Down with America: the Anti-American Dance

Ingezonden door LVB op 2005-09-10 12:46

"Down with America" is the title of a recent song by
the popular Belgian musician Raymond van het Groenewoud.
Written in Dutch and published by EMI , "Weg met Amerika" ("Down with America") will be available in record shops as of next week, and was played on Belgian state radio last Thursday and Friday.  Here is a quote from the lyrics of the song:
Hamburgers and coke, yes you already knew
But do you also know the cause of the general decay?
Short-sighted thinking, loud talking
Sticking to one-liners forever
Down with America! Down with the jerks from America
Down with America! [...]


Down with American colonialism
Down with that ugly, biting English
All the Anglo-Saxon pretence, arrogance
Yes, a hot pick up their ass
And that is that [...]

I am from the Belgian, the European panel
And I ask you: “Clear my channel! Clear my channel!”

Megalomaniac unicellular idiots
Kiss my ass, yes, kiss my balls

Incitement to hatred against people based on (i.a.) nationality is a crime in Belgium. In practice however, this law is only enforced when Arab, muslim or African minorities are criticized. Hate speech against the Americans or the British remains unsanctioned, as was recently shown when the leftist newspaper De Morgen published an article that complained about the British, "with their unique mixture of wantonness and arrogance, their pathetic addiction to drink, their bad taste, and actually just their ugliness and thickheaded presence".

In January 2003, the Flemish commercial radio station Q-Music was sanctioned by the Flemish Council for Disputes in Radio and Television, after a complaint from the Center for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism (CEOOR). In their radio show, presenters Erwin Deckers and Sven Ornelis had described Venus and Serena Williams as 'monkeys'. The CEOOR decided that their way of reporting was "a gross insult to all our non-white citizens. The vulgar language [...] contributes to the banalization of racist speech. Hence, the program incited to hate based on race".

More and more, it seems that racist or semi-racist expressions are punished when they originate from popular culture or from right-wing politicians and are directed against muslims, Arabs or Africans, but that similar expressions remain unpunished when they come from 'progressive' artists and leftist intellectuals and are directed against the Americans, the British or the Dutch. In my opinion, the CEOOR and its policies are leading us to a less tolerant society, with more social irritation, distrust and friction. When the state tries to control the thoughts and minds of the people, it will only lose their respect.

Reacties

#57980

Sensato

maandag, 7 januari, 2008 - 00:25

 

Mabel Maelstrom elogia al Presidente Bush

#39618

fisiognomista galego

woensdag, 2 mei, 2007 - 19:53

 

ollos verdes son traidores; azules son mentireiros

#22607

desgaire

woensdag, 5 juli, 2006 - 10:12

 

Pep Borrell condena el franquismo

#19895

largo caballero

zondag, 7 mei, 2006 - 12:27

 

Marcel Rebelo de Sousa eyes = Zapatero eyes

#18912

Orensano

zondag, 9 april, 2006 - 03:57

 

Dr. Napoleon Sanchez, medicina de calidad a precios convidativos

#18566

emilio largo

donderdag, 23 maart, 2006 - 14:08

 

Candido malo

#18274

Tippex

vrijdag, 3 maart, 2006 - 12:12

 

Tippex Caldera, Tippex Montilla

#17816

salmantino

dinsdag, 14 februari, 2006 - 21:57

 

Proximo cese de Carmen Calvo

#17239

The Divine Lady

vrijdag, 20 januari, 2006 - 03:30

 

Hello,
I am an American, from NY. I think that song is hilarious. I love the lyrics. It certainly is quite true.
America has become very close minded and narrow minded to a variety of things, largely to do with the media that has succeeded in manipulating Americans to be nothing more than sheep that follow.
THere are hardly any open minded Americans, just a few, and if there are voices, it certainly cannot be heard, since we live in a country controlled by greedy conglomerates.
There, enough said.
And, I don't know much about Belgian music or culture. But I do think that Front 242 is cool!
- The Divine Lady.

#17069

Tippex Caldera

vrijdag, 13 januari, 2006 - 21:17

 

Rajoy revela indignado que Caldera manipulo un informa

#15227

Pro Usa

maandag, 24 oktober, 2005 - 12:26

 

Up with America

#15095

Viva España

donderdag, 20 oktober, 2005 - 10:49

 

Viva España

#14915

Portoghese F. Leiter

woensdag, 12 oktober, 2005 - 09:50

 

Nighthawk = Papagaio nonó ateu

#14914

Torres Vela = Perejil

woensdag, 12 oktober, 2005 - 09:48

 

Torres Vela = Perejil

#14746

Nighthawk

vrijdag, 7 oktober, 2005 - 19:26

 

Off course I agree completely with Raymond. Life without Americans could be so beautiful. So peaceful. So friendly! No hate, no greed and so on!

#14671

lisa

donderdag, 6 oktober, 2005 - 15:53

 

Jo Vally is the best!
If he wasn't married, I would like to be his girl

#14653

Joe

dinsdag, 4 oktober, 2005 - 23:11

 

@ canoe-guy: "Ok, Someone please tell me who this jo vally guy really is? "

This guy built his fame on showing utter creativity with his hairdryer.

http://static.fruitytech.co...
http://static.fruitytech.co...
http://static.fruitytech.co...
http://static.fruitytech.co...
http://static.fruitytech.co...

#14651

The guy in the canoe

dinsdag, 4 oktober, 2005 - 21:20

 

Ok, Someone please tell me who this jo vally guy really is? I was on the same Turkish holiday that someone else mentions, Maybe you saw me i was the one in a canoe in the sea making him stop filming every couple of minutes hahaa,while this nobody and his army of wierdos tried to make a video.
I even asked a belgian couple who were stood at the bar in the yasmin hotel how famous he actually was in belgium and they said they hadnt even heard of him.
As the fat guy who was the resident singer at the hotel kept saying every 5 minutes Jo Vally biggest star in belgique - DONT MAKE ME LAUGH!!!

#14649

Joe

dinsdag, 4 oktober, 2005 - 20:32

 

Mmm... only 40 people in Jo's loyal fan club that accompanied him to the "Turkish St. Tropez",
although 100 places were foreseen:

http://users.skynet.be/fa04...

Jo Vally needs to work on his popularity... the question is how.

#14645

telboy

dinsdag, 4 oktober, 2005 - 16:58

 

Just finished 2 week holiday in Turkey staying at the Yasmin Bodrum Hotel,completely ruined by some twit with his head up his arse called Jo vally.Jo and his so called army of European fan club (about 40 people)took over the hotel and thought they were all famous,well let me tell you anyone outside belgium have never heard of him..... now thats making it big.

#14644

telboy

dinsdag, 4 oktober, 2005 - 16:40

 

just finished 2 week holiday in turkey staying at the yasmin bodrum.completley ruined by some twit with his head up his arse called jo vally,jo and his so called army of europe fan club (about 40 people)took over the hotel and thought they were all famous,well let me tell you anyone outside begium have never heard of him..... now thats making it big.

#14500

Angelica Rubio

donderdag, 29 september, 2005 - 14:00

 

Angelica Rubio, asesora de imagen de Zapatero.

#14418

Flemish American

dinsdag, 27 september, 2005 - 23:02

 

Ya'll are messed up in the head. Everyone knows the best music in Belgium comes from the Samson and Gert show and all those beloved Smurf CD's. :-)

#14260

Dieter

zaterdag, 24 september, 2005 - 00:48

 

Weird that such big and strong country tries to play out the victim card. Our LUC hasn't portraited Belgium the way it deserves. I experience Belgium in a different way.

Besides, we make better beer :p (srry, had to say it. couldn't resist)

#14238

dries

vrijdag, 23 september, 2005 - 16:23

 

I can think of a few country singers who did pretty much the same thing in America.

The reason Europeans think the US is all cokes and hamburgers is because that's all they get to see. It's kind of similar to Americans thinking European women don't shave. Or something.

That having been said, RvhG should have written a more informed song. If he's going to bash, he should do it correctly.

#14133

Adriane ... from across the pond

woensdag, 21 september, 2005 - 18:34

 

Kewl.

The only thing I know about Belgian music is there's a jazz festival in Hoeilaart every year ... but that is just me...

#14101

Joe

woensdag, 21 september, 2005 - 08:03

 

But nobody asked Joe to quote the Belgian Encyclopedia of Music.

But I'm in a good mood, so here we go: Lavvi Ebbel, Front 242, Jean-Marie Aerts, Stoy Stoffelen, Der Polizei, Jean Rousseau, Willy Overloop, Honeymoon Killers, Louisette, Polyphonic Size, Luc Van Acker, Wim Mertens, Die Anarchistische Abendunterhaltung, The Neon Judgment , Siglo XX, De Brassers, 't Hof Van Commerce, 2 Men Sound, Lou & the Hollywood Bananas, Lieven Tavernier, La fille d'Ernest, Sylvain Tack & the swinging Suzy Waffles, Jo Bogaert, Jo Leemans, Boerenzonen op speed , Blue Blot, Francis Goya, Irish Coffee, McDuff Dimension, Wimmeke Punk, La Muerte, Dildo Warheads, Dan Lacksman, Yvan Guilini, Mauro, Lamp, Lazarus (&Kris), dEUS, Milk The Bishop, Kandahar, Kate's Kennel, and last but not least: Machiavel!!!!!!

As you already understood, Ladies and Gentlemen from across the pond: Belgium Rocks!

#14097

Outlaw Mike

dinsdag, 20 september, 2005 - 22:49

 

Not exactly. I was rather thinking of the Dewaele Brothers, Hooverphonic or Praga Khan. Or, from an earlier era, The Kids, The Bet, The Machines, The Scabs, Scooter etc. etc.

And it's also nice to know that the soundtrack of the movie "The Aviator" was performed by the Flemish Radio Orchestra: http://www.worldsoundtracka...

But Joe won't tell you that.

#14093

Joe

dinsdag, 20 september, 2005 - 21:04

 

always a pleasure, dof. But I think MC was more suggesting people like Jef Elbers.

#14090

Eddy Wally (translated by John Fleming)

dinsdag, 20 september, 2005 - 17:05

 

And not forgeet the luster to me: the ownige Voice of Europe!

(And don't forget to listen to me: the one and only Voice of Europe!)

#14089

dof

dinsdag, 20 september, 2005 - 16:08

 

I guess MC was suggesting people like the Singing Nun, Plastic Bertrand or Django Reinhardt. But it's nice to have an idea of your taste in music, Joe. Sort of like getting to know the person behind the troll.

#14083

Joe

dinsdag, 20 september, 2005 - 07:30

 

"Forchrissake, Belgian music has so much more to offer than the ramblings of an old deluded fart."

Indeed, Ladies and Gentlemen from across the pond, if you want to hear good Belgian music, please check out Luc Steeno, Dana Winner, Jo Vally, Laura Lynn and Frank Galan. If they would live on your side of the pond, they would get all the Grammy Awards.

#14055

Outlaw Mike

zondag, 18 september, 2005 - 23:00

 

Ladies and Gentlemen from across the pond, please don't feel offended by this loon (I mean this Raymond).

Really, in the Belgian music scene he means just jack shit. I am a Fleming and I can tell you that his "career" reached its "zenith" somewhere in, uh, the late seventies. I only remember two "hits". Forchrissake, Belgian music has so much more to offer than the ramblings of an old deluded fart.

Also, don't make the mistake to give Belgians in general all the flak. Van het Groenewoud represents, as we say over here, "vijf man en een paardekop". Translated "Five men and a horsehead". Meaning zilch. He doesn't speak for me, nor for the overwhelming majority of Belgians.

#14053

marteen

zondag, 18 september, 2005 - 21:16

 

To Joe:

What Agee Navart said is simplistic but it does not change to fact that it is true. Given all of the shortcoming of American people and culture (as with any people) it does not make any sense to see so much hatred piled upon a country that has invested so much blood, sweat, and tears on Europe. And this has nothing to do with Bush. Europe has been helped by a country that could have gone back to isolationism but didn't. This simply not a case of chanting "USA #1" bullshit. It is just the way life has played out. Why pure hatred comes from so many in Europe does not make any sense.

Now before anyone starts with the, "Yeah, but what about America's involvement in X, Y and Z?", I want to stop you and clearly state that I am talking about what the US has done for Europe on net (i.e., subtracting the cons from the pros).

#14052

Joe

zondag, 18 september, 2005 - 20:52

 

Bravo, Agee Navart. Don't you have anything wiser to say? You know, it's about people like you that Raymond wrote his song.
And remember that before 1830 many "Belgian" people were Dutch, yes the ones who founded New York. Is NY an annoying pimple on your American asses? Maybe on yours, because NY counts many well spirited democrats who p*ss on Bush.

#14043

Lou Minatti

zondag, 18 september, 2005 - 16:53

 

"I am from the Belgian, the European panel
And I ask you: “Clear my channel! Clear my channel!”

How catchy. Is this creaky old fart supposed to be a Deep Thinker?

#14041

Tippex Caldera

zondag, 18 september, 2005 - 14:46

 

El Archivo no se mueve

#14040

Agee Navart

zondag, 18 september, 2005 - 14:04

 

"Down with that ugly biting English"

Just remember, you Belgian ingrates, if not for us ugly, English-speaking Americans, you would be speaking Nazi-German, or Russian. Belgians are merely a small, annoying pimple on our American asses. You are pathetic.

#13672

Sul

maandag, 12 september, 2005 - 18:11

 

I think he had beter re-re-published 'Vlaanderen boven'. That probably wouldn't shock our tiny country anymore.

#13572

John Fleming

zaterdag, 10 september, 2005 - 23:28

 

And at last but not at least lvb's new hit:
'Oh dierbaar België, de koning kan nie k...kken, want zenen ol is dichtgeplakt met ... nen hete pook!
(verdomme da rijmt nie)

#13568

Joe

zaterdag, 10 september, 2005 - 22:49

 

Probably LVB is shareholder of EMI. Wants to push RvhG in the Billboard Hot 100.

A similar coverage of upcoming songs by EMI artists might be expected:
André Hazes : "Eenzame opsluiting in Guantanamo"
Jan Leyers: "Vervelender dan Cheney, dat ben ik!"
Dana Winner: "De oude Bush verdrinkt in de zee"
Rob De Nijs: "Bill Clinton was trompetter"
Vader Abraham: "Bedankt lieve FEMA"

#13555

Teethy

zaterdag, 10 september, 2005 - 19:21

 

Who knows RvhG or who cares about what RvhG thinks (no, he doesn't really think) about the US outside his cosy coterie in this tiny country in Europe? Does he still sell any considerable amount of records? Does he represent anybody but himself? This is a non-event but LvB is probably tenacious enough to turn it into one. If he could just get some neo-con website in ths US to start raving about it!