This is NOT a pro-lynching song

[KCfromNC]

No the one I was talking about was actually interfering with an election

Sounds off topic (and also unsurprisingly vague), unlike my example of attempted censorship from people getting "unreasonably offended" at somebody free speech.

 

[Pommer]

No the one I was talking about was actually interfering with an election

What election?

 

[BPPLEE]

What election?

The last presidential election

 

[Brihaha]

On reflection I think you nailed the real problem with the song: the commodification of tribalist divisions. Raised right small towners (of which Aldean isnt even actually one) vs degenerate city people. Its just more of the setting-against-each-other that American needs . If I believed in "dark forces" I think theyd be spreading their wings and rejoicing at the success of this sort of thing.

Yessir, that's exactly why as a man of faith I'm compelled to refrain from listening to Aldean's music going forward. These people perpetuating the us vs them culture wars are not working For my Lord. They work against Him. And I'm sure those dark forces are celebrating each time someone with a large platform spreads discord and hate.

I will add merely being a simpleton doesn't automatically make one a bad person. But those simpletons who intentionally close their minds to truth to justify their bigotry do not earn much respect from me. And I will not buy either the narrative or the wares in which they peddle.

 

[probinson]

On reflection I think you nailed the real problem with the song: the commodification of tribalist divisions. Raised right small towners (of which Aldean isnt even actually one) vs degenerate city people. Its just more of the setting-against-each-other that American needs . If I believed in "dark forces" I think theyd be spreading their wings and rejoicing at the success of this sort of thing.

That's an odd analysis. I listened to the song and watched the video yesterday for the first time, and I have no idea how you came up with this summary. I'm wondering if maybe you're listening to a different song...

 

[Pommer]

The last presidential election

The one where Joe Biden was a private citizen?

 

[durangodawood]

That's an odd analysis. I listened to the song and watched the video yesterday for the first time, and I have no idea how you came up with this summary. I'm wondering if maybe you're listening to a different song...

I got it from reading the lyrics plus peoples description of the video. So I just watched the video and its worse than I had even thought. (And, just musically, the song is worse than Id imagined too - but thats not really the topic.)

 

[probinson]

I got it from reading the lyrics plus peoples description of the video. So I just watched the video and its worse than I had even thought. (And, just musically, the song is worse than Id imagined too - but thats not really the topic.)

Could you highlight exactly where in the lyrics it talks about how city people are degenerate?

 

[durangodawood]

Could you highlight exactly where in the lyrics it talks about how city people are degenerate?

Its in the video where we see that all these bad-behavior people are city people, as opposed to the raised-right small towners.

 

[BPPLEE]

The one where Joe Biden was a private citizen?

Yes that one. He was the Democrat nominee and it was done on his behalf

 

[durangodawood]

I just want wholesome country music with good values about loyalty, freedom, hard work, heartbreak, wide open spaces in the natural world, and of course, drinking beer.

...like most of the country music I used to play in the country bar. Country was never really my thing but I was always proud to play my best for all the rural / small town country people here and I genuinely wanted them all to have a great time - even thought I come from a different background closer to the "degenerate city folks". It wasnt just about the paycheck.

 

[probinson]

Its in the video where we see that all these bad-behavior people are city people, as opposed to the raised-right small towners.

We do? I mean, we see that all these bad-behavior people are carrying out their bad behavior in the city, but I don't see anywhere where it is implied that they are all "city people" (whatever that means). That's the juxtaposition in the song and the lyrics. The message appears to be that if you carjack an old lady at a red light in NYC, 100 people might walk by and do nothing. But if you try that same thing in a small town, you might get a different reaction.

 

[durangodawood]

....but I don't see anywhere where it is implied that they are all "city people"......

The song title implies that. And the imagery is supposed to remind everyone of urban "blm" type riots. Im surprised that of all things we'd disagree on this point - which seems pretty clear to me,

 

[probinson]

The song title implies that.

Where? The title of the song is "Try That In A Small Town". Let's break that down.

Try "that". What is "that"? The lyrics go into great detail. Sucker-punching someone on a sidewalk, carjacking an old lady, robbing a liquor store at gunpoint, cussing out a cop and spitting in their face, stomping on the flag and burning it.

So if you try "that" in small town, you might find a very different reaction than if you try "that" in a city. It doesn't matter who you are. If you are a redneck that tries to carjack an old lady at a red light or someone from the city, you'll get the same reaction.

The song doesn't imply that city people are the "bad" people and small town folk are the "good" people. It's talking about the response you'll get if ANYONE attempts "that" in a small town.

Do you think he's wrong?

And the imagery is supposed to remind everyone of urban "blm" type riots.

Ah yes. Those "mostly peaceful" riots.

 

[durangodawood]

.....Ah yes. Those "mostly peaceful" riots.

See! Thats how this works. Forget the loads mostly peaceful demonstrations in urban areas and pump up the violence and degeneracy. Us (raised right small town) vs them.

Also, bury some of the really creepy stuff people get away with in small towns.

 

[probinson]

See! Thats how this works. Forget the loads mostly peaceful demonstrations in urban areas and pump up the violence and degeneracy.

So you're not upset by the song so much, but rather by the fact that it exposes the very real, very violent demonstrations that happened? You'd like to pretend those demonstrations didn't happen?

 

[durangodawood]

So you're not upset by the song so much, but rather by the fact that it exposes the very real, very violent demonstrations that happened? You'd like to pretend those demonstrations didn't happen?

Its the song too. "Raised right" is clearly meant to be a contrast to the raised wrong not-small-town people people.

Raised right vs the degenerate city people.

 

[durangodawood]

Maybe he should write a song contrasting the noble small towner vs some degenerate rural hillbillys who get away with all manner of wierdness out of sight in one holler or another.

Of course no one would think hes talking about all rural people, so no problem! Right?

 

[probinson]

Its the song too. "Raised right" is clearly meant to be a contrast to the raised wrong not-small-town people people.

Raised right vs the degenerate city people.

Except at no point in the song does it even mention city people, much less "degenerate city people". You've invented that to justify the imagined "offense". But it's just not there. It's a boogey-man you've created.

 

[probinson]

Maybe he should write a song contrasting the noble small towner vs the degenerate rural hillbilly who gets away with all manner of wierdness out of sight in one holler or another.

You wouldn't be stereotyping hillbillies now would you? "Othering" hillbillies, us vs. them, etc. etc. et. al....