PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW

Subject: RE: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: Genie
Date: 24 Jun 02 - 10:07 PM

Lepus,
You're putting Charlie Daniels in the same category as Beethoven? §;-)

Genie

Subject: RE: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: Lepus Rex
Date: 24 Jun 02 - 09:56 PM

Here's the full lyrics, from Mr.Daniels' website... :)

"The Last Fallen Hero"

Oh the cowards came by morning and attacked without a warning
Leaving flames and death and chaos in our streets
In the middle of this fiery hell brave heroes fell

In the skies of Pennsylvania on a plane bound for destruction
With the devil and his angels at the wheel
They never reached their target on the ground
Brave heroes brought it down

Chorus:
This is a righteous cause so without doubt or pause
I will do what my country asks of me
Make any sacrifice
We'll pay whatever price
So the children of tomorrow can be free
Lead on red, white and blue
And we will follow you until we win the final victory
God help us do our best we will not slack or rest
Till the last fallen hero rests in peace

Now the winds of war are blowing and there's no way of knowing
Where this bloody path we're traveling will lead
We must follow till the end
Or face it all again

And make no mistake about it, write it, preach it, talk it, shout it
Across the mountains and the deserts and the seas
The blood of innocence and shame
Will not be shed in vain

Chorus:
This is a righteous cause so without doubt or pause
I will do what my country asks of me
Make any sacrifice
We'll pay whatever price
So the children of tomorrow can be free
Lead on red, white and blue
And we will follow you until we win the final victory
God help us do our best we will not slack or rest
Till the last fallen hero rests in peace

God help us do our best we will not slack nor rest
Till the last fallen hero rests in peace

*gag*

Well, yeah, it's crap, but not terribly offensive (except to talented songwriters, of course). I wouldn't have allowed him to play it, either, if I were in charge of the program. But that's only because I wouldn't have invited a neo-nazi redneck like Charlie Daniels in the first place. :)

Here's an excerpt from another one of this "great songwriter and performer"'s classics, "This Ain't No Rag It's A Flag:"

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
(...yee-haw, more of the same...)

Ah, yes. "Ragheads." Not as classic as "dune-coon" or "sand-nigger," but still a fine slur for a shaggy-ass tub of racist crap like Mr.Daniels. C'mon, Jed. Do you really think this washed-up extra from "Deliverance" has talent? Remember, "millions of people" also enjoy things like paedophilia, pineapple pizza, and classical music. That doesn't make those things "good," Jed.

---Lepus Rex

Subject: RE: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: InOBU
Date: 24 Jun 02 - 09:53 PM

Hi Doug:
Have you spent much time in other countries where you speak the language? If so, you may recognise how far to the right, even PBS is, in most nations, PBS whould be center slightly right.
Cheers, Larry

Subject: RE: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: Genie
Date: 24 Jun 02 - 09:25 PM

I heard Charlie Daniels interviewed about this by Bill O'Reilly (sp?) today, as well as a statement or two from PBS spokespeople.  It seems PBS initially invited Daniels on, with the idea that he'd do some of his big hits like "Devil Went Down To Georgia" and "Orange Blossom Special."  [No, "A Capitol Fourth" is not all opera and show tunes.  They have marches, quite a bit of pop, some R & B, some Dixieland, etc., too---plus, contrary to what O'Reilly implied today--quite a lot of traditional and more contemporary "patriotic" music.]

When Daniels told them of his plans to sing his new song [which hasn't been released yet] on the show, they looked over the lyrics or heard the song and said it didn't fit the upbeat spirit of the song.  As far as I know, they didn't reject it because it dealt with 9-11 per se.  Daniels said he was told its tone was "too angry."

Again, contrary to the headlines I've been hearing on the radio, Daniels did not "get the boot" from PBS.  He told PBS that if he couldn't do his new song, he wouldn't perform for them.

One way of looking at it is that Daniels was offered this performance venue because of the kind of music he's famous for--his big hits--, and that he intended to use it as a platform for launching his new release and for expressing his political views at the same time.

[Don't well-known artists face this all the time, anyway?  Try to introduce your audience to your new stuff and all they want to hear is the old stuff that made you famous in the first place.]

Jim D., you made a good point. Couldn't it be possible that if many songwriters 'auditioned' their new patriotic or 9-11 related songs specifically for the Capitol Fourth celebration, PBS might have found one or more that they thought DID fit the mood of their celebration.  [They usually do include Lee Greenwood's "God Bless The USA" and maybe Garth Brooks's "We Shall Be Free."]

The question really should be:  Should Charlie Daniels's NEW 9-11 SONG get national exposure on PBS's July 4th celebration simply because Charlie had been invited to play his well-known songs?

Genie

Subject: RE: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: GUEST,Lucius, away from home
Date: 24 Jun 02 - 08:48 PM

When will it be September 12th? After a while, this whole business starts to sound like political opportunism. Frankly, I'm trying to deal with the loss of two fine friends on that day, and I wish that CDB and Shrub and PBS and the right wing press would let me get on with it.

Subject: RE: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 24 Jun 02 - 08:06 PM

I agree that 9/11 ought to be acknowledged somehow, but I think it's a bit hasty to condemn PBS for not selecting Charlie Daniels' song. Maybe they're planning to honor the victims and heroes some other way, or with some other song. Does anyone know for sure?

Is it customary, when performers are selected to appear on a national broadcast, to allow them to sing any song they please? I doubt it very much.

Subject: RE: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: Kim C
Date: 24 Jun 02 - 01:58 PM

Charlie Daniels does not, and never has, minced his words. He has always shot from the hip. I don't always like his songs, no, but I appreciate that he has no shame about what he thinks.

I've never watched the PBS July 4 thing all the way through, but it seems to me that Charlie Daniels would be way out of place... if I remember right, they usually have symphony orchestras and opera singers and such like.

But yeah, they should have known what they were getting into when they invited Charlie to be on. ;-)

Subject: RE: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: Mrrzy
Date: 24 Jun 02 - 01:44 PM

Re-read thread title with "Yanks" to mean Americans, and get all kinds of confused!

Subject: RE: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: DougR
Date: 24 Jun 02 - 01:33 PM

And I suspect you are right, Arge.

DougR

Subject: RE: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: GUEST,Argenine
Date: 24 Jun 02 - 03:19 AM

I'm beginning to think Charlie Daniels may yet thank PBS for cutting his song from the July 4th bash. Channel surfing today [sans sound], I saw ol' Charlie's puss on a number of network and cable news shows, with a headline about his being booted from PBS's Capitol Fourth. He may yet get a lot more publicity for getting the axe than he's have gotten from doing his song on the show!

Arge

Subject: RE: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: DougR
Date: 23 Jun 02 - 10:05 PM

Genie: I appreciate hearing your POV.

Larry, my bro: I assume you believe the majority of the media leans to the right. Funny how different individuals view things. I would have no objection (as a tax payer) if PBS and NPR made it clear that they lean to the left, rather than to try to give the impression that they are middle of the road. Frankly, I don't know what that is. Seems to me one leans one way or the other.

DougR

Subject: RE: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: InOBU
Date: 23 Jun 02 - 03:58 PM

Funny thing about the right... they claim the whole of American broadcast media is dominated by leftists, until they wish to point out one of the few, middle of the road networks is leftist (frankly most of you, Doug my brother, don't know what leftest broadcasting IS!) Then, PBS is singled out as leftist... Well, what if it were?
In a pulralist democracy, should there not be at least one leftest station? Frankly I look forward to the day there is one, PBS, aint it!
Cheersm'dears, Larry

Subject: RE: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: JedMarum
Date: 23 Jun 02 - 12:31 PM

Right on M Ted. My feelings exactly! If Daniels is good enough to invited to participate, then he should particpate. PBS oversteps its bounds considerably when the tell him what he can say. If they don;t like the way he plays, sings or thinks; they shouldn't have selected him in the first place.

Subject: RE: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: M.Ted
Date: 23 Jun 02 - 03:18 AM

I may not care for the song, or the sentiments, but I am I grown-up and I learned to live with people who had, and expressed, different ideas than my own a long time ago, in fact I kind of like it--I don't need PBS to shield my little ears--

Subject: RE: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: toadfrog
Date: 23 Jun 02 - 12:48 AM

From the words as stated, it should have been cut because clearly a lousy song.

Subject: RE: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: Jeri
Date: 22 Jun 02 - 08:41 PM

I think it's just gotten to the point where people are sick of hearing about it and they'd just as soon forget the pain of it. I'll agree that the main focus these days seems to be on maintaining a certain level of anger, hatred and calls for vengence, and the convictions that we are right.

Remembering those who died makes things a little smaller. It makes us think of each individual life instead of some amorphous mass called the United States. I think they just want a nice show that makes people feel good, not makes them think.

And I don't believe left/right politics have the slightest relevence.
It's about playing it safe.

Subject: RE: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: Genie
Date: 22 Jun 02 - 08:24 PM

Doug R, I'd describe PBS's bias/perspective differently, depending on which show you're talking about. I don't think Jim Lehrer is very far to the left in his coverage, and when PBS has round table shows, or NPR has "Talk Of The Nation," I hear a much more balanced discussion than is typical of commerical talk radio, or, for that matter, panel discussions on commercial TV. [Case in point: I just watched a panel discussion on Fox Cable last night on the topic of Forest Fires and Forest Policy. The five panelists all discussed-- with much blame, condemnation, and ridicule--the views and policies of "environmentalists" and the Clinton administration [and their alleged culpability in the current widespread forest fires]. Not one panelist was an environmentalist [or even understood environmentalists' position(s) on the issue] or someone who understood the rationale behind Babbitt's or Clinton's forest policies. This is not an isolated incident; it's typical for major radio and TV shows to pass of a Democratic centrist as representative of the "left."

Back to the main point of the thread. The PBS July 4th bash always honors our military, presents traditional patriotic songs, and in many ways resembles the Lawrence Welk Show. I guess they're "politically correct" in the same way he was--not left-leaning, but trying to appeal to middle America without offending anyone. If that show does offend anyone, it's as likely to be the left [who may find the show a bit jingoistic, corny, and schmaltzy] as the right.

Genie

PS, I'd still like to see the entire text of Daniels's song. How does it compare with Alan Jackson's "Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning?"

FWIW, there was a recent thread with a hyperlink to a website with a lot of songs about 9-11. I couldn't hear the tunes, but there were some really good lyrics there. I wonder why PBS feels the need to use material from really famous entertainers like Charlie Daniels in preference to really good [and maybe more appropriate] material from "unknowns." Could it be that PBS, like the "commercial" networks, is owned by corporate big business?

Subject: RE: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: DougR
Date: 22 Jun 02 - 06:38 PM

Genie and I are in part agreement, but I part ways with her when she states that PBS is more in the center. I don't think they make any attempt at all to be in the center politically, to me they very clearly are left of center. The same goes for NPR, I think. I listen to them both, and support them both financially though.

I don't think the Charlie Daniels song represents great poetry, but I don't object to the lyrics as Clinton does. He's just telling it as he sees it.

DougR

Subject: RE: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: JedMarum
Date: 22 Jun 02 - 05:03 PM

Clinton Re; Support? Agreed - they'll simply continue to loose support. Re; Daniel's lyrics? He's accepted by millions as a great songwriter and performer. I appreciate his talent and have enjoyed his music. What makes PBS think we shouldn't hear this song?

Doug - I guess I had hoped PBS would be more open minded.

Subject: RE: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 22 Jun 02 - 01:00 PM

"Oh, the cowards came by morning and attacked without warning, leaving flames and death and chaos in our streets. In the middle of this fiery hell, brave heroes fell . . ."

Well, if that's indicative of the lyrics, I'd cut it too...

Holy lame-wad Batman....

Not upbeat enough? Well, that's their call to make, right... You don't like it? Don't support them on the next pledge drive... Easy as that...

Subject: RE: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: Genie
Date: 22 Jun 02 - 12:40 PM

Jed, I agree that it's silly to try to ignore 9-11 in this year's July 4th celebration, and I will let PBS know that.  "Upbeat" is fine, but they sing "The Star Spangled Banner," don't they?  That one is about a battle, and they do usually include a few songs that are kinda slow and schmaltzy.  Not knowing the full text of Daniels's song, though, I can't comment on its appropriateness for the "Capitol 4th."

Doug R, I agree that PBS is about the ONLY mass medium where you hear any views that are really "leftist" any more.  But I'd hardly characterize their overall slant as far left just because it's closer to the center than the corporate dominated commercial media--or because they are more likely to present an actual two-sided discussion of issues.  And I don't think the term "politically correct" applies to this decision.  If anything, the "politically correct" position in the US today is to plaster Old Glory all over your house, lapel, and car [and one on your wife's forehead] and not question anything the current administration is doing, "because we are at war."

Maybe PBS should use Tom Paxton's song "The Bravest" as a 9-11 tribute.

Genie

Subject: RE: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: DougR
Date: 22 Jun 02 - 12:07 PM

I don't know why you are surprised, Jed. PBS, in my opinion, leads the pack in PC and leftist attitudes.

DougR

Subject: RE: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: JedMarum
Date: 22 Jun 02 - 10:52 AM

OOops! HTML master that I am, I double up on my "newline" commands. Sorry y'all for the format. Maybe the editor gnomes could remove the extra {br} symbols for me ... or we could leave it as is. At least the blickey works!

---

De-spaced --JoeClone

Subject: RE: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: JedMarum
Date: 22 Jun 02 - 10:50 AM

PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW By ADAM BUCKMAN at nypost.com


June 22, 2002 -- Music legend Charlie Daniels dropped out of a Fourth of July TV special on public television after organizers refused to let him perform a song paying tribute to the victims of Sept. 11.

At issue is a tune called "The Last Fallen Hero," which Daniels, 65, has been performing in concerts since he wrote it last winter.

The song deals with the 9/11 terrorist attacks and makes a plea for national unity in the war on terror.

The lyrics include: "Oh, the cowards came by morning and attacked without warning, leaving flames and death and chaos in our streets. In the middle of this fiery hell, brave heroes fell . . ."

Reached by phone in Nashville, Daniels said he found the decision baffling.

"The song is a tribute to the people of 9/11, and I thought it was the absolute perfect Fourth of July song."

Daniels said he thinks it's wrong to put on a July Fourth celebration without acknowledging the Sept. 11 attacks.

"I refuse to be a part of anything that goes on the Fourth of July that we have to ignore our fighting men and women, that we have to ignore the victims of 9/11," he said. "I just don't think it's right."

The producers of the annual PBS special - "A Capitol Fourth," airing live from Washington on Independence Day - say the Daniels song was not "upbeat" enough to be compatible with the other music selections slated to be performed on the show.

Subject: PBS YANKS 9/11 SONG FROM SHOW
From: JedMarum
Date: 22 Jun 02 - 10:48 AM

You might find this article (next post) of interest. I am sorry to see PBS (my ONLY tv network) be so small minded. Millions love Charlie Daniels and millions wish to hear his his opinions - even if they don;t always agree with him. This PBS decision is small minded and peavish. I wrote to tell 'em so at [e-mail]
If you're a PBS fan, you may wish to do so too.