then "USA, USA, USA", everyone sang with him. The entire crowd was filled with patriotism and brotherhood. I have no problem with the song - I love it.

Mr. Daniel is a true patriot and good Christian man.