This Ain't No Rag, It's a Flag
Encyclopedia
"This Ain't No Rag, It's a Flag", is the title of a song written and performed by the Charlie Daniels Band
and released as a bonus track on their 2001 album Live!
. It was released in November 2001 as the first and only single from the live album. This song was written in response to the September 11 attacks. Its peak position was #33 on the US Country
charts. The song is his highest charted song since the 1989 single, Simple Man
.
refused to allow Daniels to perform it on October 21 during the Country Freedom Concert that was staged in Nashville. The event was to raise funds for the Salvation Army's
disaster relief efforts in New York City
. Daniel's refused to go on the show in protest saying that "if my song would be offensive, then my presence would be offensive." Daniels told Phyllis Stark of Billboard Magazine that the events of September 11 "hit me really hard. It really floored me. I couldn't get away from it. I wept a lot." Daniels said that people kept sending him emails asking if he was going to write a song about the attacks.
magazine reviewed the song favorably calling it "far more rousing than racist, this well-performed rocker is all about nattionalism and our intention to kick some terrorist butt." She also states that there is "no doubt the more dovish among us will take offense, but when juxtaposed against rescue efforts that have evolved into recovery, who cares?
Charlie Daniels
Charles Edward "Charlie" Daniels is an American musician known for his contributions to country and southern rock music. He is known primarily for his number one country hit "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", and multiple other songs he has performed and written. Daniels has been active as a singer...
and released as a bonus track on their 2001 album Live!
Live! (Charlie Daniels album)
Live! is a live album by The Charlie Daniels Band released on October 9, 2001. All of the tracks except for the last track, This Ain't No Rag, It's a Flag are live recordings.- Track listing :# "Introduction" - 0:22# "Road Dogs" - 3:53...
. It was released in November 2001 as the first and only single from the live album. This song was written in response to the September 11 attacks. Its peak position was #33 on the US Country
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
charts. The song is his highest charted song since the 1989 single, Simple Man
Simple Man (Charlie Daniels song)
"Simple Man", is the title of a song written and recorded by the Charlie Daniels Band. It was released in August 1989 as the lead single from their 1989 album of the same name Simple Man...
.
Background and writing
The song first gained attention when CMTCountry Music Television
Country Music Television, or CMT, is an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming includes music videos, taped concerts, movies, biographies of country music stars, game shows, and reality programs...
refused to allow Daniels to perform it on October 21 during the Country Freedom Concert that was staged in Nashville. The event was to raise funds for the Salvation Army's
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
disaster relief efforts in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Daniel's refused to go on the show in protest saying that "if my song would be offensive, then my presence would be offensive." Daniels told Phyllis Stark of Billboard Magazine that the events of September 11 "hit me really hard. It really floored me. I couldn't get away from it. I wept a lot." Daniels said that people kept sending him emails asking if he was going to write a song about the attacks.
Critical reception
Deborah Evans Price of BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine reviewed the song favorably calling it "far more rousing than racist, this well-performed rocker is all about nattionalism and our intention to kick some terrorist butt." She also states that there is "no doubt the more dovish among us will take offense, but when juxtaposed against rescue efforts that have evolved into recovery, who cares?
Chart performance
"This Ain't No Rag, It's a Flag" debuted at #51 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of November 10, 2001.| Chart (2001) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks | 33 |