Shut Up and Sing!

Shut Up and Sing!

Popular music in America has always exemplified national politics, and has had a keen influence on cultural and political ideas. After the traumatic acts of September 11,2001 our country plunged into an immediate state of grief, sadness, and mourning. A shifted political climate forced a new way of thinking that was captured through mainstream media. Genres of music motivated different perspectives and ideas on how to handle this unfamiliar and sensitive issue. The influence of music and political climate during that certain time frame culminated in a dramatic shift of grief to revenge and immediate physical action. This universal idea was adopted more by groups of individuals that primarily shared conservative and right-winged thoughts. The focus in this essay will be mostly on popular Country music and how its lyricism, focus, and message directly after 9/11 instilled an important sense of duty in the American people.

There is no doubt that music certainly has its associations. People immediately associate a certain genre of music with certain qualities that it should express. Assumptions through musical interests have also been adopted in ‘normal’ American perspective. The fact that I am a Hispanic- American interested in rap music automatically categorizes me under a more Liberal manner of thinking: “ Still, until recently, popular music- or what I would identify more precisely as the rock and rap axis of popular music- has been linked primarily with liberal to left-wing issues and causes” (Rebee Garofolo, Page 4). With that being said, automatically Country music is associated with the complete opposing view: “Country music has always been coded as conservative and patriotic” (Rebee Garofolo, Page 12). Since Country music has always been deemed as “conservative and patriotic” the natural increasing intensity of patriotism that exploded in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 was expected. One prime example of intense patriotism and revenge that was communicated through lyricism was Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American) off of his album Unleashed. Powerful imagery and a sense of retaliation overcomes the audience in the section, “Justice will be served, and the battle will rage, this big dog will fight when you rattle his cage, and you’ll be sorry that you messed with the U.S. of A. ‘Cause we’ll put a boot in your ass, it’s the American way.”

The pronounced shift in Country music from the immediate aftermath of 9/11 to retaliation is demonstrated in various songs that were composed throughout those years. Songs towards the beginning of 9/11 show more thoughtful reflection, but as time progressed America noticed the subtle switches to conservative patriotism and harsher fight songs. With the surprise attack of September 11, I believe the role of popular music was extremely affected because it had to adjust to the new political moment. Many people in America had changed their beliefs due to the unexpected turn of events, “If anything, Country anthems that pushed the envelope in support of government policy seemed more likely to capture the popular imagination” (Garofolo, Page 8). Now, the people of the United States had come together in an unbreakable united front that rejected any opposition. What happened to the Dixie Chicks at the time period demonstrated exactly how dissent towards the war and national security was forbidden especially in Country music. Martin Cloonan argues this perfectly, “it became increasingly hard for musicians to express dissent, not because music had lost its power to be able to do this, but because of a change political climate.” The extremely sensitive time period made disagreement towards the president’s decision on war unable to be communicated. It was seen as ‘Un-American’ and collectively people saw no other way to retaliate.

I was always certain that music has had the ability to express opinions openly no matter what that opinion might be: it is our freedom of speech. Even though I was not of age to completely comprehend the overall feeling of grief, I never thought that a shift in a political moment had the complete ability to suppress dissent and only allow ideas that were in support of the political issue. What Natalie Maines had said during an extremely fragile time was seen in certain individual’s eyes as forbidden. If it had not been for the time period and the specific genre of music that they were involved with, Natalie’s comment would have gone for the most part unnoticed. For example with Kanye West in 2005 and his comment, “George Bush does not care about Black people” on national television had no affect on his career. The difference between The Dixie Chick’s comment and Kanye’s mainly surrounded the assumptions that had been associated with each certain genre of music. Country music was automatically expected to show support for war, and it must exemplify our country’s intense nationalism. Rap music on the other hand was associated more with freedom of speech and different opinion. Many rap artists approach a certain political issue fearlessly in their music, and support a more liberal manner of thinking.

Personally I believe in freedom of speech, and I don’t understand why the comment that was said had been taken with such a negative connotation. If the Dixie Chick’s would have made the same comment in 2012 I honestly don’t believe it would have been blown out of proportion. Aren’t we allowed to have our own opinions and express them in any way especially through music? I understand how the time period made it difficult for people to express their own opinions due to such a high degree of sensitivity and shock. It is so normal now a days to hear people talk about all of the negative aspects of the president. Perspective and how a person interprets a certain issue through a certain frame is extremely important. Now that I am older I am able to understand how shifts in political climates affects music and furthermore life. With the election of President Obama into office in 2008 many rap songs welcomed the concept of change. Although my parents were my main influence on how I should think and act my music taste also influenced me. If I had been listening to country songs that talk about ideals such as continuity and traditional values my perspective on politics would have been shaped differently. With songs that explored all of the benefits of change that were drilled into my mind my opinion was shaped strongly through liberal views. Music’s influence not only shaped my political view, but it continuously makes me question my ideas. It allows me to be more certain of how I think and feel.