Brad Paisley made headlines this week with his controversial tunes. The new album, Wheelhouse, could raise a few eyebrows of fans who prefer their country music without controversy.
The country star and LL Cool J‘s new song “Accidental Racist” hit the web on Monday and sparked talk, and then came Paisley tackling religion in “Those Crazy Christians,” written from the viewpoint of a nonbeliever.
With lyrics like “A famous TV preacher has a big affair and then…One tearful confession and he’s born again” and “Every untimely passing, every dear departed soul/Is just another good excuse to bake a casserole,” this isn’t your mom’s gospel song. .
Paisley talked to PARADE about both complicated songs.
Here are the highlights regarding ‘Accidental Racist’:
“How do you show your Southern pride and not be misunderstood? There were some things I wanted to say from my perspective as a Southerner, like, ‘Contrary to what some people may think about Southerners who fly the Rebel flag or wear it, I hate slavery. I hate the fact that it happened. I can’t change it, and more than anything I want to know how we get past it.’ It’s definitely not by forgetting it, and it’s also not by having it rubbed in anybody’s nose.”
“I want to present our side as Southerners and then I really need the complete opposite perspective, which would be, musically speaking, you don’t get much different than rap. I thought LL Cool J would be the perfect person to take the other perspective. And I told him, ‘This is a conversation. It’s called “Accidental Racist.” My part’s subject to change if it needs to. Your part—you say whatever you want.’ And he said, ‘Anything I want?’ I said, ‘Whatever you want. You want to tell me, “Screw you”—great. You want to tell me, “Here’s how I feel”—do it. You want to say, “You know, you got it all wrong”—whatever. I don’t care what you say there as long as it’s honest and real.’ So he listens [to it] and he goes, ‘This is important. I’m in. It just feels like it’s something we need to do.’
“I gave him the CD to keep and he lived with it and then he came and wrote his verse in the studio. I remember the first time that I heard him say, ‘I see that red flag and I think you wish I wasn’t here.’ And thinking, ‘That’s the most powerful thing I’ve ever heard anybody say about that.’ And then for him to say, ‘You know, look, I won’t judge that, if you don’t judge my do-rag.’ Just the idea that— we aren’t answering [questions]. We’re just asking them.”
Link to the full story below for more from Paisley and to find out what LL Cool J has to say about the controversial song.
http://www.parade.com/3598/