Singer Toby Keith speaks out on ABC Censorship

USAToday ^ | 6/13/2002 | Brian Mansfield

[FreeTally]

I've heard that they thought Kilmer played the Morrison role dead-on accurate.

I have heard conflicting reports myself.

One thing I know Robby and Ray did say though, is that when Scott Stapp of Creed sang with them on a VH-1 special, they thought it sounded just like Jim himself. I have to admit, he sounded just like him. Close your eyes and you wouldn't have known.(way off topic now)

[SassyMom]

Thanks for the link to Mr. Jennings. I told them the only people that don't like this song are terrorists and the liberal one sided media!

GO TOBY, I LOVE THE SONG..... especially the boot in the a$$ part!

[Jen]

That's my favorite part too Sassy!

[Jen]

Thanks for the ping, Spookie. Dang, that boy's cute. Good song too.

[Palmetto]

Great harmonies on that one.

[Servant of the Nine]

It is amazing that DreamWorks put it out and is promoting it.

So9

[Alabama_Wild_Man]

Peter who ?? ??

[mafree]

LET'S ROLL!!

[Big Guy and Rusty 99]

the cell phone rining in the begining of "let's roll" brings chills down my spine.

[archy]

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.

The same can be said for Magic Wanda's *Heroes in the Sky,* though that song seems more specificly directed toward Todd Beemer and his fellow passengers aboard hijacked Flight 93 on September 11th....

*Let's roll?* You bet:

[archy]

Heroes in the Sky:

A Tribute by Magic Wanda
to the victims of  the September 11th attacks:

September 11, 2001 - a day when thousands of people from many nations, races and religions fell victim to violence. It was also a day when countless acts of courage and heroism emerged both from trained rescue workers and ordinary citizens alike in the face of grave circumstances. Though the perpetrators of these acts sought to terrorize and divide a nation, the heroism of these people gave an entire nation resolve, unity and courage to stand together and fight back. 

In the days and weeks following the September 11^th tragedy many stories of heroism and courage have been recounted. Many others certainly occurred whose stories will never be told. A few were told that we all embraced. 

In an airplane above Pennsylvania, four men who realized that their own fate and the fate of others on the ground rested on their actions, led a plane of passengers in a revolt against hijackers. The result was they thwarted the intentions of the hijackers. It also sadly resulted in the death of all those aboard the plane as it crashed into a field well short of it’s intended target in Washington. 

In New York City, firemen, police officers and rescue workers raced up into two buildings that soared over a thousand feet into the sky despite the risks to their own safety – many never to return. They guided many to safety, but in many cases heir selfless actions resulted in their own deaths. 

Many Ordinary Citizens in New York and Washington helped and carried injured or disabled strangers down stairs or from burning wreckage. So many of these peoples’ courage and heroism resulted in their own tragic deaths. Thankfully that wasn’t true for every case. From the heart-wrenching stories of the survivors looking for lost loved ones, it’s clear that all of the victims were heroes in so many ways to their surviving families and friends. 

This song is dedicated to all of the victims and especially to all of the heroes of September 11, 2001. To a grateful nation they were and are - Heroes in the Sky. 
 

Heroes in the Sky
mp3  file

Click here to listen.

Heroes In The Sky
written by Regina Koepf

Verse 1:
There were heroes in the sky
while most of us were sleeping.
Then we heard the nation's cry.
Lady Liberty was weeping.
A fire burned.
All hope was lost.
We cried as one.
We searched for God.
We were grounded and our hands were tied,
but there were heroes in the sky.
We were grounded and our hands were tied,
but there were heroes.

Chorus:
There are heroes in the sky.
We can hear them if we listen
to the people who survive.
We can see them in their eyes.
From the winter to the fall
the sun will shine if we have vision,
and we look beyond the clouds
to the heroes in the sky.

Verse 2:
There were heroes in the sky,
brave victims of the violence.
As we search for reasons why,
we remember them in silence.
We felt the fire
from deep inside.
Thanks to God
we are alive.
So many others would have died,
but there were heroes in the sky.
So many others would have died,
but there were heroes.

Bridge:
We can fall back to sleep.
We can harbor our scars.
Or we can turn around and close our eyes
and fall into eachother's arms.
You know that I will catch you,
and our spirits will fly
as we hold on to hope
and the heroes in the sky, oh

Verse 3:
There were heroes in the sky
and all of us are grieving.
But can't you hear a baby's cry
and a brand new mother singing?
The wheel still turns,
and a light still shines.
We share our blood,
and love survives.
We have wings and we can fly,
and there are heroes in the sky.
Yes, we have wings and we can fly,
and there are heroes.

Chorus 2X

[Chi-Town Lady]

Here's the response I just received from ABC.

Statement from ABC News:

The purpose of our special is to celebrate the history of America through its music, as part of our news division's series In Search of America. The three-hour broadcast will have representation from many musical traditions that in many cases are uniquely American -- country, along with jazz, patriotic, rock, barber shop and gospel. Some of our performers will include Sheryl Crow, Kirk Franklin, Gillian Welsh, Brooks & Dunn, the United States Air Force Band and the Singing Sergeants, and the Boston Pops. While we have cast a wide net searching for performers and considered adding Toby Keith tothe lineup, unfortunately a number of factors, including logistical ones prevented us from booking him.

Sounds like the usual rhetoric!

[SerpentDove]

>>This patriotism in country music has always been around. <<

I agree. In fact, it think patriotism in the U.S. has been around, DESPITE what Pecker Jennings wants to have us believe. I don't believe that post 9-11 there was a "surge" of patriotism. That's media spin (IMHO).

[rintense]

"I bet Dan Rather'd let me do it on his special."

Probably not.

[Temple Owl]

I hate to be rude, but I do not like Penis Jennings, Dan (What's the Frequency Kenneth) Rather, Tom,( I made a lot of money on the Greatest Generation )Brokaw, or any of those jackasses. I just refuse to watch them, and I am going to go to the annual Fourth of July Parade in Newtown Square Pennslvania and I am going to salute the American Flag. So what do you think of that?

[jude24]

Thats whats happening to me too....

[CARepubGal]

I love that song! Just another note on the long list of reasons to dislike Little Peter.........Jennings! Grrrrr!

[dts32041]

You can bet your last loonie that jennings would not like anything Steve Vaus would preform....

[Nea Wood]

...they might be surprised to know that Keith sang this song on the AMC Award show a few weeks ago on CBS, apparently with no problem.

My local country station sent some deejays to the rehearsal and to the actual filming of that show. According to them, Toby was told NOT to sing the word "@ss." During rehearsals, he pretended to obey. But for the actual taping, he sang it! Go Toby go!!!

[Ladybug1]

Until Jennings raises his right hand and takes the American oath, he needs to keep his Canadian mouth shut. JMHO.