Thursday, April 02, 2009
Hey, Mr. Rich: WTF?
So this cowboy dude John Rich whips together a song called "Shuttin' Detroit Down" and it gets lots of airplay; but any thinking person has to wonder, does he really give a rat's ass about Detroit? Just who would Mr. Rich have us believe is "shuttin' Detroit down"? Consider the man's real colors, courtesy of his oafish masterwork of 2008, "Raisin' McCain" (i.e. lubin' the rubes):
He stayed strong, stayed extra long
‘Til they let all the other boys out
Now we’ve got a real man with an American plan
We’re going to put him in the big White House!
Well we’re all just raisin’ McCain
Everywhere across the USA
You can get on the train or get out of the way
We’re all just raisin’ McCain!
Well, Mr. Rich, you may happen to be rich, but featured at the top is a much more authentic song of woe for Detroit, dating from The Great Depression, performed by Victoria Spivey in 1936, called "Detroit Moan." By comparison, Mr. Rich, your latest offering earns a Detroit groan.
Today's Rune: Fertility.
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4 comments:
Yeah, now is about the time for the fake-populists to come out of the woodwork.
I just read an article today, an interview with a guy who lives in Detroit who eats pretty well off the wildlife that is repopulating all the abandoned lots. He was real fond of raccoon.
I can understand the populism of this song, never heard it that I know of, but here's the lyrics. I think it runs somewhat in accord with the Spivey tune.
Although in '36 there was a 50% unemployment rate among blacks as opposed to today's 22% adjust for the suburbs and the population loss of the city...I believe the stats would come out near equal.
John Rich
Shuttin' Detroit Down
Written By: John Rich, John D. Anderson
My daddy taught me that in this country everyone’s the same
You work hard for your dollar and you never pass the blame
When it don’t go your way
Now I see all these big shots whinin’ on my evening news
About how they’re losin’ billions and how it’s up to me and you
To come running to the rescue
Well pardon me if I don’t shed a tear ‘cause they’re selling make believe
And we don’t buy that here
Cause in the real world there shutting Detroit down
While the boss man takes his bonus pay and jets out of town/
And DC’s bailing out the bankers as the farmers auction ground,
Yeah while they’re living it up on Wall Street in that New York City town,
Here in the real world there shuttin’ Detroit down.
They’re shuttin’ Detroit down.”
Well that old man’s been workin’ in that plant most all of his life
Now his pension plan’s been cut in half and he can’t afford to die
And it’s a crying shame, ‘cause he ain’t the one to blame
When I look down and see his caloused hands,
Let me tell you friend it gets me fightin’ mad
Cause in the real world there shutting Detroit down
While the boss man takes his bonus pay and jets out of town/
And DC’s bailing out the bankers as the farmers auction ground,
Yeah while they’re living it up on Wall Street in that New York City town,
Here in the real world there shuttin’ Detroit down.
They’re shuttin’ Detroit down.”
Instrumental solo
Yeah while there’ living it up on Wall Street in that New York City town
Here in the real world there shuttin’ Detroit down
Here in the real world there shuttin’ Detroit down
In the real world they’re shuttin Detroit down, they’re shuttin’ Detroit down.
http://www.roughstock.com/cowpie/songs/J/john-rich/shuttin-detroit-down
There seems to be a particularly upsurge in these kinds of "Americana" songs of late. Kind of smarmy and unpleasant. Did you see Team America. They did such a great send up of it with "Freedom costs a buck o five.
I'm not sure why music people use their format for political views. It rarely seems so work. John Rich is a good old boy and those songs are fun and not at all questionable. Just maybe in taste, that is!
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