The Mighty Musical Observations Thread

[Flex]

A musical observation: Like a zillion other people, I always loved "The Night They Drove Old Dixe Down". Love most versions I've heard - particularly the OG and Baez renditions. Came up on the radio the other day and, unfortunately, it came off (lyrically) as completely repulsive. Current events haven't cast Lost Cause bullshit in a very kind light of late. Alas.

[Wolter]

A musical observation: Like a zillion other people, I always loved "The Night They Drove Old Dixe Down". Love most versions I've heard - particularly the OG and Baez renditions. Came up on the radio the other day and, unfortunately, it came off (lyrically) as completely repulsive. Current events haven't cast Lost Cause bullshit in a very kind light of late. Alas.

Ironically, possibly because of my awareness and upbringing, I've always found that song fairly repellant lyrically, which spoiled it for me long ago.

[Flex]

Ironically, possibly because of my awareness and upbringing, I've always found that song fairly repellant lyrically, which spoiled it for me long ago.

Yeah, I mean, I've always academically understood the problems with the song, but I guess you can get sort of isolated from it as a major contemporary cultural force. I sort of had it chalked up to other antiquated politics that still hold up as folk music. It would have always been in the Problematic bucket, but I guess it feels less excusable than listening to, say, the Meatmen these days.

[Wolter]

Ironically, possibly because of my awareness and upbringing, I've always found that song fairly repellant lyrically, which spoiled it for me long ago.

Yeah, I mean, I've always academically understood the problems with the song, but I guess you can get sort of isolated from it as a major contemporary cultural force. I sort of had it chalked up to other antiquated politics that still hold up as folk music. It would have always been in the Problematic bucket, but I guess it feels less excusable than listening to, say, the Meatmen these days.

In a weird twist of fate, being blatantly scummy and only listenable by a fringe audience is less offensive to me than if you're subtly wrong about an issue via an accessible song.

[Wolter]

Addendum: I sure liked Rebel Waltz a lot more before I realized the Rebels weren't South or Central American as I assumed on early listens.

[Flex]

In a weird twist of fate, being blatantly scummy and only listenable by a fringe audience is less offensive to me than if you're subtly wrong about an issue via an accessible song.

Probably same, I listen to tons of horrible shit (much of it what you listen to as well), but you're not likely to hear any of it on the radio or mistake it for anything but deliberately offensive.

[Wolter]

In a weird twist of fate, being blatantly scummy and only listenable by a fringe audience is less offensive to me than if you're subtly wrong about an issue via an accessible song.

Probably same, I listen to tons of horrible shit (much of it what you listen to as well), but you're not likely to hear any of it on the radio or mistake it for anything but deliberately offensive.

Word. No one is going to hear "crippled children suck" and think "this is a nuanced take about an issue that affects millions."

[Kory]

Addendum: I sure liked Rebel Waltz a lot more before I realized the Rebels weren't South or Central American as I assumed on early listens.

How did you realize this? The song is pretty vague...

[Silent Majority]

Addendum: I sure liked Rebel Waltz a lot more before I realized the Rebels weren't South or Central American as I assumed on early listens.

How did you realize this? The song is pretty vague...

I feel like it lives in an earlier era than the confederacy. I've pictured roundheads instead of greyshirts.

[Dr. Medulla]

In a weird twist of fate, being blatantly scummy and only listenable by a fringe audience is less offensive to me than if you're subtly wrong about an issue via an accessible song.

Which is what so scared mid-century mass culture critics—accessibility. A novel like The Amboy Dukes could be ignored if it was $5 and a library could put it in a special reading room to control access. But charge 25 cents and make it available at bus depots and drugstores—now that's a crisis and justified pressure campaigns. It ain't about producers or consumers so much as distributors. (Tho it can also hint at a fear of the masses.)

[Wolter]

Addendum: I sure liked Rebel Waltz a lot more before I realized the Rebels weren't South or Central American as I assumed on early listens.

How did you realize this? The song is pretty vague...

I used to scoff at critics assuming this, but...it begins with a Rebel Yell. I mean, I do my best to picture otherwise, but Joe was always the romantic type, and I can see him hearing "lost cause" and writing that tale.

[Kory]

Addendum: I sure liked Rebel Waltz a lot more before I realized the Rebels weren't South or Central American as I assumed on early listens.

How did you realize this? The song is pretty vague...

I used to scoff at critics assuming this, but...it begins with a Rebel Yell. I mean, I do my best to picture otherwise, but Joe was always the romantic type, and I can see him hearing "lost cause" and writing that tale.

It seems the English (or maybe just The Clash) misunderstand the confederacy a fair amount.

[Kory]

Addendum: I sure liked Rebel Waltz a lot more before I realized the Rebels weren't South or Central American as I assumed on early listens.

How did you realize this? The song is pretty vague...

I used to scoff at critics assuming this, but...it begins with a Rebel Yell. I mean, I do my best to picture otherwise, but Joe was always the romantic type, and I can see him hearing "lost cause" and writing that tale.

It seems the English (or maybe just The Clash) misunderstand the confederacy a fair amount.

Some commenter on YouTube contends it's about Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms.

[Dr. Medulla]

Blame the Dukes of Hazzard for popularizing all that crap as just fun-lovin' good ol' boyism.

[Kory]

Blame the Dukes of Hazzard for popularizing all that crap as just fun-lovin' good ol' boyism.

I blame that show for many things. Here's the only good thing to come out of it: