Originally Posted by ben willis
"The Battle Of New Orleans" used a PD melody from an old fiddle tune called "Eighth Of January", written after the war of 1812. It was an appropriate melody for the song because it fit the times. It's a song about a famous battle. Sorry if you're offended Steve, but we just had to kick your a%ses at that time. Just couldn't let you guys get in, thanks to La feat.



My intervention in this thread has at no point claimed to be offended by that or any other song. Rather I was bemused that anyone could take offence at a song simply because it contains the word 'ass'.

And I certainly haven't said that I was offended by 'The Battle of New Orleans'. No-one who, like me, owns a copy of the album Murder Ballads by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds could possibly be offended by such a song.

My point was simply that it is a country/folk song that could reasonably be interpreted as celebrating violence in its own right or an end that was achieved by violence. It is just as violent as the hip-hop songs that people in this thread have condemned - as indeed are the songs of lynching apologists such as Toby Keith.

As for the remark about kicking asses and suchlike, I assume that's directed at my British nationality. However, I'd sooner burn the UK flag than have one in my home. It means nothing to me except imperialism. And not just in the past either.

Steve Cooke
Stockton-on-Tees, UK
http://wwww.soundcloud.com/stevecooke