"That big diesel motor is a-playing my song
Thank God and Greyhound you're gone . . . "
- Old Roy Clark song
There's little doubt that few things can sum up life's ups and downs like a good country song.
Whether it's "Turnin' 21 in prison doin' life without parole" or "I've got tears in my ears from lyin' on my back cryin' over you," country lyricists are sorta like Shakespeare, but without the foppery.
That's why it's so sad when a crossover hero from the genre like Hank Williams Jr. innocently screws up by comparing Barack Obama to Hitler and gets tossed off national television.
It seems that ESPN no longer wants Hank and "All his rowdy friends" introducing Monday Night Football.
Now, granted, it probably wasn't too bright comparing a golf match between the president and House Speaker John Boehner to "Hitler playing golf with (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu."
But we can't help but wonder, "Just how great a percentage of Americans turn to Hank Williams Jr. for astute political commentary?"
No question Hank hasn't done himself much good in the ensuing days. He has released a new song (a free download from his website) called "Keep the Change." In the new number, Hank criticizes the president, ESPN and the show where he originally made the offending remarks, "Fox & Friends."
While we are not schooled in music critique, we'd say there's nothing much worse than a bitter, ex-football introducer lyricist. Hank was much better when his main lyric was "Are you ready for some football."
In fact, Hank has behaved so badly that perhaps ESPN was correct in parting ways with him.
As the president of that network probably said, "Thank God and Greyhound he's gone."
* Editorials reflect the opinion of the publisher.
