Ray himself waded into the topic of immigration in 2023 with Jesus at the Taco Truck, written and performed with Shy Carter, about a man named Jesus with scars on his feet and hands from crossing the Rio Grande.

Did you hear it on the radio? Probably not. That’s because anything considered mainstream in the genre shies away from social commentary that doesn’t pass the sniff test of conservatism.

all 44 comments

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[–] thorhop@sopuli.xyz 34 points 2 days ago

Country music was ORIGINALLY rebellious music. They were against authority, company scrip, stood for the rights of the worker, picket lines and even unionization.

Much like hip hop, it was co-opted by the exploitative system and turned into another narcicistic, self indulgent & egoistic bullshit.

Reclaim what was lost.

[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world 35 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (3 children)

And it is a shame. Country music used to be rebel music about outlaws and non-conformity. Now it is all god bless America the police protect us and boy the Army sure is cool.

[–] SpookyBogMonster@lemmy.ml 13 points 2 days ago (1 children)

9/11 was a disaster for country music

[–] Vupware@lemmy.zip 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

9/11 was a tragic event, but it’s been milked for over two decades. I don’t give a fuck about 9/11 anymore and honestly when people grieve it nowadays I can’t help but think of them as sheep. Shit happens, move on, or use it as a foundation for a conversation that aims to do more than stir nationalistic sentiment.

[–] Jax@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

I can't see anyone 'grieving' for 9/11 in current year being anything other than performative.

Like, are we still fucking mourning the Titanic? Come on.

[–] Alcoholicorn@mander.xyz 1 points 1 day ago

We had a 9/11 every day during peak covid.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 15 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

also its done by rich millionaires mostly, Taylor swift was like that before she made it big. she comes from upper class, not poor, and adversity. thats why she still mesh with maga people, or at least she hangs out with them.

[–] CarbonatedPastaSauce@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I tried to explain to my girlfriend, who is a big fan of Taylor’s music, that there is no such thing as a good billionaire. It didn’t go over well.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 1 points 1 day ago

travis is totally maga, but he has to be careful not to taint taylors brand, she might as well be one herself. her family moved her to tennesee to appear poor, its so obvious

[–] Floodedwomb@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Its always had plenty of both.

[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Depends on what era really. Compare Merle Haggard "Soldiers last letter" to something like "American Soldier" by Toby Keith.

Country music was never about conformity and licking the balls of authoritarianism. The army certainly used country since the 1950's for recruitment though.

[–] tronx4002@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

No, and I hate headlines like this

[–] OldChicoAle@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Journalism is a joke nowadays

[–] TheReturnOfPEB@reddthat.com 70 points 2 days ago (5 children)

the dixie chicks might resent that sentiment

[–] rumschlumpel@feddit.org 48 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (3 children)

This. Outlaw country has a decades-long tradition, even if rightwing pop country is more popular.

[–] protist@mander.xyz 41 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Willie Nelson ain't no republican

[–] MotoAsh@piefed.social 20 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Yea, but how many of his conservative fans are like conservative RATM fans?

You're not exactly working with the most cognisant group, here...

[–] blitzen@lemmy.ca 15 points 2 days ago

Modern might-wing pop country is just rap for people afraid of black people. And much like their ‘patriotism,’ is superficial and in name only.

[–] natecox@programming.dev 6 points 2 days ago

Well, I’m calling country music “r-pop” from now on for sure.

[–] I_Fart_Glitter@lemmy.world 22 points 2 days ago

They’re just The Chicks now. They were uncomfortable with the racist implications and confederate associations with the word Dixie.

https://www.npr.org/sections/live-updates-protests-for-racial-justice/2020/06/25/883328370/dixie-chicks-change-band-name-to-the-chicks

[–] redhorsejacket@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

If anyone's curious, they actually wrote a song addressing that whole kerfuffle a few years after the fact called "Not Ready to Make Nice". In so far as pop-country goes, it's pretty good.

Also, "Gaslighter" is a bop, while I'm recommending songs of theirs.

[–] blitzen@lemmy.ca 20 points 2 days ago

I liked The Dixie Chicks then, and like them now. Her statement has aged well, and the response to it hasn’t. But their music wasn’t particularly woke or progressive in the way Guthrie’s was or Hellas’ is.

There is something satisfying about critique coming from what conservatives would consider ‘their music.’

[–] ruuster13@lemmy.zip 3 points 2 days ago

In the spirit of Renee Good, pull a switcheroo and give the credit to Beyonce.

[–] Godric@lemmy.world 49 points 2 days ago (2 children)

For a genre that owes itself to guitars with "this machine kills fascists" stamped on it and men who "wear the black for the poor and the beaten down", modern country sure is a sad cesspool of media consolidation.

Jesse Welles has a great song that yall might enjoy - "Join ICE"

[–] BurntWits@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Love Jesse Welles. He was my top artist last year and I’m going to see him in March. Very excited. More people on Lemmy need to check him out, he really appeals to the politics here.

[–] Godric@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

If you had to pick one for people to listen to, what song/album is your favorite?

[–] BurntWits@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The way I see it, he sort of has two sides to his music. There’s the Guthrie-style political protest stuff, and then the Dylan-esque poetic stuff. Both are fantastic.

For political stuff, it kind of depends on what you want to hear since he basically sings the news, but War Isn’t Murder, about the genocide in Gaza, and Red, about the Trump administration, are his top songs. The Great Caucasian God is probably my favourite though since it’s such a good dig at the stereotypical conservative rural American, even down to the style he chose to write in (more of a twangy hillbilly country style, unusual for him typically).

For more poetic stuff, my favourite that he’s published is Malaise, which does still have a couple digs, mostly at Musk (e.g. “will they measure mars in acres?”), but it’s not as outright protest-y as the first few I mentioned. But for his poetic side I actually prefer the stuff he hasn’t published and is just on his YouTube channel, namely Nothing which just came out less than two weeks ago, and Siddhartha. His guitar work on both is great and so are the lyrics.

Both Malaise and Great Caucasian God are from his album Devil’s Den (and he also released With The Devil on the same day, with all the same songs just in a different style, both are excellent), and that’s my favourite album of his. It’s not as political though (aside from the first song), for a more political album from him, Hells Welles is probably my recommendation. The first eight songs off that album are great protest songs, mostly done in a sarcastic manner which is his style (sing from the perspective of the person he’s criticizing).

If you like stripped down acoustic guitar, harmonica and vocals, and aren’t feeling overly political music, Patchwork is great. I’ve got it on vinyl, it’s awesome.

TL;DR check out War Isn’t Murder, Red, and/or Great Caucasian God for political stuff and if you like it check out his album Hells Welles. For poetic stuff, Malaise, and then Nothing and/or Siddhartha on his YouTube channel. If you just want stripped down acoustic music that’s more easy listening, his album Patchwork is great.

[–] Godric@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Oh man, I didn't know he did War Isn't Murder, fantastic song, thanks for the reccos!

[–] BurntWits@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 day ago

No problem! I’m always happy to talk Jesse Welles, feel free to ask any time!

By the way, if you love War Isn’t Murder and Red, check out Domestic Error too. It’s got a similar feel and also has great lyrics (like all his songs).

[–] MotoAsh@piefed.social 11 points 2 days ago

He also went on Joe Rogan, and has a similar song about the Epstein files.

Of course, all Joe needed to 180 yet again was to invite another conservative back on...

[–] inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

Betteridge's Law of Headlines strike again.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 27 points 2 days ago (1 children)

A Century of Folk Musicians: "Are we a joke to you?"

[–] agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

No, but that energy has been mostly dormant in the public eye for decades. It's not the origin of leftist country, it's a revival.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

I haven't seen a shortage of it. But I also haven't seen the corporate media pumping these artists to the top of the charts.

[–] rhythmisaprancer@piefed.social 6 points 2 days ago

Country music isn't "waking up," it's just that there are a number of established artists who aren't participating in the mainstream. They have always been there, and there are just as many of them now as there were in 1978. The mainstream of country is the same as any other genre. There are all kinds of Hip Hop artists that didn't get heavy airplay in the 90s because the industry didn't want it, and the country music industry is no different now. So insular. No messages, all money.

[–] MehBlah@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago

the sniff test of conservatism.

If it doesn't smell like shit I doesn't get to be a hit.

[–] HorreC@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

there was lots of antigov/antilawenforcment country. Wonder what happened there.....must have been some woke shit.

[–] SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

I have Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby" stuck in my head.

[–] the_q@lemmy.zip 3 points 2 days ago

No they're capitalizing.

[–] MrSulu@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 days ago

Country doing what rap did in the 80's?

[+] Zikeji@programming.dev -3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

[deleted]

[–] MotoAsh@piefed.social 6 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

If you're not intending to slander the guy, say as much before you post a bunch of evidence to the contrary. If it's merely a funny coincidence, do yourself a favor and say as much.

(yes, you and I both know they're not the same person, but you're living in the times of heavy propaganda, so just do yourself the favor if your intent is just, 'lol')

[–] Zikeji@programming.dev 5 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

I apologize, that wasn't my intent. I must admit I didn't read either article and didn't take the time to consider how it would come across, I merely saw them next to each other in my feed and thought it was a funny coincidence that they looked alike.

[–] MotoAsh@piefed.social 4 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

I hear you. It's not a bad joke/coincidence, they DO look similar, but you really have to understand how an, "lol" in a serious topic comes across. If it's just a superficial, "huh, that's funny", it's almost always worth describing that, "lol random" context explicitly.

Poe's Law, and all that. Yea, it's annoying sometimes, but luckily we all don't live in each others' heads.