A reader can relate to this post:
I have some seriously rednecked cousins-in-law down here in Florida, and if there are two things they are proud of, it’s their Southern heritage and their liberty. They still bristle over the Northern War of Aggression and consider anyone north of Orlando a Yankee. They all smoke pot, are still convinced Obama’s a Muslim, work hard, and will fight each other over anything. They would welcome legalization in a heartbeat. One less intrusion on their lives by the goddamned government.
Another illustrates that theme by pointing to the lyrics from “Team Party darling Charlie Daniels’ 1974 song, ‘Long Haired Country Boy'” (seen above):
“People say I’m no good, and crazy as a loon
‘Cause I get stoned in the mornin’, I get drunk in the afternoon…
“‘Cause I ain’t askin’ nobody for nothin’
If I can’t get it on my own
If you don’t like the way I’m livin’
You just leave this long haired country boy alone…“A poor girl wants to marry, a rich girl wants to flirt
A rich man goes to college, a poor man goes to work
A drunkard wants another drink of wine, and a politician wants your vote
I don’t want much of nothing at all, but I will take another toke“‘Cause I ain’t asking nobody for nothin’
If I can’t get it on my own
If you don’t like the way I’m livin’
You just leave this long haired country boy alone”
Another reader:
Your post mentioned Willie Nelson, which reminded me of a wonderful Texas Monthly article on the Outlaw Country movement, which brought the rednecks and hippies together in the early ’70s. My favorite quotes:
BILL BENTLEY “The thing that turned Austin inside out was cocaine. The city got flooded with it.”
STEVE EARLE “It created a caste system. The democracy goes out when people are hiding in bathrooms because some can afford cocaine and some can’t.”
WILLIE NELSON “I never liked it. Eventually I told everybody, ‘You’re wired, you’re fired.’ If you’re going to play music, you better all be on the same drug. You can’t have a guy up here wailing away on cocaine while you’re laid back on a little pot. It just don’t work.”
The Dish 