"All them politicians, they are lying sacks of shit"

[revtodd]

Being that today is election day, I have been listening to "Puttin People on the Moon" at very loud volumes.
Now, music (like art) is subjective, and I would never dare to claim I know where DBT stands on political issues based on one or two songs.
However, from listening to the lyrics and reading Patterson's musings on the subject, I'd venture to guess at least Mr. Hood is not voting for the Tea Party.

Here's my question to y'all: Does a band like DBT (or any other) have an influence on your political decisions or do you think entertainers should keep out of politics all together?

Personally, I'm pretty set in my ways and I tend to enjoy music/books/movies that share my enthusiasm and passion for similar beliefs.
I.E. I like what I like because I feel a common bond with the musician/writer/actor. However, if it's good, it's good and I CAN separate the art from the artist. This is how I can manage to still enjoy Ted Nugent. On the other hand, I think Glenn Beck is still an asshole no matter how many books he sells.

Your thoughts?

[gordonlw]

99% of the artist I like seem to be democrat and I'm ok with that

I could see if you're a republican how some of the songs or whatever could piss you off. or make you say "keep politics out of the music". but when you agree with them like I do I say preach on!

[RevMatt]

Good topic, RevTodd.

For the most part, I don't like political songs because they tend to have a short shelf life. James McMurtry had a song called "Cheney's Toy" on his last album. Now, two years later, the song has about as much relevance as a song about Walter Mondale. "Putting People On the Moon" is different because it is a story, not a manifesto. A song like that or "Mama Bake a Pie, Daddy Kill a Chicken" tends to stand up decades later.

When I was twelve I embraced radical politics because of John Lennon and Jefferson Airplane. But now an artist I like has no bearing on my political opinions. I tend to be a centrist and a pragmatist. I don't have an ideology. I just believe in good government and ideas that produce results.

[pearlysnaps]

But now an artist I like has no bearing on my political opinions. I tend to be a centrist and a pragmatist. I don't have an ideology. I just believe in good government and ideas that produce results.

I've never seen the way I think explained so simply and so well. Nice work, Man.

And Todd, thanks for the suggested listening. LOUD!

[dime in the gutter]

in my ears and mind....most dbt songs are political. maybe not donkey/elephant political....but the politics of some thing or another.



just my opinion.

[beantownbubba]

in my ears and mind....most dbt songs are political. maybe not donkey/elephant political....but the politics of some thing or another.



just my opinion.

My opinion too.

[Swamp]

How come them great southern rock bands of the 70's wrote such great
music when they were all Dems and now a lot of them are Reps,
and their music pretty much sucks?

[Zip City]

Music doesn't affect my political leanings.

The political leanings of a particular musician may, however, make me not listen to them.

[scotto]

Here's my question to y'all: Does a band like DBT (or any other) have an influence on your political decisions or do you think entertainers should keep out of politics all together?

The only influence is that it usually reconfirms my already held beliefs (and makes me glad to be in agreement with folks I like/respect).
Other than that, I also agree with Zip's opinion above.

[Tequila Cowboy]

Music doesn't affect my political leanings.

The political leanings of a particular musician may, however, make me not listen to them.

Agreed.

[Cubfan06]

Music doesn't affect my political leanings.

The political leanings of a particular musician may, however, make me not listen to them.

Insert Ted Nugent here.

[Slipkid42]

The lesser of 2 evils
Is how we cast our vote
our motto's not 'In God We Trust'
It's whatever floats your boat

Celebrity opinions on political matters usually matter as much as which piece of crap you end up voting for, anymore; so I don't pay attention. I voted today. I always go 3rd party & anti-incumbent. I checked the box on 2 Green Party, 1 Constitution Party, & 1 Libertarian Party. I also voted for a couple of names 'coz they sounded cool. If only there were no Parties, we might get somewhere (or maybe if we all partied). Another election, another exercise in futility.

[Given to Fly]

Music doesn't affect my political leanings.

The political leanings of a particular musician may, however, make me not listen to them.

Agreed.

I don't really care which way they lean as long as the music is good. I'll listen to Uncle Ted every once in a great ( white buffalo) while. Charlie Daniels finds himself being spun quite a bit here. When they get too preachy in concert ( I listen to a lot of boots ) I simply hit the button that shoots me to the next song. They have their thoughts, I have mine. Let's rock.

[lotusamerica]

rock and roll is liberation.

[Fool No Where]

Does a band like DBT (or any other) have an influence on your political decisions or do you think entertainers should keep out of politics all together?

Neither. I consider myself intelligent enough to make my political decisions, in the best interest of society, regardless of the political leanings of an artist I may have never met.

[Beebs]

I think music is pretty much like the rest of life. While you'd have to be pretty feeble minded to allow musicians/writers/etc to form your opinions for you, they may help to expand your point of view. In the first place though, I think its pretty unlikely that anyone around here is going to be listening to nazi hate punk or that any tea partyers are going to tolerate left leaning stuff like people on the moon or can't make it here. We tend to be attracted to things that back up what we see ourselves as and how we feel.

James McMurtry had a song called "Cheney's Toy" on his last album. Now, two years later, the song has about as much relevance as a song about Walter Mondale.

I keep hearing this being recycled and have to take issue with it. Specifically, we are still very much dealing with the ramifications of this ( 2 wars, great recession, record unemployment, blah , blah, blah ) which, IMHO makes it still very relevant. On a larger scale I think it has value as a cautionary tale. This is what happens when we lack transparency and hand the reigns over based on hubris and pride. Saying its shelf life has expired is like saying there's nothing to be learned from Shindler's List because WWII is over.

[Clams]

I think music is pretty much like the rest of life. While you'd have to be pretty feeble minded to allow musicians/writers/etc to form your opinions for you, they may help to expand your point of view. In the first place though, I think its pretty unlikely that anyone around here is going to be listening to nazi hate punk or that any tea partyers are going to tolerate left leaning stuff like people on the moon or can't make it here. We tend to be attracted to things that back up what we see ourselves as and how we feel.

James McMurtry had a song called "Cheney's Toy" on his last album. Now, two years later, the song has about as much relevance as a song about Walter Mondale.

I keep hearing this being recycled and have to take issue with it. Specifically, we are still very much dealing with the ramifications of this ( 2 wars, great recession, record unemployment, blah , blah, blah ) which, IMHO makes it still very relevant. On a larger scale I think it has value as a cautionary tale. This is what happens when we lack transparency and hand the reigns over based on hubris and pride. Saying its shelf life has expired is like saying there's nothing to be learned from Shindler's List because WWII is over.

Sometimes it's not just musicians and performers who help to flesh out your own views but also folks on said musicians' message boards. Right on, my Adirondack brother.

[never going back]

Does a band like DBT (or any other) have an influence on your political decisions or do you think entertainers should keep out of politics all together?

Neither. I consider myself intelligent enough to make my political decisions, in the best interest of society, regardless of the political leanings of an artist I may have never met.

Yep. If anyone leans politically one way or the other based on someone elses political beliefs (or the words to a great song), they are, in fact, one thing that is wrong with America today. People can't be bothered to think for themselves.

[PeterJ]

Everybody's so busy wanting to be down with the gang. "I'm conservative", "I'm liberal", "I'm conservative". Bullshit! Be a fucking person! Lis-ten! Let it swirl around your head. Then form your opinion. No normal, decent person is one thing, okay? I've got some shit I'm conservative about, I've got some shit I'm liberal about. Crime, I'm conservative. Prostitution, I'm liberal! - Chris Rock

This is pretty much the only "famous person" that I can say I agree with whole-heartedly.

Everybody has got to be party affiliated. Why

[wrekkr]

this time around i voted:

1-Libertain
1-Democrat
5-Republican

i don't necessarily associate specifically with any type of side. i'm probably mostly anarchist-libertarian leaning more towards conservatism than liberal. but like it is, any more these days looking at how the party's policies/decision making is you in no way can associate republican party as conservative nor the democratic party as liberal, imo, they've all strayed from their roots.
the only reason my party voting was skewed more towards republican this time around is because the majority of my consideration for whom to vote is based on voting out the incumbant. i'm ok with the results in my state this time around. the music i listen to has absolutely no bearing on how i vote.

[Kudzu Guillotine]

How come them great southern rock bands of the 70's wrote such great
music when they were all Dems and now a lot of them are Reps,
and their music pretty much sucks?

I can only imagine you're talking about the likes of Skynyrd here and maybe the Marshall Tucker Band. This topic has come up before on other boards and I'm usually directed to a book called Rednecks & Bluenecks: The Politics of Country Music, which I admittedly still haven't read. I believe this came out around the time both Willie and Merle penned anti-war songs that country music radio refused to play. Supposedly, it helps to explain the political shift in bands such as Skynyrd who once campaigned for Jimmy Carter. Would the Ronnie Van Zant-era Skynyrd ever do an album called Gods & Guns, particularly given Van Zant's stance on gun control ("Saturday Night Special")? I think not but on the other hand, the band currently calling themselves Lynyrd Skynyrd bares little to no resemblance to the real Lynyrd Skynyrd aside from Gary Rossington still being in the band. Then again, that's a whole other discussion.

As for the topic at hand, I form my own opinions but I'd be remiss if I didn't say that it was Jimmy Buffett who first brought my attention to Greenpeace. Likewise, R.E.M. first drew my attention to organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Nature Conservancy through boothes at their concerts and listings in their tour programs. U2 introduced me to Amnesty International, etc. I don't always agree with some of my favorite musician's political beliefs but I also don't want to be hit over the head with them (from either side). I listen to radio, watch TV, read magazines, newspapers, etc. and share opinions with friends on both sides of the coin, that's how I reach conclusions and form my own opinions.

[Cotter]

I wonder - has Patterson still been plugging Obama at shows?