Customer Reviews

Patriotic Country

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

There have been times when I wanted to put, on 1 CD, a collection of songs that reflect how I feel about this great nation. This desire accelerated when I was deployed to Iraqi Freedom aboard the USS Harry S Truman. Then I noticed that there was only one genre of music from which artists reached out to express support for Americans at war, and that was country music.

I note with amazement the negative reviews related to this product. The vitriol, hatred, anger are obvious. If that's your bag, fine. But there are some of us who are proud of their country, aware of strengths and weaknesses but coming out strong in favor of our homeland, and this CD is for us. When we have heard just a little too much of the constant drumbeat of the terminally angry, we can pop this into play and enjoy.

I've toured in and lived in other nations. This is the land I love the best. I've watched the news, read newspapers, been in DC... and I've lived and worked with Americans from the heartland, working hard and doing the best they can. I vastly prefer the company of these people, who this CD does a good job of honoring. Sure, I can name some songs I'd have preferred were on here, selections of Toby Kieth come readily to mind. But this is a CD I'm proud to own, because it's positive, upbeat, and reminds me of home. I've looked for such a collection, and I'm glad it's arrived.

As another reviewer put it...It's about time. This is a beautiful collection of songs that speak to the heart of America. The inspiring music is outstanding, but the cause is even greater. It's wonderful that a portion of the sales from this CD goes toward supporting our troops and their families. It's a small way to show our thanks and pride, and to support our military's efforts to protect our freedoms, including the freedom of some bitter and angry people who feel the need to vent in their reviews of this CD. Whether they appreciate it or not, it is our soldiers efforts' that continue to give them the right to post their rantings online. Here's hoping that people will be able to get off their soapbox long enough to appreciate the fun and inspiring, good, old-fashioned country music that this album has to offer. This CD is about patriotism, not partisanship.

To be true, all of these songs feature top-notch artists, from "legends" such as Lee Greenwood and Kenny Rogers, to relative newcomers like Dusty Drake and Phil Vassar. All of these songs are high-caliber pieces of entertainment, and will make you proud to be an American and a country music fan.

Only a handful of the songs, surpisingly, deal with America in a direct way. The album kicks off with probably it's most patriotic number: a newer version of Lee Greenwood's immortal "God Bless the USA." Martina McBride delivers a stunning performance of "God Bless America," while Aaron Tippin keeps it simple (yet effective) on "Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly". Randy Travis reaches inside us all with his stirring voice on "America WIll Always Stand," with Phil Vassar's "American Child" reiterating American pride and life. Hank Jr. and the Charlie Daniels Band are the flag waving rebels with their respective tunes, and BlackHawk tells of daily life in "Days of America." The Warren Brothers offer a respectful look at the presidency (thank God; there's too much criticism out there) with their powerful "Hey Mr. President," and Kenny Rogers sums things up with his emotional "Homeland."

Other songs deal with rural/country life (urban listeners might feel a little left out). Montgomery Gentry's smash "My Town," Chesney's "Back Where I Come From," and Alabama's "Born Country" all tell of backwoods boys who love their simple lives.

Still other songs are here for their emotional punch. Neal McCoy's back with "I'm Your Biggest Fan" (I saw him perform this one live; by the end, everyone, McCoy included, had tears in their eyes). Lonestar's "I'm Already There" and Dusty Drake's "One Last Time" both offer tears (the first of joy, the second of sorrow). David Ball's "Riding With Private Malone" and Kix and Ronnie's "Til My Dyin Day" don't really fit in with the rest of the album, but they are both entertaining songs nonetheless.

"Patriotic Country" may not be an entirely patriotic album; it detours now and then, in an effort to attract more listeners. And there were some songs that could be replaced by others; Toby Keith's "American Soldier" (or "Courtesy of the Red White and Blue", if the album compilers wanted to risk sales drops), or Alan Jackson's "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning" could easily have fit in. But their absence isn't much noticeable, as you've got 18 great country songs, about life, pride, and family--three things country's always been about.

Two reasons you should buy this album: one, a portion of the proceeds will go to a great cause; and second, this is an album filled with superb music. With those reasons behind you, why haven't you bought the album already?

This is an excellent album with a variety of music. Despite some of the strange "hate America" reviews, several of the songs have absolutely nothing to do with "nationalism." Some of the songs are about things like missing loved ones, about being far away from family and friends. I'd like to suggest that reviewers stick to the topic at hand: the review of the music on this CD -- and leave the political rhetoric and hatefulness to more appropriate venues.

After listening to this album only once, I have found that is a wonderful compilation of patriotic country music. While it is missing a few songs that I would have included, it is full of emotion and patriotism.
I can hardly believe some of the reviews for this CD. My brother is in the Army, and has been to Iraq. Some of the things said are riduculous and hurtful to read. I think that this CD is a great way for country fans to support their country and the troops that are overseas.
If you have a problem with this CD, or this type of music, simply do not listen to it!
Thanks to everyone out there that is supporting out troops overseas!

When Charlie Daniels came to Dearborn, Michigan he was advised not to sing, "This Ain't No Rag, It's A Flag" due to the Muslim population there. A great American entertainer was silenced by foreigners whose religion attacked this country. Foreigners taking away the freedom of speech of a true American singer. All I can say is, keep on singing the song Charlie! Even if you come back to Dearborn, we want to hear it! AMERICANS LOVE IT!!

One of the best collections of patriotic country music I've found. However, some songs on this CD aren't exactly patriotic, per se. They're more like "slice of life in America" songs. I would have traded these for others like Martina McBride's "Independence Day", Toby Keith's "American Soldier", and perhaps "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue".

God Bless the U.S.A. 2003 - Lee Greenwood, (3:30): Greenwood's famous song is still just as good as ever, and if you haven't heard it, this could become one of your favorite tracks.

My Town - Montgomery Gentry (4:27): It's just a simple song about being proud to be in "my town"

Till My Dyin' Day - Brooks & Dunn (3:06): A more beaty song about appreciating life, the beauty of living, and standing up for our rights when it comes time, "till my dyin' day".

God Bless America - Martina McBride (3:31): With very orchestral and spirited music, Martina McBride sings as well as ever. *Sarcastic warning* This song includes an invocation of blessings from God.

Where the Stars and Stripes and Eagle Fly - Aaron Tippin (3:48): I just love this song. It just sums up being "proud to be American" perfectly. It's sort of mildly boasting about the best that America offers, and the freedom that Americans live and die for. American pride at its best.

I'm Already There - Lonestar (4:14): Lonestar does some great songs, and this one is a popular, sort of tear-jerking song. Not exactly patriotic (not that it's UNpatriotic) but it sings of a father on the road calling back home and talking to his family, telling them that he is, in essence, "already there" in spirit. It's just a nice family love song, and nice to hear, but it's just one of those slice-of-life songs, not about America. Then again, one could easily argue that's a good part of what America is about.

America Will Always Stand - Randy Travis (3:58): Just a quiet song, singing of love for the American flag, and what she stands for, and standing stongly united under its banner, and under God.

American Child - Phil Vassar (3:13): I really like this song, too, even though it is kind of from a personal angle, as in, singing of (assumingly) Phil Vassar's upbringing in a poor town, his success, and being thankful that he and his family grew up an "American Child".

Back Where I Come From - Kenny Chesney (4:11): Recorded live, it is introduced by Kenny Chesney, and sings of a love for country roots, the background for many of these music stars, and a lot of Americans.

Born Country - Alabama (3:18) Again, another song of pride for country roots and surroundings from which singers and others come from.

I'm Your Biggest Fan - Neal McCoy (4:05): A very loving song to the troops, evidently recorded recently, overseas if I had my guess. Each and everyone of us that is proud to have our American soldiers fighting to keep us free could sing this to the troops, and mean it with all our hearts.

America Will Survive - Hank Williams Jr. (4:42): This is one in the style of "Angry American", and modified from the original "Country Boy Can Survive", it's about gritty resolve that a ragtag bunch of terrorists won't drive us out, or make us run. This song contained the D-word, in case you're concerned about content.

Days of America - Black hawk (3:00): Another okay song about normal American life...neighbors banding together to protect their businesses from corporate takeovers, farms from bank foreclosures...just neighbors taking care of each other.

This Ain't No Rag, It's A Flag - The Charlie Daniels Band (3:32): Once again, in the style of "Angry American", Charlie Daniels' gravely voice gets down and dirty, warning terrorists that they're about to face up to the consequences for daring to attack this big dawg country. If you liked "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue" (which I did -- in spite of the bad word, I loved it), you're going to love this one too. I love it because there IS a time to express the anger that Americans store up for terrorists that behead our troops and plot harm against u.s. Again, if content is a concern, the style is sort of heavy-metal, but it's a heavy metal that I'm okay with -- and I don't like heavy metal. It also calls the terrorists mild names like "dog", "fool", and "dirty little mole", which shouldn't bother anyone -- they're terrorists.

Hey Mr. President - The Warren Brothers (4:17): A quiet song (perhaps needed to calm yourself down after venting some anger in "Ain't No Rag"), just a nice little memo in song-form to the President, thanking him for the job he's doing, It bridges party lines, too, not favoring one side or the other, although presumably it thanks President Bush, because we owe little thanks to Clinton for degrading our military prior to 9/11.

Riding With Private Malone - David Ball (4:34): Not very patriotic, exactly, but again, it's not unpatriotic either. It's just a song about a former military fellow who buys a car from a lady, and finds a note in the glove compartment from another boy who died in one of the wars, and used to own the car. The singer fixes up the car, but he sings about how he always felt while driving that he was "riding with Private Malone".

One Last Time - Dusty Drake (3:49): A tear-jerker if I ever heard one. It's about one of the passengers on one of the doomed airplanes on 9/11, calling home to his wife to say goodbye -- "one last time". Very emotional, very touching.

Homeland - Kenny Rogers (3:34): A fitting close, singing again of love for American homeland, standing strong and free.

Whether you like country or not, this album makes you proud -- nay, thrilled -- to be American. I strongly recommend it for anyone.

It is a great CD. If you like country music, this is a great buy. Not all the songs are about America, but make you feel good and proud of where you come from.

NOTE: Most of the bad reviews below have to more with politics than music. These folks probably have never listened to all the songs let alone actually buying the CD.

DanD and captainarcher,

Well said. I can't understand where race, color, creed, or religion come in to this CD.

I was simply searching for SOME place I could find a legal copy of "Mr. President" by the Warren Brothers.

After reading SOME of the mindless ranting in these reviews I am buying this CD. I agree that it could be better in some ways (and Nora Jones does rock, sometimes).

I have heard most of these songs seperately and like several (sorry but too much of anything <God Bless The USA> can be bad).

Please do note readers that MOST of the negative bashing of this CD has come from MUSICFAN (who could benefit from a spellchecker and a ticket home).

Off to place my order thanks for the good reviews...

This CD is a great mix of songs. Will show alot of you what patriotism is. And to you people badmouthing this cd go buy the Fahrenheit 9/11 soundtrack, you are unpatriotic and have no business living in this country, go move to Canada and make this country better WITHOUT YOU.