Mediaite's "The Top 10 Songs Guaranteed To Annoy Liberals"

[Amerigo Vespucci]

1. Lee Greenwood - "God Bless the USA"



http://www.mediaite.com/online/the-top-10-songs-guaranteed-to-annoy-liberals/

This 1984 mega-hit is synonymous with people wearing bald eagle tee shirts and flag-print shorts, waving an American flag while eating a hot dog at some kind of patriotic rally -- an image that is sure to irritate liberals.

The song has had multiple surges in popularity -- during the 1984 Reagan campaign, during the run-up to the Iraq War, and during Bush's re-election. All things that annoy liberals.

Choice lyrics: "I'm proud to be an American / Where at least I know I'm free / And I won't forget the men who died / Who gave that right to me / And I gladly stand up / Next to you and defend her still today / ‘Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land / God bless the USA"

Check out the song below:

11 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	1. Lee Greenwood - "God Bless the USA"
	7 (64%)
	Toby Keith - "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American)"
	1 (9%)
	3. Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Sweet Home Alabama"
	1 (9%)
	4. The Beatles - "Taxman"
	0 (0%)
	5. Bob Dylan - "Neighborhood Bully"
	0 (0%)
	6. Rush - "The Trees"
	0 (0%)
	7. Oingo Boingo - "Capitalism"
	0 (0%)
	8. Katy Perry - "Part of Me"
	0 (0%)
	9. Hank Williams - "No No Joe"
	1 (9%)
	10. Madonna - "Papa Don't Preach"
	1 (9%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[hifiguy]

1. That Greenwood song is so awful

in so many ways it just makes me

Ugh. Horrendous.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

9. It's not a bad song-lyrically and melodically

but it always leaves a bad taste in my mouth because of it's association with the Bush/GOP political orgy they had with 9/11 after it happened, as well as the run-up to the Iraq War, so, yeah

[Taverner]

46. Even the melody is maudlin...perfect jerk off material for faux patriotism everywhere...

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

92. and the GOP trots him out every time they start a war

and treat the Branson has-been like he wrote the national anthem.

[Silver Swan]

94. I worked for a large Federal government agency all my life.

We even had a chorus, of which I was a member.

For a while in the 1990's, the regional head of our agency was a big country music fan.

"God Bless the USA" was his favorite song. We had to sing it on many occasions. The arrangement we sang was in four part harmony, and the ending was in seven part harmony.

I didn't really mind singing it, but a song like that does not deserve seven part harmony!

[alcibiades_mystery]

2. Most of those songs are liable to annoy anybody with musical taste

Just sayin'...

[Amerigo Vespucci]

4. Very, very true.

Wish I had an example of a tuneful, well-written, hook-filled song that only fell short on its red state leanings. I don't care for most of the songs on the list simply because I don't care for most of the songs on the list.

[Scootaloo]

21. Here's one; Tyr's "Rainbow Warrior"

it's good music (if you don't mind metal), but it's basically the Faroese band's extended wish that Captain Paul Watson drowns (Paul Watson, formerly Greenpeace, currently head of Sea Watch, featured in "Whale Wars," and captain of the Rainbow Warrior when his crew scuttled several whaling ships in the Faroes)

The music itself alludes to Heimdal, the guardian of the bifrost bridge - a rainbow that connected Asgard and Midgard. it does so in mockery; Like i said, it's well-constructed and musically good and the message just makes me wanna smack these guys - doesn't mean I don't absolutely dig their music, though

[Tom Ripley]

62. "God Bless America"...Berlin could certainly write a tune, but the lyrics are obnoxious

In fact, Guthrie wrote "This Land is Your Land" in response

[Codeine]

95. "Don't Tread on Me" by Metallica is a pretty rockin' tune,

that I enjoy despite the political leaning.

(Actually, the first 30 seconds are uncharacteristically awkward, but then it picks up.)

[cynatnite]

3. I really like Sweet Home Alabama...

That's the only one on the list I do like.

[Cali_Democrat]

10. That's the only good song on the list. n/t

[freshwest]

30. Agreed.

[TBF]

41. I like it too. nt

[XemaSab]

89. word

[wandy]

47. Sweet Home Alabama was written as a response to Neil Young's Sothern Man and Alabama......

Sweet Home Alabama" was written as an answer to two songs, "Southern Man" and "Alabama" by Neil Young, which dealt with themes of racism and slavery in the American South. "We thought Neil was shooting all the ducks in order to kill one or two," said Ronnie Van Zant at the time.[2] The following extract shows the Neil Young mention in the song:

Well I heard mister Young sing about her
Well, I heard ole Neil put her down
Well, I hope Neil Young will remember
A Southern man don't need him around anyhow

Van Zant's other response was also controversial, with references to Alabama Governor George Wallace (a noted supporter of segregation) and the Watergate scandal:

In Birmingham, they love the governor (boo boo boo)
Now we all did what we could do
Now Watergate does not bother me
Does your conscience bother you?
Tell the truth
...
Sweet home Alabama, oh, sweet home baby
Where the skies are so blue and the governor's true

In 1975, Van Zant said: "The lyrics about the governor of Alabama were misunderstood. The general public didn't notice the words 'Boo! Boo! Boo!' after that particular line, and the media picked up only on the reference to the people loving the governor."[3] "The line 'We all did what we could do' is sort of ambiguous," Al Kooper notes. "'We tried to get Wallace out of there' is how I always thought of it."[3] Journalist Al Swenson argues that the song is more complex than it is sometimes given credit for, suggesting that it only looks like an endorsement of Wallace.[3] "Wallace and I have very little in common," Van Zant himself said, "I don't like what he says about colored people."[3]


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_Home_Alabama

Incase you forgot the words and the tone............

"Southern Man"

Southern man
better keep your head
Don't forget
what your good book said
Southern change
gonna come at last
Now your crosses
are burning fast
Southern man

I saw cotton
and I saw black
Tall white mansions
and little shacks.
Southern man
when will you
pay them back?
I heard screamin'
and bullwhips cracking
How long? How long?

Southern man
better keep your head
Don't forget
what your good book said
Southern change
gonna come at last
Now your crosses
are burning fast
Southern man

Lily Belle,
your hair is golden brown
I've seen your black man
comin' round
Swear by God
I'm gonna cut him down!
I heard screamin'
and bullwhips cracking
How long? How long?

[Son of Gob]

73. Southern Man is one of the greastest songs of all time

[Tom Ripley]

78. Maybe if Neil had changed the lyrics to "swear by God I'm gonna have Bruce or some...

some other member of the crew cut him down!"
It would have been more honest and accurate.
Even Young says that "Sweet Home Alabama" is the better song. He's right; it is far more nuanced.

[Son of Gob]

81. Thanks for the laugh

[Tom Ripley]

85. That's cool

I actually really like Young's work

[senseandsensibility]

75. Thanks for a great post.

Sweet Home is a very conservative song, lyrically. The lyrics are conservative and content free, just asserting things with nothing to back them up. Musically though, I've always liked the song.

[RebelOne]

72. Me too. It is great driving music. n/t

[ikri]

103. Yeah, the author apparently needs to listen to that song again

They highlight the lines

"Sweet home Alabama / Oh, sweet home baby / Where the skies are so blue / And the governor's true"

but don't think to mention the very next line in the song

Boo, Boo, Boo

It was a tongue-in-cheek response to Neil Young's Southern Man, but Lynyrd Skynyrd were friends of Young's and I'm fairly sure that Neil Young has covered the song live on occasion. Too many people think that the song was in support of George Wallace when they're clearly booing him in the song.

[Warpy]

5. I'll vote for "Tax Man"

I think McCartney must've written that one, a howl of protest by someone who's paid much more than anyone has any right to be paid against the government taking part of it because it's what allowed the stability that enabled him to rake all that money in.

I've always hated tax whiners. This song is their anthem.

[bigbrother05]

15. Tax Man was written at a time when the top rate was something like 90% or more in the UK

Paul's my 4th favorite Beatle, but the majority of his money was made as a result of his own work or collaboration with a few others, not trying to use money to manipulate the production of others.

edit to add: Looked up to verify, written by George after he saw what the 95% super tax in 1966 was taking from his earnings. Given his charitable work through the years, think his initial anger was well channeled in his later life.

PS: Don't think most liberals begrudge high earners, just the attitude that everything should be heaped on the working class and poor.

[Retrograde]

28. 95% according to the lyrics

"There's 1 for you, 19 for me"

"If 5% appear too small/Be thankful I don't take it all"

[Taverner]

48. I think every liberal on DU would agree that 95% is too high of a tax

Even though I want to soak the rich, at most I'd go after 60-75%

[JHB]

65. The thing is, the real effect of those high rates isn't really the direct levy...

...so much as changing the math for financial decision for high-earners. It creates a real cost to squeezing every last buck and sending it upward, so that at some point the wealthy decide the way to get the most for the resources under their control is to not simply pocket it. That's part of why those tax rates came with loopholes to shelter money and lower the effective rate. it was a carrot and stick arrangement.

However, for people who come into a lot of money quickly and don't have the sort of advice they need to make use of the "carrots" at that level, it hits them hard. According to Wikipedia, Taxman was written in 1966 (by George Harrison), which was not all that long after they hit big, and four working-class guys from Liverpool and the sort of promoters they hook up with would not be used to managing that level of cash flow. Thus, they got whacked early on, but they were able to get better advice and financial management later on.

[Warpy]

93. Not me, I think it should be confiscatory

once these jokers start raking in hundreds of millions a year. Hell, some of them are raking in a billion a year, hedge fund guys.

Nobody is worth that kind of dough. Nobody.

Remember, the concentration of great wealth is what gives us a de facto aristocracy, the enemy of a democratic system.

If you don't want your government bought by a few rich men, you have to remove their ability to buy it.

[malthaussen]

104. I wouldn't have taxed George 95%

But I'd like to tax certain US gazillionaires about 100%.

-- Mal

[Taverner]

106. Even the Koch Brothers...they have to pay their staff with SOMETHING

Because dog only knows, they'd love to say "oopsie! we ran out of money!"

[rufus dog]

109. To add...

George should have been taxed at 5%, would have no problem with Paul being taxed at 95%.

[malthaussen]

110. Man, even I wouldn't tax Paul that much.:)

So far as I am aware, even Sir Paul has not tried to undermine the constitution of his country and turn it into a Fascist paradise.

-- Mal

[rufus dog]

111. O.K., maybe a bit over the top

I just want him to go away! Using that cutesy act as a senior citizen just doesn't cut it for me. Had John Lennon lived he may have changed his nature and taken out Paul in one of his concerts. "I got your Silly Little Love Song right here Paulie, now here is Yoko to sing something a bit less annoying"

[Tom Ripley]

116. If I recall correctly, McCartney was the only one of The Fabs who did not become a tax exile

[KatyMan]

18. Taxman is a George Harrison composition. n/t

[Warpy]

23. Thanks. I suppose his enlightenment came after.

I still despise the song.

[emulatorloo]

59. It rocks.

[Warpy]

91. No it doesn't.

It was a throwaway song to fill up space on an album.

[Wind Dancer]

100. Wrong!

You might want to read George Harrison's autobiography.

[RadiationTherapy]

35. In England, the taxes support the monarchy and the Anglican church.

Perhaps that and wars and whatnot played a part in this composition.

[Warpy]

45. No, as I recall, it was a tax whine, nothing more.

http://www.lyrics007.com/The%20Beatles%20Lyrics/Taxman%20Lyrics.html

After all, they only paid the top marginal rate on the really obscene part of their income. They were hardly on the way to the poorhouse, like any current tax whiner.

They didn't give a shit what it was going for, only that it was going somewhere besides their pockets.

[RadiationTherapy]

50. Yeah, I must concede and agree. You pretty much nailed it.

[Art_from_Ark]

54. So why isn't "Sunny Afternoon" by the Kinks on the list?

It was also written to protest British tax policies at around the same time as "Taxman"

The tax man's taken all my dough,
And left me in my stately home,
Lazing on a sunny afternoon.
And I can't sail my yacht,
He's taken everything I've got,
All I've got's this sunny afternoon.

Save me, save me, save me from this squeeze.
I got a big fat mama trying to break me.
And I love to live so pleasantly,
Live this life of luxury,
Lazing on a sunny afternoon.
In the summertime
In the summertime
In the summertime

My girlfriend's run off with my car,
And gone back to her ma and pa,
Telling tales of drunkenness and cruelty.
Now I'm sitting here,
Sipping at my ice cool beer,
Lazing on a sunny afternoon.

Help me, help me, help me sail away,
Well give me two good reasons why I oughta stay.
'Cause I love to live so pleasantly,
Live this life of luxury,
Lazing on a sunny afternoon.
In the summertime
In the summertime
In the summertime

Ah, save me, save me, save me from this squeeze.
I got a big fat mama trying to break me.
And I love to live so pleasantly,
Live this life of luxury,
Lazing on a sunny afternoon.
In the summertime
In the summertime
In the summertime

By the way, three guesses as to who the "big fat mama" is

[Pool Hall Ace]

66. Awww, I always liked this song.

I never really thought of the meaning.

[Warpy]

90. Because it wasn't on the list.

Sheesh.

[Art_from_Ark]

96. But "Sunny Afternoon" is actually "worse" than "Taxman"

since "Sunny Afternoon" whines about the loss of some luxuries (while being able to maintain others), while "Taxman" is more broadly focused on the general trend in the UK at the time of greatly increasing most forms of individual taxation.

Here is a nice article about taxation trends in the UK in the '60s

http://seis.bris.ac.uk/~hihrp/publications/2001%20A%20taxing%20task.pdf

[Tom Ripley]

60. No, that was written by "spiritual" George

[Silver Swan]

97. Tax Man can appeal to anyone

Back in 1999, the man who is now my spouse was separated from his wife. He had to file "married filing separately," which was the highest tax rate at the time. He had to use his entire yearly bonus to pay his taxes because his wife would not agree to file jointly (she had no income.)

He called the local rock station and requested them to play "Tax Man," and I don't blame him.

It reminds me of a ditty from Mad Magazine back in the 1950's, when tax rates were high: Sung to the tune of "It Came upon a Midnight Clear:"

They come on April 15th dear
To take away our gold
Taxmen unmoved by cry of plea
They make our blood run cold

Oh income tax, you break our back
The government takes all
A thief by any other name
Would never have such gall.

We are liberals, and that song can sometimes be appropriate.

[Wind Dancer]

99. oops

already answered - ignore

[lpbk2713]

6. The Piña Colada song tops my list.

That had to be written by a raving mad rethuglican.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

7. I read this list

Was "Papa Don't Preach" somehow anti-abortion? I don't get the connection. Never annoyed me much either.

Also Lynrd Skynrd are not conservatives.

[veganlush]

13. yes Lynrd Skynrd

, at least in part, raving red necked 'baggers.

[cynatnite]

19. No, it's not anti-abortion...

It's more pro-"I'm an idiot pregnant teenager who thinks there will be a happy ending with my no-good boyfriend".

[Erose999]

105. An anthem for the Bristol Palin "teen mom" generation.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

22. The Ronnie Van Zandt Skynyrd was not a conservative band...

...the current Johnny Van Zandt edition pimps album titles like "God & Guns."

None of that's relevant to the song "Sweet Home Alabama," though.

[veganlush]

31. i could be wrong about this,

because i don't buy their albums (sweet home Alabama basically defends the KKK which made it an interesting choice for a KFC commercial showing a black family eating the stuff). But I heard a song from a "recent" album that had audio of The Reverend Wright sermonizing in the background.

[zappaman]

83. wtf?

Please print the lyrics that "basically defends the KK".

[Tom Ripley]

86. Who you gonna believe? Someone's assumptions or your own lying ears?

[KamaAina]

8. Doesn't Katy Perry annoy pretty much everybody?

[MisterP]

11. Skynyrd? the band named after a public school teacher and a song focusing on

this state? http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Hammer-and-Hoe/Robin-D-G-Kelley/e/9780807842881

[maxrandb]

20. If I hear Free Bird one more time

it will be one too many

[GoCubsGo]

57. Yep, and I feel the same about Sweet Home Alabama, too.

Both surpassed being over-played 20 years ago.

[Zalatix]

12. The new GOP songs

God Bless Our Landlord, China
In Corporations We Trust
Corporate Gods, Corporate Masters
Homeless Veterans in the Promiseland
American Homeless Soldier
Give War A Chance
Battle Hymn of the Corporate Republic
Corporate America Will Survive
God Bless the Chickenhawks

[Cali_Democrat]

17. hahahaha

[maxrandb]

14. I vote for "Call me Maybe"

I'll complete 29 years of Naval service and retire next year, and I plan to have a blow up Lee Greenwood's "Proud to be an American" night, just like the famous anti-disco celebrations of old.

When they do my passing the flag ceremony, I want Green Day's "American Idiot" playing!

[all american girl]

87. OMG!!!!! That's awesome!!!

That is EXACTLY what I think about that crap song. My husband has been in the Army for over 20 years and I've had to listen to that "song" waaaaayyyyy too many times. Good call on "American Idiot" one of my favs!!!!!!

[Scootaloo]

16. Gotta go with Lee Greenwood

When any song opens with a ballad-y electric piano, I get annoyed.

"Sweet Home Alabama" a close second, because I am so fucking sick of hearing that song.

And third is Rush. No particular song. Just Rush. Rush is terrible. When I was a kid I was certain that Geddy Lee was actually a cartoon rodent of some sort.

I rather like most of the rest. Toby Kieth's thing is just a clinical example of a bad song, but hey, everyone was cashing in after 9/11, so why not. I've added Hank Williams' piece to my iTunes list, too. Thanks, Mediaite, I'm always on a search for country music that doesn't make me dry heave.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

27. A LITTLE off topic, but...

...the new Rush album "Clockwork Angels" really rocks like a motherfucker.



1). Geddy Lee now sings in a more consistent mid-register voice...no castrati wails.

2). For the most part, the album is guitar-bass-drums-vocals.

I really hated the synth-y Rush and screechy pop songs like "Closer To The Heart."

This album is for people like me. It just rocks, PERIOD.

[Scootaloo]

36. I might look into it

But I'm rather burned out by "rock" these days.

Especially since I made several discoveries about what is commonly labeled as "rock" - it seems to be a catch-all term for "shit i liked in the 70's"

Elton John is disco / pop. DEAL WITH IT
The Police are reggae. Fucking terrible reggae. DEAL WITH IT
The Eagles are country. DEAL WITH IT

Swear to god... this is from the same industry that tries to tell me that Avril Lavigne was punk. They wonder why they're losing money?

</rant>

[Amerigo Vespucci]

39. Don't think of it as "a Rush album."

Rush fans might hate that statement, but I think they know what I'm talking about.

It's just virtuoso playing and singing, really tight, a success on all levels.

[U4ikLefty]

76. From a HUGE Rush fan that is good news.

I'm haven't listened to any songs except for BUTB & Caravan. I'm glad it is a good one. I didn't care for Rush's last release. I'm more into their earlier stuff (Fly By Night thru Signals), but some of their later releases have some gems.

I have to take issue with you about "Closer to the Heart"...that album (A Farewell to Kings) is a great album & "Closer" is a great song IMHO. It has two of Rush's best tunes, "Cygnus X-1" & "Xanadu". Their "synth" period is known as the albums "Grace Under Pressure" thru "Hold Your Fire". I didn't care for those albums at the time, but I am rediscovering them & like them more now that time has passed & I can look at the songs with more perspective.

I look forward to hearing their new tunes at the next concert. I haven't missed a tour since Signals (1983) & will not miss one until they retire. Love them!!!

[NoPasaran]

24. I like hot dogs and patriotic rallies

That Lee Greenwood song, though, is just dreadful.

Give me Stars and Stripes Forever anytime.

[lookingfortruth]

25. Some songs on this list makes no list. Like Sweet Home Alabama

Big wheels keep on turning
Carry me home to see my kin
Singing songs about the Southland
I miss Alabama once again
And I think it's a sin, yes

Well, I heard Mr. Young sing about her
Well, I heard ol' Neil put her down
Well, I hope Neil Young will remember
A Southern man don't need him around anyhow

Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home Alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you
In Birmingham they love the governor, boo boo boo
Now we all did what we could do
Now Watergate does not bother me
Does your conscience bother you? Tell the truth

Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home Alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you
Here I come, Alabama

Ah ah ah
Alabama, ah ah ah
Alabama, ah ah ah
Alabama, ah ah ah
Alabama


I don't know what the Neil Young dig is about BUT as for the rest of the song seems they are calling out people that opposed Watergate or am I wrong?


Papa don't Preach was about a Smart-ass girl wanting to be a baby mama.

[cynatnite]

29. In Papa Don't Preach, the girl was already pregnant...

She just thought there'd be a happy ending with her no-good boyfriend that her daddy hated.

[lookingfortruth]

34. Well, that part too, but its basically a girl who is too young to realize is good for her.

but your right.

[veganlush]

32. the songs calls out young

for his song "Southern Man" which is a rant against the KKK basically...

[lookingfortruth]

33. ah, and they are basically telling Young not all "Southern Men" are racist? Thank you for that

info.

[dionysus]

37. right, but there never was a real feud with Neil.. it was all kinda of tongue in cheek

[RZM]

40. Also 'Alabama' on Harvest

Which is one of my favorites on that album.

[On the Road]

52. "Southern Man"

is directed towards southern men. I think Neil Young went a little over the top with that song tarring everyone in the South with the same brush.

[treestar]

121. +1

Makes a good point but just assumes the Southern Man is racist. Though maybe he was referring to one man, a mythical Southern racist. But non-Southerners can't claim to be clear of racism either.

[treestar]

120. Agree, there is no reason for a liberal to be offended

The right wing thinks the liberals are offended by Alabama or any affection for it. That must be how they think this song belongs.

[GoneOffShore]

26. They left out the most egregious one of all - God Bless America

appalling rubbish that

[GoCubsGo]

56. Worst song ever.

And, like the other songs on that list, nothing but pure schlock, except for the couple of halfway-decent over-played ones.

[GoneOffShore]

98. I thought I was alone in my dislike of that piece of schlock.

[Loryn]

38. Who could forget John Ashcroft?

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=john%20ashcroft%20site%3Ayoutube.com&source=web&cd=5&ved=0CEIQtwIwBA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DwoLQI8X2R6Y&ei=olfaT4XrHYGe2AXe5tinBg&usg=AFQjCNGzfLUujGFnyKHHWif4EX4fxBgB5w

[Aerows]

42. This has to be satire

This article is ridiculous.

Madonna? Yeah, she a true conservative icon, that one. LMAO

[sufrommich]

43. Rush are well known Ayn Rand nuts. nt

[hifiguy]

63. Not for years.

Neil Peart, who writes most of their lyrics, admits he flirted with Randian philosophy for some years. That promptly ended after his daughter was killed in a car crash and his wife died of cancer shortly thereafter. He denounced Rand and abandoned Randism after that.

[KatyMan]

102. When asked about it in a recent Rolling Stone interview,

he said "That was 40 years ago!". People grow and change and young people get into all sorts of things.

[RZM]

44. Greenwood song came up the other day, when a Brooklyn principal yanked it from graduation ceremony

For kindergarteners. Orginally Justin Bieber's baby was allowed, but that has since been axed too (that happened after the story I link to came out).

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/11/greta-hawkins-principal-bans-god-bless-the-usa-at-grad-ceremony_n_1587645.html

[Populist_Prole]

49. Even back when I was a stupid Republican that song made me gag

Such overwrought patriotic syrupy schlock. Gakkkk!!!

[jmowreader]

51. The major reason those songs annoy liberals is they are crappy songs

The guy forgot one: "Have You Forgotten?" It makes me want to go over to Darryl Worley's house, shave his head and drop him off at a Marine recruiting station.

[zappaman]

84. Here's a song that should annoy ALL human beings...

[mrmpa]

53. About 5 years ago, I and my then 16 year old nephew..........

took a camping trip out west. We knew what it was like out there (SD, WY,UT, ID, AZ, TX, OK) and we made the commitment that we would only stand for the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem.

There were 2 events we went to, a rodeo in Cody WY and a dinner show in SD. Both of these events had audience participation for the song "God Bless the USA". When the audience rose and we didn't, we got some nasty looks from people around us. People treat this song like it's the 2nd national anthem, it pisses me off.

[Liberal_in_LA]

55. why do rightwingers think they own the flag, patriotism, red, white and blue and all things American

[Volaris]

114. Because in the face of the Left's rightful claim to things like Logic and Reason,...

Science, facts, and Academic rigor, and American-style problem-solving and know-how, it's all they have left. The raw (and often destructive) emotions of pure, unchecked loyalty and faux patriotism were mostly abandoned by the left as an ideology years ago. We THOUGHT our way out of those kinds of emotional animal traps, and they went ahead and stuck their collective head in, "because, see its a TRAP, its supposed to have SOMETHING in it, DUH!!!!!"
That's my reading of it anyway.

[Liberal_in_LA]

115. +1

[Skinner]

58. An I voting for best song or worst song?

[Amerigo Vespucci]

61. Worst

Sorry...I thought about clarifying that in my OP.

[Tom Ripley]

64. Many here would have a problem with these lyrics by You Know Who...

Valerie Solanis took the elevator got off at the 4th floor
Valerie Solanis took the elevator got off at the 4th floor
She pointed the gun at Andy saying you cannot control me anymore

And I believe there's got to be some retribution
I believe an eye for an eye is elemental
And I believe that something's wrong if she's alive right now

Valerie Solanis took three steps pointing at the floor
Valerie Solanis waved her gun pointing at the floor
From inside her idiot madness spoke and bang
Andy fell onto the floor

And I believe life's serious enough for retribution
I believe being sick is no excuse and
I believe I would've pulled the switch on her myself

When they got him to the hospital his pulse was gone
they thought that he was dead
His guts were pouring from his wounds onto the floor
they thought that he was dead
Not until years later would the hospital do to him what she could not
Andy said, "Where were you, you didn't come to see me"
Andy said, "I think I died, why didn't you come to see me"
Andy said, ""It hurt so much, they took blood from my hand"

I believe there's got to be some retribution
I believe there's got to be some retribution
I believe we are all the poorer for it now

Visit me, why didn't you visit me
Visit me, why didn't you visit me

[Warren DeMontague]

67. The fact is, right wingers tend to make shitty music.

Put the catalog of, say, Springsteen or R.E.M. up against that of the 'Nuge.

[XanaDUer]

68. I'm not sure "Sweet Home Alabama" is a

Conservative song.

[quaker bill]

70. I prefer the Warren Zevon version

it is closer to correct.

[Tom Ripley]

77. Like "Sweet Home Alabama", Zevon's "Play It All Night Long" is often misinterpreted

Many people like to think it's a condescending "yuk yuk...let's laugh at the ignorant redneck crackers" spoof, but it's actually a sardonic examination of how the poor working class give up hope and grasp onto trivial and meaningless things in order to give themselves some measure of worth.

[quaker bill]

123. And thus closer to the truth

[DFW]

69. Do you think this one might annoy Republicans?

"The Nasty G O P" (a parody of "The Addams family&quot

[quaker bill]

71. Music does not annoy me as much as the assumption

that I can be annoyed by little ditties. They can play all the songs they want, as long as I can raise the tax rates for the 1%.

[Greywing]

74. Can we add another one to the list?

I vote for America the Beautiful as "sung" by Willard Mitt Romney

[Amerigo Vespucci]

79. Oh hell yes.

[otohara]

80. Pretty Sure Only 3 Artists Would Allow

Their songs to be played at a GOP event. Mediate likes to make trouble ... Dan Abrahams sell out with the Drudge headlines...

[jp11]

82. Taxman is awesome

Sweet home Alabama is okay and so is Papa Don't Preach.

[sarisataka]

88. Bruce Springsteen-"Born in the USA"

just because nobody actually listens to what the song is saying.

[Lilyeye]

101. From my understanding

it was conservatives who bitched over Papa Don't Preach. They said it glorified teen pregnancy.

[Erose999]

107. LEE GREENWOOD IS CANADIAN.... FOR SERIOUS....

I demand to see his fake Canadian birth certificate. This guy is a Molson drinking hockey fan. He calls ham "bacon". He eats poutine at Horton's and his hero is Wayne Gretzky.

[malthaussen]

108. "Ballad of the Green Berets" should be on this list

The number-one hit of 1965, all about how wonderful it is that good and valiant men should be sent off to die to further some politician's lie.

-- Mal

[Bake]

112. Greenwood is just schlock.

The rest are OK, except for Rush. Geez, I hate Rush!!!! Loungers will agree (or not).



Bake

[cbdo2007]

113. I like how they have a token Bob Dylan song....as if it erases the hundreds of liberal

songs he wrote.

"Chimes of Freedom" is worth 1,000,000 "Neighborhood Bully's"

[Solly Mack]

117. Piffle

[bluesbassman]

118. No fair, 1 & 2 deserve a vote. I picked Keith, just for that stupid Red Solo Cup POS "song".

Can't stand that guy.

[treestar]

119. No liberals are not irritated by patriotism

Another one of the right's lies.

"Gave that right to me?" I thought they were given us by God, according to the right themselves? That song actually claims we get our rights from the military? It's stupid.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

122. IIRC, Danny Elfman admitted that "Capitalism" was pure tongue in cheek satire.

The lyrics seem to support that notion....they sound like Archie Bunker singing them:


There's nothing wrong with Capitalism There's nothing wrong with free enterprise Don't try to make me feel guilty I'm so tired of hearing you cry There's nothing wrong with making some profit If you ask me I'll say it's just fine There's nothing wrong with wanting to live nice I'm so tired of hearing you whine About the revolution Bringin' down the rich When was the last time you dug a ditch, baby! If it ain't one thing Then it's the other Any cause that crosses your path Your heart bleeds for anyone's brother I've got to tell you you're a pain in the ass You criticize with plenty of vigor You rationalize everything that you do With catchy phrases and heavy quotations And everybody is crazy but you You're just a middle class, socialist brat From a suburban family and you never really had to work And you tell me that we've got to get back To the struggling masses (whoever they are) You talk, talk, talk about suffering and pain Your mouth is bigger than your entire brain What the hell do you know about suffering and pain . . . (Repeat first verse) (Repeat chorus) There's nothing wrong with Capitalism There's nothing wrong with Capitalism There's nothing wrong with Capitalism There's nothing wrong with Capitalism


The author of this piece probably thinks Steven Colbert annoys liberals as well.

[WhoIsNumberNone]

124. I saw a similar article on Mediaite the other day-

Top 10 songs guaranteed to annoy conservatives:
http://www.mediaite.com/online/the-top-10-songs-guaranteed-to-irritate-conservatives/

Not quite as dubious a list (except for maybe 'Born in the USA'- I can well imagine that after almost 30 years many conservatives still haven't actually listened to the lyrics and still think it's a patriotic song)

Speaking personally I don't find very many of these "Top 10" very annoying. Maybe they should have asked a liberal...