me: > > (FWIW, I remember visiting Mexico and Guatemala in 1976. The music of > > Barry White (!!) was very popular in Mexico, while they were playing > > Paul McCartney's "stupid little love song" (dreck!) all over > > Guatemala. The local music seemed to be losing out.)
Doug: > I think I've mentioned this before, but in 2001, I heard an aborigine > singing "Okie from Muskogee" at the Aboriginal Cultural Center in > Adelaide, Australia. I was told that aborigines love American country > music - they love the themes of poverty, loneliness, alcohol, and > resentment of urban elites. I think I've mentioned this before, but Merle Haggard wrote the song "Okie from Muskogee" while under the influence of lots of marijuana. It's a spoof. Lyrics follow. Merle Haggard, Okie from Muskogee Lyrics We don't smoke marijuana in Muskogee; We don't take our trips on LSD We don't burn our draft cards down on Main Street; We like livin' right, and bein' free. I'm proud to be an Okie from Muskogee, A place where even squares can have a ball We still wave Old Glory down at the courthouse, And white lightnin's still the biggest thrill of all We don't make a party out of lovin'; We like holdin' hands and pitchin' woo; We don't let our hair grow long and shaggy, Like the hippies out in San Francisco do. And I'm proud to be an Okie from Muskogee, A place where even squares can have a ball. We still wave Old Glory down at the courthouse, And white lightnin's still the biggest thrill of all. Leather boots are still in style for manly footwear; Beads and Roman sandals won't be seen. Football's still the roughest thing on campus, And the kids here still respect the college dean. We still wave Old Glory down at the courthouse, In Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA. -- Jim Devine / "Segui il tuo corso, e lascia dir le genti." (Go your own way and let people talk.) -- Karl, paraphrasing Dante.
