Who knew that a cordial game of golf between political rivals could stir up such a hornet’s nest of nastiness? But, after country singer Hank Williams Jr. went all “Obama is Hitler” on “Fox and Friends” last week, ESPN fired the musical voice of Monday Night Football and all holy hell broke loose.
Now, the singer who made the musical question, “Are you ready for some football?” into a national slogan, has apparently embarked on a new career as misunderstood mouthpiece for non-golfers — complete with a new song and a round of visits to TV talk shows.
In case you somehow missed the after-effects of the brouhaha involving Williams’ comparing the President of the United States to the most hated dictator of all time, here’s a brief recap. First, there was the scream-fest at ESPN’s “Outside the Lines,” in which talking heads debated the pros and cons of “neo-Confederacy.” Then, commentators from both sides of the political spectrum pleaded Junior’s case, claiming that ESPN infringed on Williams’ right to free speech. And, of course, there was the requisite “Saturday Night Live” take-off, in which SNL’s “Williams” crooned, “Are you ready for an apology? Well, you’re not going to get one ’cause I calls ‘em like I sees ‘em and Obama is Hitler!”
The firestorm of reaction occurred after Williams’ “Fox and Friends” appearance last week, during which he likened the round of golf that President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner played in June to Adolf Hitler and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu teeing it up. Citing disappointment with Williams’ tasteless analogy, ESPN initially pulled the singer’s musical intro to last Monday’s MNF broadcast. But after Williams issued his “Sorry if I offended anyone” non-apology, the sports network permanently pulled the plug on Williams’ widely recognized gridiron anthem.
So, Williams — as the self-appointed spokesperson for “working class” victims of Democratic and Republican lawmakers “high-fiving it on the ninth hole when everybody else is without a job” — decided to ratchet up the noise level. The son of iconic country singer Hank Williams Sr., Hank Jr. will sit down with “The View” and “Hannity” on Tuesday to defend his offensive observation and shill for the tune he penned about the uproar.
In his new ditty, “Keep The Change” which Williams’ website offered for free for 48 hours starting Monday afternoon, the singer takes “Fox & Friends” hosts to task for misrepresenting his rather obvious comments about how POTUS equals Hitler.
“So Fox ‘n Friends wanna put me down/Ask for my opinion/Twist it all around,” go the new lyrics. “Well two can play that gotcha game just wait and see.”
ESPN, by the way, will replace Williams’ version of his own “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight” theme, which the songwriter owns the rights to, with different intros each week. The song opened the MNF telecast for 20 years.
And now, as a public service — so you don’t have to subject yourself to Hank Jr.‘s new paean to the good o’ U.S of A.: Love it or Leave it — here are the lyrics to “Keep the Change”:
I’ll keep my freedom, I’ll keep my guns
Try to keep my money and my religion too
Try to keep on workin’, try to keep on smilin’
I will keep my Christian name and y’all can keep the change
I’ll keep my heroes‘ pictures on the wall
I’ll keep my family safe, …you [indecipherable] when I call
I’m gonna keep my big V8, keep my friends the same
Keep the government outta my business and y’all can keep the change
This country sure as hell’s been goin’ down the drain
We know what we need we know who to blame
United Socialist States of America, how do you like that name?
I’ll keep the USA and y’all can keep the change
So Fox and Friends wanna put me down, ask for my opinion then twist it all around
Supposed to be talkin’ about my fathers new cd
Well two can play that gotcha game just wait and see
Dont tread on me
This country sure as hell’s been goin’ down the drain
We know what we need we know who to blame
United Socialist States of America, how do you like that name?
I’ll keep the USA and y’all can keep the change
This country sure as hell’s been goin’ down the drain
We know what we need we know who to blame
United Socialist States of America, how do you like that name?
I’ll keep the USA and y’all can keep the change
Ya you can keep Fox and Friends and ESPN outta your homes, too
Bocephus and all his rowdy friends and his song is outta there
Yessuh!
