Without American Cars, What Will Country Sing About?
I'm all for American cars. I grew up in Detroit, one of thousands of children born to auto executives, and grew up with General Motors oil coursing through my veins. So I've taken a special interest in this whole Big Three bailout. It's absurd to think that our government has to help out the US automakers. It's their bed, they should lie in it and all that. Yet there they were in Washington this week, begging for help in the form of $34 billion in aid. General Motors pleaded with Congressional leaders for immediate relief with an $18 billion price tag. Ford asked for $9 billion and Chrysler for $7.
Worst-case scenario? No more American-made cars. That isn't the end of the world, but I can't help but think of what it would do to all those country songs steeped in Motor City history. How would we explain all those Ford, Chevy, Cadillac, Mercury and Buick mentions to future generations? And how the hell will songwriters come up with words that rhyme with Hyundai, Kia, Porsche, Mitsubishi, Toyota, BMW and Nissan? Those are the companies that make 54 percent of the cars Americans buy, according to the Wall Street Journal.
But if the powers that be do give in and help the struggling carmakers stay afloat, then Nashville can keep writing songs about the devil driving a Coupe Deville, a boy in a Chevy truck, a Mustang that'll do 80, stepping out of that old Cadillac, going back to a two-toned short-bed Chevy, an old Ford that couldn't run her down, being crazy ‘bout a Mercury, driving Buicks to the moon, coming up the road in a beat-up Chevy truck, a hot-rod Ford and a two dollar bill loadin' up that Chevy trying not to cry, and maybe buying your momma that Cadillac.
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mia says:
Carrie Underwood– Don’t Forget to Remember Me: “loadin’ up that Chevy, both trying not to cry”
Elizabeth says:
I would miss the Ford truck man Toby Keith.
dan says:
this is what we get when we elect sintors that are being paid by other countrys the end of American as we know
CJ says:
Maybe we should all come down to earth We do not need all the fancy cars and fancy houses etc. I would rather feed my family than struggle because of my big car payment. They got into it let them get out. We have a lot of people struggling in America. I say take care of them first. Time to quit making other courtries rich. Take care of home first.
Chris N. says:
If they’d make a car worth buying, I’d buy one. That’s how capitalism works.
It’s worth noting that a good number of those songs were written on guitars made in Japan. Toby Keith’s American-flag guitar is a Takamine.
Cricket on Froggy 104 says:
Mine’s an American-made Washburn…but I drive a Mazda. Go fig.
Chris N. says:
For the record, I drive a Mitsubishi and play an Ovation.
Cricket on Froggy 104 says:
Oh, wait! It has a Ford Taurus engine in it! Ta-dah, now I’m patriotic again. I’m sure SOMETHING rhymes with “engininit.”
RedMaZ says:
GMC, Dodge, Gibson’s, Fender’s. All American for me. Well okay…one Fender is a Tacocaster.
Leeann says:
I agree with Chris N. I’d be happy to buy an American car as soon as they can prove that they can make worthwhile cars to buy. Our Toyota has been one-hundered percent reliable, which is about 50% more than I can say for any American car that we’ve ever had.
Plg says:
I agree with the analysts who wonder why we’re complaining about loaning the big 3 little $$$ ($34 billion) when no one in Congress complained about bailing out out the banks/
investment houses with really big bucks ($700 billion). Could it be discrimination against blue collar workers - folks who take a shower at the end of their shift as opposed to taking it before they go to work?
hotelmotel says:
Maybe country singers think fondly of American cars. But the American cars I have owned and my family has owned were constantly in the shop. I’ve been driving Japanese cars for 14 years now and never had a problem (other than routine maintenance).
I would not buy an American car. American car companies sold me shoddy products for too long.
luvncountry says:
I love my Toyota. I drive one now, one before this, and WHEN this one goes to the great car lot in the sky, I will buy another Toyota to take it’s place. Other than maintenance costs, it gets me where I’m going, cheaper on gas, and like an Ever Ready battery, it goes and goes and goes… I think they should pay ME for advertising my love for their car. lol
luvncountry says:
Whoops, I meant like the Energizer bunny.
Leeann says:
Ha! I feel the same about Toyotas too.
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