Nationalist Pop Singers

[Thue]

Russia had a pop hit called "A Man Like Putin"...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2212885.stm

[Cort Haus]

The football example is interesting, though. Support for the English team during tournaments these days tends to cross ethnic boundaries in a way that not much else does. You see the flag flying from cars driven by white, black and asian people.

In a way football has 'reclaimed' the flag of St George for all the people of England - whereas in the past it was considered a noxious symbol of white anglo-saxon exclusivity.

Going back to the music - there have been nationalist bands in the past. 80's Oi! bands like Skrewdriver were basically fascist thugs, but they were on the tiny margins of the scene, and not playing to large venues and making international news.

[DanS]

I wouldn't necessarily call them nationalist songs (or nationalist singers), but the US has a strong tradition of patriotic songs and songs made for propaganda purposes.

F.e., "God Bless the USA" that came into prominence during Gulf War I, even though it was written well before that. But AFAIK, Lee Greenwood has a reasonably large repertoire otherwise. And I haven't heard of any xenophobia related to a Greenwood concert.

Some of these songs are really outstanding.

[Varwnos]

That song was garbage...
Sounds like a copy of so many 80s glam rock tunes, it makes one vommit.

And i imagine the lyrics would not be saving it

No nationalist singers here btw. There was one pop singer who was in favour of the king returning though (but he was crap anyway)

[DanS]

No doubt that song was not of the highest quality. My taste skews more toward the WWI and WWII propaganda songs. E.g., "Over There." Slightly more xenophobic, though -- what with the Germans being called "the Hun."

http://www.firstworldwar.com/audio/Billy%20Murray%20-%20Over%20There.mp3

[Cort Haus]

Obviously there are plenty of WW2 songs. There's also one very famous song written for the 1968-1977 wartime Home Guard TV comedy - Dad's Army.

Who do you think you are kidding Mr. Hitler?
If you think we're on the run,
We are the boys who will stop your little game.
We are the boys who will make you think again.
'Cus who do you think you are kidding Mr. Hitler?
If you think old England's done?

Mr. Brown goes off to town
On the 8:21.
But he comes home each evening
And he's ready with his gun.

so who do you think you are kidding Mr. Hitler?
If you think old England's done.

So watch out Mr. Hitler
You have met your match in us.
If you think you can push us
We're afraid you've missed the bus.

so who do you think you are kidding Mr. Hitler?
If you think old England's done.

[Sandman]

Re: Nationalist Pop Singers

Originally posted by VetLegion
My questions for you are:

1) Does your country have a comparable pop icon? Someone who basically makes money singing nationalist songs?

2) If not, why not? There's always a market for that.

3) Should this guy be banned? There are attempts to do so. He certainly is provocative. His albums and public appearances are "clean" but he was caught singing some ugly song of the "kill the Serbs" variety on some wedding years ago.

1)Of the top of my head, neither Scotland nor the UK has anything comparable. Pop singers (usually the less successful ones) may get wheeled out to produce a football song every two or four years, but it's quickly forgotten.

2)Nationalism is generally viewed as irredeemably naff in the UK, aside from the aforementioned football (which I suspect is not nearly as popular as the media pretends it is).

3)No, that would only make him more popular.

[Seeker]

Thue:

Russians fantasize so much about Putin their porn-market is becoming saturated with Putin impersonaters....

Same thing in Israel except all the Olmert porno's are hardcore S & M....

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by varwnos


No nationalist singers here btw.

I used to work with someone who was a political refugee from the Colonels' regime.

He said they tried to encourage nationalism by doing absurd things like renaming Turkish coffee 'Byzantine' coffee and trying to get patriotic music and folk songs and literature 'recast' in katharevousa.

[Az]

Same thing in Israel except all the Olmert porno's are hardcore S & M...

WTFWTFWTFWTFWTFWTFWTFWTF

[Seeker]

You're trying to tell me you aren't turned on by him?

[Az]

well yes. I mean no.

[Seeker]

So, you're NOT trying to tell me that your AREN'T turned on by him then....


(sorry I'm a pathetic high school English teacher)

[Cort Haus]

It seems that the Simon Wiesenthal Center has some strong feelings about this :

“According to the Croatian media, the concert turned into a massive fascist demonstration with tens of thousands of people shouting the infamous Ustasha salute of “Za dom spremni.” In addition,… numerous participants came wearing Ustasha uniforms and symbols. To make matters worse, in attendance last night were officials and members of Parliament, as well as the Minister of Science, Education [!!] and Sports.

“Under the current circumstances, I believe that the time has come to prohibit public concerts by those who write songs of nostalgia for Jasenovac and inspire the show of Ustasha symbols, which constitute open and blatant incitement against all the minorities in Croatia."

http://www.wiesenthal.com/site/apps/nl/content.asp?c=fwLYKnN8LzH&b=312458&ct=3969137

Is she a nazi or is she 'measuring corn'?

[Thorgal]

Re: Nationalist Pop Singers

Originally posted by VetLegion
I was wondering whether other countries have this, or is it an exclusively Croatian phenomenon.

On July 17th Croatian pop/rock/folk singer Marko Perkovic "Thompson" filled a soccer stadium and held a concert.

Few local stars can draw such a crowd (more than 40 000 people). I can only think of two actually. Stadiums are usually used only by global superstars like The Rolling Stones or U2 when they come here.

The concert (I attended) was basically a celebration of patriotism and nationalism in various forms. Some commentators have called it a "pagan spring ritual". While Thompson sang about tradition, family and loyalty in politically correct terms there were also more extreme "views" in the audience with some attendees donning fascist insignia and crowds occasionaly doing the Roman salute and chanting slurs about other ethnic groups.

Thompson is denounced as a xenophobe and a nazi sympathiser by various foreign and domestic organizations but those protests fall on deaf ears as he continues to sell out his concerts.

My questions for you are:

1) Does your country have a comparable pop icon? Someone who basically makes money singing nationalist songs?

2) If not, why not? There's always a market for that.

3) Should this guy be banned? There are attempts to do so. He certainly is provocative. His albums and public appearances are "clean" but he was caught singing some ugly song of the "kill the Serbs" variety on some wedding years ago.

1) NO

2) NO

3) NO