Not Country Enough in W. -- the Film
I'm usually not big on movies that chronicle the lives of political figures. No offense to them, it's just not my idea of a fun Saturday night. But I reluctantly agreed to go see the film, W., this weekend. Not just because there was the promise of seeing Josh Brolin with his shirt off and a cowboy hat on, but because I thought that with the Bush family being from Texas and all, there would at least be a soundtrack packed with good ol' country music. I thought that even if I grew tired of W.'s swagger and talks of the axis of evil, I could close my eyes and pretend I was at a George Strait concert at the Houston Astrodome.
No such luck. There were only a handful of good country songs in this long, long movie. I perked up a bit when I heard the familiar intro from Alan Jackson's "Chattahoochee." Then later my interest was piqued again when Willie Nelson started in on "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys." Then there some marginally country stuff, like the marching-band-backed "Yellow Rose of Texas" and Bob Dylan's old "With God on Our Side" during the closing credits. But that was it. The soundtrack appears to have more country than the actual movie, but still not enough for me to part with $18.
A few years ago, I remember the New York Times reporting on the first iPod and what kind of music President Bush listened to during his long bike rides on his Texas ranch. There was allegedly some Alan Jackson, George Jones and even some Kenny Chesney, so I thought this biography would reflect that. I am not saying the movie's not good. It's just not country-music good.
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bkb says:
this movie is trash. it is not making money and hope it fades from the theaters soon. how is it that stone had it to appear right before election time?
Kim says:
The NEW YORK TIMES gave it bad reviews. that’s saying something. Oliver Stone is just malicious, and this time no one cares. He’s never one for too much accuracy (it seems to get in the way of his politics), but this is off the charts in BS.
Chris N. says:
So you two have seen the movie?
RedMaZ says:
So who were you expecting Dale Watson and Cornell Hurd?
Ms. Feathers says:
Apparently you went to the movie with the wrong expectations, Alison! LOL Could’a saved that $8 and put it toward the next CD you want to buy!
MR says:
If it is real GBW, there will be many KC songs. He invited Kenny to whitehouse to entertain australian prime minister John Howard in ? 2006.
Kim says:
Yup. Saw it. Was disgusted. Don’t get me wrong, not a huge fan of GWB. but its just plan pathetic to try to insult someone by making shit up about them. Stone could have done better, and with true material if he wanted to, but no; he went with a load of crap that is just plan lame.
Really, Alison? says:
The Bush family is from Connecticut.
hotelmotel says:
I half supsect that Bush’s “musical favorites” are determined not by Bush but by some image consultant of sorts.
And not just Bush (this isn’t to pick on him) but many (most?) politicians and celebrities.
MiaT says:
Hey Alison…Saw “W.” the same night you did…Thats weird.
RedMaZ says:
Well, the Alejandro Escovedo song “Castanets” was on Bush’s top 10 ipod list, and you remember what Alejandro had to say about that at the New Orleans Jazz Festival don’t you?
Alison says:
Really, Really Alison? W. was born out east, but was raised in Texas from toddlerhood on. Hence my assumption he’d have been raised on country music.
hotelmotel says:
I do think there’s a decent chance W. was exposed to country - his father, after all, has at times mentioned liking country music.
However, its also quite likely that W. has played up a love of country to gain favor from certain voters. Lots of politicians use music to connect with potential voters, and I’d be shocked if their musical choices weren’t very carefully thought out, behind the scenes.
Not sure how the fact that the Bush family is from the east coast, but then moved to Texas, plays into that. Not all easterners dislike country and not all texans like it.
Brenda Ouellette says:
I really wish you would take this woman you have on here that talks the entire time while you are trying to enjoy Shanghi Noon. She is very annoying and I end up changing the channel. So I would almost bet others do also. She makes you so aggrivated listening to how stupid she is on there that you aren’t interested in the movie anymore. Thanks Brenda