"Oh Dear."
Ray has gotten older and more schizoid. You remember when he was FUNNY?
His earliest stuff was goofy and some of it ("Harry the Hairy Ape") even seemed like it could be the work of a black hipster. Of course he was a good ol' boy, and demonstrated it by getting cornier and cornier. There was the hee-haw of "The Streak" ("cover yer eyes, Ethel!") and other disappointments.
He then began to get "serious." At first, he was just another Barry McGuire, another guy who seemed to be singing protest songs because they were selling. "Mr. Businessman" was one of those. It was well crafted but how sincere WAS it?
He got MORE serious. He had a huge hit with the obnoxious "Everything is Beautiful." From then on, you just didn't know what he was going to do; corny novelty or cloying sentimental ballads.
He also became much more of a redneck, which could be good (his wicked, very racist song about Mexicans who won't speak English) or bad (a song jeering climate change as a load of bullshit).
As for THIS thing, it's bound to appeal to the Red States. They'll push it to a million hits on GOOTUBE, which will at least break even on the production costs, or make $10,000 profit, and remind people he's still alive.
But, yeah, "Oh Dear." The idea of writing an open-letter-SONG to "America" is pathetic enough, but the song has Christian references galore, which is a very obvious kick in the ass to any non-Christian who fought in a war, works for the government, or is patriotic in any way.
The song also ridiculously has a line about how the Muslims "will have to get through ME to get to YOU (America)."
How fucking OLD is Ray now? PS, Ray, you're not based in New York. You're living in Nashville or someplace like that, which is like a Muslim-free zone. The Muslims are sneaks and cowards. If they attacked in Nashville, you'd be the last to know. By the time you did, you'd be running down the street screamin' "Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!" And getting NO ANSWER.
What a pat, trite, utterly cloying way of playing to the Westboro Baptist assholes of the country, declaring from your piano bench that this country's enemies "will have to get through ME." That's like some 70-something going down to the draft board and demanding to enlist. It's a good show, but that's all it is.
It's too bad this song is so terrible, because frankly, IF I'M BEING HONEST, the country could do with a few more old fashioned patriotic songs. This is especially true since some of the old ones are being damned as politically incorrect by minorities who don't endear themselves to White Christians by their actions. That's right, Mr. Black Face, refuse to stand up for "The Star Spangled Banner," and then wonder why Donald Trump actually has a chance to be President.
There used to be an element of Whitebread American Culture that everyone seems to envy. It's part of the American Dream. For most anyone over 40, America was symbolized by guys who look like John Wayne and women who look like Anita Bryant. "An American Christian," sang Randy Newman. "God Damn!"
It's the myth of a "White Christmas" and a Rosebud sled and apple-cheeked white brother and sister saying their prayers. It's Pat Boone and Superman and riding a bike down a quiet suburban street. It's Mickey Mantle. Even Jewish kids and black kids wanted to be Mickey Mantle and play BASEBALL. Gradually, the American Dream has been abandoned and the people clinging to it have retreated into racism.
It's sad that the USA is so fucking polarized that you have to either be an absurd Liberal and embrace snickering two-faced incoming murderers, or a lamebrain Conservative who thinks white Christians are superior to everyone else, and Jesus could come down and kick Muslim ass any day.
One of the things that makes Americans hated all around the world is condescending sanctimonious arrogant narrow-minded racially and religiously intolerant flag-waving bullshit like "Dear America."
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