Barrett Ford-Paper 4 Revision
A protest song is by definition a way of musically showing your disagreement or unhappiness with a certain issue, usually political. These songs are often very emotional or at times use strong language, and they are always directed at a certain audience to try to convince them of the validity of a certain viewpoint. The way that the artist tries to convince an audience is the most interesting thing about listening to a protest song. It is also interesting to see how effective the listener feels the songwriter’s argument is. The argument and the way the writer tries to achieve this argument is influenced by the writer’s environment such as culture, political climate, time period, and location. The two protest songs analyzed in this essay, “Live from Iraq” by 4th25 and “Boonie Rat” by Chuck Rosenberg, are protest songs that show how two different environments can affect argument and style of argument. They both rely heavily on the rhetorical element of ethos or credibility of the speaker, and have many similarities as well as differences in the purposes and methods of their arguments. However, the most important thing to be taken from the reading of these songs is that the decades and wars that coincided with their writing affect their differences and reflect a change in approach to protest.
These songs are war protest songs from different decades and different American wars; however, they share many important characteristics. Both of them are told from the perspective of someone who is fighting in the war they are protesting. This is the most important characteristic they share. They are also similar in that when either one is read they could be read at the same simple rhythm. The style of their writing is also unmistakably similar in the informal, matter-of-fact style they both share. It is like these soldiers simply sat in their tents one night writing these songs as if they were writing a letter to be sent back home. However, when actually listened to, these songs could not be more different in the way they sound and the tone in which the song is sung. “Live from Iraq” is a rap song with an angry tone while “Boonie Rat” is a folk song with a fairly somber tone.
Even though the time period and tone the speaker uses is different, both protests are reliable sources to the listener because of the point of view the lyrics are spoken from. From the lyrics of both songs the listener can tell that the persona or speaker in the song is an actual soldier fighting in a war, whether it is the Vietnam War or the Iraq War. The titles themselves make this very apparent. “Live from Iraq” is straightforward in the way it informs the listener that it is being written from Iraq. One might argue that a reporter could have written this from Iraq. However if the reader was to read lines 35-36, “Where for our country we gamble with our lives everyday” (4th25) it becomes clear that the speaker is an actual soldier. “Boonie Rat” by definition is “an experienced explorer or armsman-someone who has been around” (Terry). Once the reader finds out this is what the title means and notices the way it is used in the song, it becomes obvious that the speaker in this song is also a soldier on the frontline. In the chorus of the song Rosenberg writes “Boonie Rat, Boonie Rat, Scared but not alone,” before telling how many days until he will be going home. Rosenberg also says in lines 79-80, “To the Boonie Rats of Vietnam I dedicate this song.” This shows the respect for other soldiers that he has gained as a result of his own experiences in Vietnam. The speaker in this song even gives a sense of hope to the listener at the end of the song as seen in lines 83-84, “Today I see my Freedom Bird. Today, I’m going home” (Rosenberg). This is a stark contrast to “Live from Iraq” which maintains its hopeless tone throughout the song.
Both of these songs rely very heavily on ethos or the credibility of the speaker. The fact that they are written by soldiers who are fighting in wars makes this apparent. There is also no confusion between whom the writer is and whom the persona or speaker is because they are one in the same. Chuck Rosenberg was part of the “second battalion of the 502nd brigade of the 101st Airborne Division” of the U.S. Army when he and his battalion wrote “Boonie Rat” in the Spring of 1970 (Fish), and 4th25 is a rap group made up of two men who are fighting in Iraq. This makes the listener feel like the arguments in the song are more credible because they are coming straight from the source. This, in turn, makes the reader much more likely to listen to or be affected by the protest that the artist make. Their arguments and the styles of songs they wrote may be very different, but the credibility and effectiveness of their arguments are equally unquestioned.
The credibility of the personas in these songs is important, but the most important difference between these two songs is the fact that they are written during two wars about 40 years apart, the Vietnam War and the Iraq War. These two wars were very different and, in turn, are different in the ways that people supported or protested them. “Boonie Rat” is from the Vietnam War, and “Live from Iraq” is from the Iraq War. “Boonie Rat” focuses more on the trials and suffering that the soldier has gone through. This can be seen in lines 41-42, “My eyes are often weary, my feet are racked with pain” (Rosenberg). The fact that the soldier wants to come home is also stressed as seen in lines 23-24, “300 days more or less then I’m going home” (Rosenberg). Rosenberg focuses on his individual experiences as a soldier rather than the broad scope of the war. However, he does make a few broad comments regarding the war and his disapproval of it such as in lines 15-16, “I sometimes got the feeling they’re trying to tie the score” or in lines 77-78, “They say there’ll always be a war, I hope they’re very wrong” (Rosenberg). This gives the reader a sense of how argument was approached back then. Rosenberg tries to appeal to the individual and the hardships that a person goes through; however, he also gives the reader a since of hope. The end has a redeeming quality, and the fact that the persona gives respect to his peers in Vietnam reflects a positive outlook.
In “Live from Iraq” the argument focuses more on giving a graphic description of the awful experience of war in general. This can be seen in lines 25-26, “This is bombs in the street blowin up when I drive buyem” (4th25) and lines 117-118, “This is 60 miles an hour thru ambush zones” (4th25). This use of the phrase “this is” helps stress the fact all the things that are described are actually happening and not imagined or thought up by the artists. The song also focuses on the corruption of the war as well as the unnecessary deaths occurring as a result of it. This can be seen in lines 72-73, “Plenty of lives lost over a scandal” (4th25) and lines 100-101, “Sure its politics back home here its bullets thru our tissue” (4th25). The fact is that the ways that the two artists approach their arguments is very different, though they are both protesting the war, and this is obviously in large part because of the political atmospheres surrounding the two wars that are being protested. In contrast to “Boonie Rat” this Iraq War protest focuses more on the scope of the whole war and the corruption and leaders behind it. This is an indicator as to the time period that it was written in. The persona in the 4th25 does not possess any trust of the government responsible for the war they are fighting in, and the lyrics do not give any redeeming quality or hope to the war or the people involved in it.
The difference in the way these songs approach their arguments relates to the change in the approach to protest that occurred in the 40-year span between their writings. Both songs made use of pathos or emotion, but the two songs used it differently. The angry tone and language used by 4th25 is very different from the somber tone used by Rosenberg to evoke sympathy and respect. Much of the language used by 4th25 would probably not have even been appropriate back in the 1960s, so Rosenberg uses a more subdued tone with some hope for the listener at the end. 4th25’s rap song, in contrast, does not give the listener any sort of hope. 4th25 lashed out at the war and their situation, while Rosenberg gives it redeeming qualities and shows respect for other soldiers. The stark changes in tone and wording in these two songs reflect an overall change in approach from a hopeful and respectful one to a shocking and angry one. These differences reflect not only a change in approach to protest but also a change in technology, music, and the world at large. In present day, a button can be pressed to send a nuclear bomb overseas, and in the 1960s mail was still the main means of communication. Back then the most popular artist was The Beatles; now, it is somebody who goes by Soulja Boy. All these changes show that it is only natural for the nature of protest to change because the things that are being protested and the people protesting them are so different. As to the effectiveness of these protests, they can be seen as equally effective or one more effective than the other. This will change depending on who the listener is. Personally, I find “Boonie Rat” more effective because of its ability to give us hope and evoke respect for the soldiers.
Works Cited
4th25. “Live from Iraq.” 1 November 2007. http://www.lyricstime.com/4th25-live-from-iraq-lyrics.html
Fish, Lydia. “Songs of Americans in the Vietnam War.” 25 December 1993. 1 November 2007. http://faculty.buffalostate.edu/fishlm/folksongs/americansongs.htm
Rosenberg, Chuck. “Boonie Rat.” 1 November 2007. http://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/b/boonierat.shtml
Terry, Glen E. “Miltary Terms and Slang.” Edited by Lowell R. Matthews. 1999. 1 November 2007. http://www.guildcompanion.com/scrolls/1999/dec/spaceterms.html
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Paper 4 Revision-Chelsea Banks
Chelsea Banks
Adam Weinstein
Paper 4 Revision
Some songs in our unique era of music clearly have no purpose in the world of modern melodies. Such compositions are “My Humps” by the famous Fergie and “Crank That” by the newly popular Soulja Boy.
In our nation today, we face an extremely controversial debate: war or no war. This controversy touches deep into the emotions and attitudes of the American people; and many artists use it in their music. One example is Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue.” According to CountryGoldUSA.com, a website devoted to providing a plethora of patriotic music, poetry, and gifts, “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” is an anthem for every American. However, we must remember that all people are not patriotic. But what is patriotic? People have different interpretations of patriots. By “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue,” we know that being a patriot does not require one to be pro-war; it simply requires one to love and respect one’s country.
As a whole, “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” is a song about extreme dislike of those who hurt the United States of America (terrorists). In response to the attacks on Sep 11, this song states that “justice will be served” (line 33). In the same way, the persona explains what our nation will do to those who mess with our home:
“And [they’ll] be sorry that [they] messed with
The u.s. of a.
Cause we’ll put a boot in [their] ass
It’s the American way” (lines 37-40).
By these four lines, we know that the persona is standing firm for the United States and that the country is not to be tampered with. Moreover, the speaker uses the cliché “boot in your ass” to illustrate the painful consequences that are sure to come (line 39).
The persona is an American with a patriotic, pro-war attitude. He is aggressive and shows initiative to take control of the problem: terrorists. Although songs do not necessarily have the same singer and speaker, the persona in “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” is clearly Toby Keith. He sings of childhood memories related to war. Toby Keith establishes positive ethos because he speaks of his real life experiences with war. Verse two reads:
“My daddy served in the army
Where he lost his right eye
But he flew a flag out in our yard
Until the day that he died
He wanted my mother, my brother, my sister and me
To grow up and live happy
In the land of the free” (lines 8-14).
When Toby declares that his father was a part of the U.S. Army, we as the listeners realize how important patriotism is to him (line 8). One that joins the army is known to be patriotic in the sense that they have a love for their country. The fact that his father was in the army shows that they experienced first-hand what war can do to a family. He establishes ethos again when he states that his father flew the American flag for the duration of his life (lines 10-11). Toby’s father wanted his family to live in a free country with complete happiness (lines 13-14).
The audience to which this text pertains is the group of Americans who feel the same way as the persona. The audience is any American, or group of Americans, that shares a love and passion for the U.S. Whether that love compels them to fight or not, they are patriots. By stating “there’s a lot of men dead,” Toby creates pathos with the audience (line 5). When we Americans think of how many soldiers have been killed, we become emotional.
Since some Americans could be offended by this strong initiative to take forceful action, Toby’s song could have a negative effect. However, in reference to the speaker’s purpose, Toby is not trying to force aggressive patriotic views on those who are not interested. He simply wants to tell of the strength of our country and the people who are willing to fight for it. This is clear when he says, “the statue of liberty/ started shaking her fist” (lines 25-26). In result, the audience of this song becomes motivated to do what they can for their country. “Brought to you courtesy of the red, white, and blue” (line 32) refers to the punishment this group of Americans will give to those who interfere with their homeland.
By the specific lyrics of this song, it is clear that the overall purpose of this song is to cause citizens who are hurt by this emotional and physical catastrophe to take a stand. To take a stand for their country. To take a stand against terrorism. Although the country is split between pro-war and anti-war citizens, this song is a motivational melody for any country-loving patriarch. It sparks the emotions, or pathos, of the audience. Those who want to “[stand up, salute, and] always recognize/ when [they] see old glory flying” may do so (lines 2-4). Those who wish to take another action may do so. As long as each American is compelled to do something out of their love for the U. S., patriotism will flourish.
All in all, Toby Keith sings, or speaks, these words with the help from his childhood experiences. This text was formed with the purpose of motivating Americans to be patriotic and getting them ready for action. In essence, it does exactly this. Personally, I want to stand up and salute…and give those who mess with America a boot in the ass.
Adam Weinstein
Paper 4 Revision
Some songs in our unique era of music clearly have no purpose in the world of modern melodies. Such compositions are “My Humps” by the famous Fergie and “Crank That” by the newly popular Soulja Boy.
In our nation today, we face an extremely controversial debate: war or no war. This controversy touches deep into the emotions and attitudes of the American people; and many artists use it in their music. One example is Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue.” According to CountryGoldUSA.com, a website devoted to providing a plethora of patriotic music, poetry, and gifts, “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” is an anthem for every American. However, we must remember that all people are not patriotic. But what is patriotic? People have different interpretations of patriots. By “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue,” we know that being a patriot does not require one to be pro-war; it simply requires one to love and respect one’s country.
As a whole, “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” is a song about extreme dislike of those who hurt the United States of America (terrorists). In response to the attacks on Sep 11, this song states that “justice will be served” (line 33). In the same way, the persona explains what our nation will do to those who mess with our home:
“And [they’ll] be sorry that [they] messed with
The u.s. of a.
Cause we’ll put a boot in [their] ass
It’s the American way” (lines 37-40).
By these four lines, we know that the persona is standing firm for the United States and that the country is not to be tampered with. Moreover, the speaker uses the cliché “boot in your ass” to illustrate the painful consequences that are sure to come (line 39).
The persona is an American with a patriotic, pro-war attitude. He is aggressive and shows initiative to take control of the problem: terrorists. Although songs do not necessarily have the same singer and speaker, the persona in “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” is clearly Toby Keith. He sings of childhood memories related to war. Toby Keith establishes positive ethos because he speaks of his real life experiences with war. Verse two reads:
“My daddy served in the army
Where he lost his right eye
But he flew a flag out in our yard
Until the day that he died
He wanted my mother, my brother, my sister and me
To grow up and live happy
In the land of the free” (lines 8-14).
When Toby declares that his father was a part of the U.S. Army, we as the listeners realize how important patriotism is to him (line 8). One that joins the army is known to be patriotic in the sense that they have a love for their country. The fact that his father was in the army shows that they experienced first-hand what war can do to a family. He establishes ethos again when he states that his father flew the American flag for the duration of his life (lines 10-11). Toby’s father wanted his family to live in a free country with complete happiness (lines 13-14).
The audience to which this text pertains is the group of Americans who feel the same way as the persona. The audience is any American, or group of Americans, that shares a love and passion for the U.S. Whether that love compels them to fight or not, they are patriots. By stating “there’s a lot of men dead,” Toby creates pathos with the audience (line 5). When we Americans think of how many soldiers have been killed, we become emotional.
Since some Americans could be offended by this strong initiative to take forceful action, Toby’s song could have a negative effect. However, in reference to the speaker’s purpose, Toby is not trying to force aggressive patriotic views on those who are not interested. He simply wants to tell of the strength of our country and the people who are willing to fight for it. This is clear when he says, “the statue of liberty/ started shaking her fist” (lines 25-26). In result, the audience of this song becomes motivated to do what they can for their country. “Brought to you courtesy of the red, white, and blue” (line 32) refers to the punishment this group of Americans will give to those who interfere with their homeland.
By the specific lyrics of this song, it is clear that the overall purpose of this song is to cause citizens who are hurt by this emotional and physical catastrophe to take a stand. To take a stand for their country. To take a stand against terrorism. Although the country is split between pro-war and anti-war citizens, this song is a motivational melody for any country-loving patriarch. It sparks the emotions, or pathos, of the audience. Those who want to “[stand up, salute, and] always recognize/ when [they] see old glory flying” may do so (lines 2-4). Those who wish to take another action may do so. As long as each American is compelled to do something out of their love for the U. S., patriotism will flourish.
All in all, Toby Keith sings, or speaks, these words with the help from his childhood experiences. This text was formed with the purpose of motivating Americans to be patriotic and getting them ready for action. In essence, it does exactly this. Personally, I want to stand up and salute…and give those who mess with America a boot in the ass.
Revision Paper #4-Toby Keith
Marian Acee
Adam Weinstein
English 101
6 December 2007
Today, war is an ongoing debate brought up by many different individuals throughout the United States. Almost every individual has their own view, whether it be pro-war or anti-war. Some decide to present their beliefs publicly by public protest, petitions and debates while others like to keep their beliefs to themselves. Some people take the utmost pride in our country and want everyone to have the same outlook. Toby Keith, a country singer/songwriter portrays his beliefs in many of his songs. His song, “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” personifies his strong beliefs about our country in war.
Toby’s song, “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue”, is a response to the vicious attacks of September 11th, 2001. “Now this nation that I love has fallen under attack”(Line 15) symbolizes he is talking about the recent terrorist acts. Throughout the song he presents to “American girls and American guys”(Line 1) his patriotism and his aggression towards the war. This shows that the persona of the song is an American. He also presents a very patriotic persona when saying “My daddy served in the army, where he lost his right eye, but he flew a flag out in our yard until the day that he died, he wanted my mother, my brother, my sister and me to grow up and live happy in the land of the free.”(Lines 8-14) This shows that he grew up in a very patriotic family and that is all he has ever known. Even though his father lost his right eye, he kept faith in his country and never lost pride. By putting his views into a song, Toby is reaching out to others to show how strong his faith and support is in our country. He wants every American to feel as he does and wants all Americans to stand strong in what they believe in.
In this song, Toby uses pathos to show everyone that what happened was completely wrong and that we should fight back. He uses pathos to connect with his fans and listeners by believing freedom is something you have to fight for. He tries to explain that there is no reason why we should be anti-war by saying, “There’s a lot of men dead, so we can sleep in peace at night, when we lay down our head.”(Lines 5-7) He believes that if we did not have people fighting for us, then we would not be able to sleep with peace and our world would be completely different. While I agree on Toby's view on peace and war, I do not believe that it is the only reason to be "anti-war." While, people die everyday fighting, just so we can live one more day with freedom, we have to make sure that the war we are fighting is one worth fighting for. In my opinion, the war Toby is talking about is a war worth fighting. The United States is proving to the terrorists that if you mess with us, or threaten us, we will retaliate.
Toby uses aggression throughout his song to prove his points about America. He effectively proves that America is not a country that can be brought down. “Soon as we can see clearly, through our big black eye, man we lit up your world, like the fourth of July.”(Lines 20-22) When using "our big black eye", he is referring to the attacks of the World Trade Center on September 11th. As soon as the President took care of the matters with 9/11, he promptly began working on a plan to retaliate. Toby is proving that we will not waste any time retaliating against someone who has tried to destroy the country we love. We are not a country that is going to forget about something that devastated so many lives. “Hey Uncle Sam, put your name at the top of his list, and the statue of liberty, started shakin her fist and the eagle will fly, man, its gonna be hell. when you hear mother freedom, start ringin her bell, and it feels like the whole wide world is raining down on you….” (Lines 23-30) Uncle Sam refers to us as Americans and it is our first priority to bring the enemy down. Their name is at the top of our list and there will be revenge.
In my opinion Toby’s most effective stanza throughout the song is “Justice will be served, and the battle will rage, 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 well put a boot in your ass, its the American way.” (Lines 33-40)This shows exactly how Americans retaliate. When we fight back, we attack strong with our sizeable and well-built military and hard with our abundance of ammunition, never holding back or showing weakness. When listening to this stanza, I feel that it gives off a certain vibe that gives Americans the feeling of pride. They become proud of their country and the actions it has taken to fight off terrorism.
The song, “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” is very effective in summarizing the all around American view toward the war and how we have reacted. This song significantly shows the American people’s determination to protect all the main things our forefathers fought for and the founding principles of our country. It is truly the national anthem for the tragedy that was bestowed upon us and the continuous aftermath.
Adam Weinstein
English 101
6 December 2007
Today, war is an ongoing debate brought up by many different individuals throughout the United States. Almost every individual has their own view, whether it be pro-war or anti-war. Some decide to present their beliefs publicly by public protest, petitions and debates while others like to keep their beliefs to themselves. Some people take the utmost pride in our country and want everyone to have the same outlook. Toby Keith, a country singer/songwriter portrays his beliefs in many of his songs. His song, “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” personifies his strong beliefs about our country in war.
Toby’s song, “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue”, is a response to the vicious attacks of September 11th, 2001. “Now this nation that I love has fallen under attack”(Line 15) symbolizes he is talking about the recent terrorist acts. Throughout the song he presents to “American girls and American guys”(Line 1) his patriotism and his aggression towards the war. This shows that the persona of the song is an American. He also presents a very patriotic persona when saying “My daddy served in the army, where he lost his right eye, but he flew a flag out in our yard until the day that he died, he wanted my mother, my brother, my sister and me to grow up and live happy in the land of the free.”(Lines 8-14) This shows that he grew up in a very patriotic family and that is all he has ever known. Even though his father lost his right eye, he kept faith in his country and never lost pride. By putting his views into a song, Toby is reaching out to others to show how strong his faith and support is in our country. He wants every American to feel as he does and wants all Americans to stand strong in what they believe in.
In this song, Toby uses pathos to show everyone that what happened was completely wrong and that we should fight back. He uses pathos to connect with his fans and listeners by believing freedom is something you have to fight for. He tries to explain that there is no reason why we should be anti-war by saying, “There’s a lot of men dead, so we can sleep in peace at night, when we lay down our head.”(Lines 5-7) He believes that if we did not have people fighting for us, then we would not be able to sleep with peace and our world would be completely different. While I agree on Toby's view on peace and war, I do not believe that it is the only reason to be "anti-war." While, people die everyday fighting, just so we can live one more day with freedom, we have to make sure that the war we are fighting is one worth fighting for. In my opinion, the war Toby is talking about is a war worth fighting. The United States is proving to the terrorists that if you mess with us, or threaten us, we will retaliate.
Toby uses aggression throughout his song to prove his points about America. He effectively proves that America is not a country that can be brought down. “Soon as we can see clearly, through our big black eye, man we lit up your world, like the fourth of July.”(Lines 20-22) When using "our big black eye", he is referring to the attacks of the World Trade Center on September 11th. As soon as the President took care of the matters with 9/11, he promptly began working on a plan to retaliate. Toby is proving that we will not waste any time retaliating against someone who has tried to destroy the country we love. We are not a country that is going to forget about something that devastated so many lives. “Hey Uncle Sam, put your name at the top of his list, and the statue of liberty, started shakin her fist and the eagle will fly, man, its gonna be hell. when you hear mother freedom, start ringin her bell, and it feels like the whole wide world is raining down on you….” (Lines 23-30) Uncle Sam refers to us as Americans and it is our first priority to bring the enemy down. Their name is at the top of our list and there will be revenge.
In my opinion Toby’s most effective stanza throughout the song is “Justice will be served, and the battle will rage, 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 well put a boot in your ass, its the American way.” (Lines 33-40)This shows exactly how Americans retaliate. When we fight back, we attack strong with our sizeable and well-built military and hard with our abundance of ammunition, never holding back or showing weakness. When listening to this stanza, I feel that it gives off a certain vibe that gives Americans the feeling of pride. They become proud of their country and the actions it has taken to fight off terrorism.
The song, “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” is very effective in summarizing the all around American view toward the war and how we have reacted. This song significantly shows the American people’s determination to protect all the main things our forefathers fought for and the founding principles of our country. It is truly the national anthem for the tragedy that was bestowed upon us and the continuous aftermath.
revision live in iraq paper 4
4th25 is a military rap group out of Ft. Hood in Killeen, TX and their latest release “Live from Iraq” is a very politically charged song. The song is written in first person from a soldier’s point of view. Upon hearing this song, you will feel constant fear and trepidations of the harsh and dangerous life that the soldiers face daily in Iraq. The song wants Americans to understand the truth behind the war and how what is being reported is nowhere near the truth of the dangers they face. The song begins “every day’s like a gamble here this is no joke this is live from Iraq where we’re prayin we make it home,” showing the person speaking is actually experiencing the horrors of war first hand and is telling us the truth about those horrors. The artist relies heavily on ethos and pathos to ensure the listeners that they are a crediable source.
When the group says “59 of us April 4th 8 of us dyin…this is bombs in the street blowin up when I drive by em or it’s rpg’s launched at me...home of too many soldiers graves”(verse 1 lines 21-27) you can really feel that these are true soldiers of this war. The 4th25 wants to show that while they may not agree with the reasons of the war, they are still going to fight hard and never give up. When they say “but we don’t fold hands the cards we are dealt get played” (chorus line 12-13) they are in essence saying their plan is not to disagree with the government, but to bring a new light to the topic because it is so controversial and many of us try to over look it; however, you can’t overlook something that is real life for these men and women. Saying “media cast and the scoop covered over the answers cause you can’t handle the truth...Plenty of lives lost over a scandal” (verse 2 lines 31-33; 24-25) they are trying to let the American people know that they have not heard the full truth from the news reports.
The song is created relying a lot on pathos and ethos.
The words “we sleep with body armor blankets...Nights with no supper man home aint promised man, long journeys qualified hell from a promise land” (verse 1 line 15; verse 2 lines 2-5)tells you that while you fall asleep with a full belly, they sometimes go without food. By using ethos it shows their credibility as real life soldiers in this war. They are there experiencing everything first hand and are telling us these things from their observations. By using the persona ethos it unites us, because not only does the government hear the plea of the soldiers, but also the anger from the American people at the life the soldiers are forced to live.
The pathos causes us to have empathy because we can almost feel the fear, the heat, and the hunger that they feel. The words that they use are raw and honest. You can tell they chose the words for their shock value and it has worked. “True gutter for you fuckers, hell/ promised land, nights with no supper, and rpg’s launched at me.” (referring to entire song see verses 1 and 2)We listen to their cries and are able to feel their pain. They hope we use the information they give us and voice it to our political leaders here in America. While we are home enjoying the freedom that each day brings they remind us that they are not in lyrics such as “And there are no blue skies here every color is gray...Sure it’s politics back home here it’s bullets thru our tissue”. (Chorus 5-6; verse 3 3-4)
The persona is accomplishing the goal of getting people to listen and to see beyond the words of our political leaders because it gives us the extra little push to voice our concerns. It bestows on us the courage that we need to not be afraid to say that this is wrong. However at the same time even if we do not stand up and speak out against the war; the soldiers are achieving their goal of getting someone to hear their story. Some people criticize the military for doing their job, but they are doing nothing wrong. They are only trying to protect our country and let us know the hell they are going through for our right to freedom. The next time I hear friends complain about the rush hour traffic I just might say to them “This is nothing yall been thru yall aint seen shit” (verse 3 lines 9-10) as compared to the soldiers in Iraq.
The artists got their message across very successfully. They knew how to get our attention and use horrors that they experienced to their advantage. However when they began calling people out it did more harm then good, because now those people are likely to no longer have empathy but anger toward them. Lets be real saying “True gutters for you fuckers think its gutter where you from, here its life by the second this is everything wrong. This is not your beef on the block it’s not that simple” (verse 1 lines 5-10) is probably not the best way to get someone on your side. Because now it seems like you are no longer the victim, but the attackers. These people that you are talking about are likely to become very defensive and switch sides.
Ultimately the overall goal was to show the true light and gain support in which they did do successfully. The persona was able to take his pain and loneliness and bring it to life for us through the song. When you hear “Where everybody’s a target when you find out people ain’t hard they just talk shit...And there is no reimbursement for the price we pay” (verse 3 lines 25-27; chorus line 8) how can you not feel for them? We need to remember that the soldiers are angry too; they did not choose to be in this war. In verse 3 lines 13-16 he says “This is your one mistake being in everybody’s business, whether they see their family or its funeral home visits.” although they have chosen to serve and protect our country, they did not choose this particular war and they do not necessarily agree with the president’s decision to invade Iraq.
Live from Iraq.25 October 2007.http://www.lyricstime.com/4th25-live-from-iraq-lyrics.html
When the group says “59 of us April 4th 8 of us dyin…this is bombs in the street blowin up when I drive by em or it’s rpg’s launched at me...home of too many soldiers graves”(verse 1 lines 21-27) you can really feel that these are true soldiers of this war. The 4th25 wants to show that while they may not agree with the reasons of the war, they are still going to fight hard and never give up. When they say “but we don’t fold hands the cards we are dealt get played” (chorus line 12-13) they are in essence saying their plan is not to disagree with the government, but to bring a new light to the topic because it is so controversial and many of us try to over look it; however, you can’t overlook something that is real life for these men and women. Saying “media cast and the scoop covered over the answers cause you can’t handle the truth...Plenty of lives lost over a scandal” (verse 2 lines 31-33; 24-25) they are trying to let the American people know that they have not heard the full truth from the news reports.
The song is created relying a lot on pathos and ethos.
The words “we sleep with body armor blankets...Nights with no supper man home aint promised man, long journeys qualified hell from a promise land” (verse 1 line 15; verse 2 lines 2-5)tells you that while you fall asleep with a full belly, they sometimes go without food. By using ethos it shows their credibility as real life soldiers in this war. They are there experiencing everything first hand and are telling us these things from their observations. By using the persona ethos it unites us, because not only does the government hear the plea of the soldiers, but also the anger from the American people at the life the soldiers are forced to live.
The pathos causes us to have empathy because we can almost feel the fear, the heat, and the hunger that they feel. The words that they use are raw and honest. You can tell they chose the words for their shock value and it has worked. “True gutter for you fuckers, hell/ promised land, nights with no supper, and rpg’s launched at me.” (referring to entire song see verses 1 and 2)We listen to their cries and are able to feel their pain. They hope we use the information they give us and voice it to our political leaders here in America. While we are home enjoying the freedom that each day brings they remind us that they are not in lyrics such as “And there are no blue skies here every color is gray...Sure it’s politics back home here it’s bullets thru our tissue”. (Chorus 5-6; verse 3 3-4)
The persona is accomplishing the goal of getting people to listen and to see beyond the words of our political leaders because it gives us the extra little push to voice our concerns. It bestows on us the courage that we need to not be afraid to say that this is wrong. However at the same time even if we do not stand up and speak out against the war; the soldiers are achieving their goal of getting someone to hear their story. Some people criticize the military for doing their job, but they are doing nothing wrong. They are only trying to protect our country and let us know the hell they are going through for our right to freedom. The next time I hear friends complain about the rush hour traffic I just might say to them “This is nothing yall been thru yall aint seen shit” (verse 3 lines 9-10) as compared to the soldiers in Iraq.
The artists got their message across very successfully. They knew how to get our attention and use horrors that they experienced to their advantage. However when they began calling people out it did more harm then good, because now those people are likely to no longer have empathy but anger toward them. Lets be real saying “True gutters for you fuckers think its gutter where you from, here its life by the second this is everything wrong. This is not your beef on the block it’s not that simple” (verse 1 lines 5-10) is probably not the best way to get someone on your side. Because now it seems like you are no longer the victim, but the attackers. These people that you are talking about are likely to become very defensive and switch sides.
Ultimately the overall goal was to show the true light and gain support in which they did do successfully. The persona was able to take his pain and loneliness and bring it to life for us through the song. When you hear “Where everybody’s a target when you find out people ain’t hard they just talk shit...And there is no reimbursement for the price we pay” (verse 3 lines 25-27; chorus line 8) how can you not feel for them? We need to remember that the soldiers are angry too; they did not choose to be in this war. In verse 3 lines 13-16 he says “This is your one mistake being in everybody’s business, whether they see their family or its funeral home visits.” although they have chosen to serve and protect our country, they did not choose this particular war and they do not necessarily agree with the president’s decision to invade Iraq.
Live from Iraq.25 October 2007.http://www.lyricstime.com/4th25-live-from-iraq-lyrics.html
Courtney Hamilton
Adam Weinstein
En 101
12/6/07
Revision of Live From Iraq: The Gruesome Truth
According to the first lines in the song Live From Iraq, “ Every days like a gamble here, This is no joke, This is live from Iraq, Where we prayin we make it home”, the song illustrates the hardships American soldiers must face everyday in the war with Iraq. Every line provides detailed proof that the war is not what is advertised on television in the United States. This song illustrates the true blood and gore endured by the soldiers that is censored from the television sets of every American. Live From Iraq offers the inside scoop of a gruesome war without the government’s distorted view point. In order to understand the full concept of the war with Iraq, the viewpoint of an actual soldier is necessary. Live From Iraq uses pathos to evoke emotions in the reader in order to persuade the audience to disagree with the war with Iraq.
Throughout the song, the artist, 4th25, consistently refers to Iraq as, “ the home of too many soldiers graves”. This line The line, “ Home of too many soldiers graves, Where for our country, We gamble with our lives everyday”, represents the artist’s feelings about the war. 4th25 believes the only result of the war so far is dead bodies and in result, low spirits. The lyrics to the song portrays the imagery from the battlefield well, from gun powder to the ubiquitous bombing. Another thing that bothers the artist is the fact that the soldiers gamble with their lives in Iraq and yet, if they survive they will never forget all the horrors from the war. Each second in Iraq is a chance the soldiers take and the artist depicts the terror of that gamble very clearly throughout the song.
After perusing the lyrics a couple of times, it is clear what the persona of the song is representing. The persona of the song is a soldier actively involved with the war and can identify with the soldiers who are fighting. All of the lines vividly describe the blood and gore of the war and how it affects the speaker. The speaker uses pathos to support the message he/she is trying to make. By involving intense imagery, the artist evokes emotion in the audience and therefore gets the audience involved in the event. Although the speaker is obvious, it is hard to know whether the artist is the persona or not. The artist could be involved with the event, however the connection between the two are unknown.
In order for the audience to understand the seriousness of the war with Iraq, the speaker includes visual facts about the recent events. The speaker uses imagery to persuade the audience to disagree with the war. Not only does the speaker disagree with the war, but he/she also wants the audience to know exactly what is going on in Iraq. The news does not give any of the gory details; therefore, someone must put the war into perspective. Many Americans are clueless as to what is going on and the speaker wants to give the audience the correct idea.
Throughout the song the artist makes references to the fighting occurring in Iraq. Through doing so, the song is more effective in introducing the message. The lyrics inform the audience about the war and gives strong evidence that the war is affecting the lives of many soldiers and their families. By including the line, “ 59 of us April 4th,8 of us dyin”, it evokes sympathy in the Americans who have no clue what is happening in Iraq. It also opens the idea that the war may not be worth the pain and suffering the soldiers and their families are experiencing. The song actually gives a reason for people to pay attention to the country and decide if the war is really the right decisions for the country. The main issue the speaker deals with is the effectiveness of the war. He/she wants know if the country is really making a difference by fighting this war.
In conclusion, Live From Iraq involves the issue with the war being effective or not. By fighting the war, soldiers are dying and loved ones are affected. According to the speaker, a soldier fighting in the war, the war is pointless. The speaker believes Americans should know the truth and not what is being said on the news. The war is still going on and nothing is being achieved so far. Since the speaker reveals the actual information regarding the war, Americans can decide for themselves if the war in Iraq is right or wrong.
Adam Weinstein
En 101
12/6/07
Revision of Live From Iraq: The Gruesome Truth
According to the first lines in the song Live From Iraq, “ Every days like a gamble here, This is no joke, This is live from Iraq, Where we prayin we make it home”, the song illustrates the hardships American soldiers must face everyday in the war with Iraq. Every line provides detailed proof that the war is not what is advertised on television in the United States. This song illustrates the true blood and gore endured by the soldiers that is censored from the television sets of every American. Live From Iraq offers the inside scoop of a gruesome war without the government’s distorted view point. In order to understand the full concept of the war with Iraq, the viewpoint of an actual soldier is necessary. Live From Iraq uses pathos to evoke emotions in the reader in order to persuade the audience to disagree with the war with Iraq.
Throughout the song, the artist, 4th25, consistently refers to Iraq as, “ the home of too many soldiers graves”. This line The line, “ Home of too many soldiers graves, Where for our country, We gamble with our lives everyday”, represents the artist’s feelings about the war. 4th25 believes the only result of the war so far is dead bodies and in result, low spirits. The lyrics to the song portrays the imagery from the battlefield well, from gun powder to the ubiquitous bombing. Another thing that bothers the artist is the fact that the soldiers gamble with their lives in Iraq and yet, if they survive they will never forget all the horrors from the war. Each second in Iraq is a chance the soldiers take and the artist depicts the terror of that gamble very clearly throughout the song.
After perusing the lyrics a couple of times, it is clear what the persona of the song is representing. The persona of the song is a soldier actively involved with the war and can identify with the soldiers who are fighting. All of the lines vividly describe the blood and gore of the war and how it affects the speaker. The speaker uses pathos to support the message he/she is trying to make. By involving intense imagery, the artist evokes emotion in the audience and therefore gets the audience involved in the event. Although the speaker is obvious, it is hard to know whether the artist is the persona or not. The artist could be involved with the event, however the connection between the two are unknown.
In order for the audience to understand the seriousness of the war with Iraq, the speaker includes visual facts about the recent events. The speaker uses imagery to persuade the audience to disagree with the war. Not only does the speaker disagree with the war, but he/she also wants the audience to know exactly what is going on in Iraq. The news does not give any of the gory details; therefore, someone must put the war into perspective. Many Americans are clueless as to what is going on and the speaker wants to give the audience the correct idea.
Throughout the song the artist makes references to the fighting occurring in Iraq. Through doing so, the song is more effective in introducing the message. The lyrics inform the audience about the war and gives strong evidence that the war is affecting the lives of many soldiers and their families. By including the line, “ 59 of us April 4th,8 of us dyin”, it evokes sympathy in the Americans who have no clue what is happening in Iraq. It also opens the idea that the war may not be worth the pain and suffering the soldiers and their families are experiencing. The song actually gives a reason for people to pay attention to the country and decide if the war is really the right decisions for the country. The main issue the speaker deals with is the effectiveness of the war. He/she wants know if the country is really making a difference by fighting this war.
In conclusion, Live From Iraq involves the issue with the war being effective or not. By fighting the war, soldiers are dying and loved ones are affected. According to the speaker, a soldier fighting in the war, the war is pointless. The speaker believes Americans should know the truth and not what is being said on the news. The war is still going on and nothing is being achieved so far. Since the speaker reveals the actual information regarding the war, Americans can decide for themselves if the war in Iraq is right or wrong.
Revision to Analysis of The Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue Tim Howard
Many different people have their views about why we should go into this war against Terrorism. Some tell us what they believe through politics, reviews, and even through musical songs. Toby Keith, a country singer, shows his support of the war in his song called “The Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue.” Toby Keith relies strongly on pathos in order for his song to have great success in convincing his audience to become pro war. He also makes a controversial comment to anyone who believes they can mess with the United States of America. Keith’s main idea is to communicate his message
through pathos. The emotions that Keith deals with are being loyal, serving your country, and you don’t want to mess with the USA.
It is easy to see that Toby Keith is relying on pathos, or his audience’s emotions, in this particular song. This is shown when Keith sings,
“We’ll always stand up and salute, we'll always recognize,
When we see Old Glory Flying, there's a lot of men dead,
So we can sleep in peace at night, when we lay down our head.”
Keith uses the word “we’ll” to communicate a connection with his audience saying everybody will stand up for our country when it is being attacked. The emotions that Keith deals with I this particular phrase is the emotions of being loyal to your country when it is I need.
Another way Toby Keith’s song shows that his song is relying on ethos is when he talks about his father. In this song he talks about how his father served in battle and how he lost his right eye so his children and everyone else would have freedom. Also in Keith’s song he says this,
“My daddy served in the army, where he lost his right eye, but he flew a flag out in our yard, until the day that he died, He wanted my mother, my brother, my sister and me, to grow up and live happy in the land of the free.”
This part of the song is the persona Keith, talking to the audience and allowing them to connect with each other through what his dad because his father has fought in a war before and he had lost an eye for his country. This allows the persona, Keith, to connect with audience through his father. This is because most likely someone in his audience will have someone going into war. Keith to his audiences becomes like a friend because he is telling them look I know what you are going through, but we must go and fight these people. Keith talking about his father and what he has done allows him to comfort his audience and allows them both to be on the same page because of this connection between his father and the audience’s family who is in the military.
The persona, Toby Keith, moves on to the second phrase why he decides to write this song. Keith says in his next phrase what has happened to his country. Keith says,
“Now this nation that I love, has fallen under attack, A mighty sucker punch
came flyin' in from somewhere in the back, Soon as we could see clearly,
Through our big black eye, Man, we lit up your world, Like the 4th of July.”
Keith shows through the first line that were he is living someone has attacked his country. He also uses the metaphor “A mighty sucker punch came flyin' in, from somewhere in the back,” to show that the attack was unknown and came out of nowhere. Keith responds though by saying in his next phrase “Soon as we could see clearly, through our big black eye, Man, we lit up your world, like the 4th of July.” This tells the audience that even though having been attacked, they will prevail. This also can be taken as ethos as Keith talking to his enemies about how they attacked him and now he telling them what he is about to do or more so is his country. Yet at the same time it is logos because it is a cause and an effect. These enemies attacked Keith, is the cause. Now Keith is responding and telling them he’s going to attack back, being the effect.
As this song goes into the chorus Keith uses even more metaphors to convince is audience that going to war is the right thing to do. Keith then says “Hey Uncle Sam put your name at the top of his list, and the Statue of Liberty started shaking' her fist, and the eagle will fly Man, it's going to be hell, When you hear Mother Freedom Start ringing' her bell, and it feels like the whole wide world is raining down on you,Brought to you Courtesy of the Red White and Blue.” Keith uses these metaphors to allow his audience to get visuals in there head. Allowing them to think something that represents peace such as The Statue of Liberty even shaking her fist allows the audience to ponder and maybe even believe they should go to war. This phrase also uses ethos as he tries to use his metaphors to allow them to mess with your emotions and get you to believe war is the right thing to do.
The next phrase, the bridge, Keith says, “Justice will be served and the battle will rage, 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 ass. It's the American way!” Keith takes into a slower effect in to this song but still drives his point saying “This big dog will fight when you rattle his cage, and you'll be sorry that you messed with The U.S. of A.” Keith prolongs off one of his major ideas saying that if you mess with America we will attack. Keith then says “'Cause we'll put a boot in your ass. It's the American way!” This is without a doubt one of the most controversial statements through the whole song. This is because he says the American way is to kick everyone’s tail. This statement is directly pathos because it something Toby Keith believes. Though very controversial, it allows him to play more with their emotions to rile his audience up to becoming pro-war.
“The Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” is a song that will be remembered. Just like the 60’s song “WAR” dealing with the emotions of people not wanting war because their husband’s, sons, brothers, were dying in war. This song has the opposite affect as it is trying to move people to become pro-war. It will, just like “WAR,” will be remembered for many years to come. The reason is because Keith’s songs deals with being loyal and serve your country. Also, the song is very controversial, because of the statement “'Cause we'll put a boot in your ass. It's the American way!” This will allow it to be interesting to peoples ears for many years to come
through pathos. The emotions that Keith deals with are being loyal, serving your country, and you don’t want to mess with the USA.
It is easy to see that Toby Keith is relying on pathos, or his audience’s emotions, in this particular song. This is shown when Keith sings,
“We’ll always stand up and salute, we'll always recognize,
When we see Old Glory Flying, there's a lot of men dead,
So we can sleep in peace at night, when we lay down our head.”
Keith uses the word “we’ll” to communicate a connection with his audience saying everybody will stand up for our country when it is being attacked. The emotions that Keith deals with I this particular phrase is the emotions of being loyal to your country when it is I need.
Another way Toby Keith’s song shows that his song is relying on ethos is when he talks about his father. In this song he talks about how his father served in battle and how he lost his right eye so his children and everyone else would have freedom. Also in Keith’s song he says this,
“My daddy served in the army, where he lost his right eye, but he flew a flag out in our yard, until the day that he died, He wanted my mother, my brother, my sister and me, to grow up and live happy in the land of the free.”
This part of the song is the persona Keith, talking to the audience and allowing them to connect with each other through what his dad because his father has fought in a war before and he had lost an eye for his country. This allows the persona, Keith, to connect with audience through his father. This is because most likely someone in his audience will have someone going into war. Keith to his audiences becomes like a friend because he is telling them look I know what you are going through, but we must go and fight these people. Keith talking about his father and what he has done allows him to comfort his audience and allows them both to be on the same page because of this connection between his father and the audience’s family who is in the military.
The persona, Toby Keith, moves on to the second phrase why he decides to write this song. Keith says in his next phrase what has happened to his country. Keith says,
“Now this nation that I love, has fallen under attack, A mighty sucker punch
came flyin' in from somewhere in the back, Soon as we could see clearly,
Through our big black eye, Man, we lit up your world, Like the 4th of July.”
Keith shows through the first line that were he is living someone has attacked his country. He also uses the metaphor “A mighty sucker punch came flyin' in, from somewhere in the back,” to show that the attack was unknown and came out of nowhere. Keith responds though by saying in his next phrase “Soon as we could see clearly, through our big black eye, Man, we lit up your world, like the 4th of July.” This tells the audience that even though having been attacked, they will prevail. This also can be taken as ethos as Keith talking to his enemies about how they attacked him and now he telling them what he is about to do or more so is his country. Yet at the same time it is logos because it is a cause and an effect. These enemies attacked Keith, is the cause. Now Keith is responding and telling them he’s going to attack back, being the effect.
As this song goes into the chorus Keith uses even more metaphors to convince is audience that going to war is the right thing to do. Keith then says “Hey Uncle Sam put your name at the top of his list, and the Statue of Liberty started shaking' her fist, and the eagle will fly Man, it's going to be hell, When you hear Mother Freedom Start ringing' her bell, and it feels like the whole wide world is raining down on you,Brought to you Courtesy of the Red White and Blue.” Keith uses these metaphors to allow his audience to get visuals in there head. Allowing them to think something that represents peace such as The Statue of Liberty even shaking her fist allows the audience to ponder and maybe even believe they should go to war. This phrase also uses ethos as he tries to use his metaphors to allow them to mess with your emotions and get you to believe war is the right thing to do.
The next phrase, the bridge, Keith says, “Justice will be served and the battle will rage, 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 ass. It's the American way!” Keith takes into a slower effect in to this song but still drives his point saying “This big dog will fight when you rattle his cage, and you'll be sorry that you messed with The U.S. of A.” Keith prolongs off one of his major ideas saying that if you mess with America we will attack. Keith then says “'Cause we'll put a boot in your ass. It's the American way!” This is without a doubt one of the most controversial statements through the whole song. This is because he says the American way is to kick everyone’s tail. This statement is directly pathos because it something Toby Keith believes. Though very controversial, it allows him to play more with their emotions to rile his audience up to becoming pro-war.
“The Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” is a song that will be remembered. Just like the 60’s song “WAR” dealing with the emotions of people not wanting war because their husband’s, sons, brothers, were dying in war. This song has the opposite affect as it is trying to move people to become pro-war. It will, just like “WAR,” will be remembered for many years to come. The reason is because Keith’s songs deals with being loyal and serve your country. Also, the song is very controversial, because of the statement “'Cause we'll put a boot in your ass. It's the American way!” This will allow it to be interesting to peoples ears for many years to come
Revision Paper 4- Nick Neveu
Nick Neveu "Boot in your Ass"
During the distraught period after the attack of September 11, 2001, many Americans felt it necessary to speak out in an array of methods to lift the moral of their beloved country. Many musicians especially took this concept to heart and created multiple number one hits in the following year. One of these hits was “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” by the country star Toby Keith. He uses the emotional concept of pathos as well as strong, pro-war lyrics to make Americans want to stand up and fight for their country.
It is clear that Toby Keith is responding to terrorism and mainly the attack of the Twin Towers in New Your City. He sings, “Now the nation that I love has fallen under attack, a mighty sucker punch came flying in from somewhere in the back” ( LyricsFreak lines 15-18). Toby Keith compares the two planes crushing into the buildings to a fist crushing into an unsuspecting person. He also sings about our counter-attack on Iraq by singing, “Man, we lit up your world like the 4th of July” (lines 20-21).We dropped approximately 240,000 cluster bombs during the first allied raiding, which must have been an amazing spectacle for any onlooker.
Toby Keith responds to the sneak attack by releasing this song to urge America to puff out its chest and muscle terrorism to the ground. He makes it clear that if you attack America, Uncle Sam will “Put your name at the top of his list” (line 23). This is exactly what America did by invading Afghanistan to stop the group responsible for all of the innocent deaths. The main method Toby Keith uses to appeal to his audience is that of pathos of the rhetoric triangle. This emphasis shines through when he sings, “Theres a lot of men dead” and “a mighty sucker punch came flyin in” (lines 5 and 17). These lines both persuade listeners that justice must be served by either making the terrorist attack seem like a cheap-shot or making Americans feel for the men who passed away.
It is clear that the persona in this essay is a pro-war, patriotic American. It shows aggression, anger, and uses strong, sometimes cursing, language when trying to persuade citizens of the United States of America to back up their country. In the chorus Toby Keith sings, “And the statue of liberty started shaking her fist, and the eagle will fly, man it’s gonna be hell” (lines 25-28). Toby Keith first gets the listener emotionally attached by mentioning one of the most popular symbols of America, the statue of liberty. Then he finishes the rhyme with it will be “hell” if you mess with the U.S. By listening to the opening verse of the song, we notice many details about the persona’s life and up-bringing. The persona’s father served in the army and “lost his right eye” (line 9). We also know that even though the persona’s father had this accident and may have been bitter, they still “flew a flag out in our yard until the day that he died” (line 10). This shows that the persona has been in the situation where actual war has affected his family but, nevertheless, still loves America. The persona is also completely supportive of the war in Iraq. Toby Keith sings, “Justice will be served, and the battle will rage, this big dog will fight when you rattle his cage” (lines 34-36). The big dog in this case is America and the deliberate attack of 9/11 was the rattling of its cage. And just like in the text, he supports the justice being served in our invasion of Afghanistan.
The audience of “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” mainly includes American citizens that lean more on the pro-war view. Since the purpose of the song is to rile people up to bolster their country, the audience must agree with the actions America has taken in response to the attack. The song is also focused toward middle to upper-aged citizens because of the multiple occurrences of words such as “hell” and “ass.” These curse words make in improbable to be focuses toward children.
In conclusion, Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” is an emotionally strong, pro-war song made to get the American public to stand up and fight for their country. When further researching Toby Keith’s childhood and public statements, it became clear that this song was actually a direct representation of his views as well as early life. His father actually lost his eye in the war and he is very pro-war when it comes to his beloved country. His song was very successful with its message making it to the top of the country and overall airplay charts, as well as still being a country favorite today, still played throughout the U.S.A.
Works Cited
LyricsFreak. 1 Nov. 2007.
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