European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 28, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse We at s what s not on a the a radio by David Bauder associated press songs reflect americans the National Anthem and from a distance Are definitely in. War is. Hell on the Home front and give peace a Chance Are definitely out. It s easy to gauge the mood of America As its soldiers fight in the persian Culf through the music1. Heard a and not heard a on the radio. Despite pockets of musical dissent radio stations said they be been appealing to americans fighting spirit and their need to by toothed in times of trouble through the music they play. War is big on the hit Parade. Quot Public opinion Here is running about where the polls Are so people tend to get feisty Quot said Cary ,. Evans program director for Duz in Green Bay wis. Quot you Don t want to Knock the troops or anything like a one of the biggest hits is an old one a the Star spangled Banner. From Whitney Houston s super bowl version to Jimi Hendrix s guitar Solo from Woodstock the National Anthem is getting unprecedented air time. A. A it is played at Sunrise and Sunset on Myu in Knoxville tenn., and at noon on Werz in Exeter . Chicago s wbb pm encourages motorists to honk their horns when the song is played in the morning. Bette Midler s from a distance with the refrain of Quot god is watching us Quot and styx s show me the Way a news reports interspersed with music a Are popular. A a get Here by Oleta Adams is frequently requested and Rock stations poke fun with the clash s Rock the Nasbah. Lee Greenwood s god bless the Usa has Quot become the second National Anthem Quot said music director Jim Tapley of Georgia s Why. Many country stations promote fist pumping support of the troops through songs like Hank Williams or s Don t give us a reason and Merle Haggard s when you re Runnin Down the country you re Walkin on the fight in Side of me. A War also has inspired songwriters. Alabama state rep. Bob Mckee strumming guitar on his own. Message to Saddam warns the iraqi president that he could Quot end up at War pm in Buffalo n.y., Sean Lennon s remake of his father s give peace a Chance was dumped because Quot it did t feel right Quot said program director John Hager. A song titled kick ass Usa is More popular he said. A Britain s bbl radio has banned several songs it i eels could be controversial for the duration of the War like Ohn imagine and give peace a Chance. There Are no organised bans in the United states but Many stations Are prac timing Selt censorship. Stations in Las Cruces Newark . Deadwood . And. Carbondale iii., All said they be pulled the plug on give peace a Chance. Quot since the War started people that song the time for that is past Quot said Garett. Michaels music director at Wapl in Indianapolis. Many Vietnam War Era songs like Edwin Starr s War and Barry Mcguire s eve of destruction have vanished fro i the airwaves. A Ariti War messages or at least pleas Tor peace Aie heard on some stations. Bulla of a a blk has mixed its own version of Marvin Gaye s what it go Tiyon with political speeches and Zuev in Evansville ind., report strap band Public enemy s anti War message is popular. Quot i think it s imperative to play give peace a Chance because that s w by we re Over there Quot said disc jockey Tom Tucker of Wrner in Martinsburg . Quot As a Vietnam Veteran i did t go Over there to make War. I went Over there hoping that someday there would be two songs off country playlists Are War is hell on the Home front a . Sheppard song about a woman who has an affair while her husband is off at War Anda dear John letter by Jean Shepard. Station Wink in Harrisburg pa., pulled a version of Midler s wind beneath my wings that featured a boy read Wirig a letter to his father in the Gulf when family members of Soldier overseas called in tears said music director Scott Shaw Quot although songs in reference to the War evoke Strong emotions depression and anxiety Are not what we re looking for Quot he said. Other stations Are extraordinarily sensitive to anything listeners might misinterpret. A big band station pulled an instrumental called in a persian Market and others have yanked the Gap band s you dropped a bomb on me. A one Pennsylvania station stopped playing Paul Simon s loves me like a Rock because some listeners complained Quot a Rock sounded too much like the country America is fighting. Quot i thought i d take their Side of it and put it on hold for awhile until things Settle Down Quot said the program director who begged not to be identified. A amps Anita Gosch top Whitney Houston s super bowl version of the Star spangled Banner is a big hit on stateside radio. Above country Singer Boxcar Willie has released spirit of America a collection of patriotic songs. Right Hank. Williams or. Is scoring big with done to give us a singers join the patriotic bandwagon associated press there s a red White and Blue flavor running through country music tunes that normally whine and twang about drinking and infidelity. In a push of patriotism inspired by the War country performers Are singing about the strength of the United states and the virtue of standing up for beliefs. They also Are warning Iraq and Pra ing for american troops. Quot there s a great pre it event tear this View Point said Ronnie Pugh a Muic scholar with the Nashville based country music foundation. Quot there s a history of this going Back to world War ii. The song Oue got to stand for something by new performer Aaron tip pm hit no. 6 two weeks ago on the country music chart.-. Yoube go to stand for a it meshing or you la fall for Tippin sing in a song about a Man who did t Ike trouble but a a i c r what was right. The song became associated with the War Effort however and after that Tippin joined Bob Hope entertaining troops in the Middle East. Hank Williams jr., known for his Quot left s party Quot style released Don t give us a reason last August shortly after1 Iraq invaded Kuwait. Quot Don t give us a reason to come Gunnin for you. You can take that Poison Gas and stick it in your Sassafras Williams Sang. Donna Fargo reprised the song Soldier boy a Rock n Roll hit for the Shirelle nearly 30 years ago. Included in Fargo s version is a prayer for troops fighting in the persian Culf. And Boxcar Willie a grand Ole opry Star has just released the album spirit of America a collection of mostly patriotic songs. Quot i want these soldiers to come Home and know we Are proud of them Quot he said. A some radio stations have added statements by president Bush and defense Secretary Dick Cheney to Waylon a Nningb-Ng-t/7c-Eag / eth .mcincvwriterclm.uia6, included in an album last year before the War in Ike out. Some of the lyrics from in a i Agio rumours a Quot that the Eagle May be lame. A a. A just because i be been Idle a a Quot Don t mean that i m Tanu. Quot patriotic Are nothing new in country music Pugh said. In world War ii for instance,/elton.britt wrote the song there a Star spangled Banner waving / somewhere. N a during the korean War country Musk sometimes made a pitch for anti communism in a Bible in the table and the hag upon the Wall by eee Autry an Little Jimmy i i kens. During the vie Livim War Kris Foit it Ijiro pm Caine out. With Vii loan blues a pro Wai Songdi spaits title Quot country Uwi has taken on a largely on it it a Itne rail polite ally Quot Pugh. Said. 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