The least musically interesting track still has a pretty interesting ring today. "Americans (A Canadian's Opinion)" involves Tex Ritter reading a letter to the editor from some Canadian speaking up in praise of America. It's nothing to do with the war, but basically excoriates the entire rest of the world for being ingrates, with nice details. Again, it's not really a song, but I am really, really appreciating the sentiment about now.
Oddly, the most recent and directly relevant song here seems the most distant and out of place. Hank Jr had a decent sized hit during the first Gulf War with "Don't Give Us a Reason." It's even a pretty good outlaw rock song with good hooks, actually one of his best musical constructs.
The tone of this thing absolutely would not fly today, however, and makes a real clear display of differences between then and now. The whole glib tone of this, the truly jingoistic and arrogant belligerence would be totally unacceptable. "You can take that poison gas, and stick it in your sassafrass." I seem to remember a lot of guys with cheap macho posturing about killing them all and letting God sort them out, and so forth. It's a much more serious world now, and I'm not hearing ANY of that, not even out here in rural crackerland. "I'd like to find out just for fun just how fast those camels can run." Yup, that was a different era.
You need to hear this. If you can't get it at Amazon, try hunting the songs down via Kazaa.
Article comments
1 - Elizabeth Inman
Wow where do I start. I am Elizabeth Inman I am the oldest granddaughter of the late Autry Inman. My father is his oldest son. It is amazing to me that after nearly 20 years of him being gone that people still can read, and listen to my "POP". Thank you for keeping him alive in his music, out side of his family that was his life. God Bless...
2 - Al Barger
Miss Elizabeth- You're most welcome. It must be a fine point of pride to have such a cool grandpa. That'd definitely be bragging rights.
Merry Christmas.
3 - bliffle
The country song I remember from the Vietnam era was "Dee-troit City", played over and over on the tavern jukebox by soldiers on R&R, and at the chorus the whole joint would join in: "I want to go home, I want to go home, Lord how I want to go home".
4 - Al Barger
Oh yeah, that was a big hit for Bobby Bare - and recorded by a whole bunch of people.
Then, of course, there was Merle who found them dang nabbed hippies walking on his fighting side. I note that Merle Haggard is now strongly supporting Hillary Clinton for president - after having voted for Bush.
5 - bliffle
I never heard a soldier play one of those other songs.
Did you?