Matt and Sam welcome Shuja Haider to the show to talk about the politics of country music—and why we need to get back to the basics of love.
Matt and Sam are joined by writer and editor Shuja Haider to discuss a topic near and dear to all of our hearts: country music. We talk about country's conservative reputation, the problems with (and virtues of) Ken Burns's recent documentary about country music, and the humane politics that arise from acknowledging—as the best country songs do—our collective frailty. Plus, a bunch of great music recommendations for your quarantine listening.
A playlist featuring every song we mention in the episode, plus a few more bangers can be accessed here.
Further Reading:
Matthew Sitman, "E Pluribus Country," Dissent, Winter 2020.
Shuja Haider, "The Empty Jukebox: Johnny Paycheck and the Return of the Repressed in Country Music," Viewpoint, March 10, 2015
Shuja Haider, "A World That Draws a Line: Interracial Love Songs in American Country Music," Viewpoint, March 1, 2017
Shuja Haider, "Canon Fodder," Popula, Sept 13, 2018
Cole Stangler, "Emotional Archaeology: An Interview With Ken Burns," Commonweal, Sept 13, 2019
Shuja Haider, "The Invention of Twang," The Believer, Aug 1, 2019
Shuja Haider, "Somebody Had to Set a Bad Example," Popula, Nov 14, 2018
Nick Murray, "The Other Country," LA Review of Books, Nov 1, 2018
Jesse Montgomery, "African Chant," Popula, Sept 18, 2018