With the wounds from the terrorist attacks of last Sept. 11th still slowly healing, it is fitting to look back at some of the more public and controversial responses to this tragedy. To some people, these responses have helped us heal as individuals and as a nation, to others they are a symbol of all that is wrong with America and its money-first, capitalistic economy and the attitude of American jingoism.
These controversial responses are, of course, the many country songs written about 9/11. The themes of these songs range from patriotic calls for revenge to emotional remembrances. It must be noted that, however controversial, country music has always had a way of tapping into the veins of America and putting a finger right on its pulse.
During the Gulf War, country music took the stage, uniting the country with such anthems as Aaron Tippin's "You've Got to Stand for Something." Americans stood together, even more so with Lee Greenwood's 1985 recording of "God Bless The USA," made famous during the Gulf War. With its lyrics -- "Cause the flag still stands for freedom / and they can't take that away / I'm proud to be an American / where at least I know I'm free" -- Greenwood caused swells of emotion in the hearts of proud patriots nationwide.
Unlike in the past, when songs that were already written and recorded found fresh meaning as rallying cries, the 9/11 attacks provoked an unparalleled outpouring of songs written specifically for the occasion. But considering this was such a unique event in American history, there are few songs in existence that can adequately convey the range of emotions.
Alan Jackson's "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)," written in the days and even hours after the attacks, is an honest and pained expression of the grief and sense of loss experienced, as well as of the durability of this nation. The lyrics -- "I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you the difference between Iraq and Iran" -- have been pointed out as telltale signs of American ignorance. To make the reception worse, lyrics such as, "Did you weep for the children who lost their dear loved ones?" have been criticize as overly melodramatic. But the pensive and reflective manner in which Jackson approaches the shock, sorrow, anger and pride of the country perfectly captures the many reactions to the attacks and the many subplots surrounding them.
The majority of outcries and protests from the media elite have been reserved for the more aggressive songs, primarily Toby Keith's "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)."
Written purposely as an angry response, Keith has received the majority of this attention because of one verse: "This big dog will fight / When you rattle his cage/And you'll be sorry that you messed with the U. S. of A. / Cause we'll put a boot in your a-- / It's the American way." By focusing on this verse, many critics seem to have missed the main idea behind the song, which is a man singing about his love for his country, his respect for those who have fought for it -- particularly his father -- and his intense anger caused by the attacks.
Beyond such critical media slights, the response of the public to these songs has been overwhelmingly positive. Both Jackson's and Keith's songs have spent time at number one. And other, lesser-known songs, including Tippin's "Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly" and the Charlie Daniels Band's "This Ain't No Rag, It's a Flag," also have received large amounts of airplay.
The mood that these songs capture is that of the working class, the backbone of America. The terrorist attacks of 9/11 shocked, scared and angered many people, shaking them to their roots. However, the resilience of the American people has been demonstrated over this past year. These songs, whether calls for revenge, reflective odes to the day or patriotic flag-waving, sum up the plethora of emotions so many Americans felt on that day and the days that followed.
To deny that Americans are patriotic and angry, or to deny that Keith's lyrics, "Man we lit up your world / Like a Fourth of July," are indeed true, is in effect to deny the significance of what happened. Through these songs, the American public has stood up and spoken. They love this country and all that she stands for, and there is no such thing as being "overly patriotic"
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