The just-premiered video for Toby Keith's fast-rising single, "Drunk Americans," is a visual cornucopia of diversity and unity. The diversity is present not only in the video's content, which is inclusive and far-reaching, but also in its actual design--the video blends film and animation. Nope. No video-phobia here.
And Keith's fans will get to see him in several roles; bartender (who would've thunk it?), police officer and a country singer-belting out "Drunk Americans," of course.
One of the video's scenes could be verbally captured by rewriting one of those old bar jokes... a nun, a penguin, a skunk and a panda bear walk into bar... Yep, they're all in the scene, sitting at the bar tossing back adult beverages (notice the black and white theme?).
Another scene focuses on Keith, Willie Nelson and a horse having a beer together. This time the trio is engaged in a sing-a-long of "Drunk Americans" instead of Keith's other hit "Beer for My Horses."
And any video that has Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner and President Obama arm-in-arm drinking beer is aiming for total acceptance and diversity. Just sayin'...
Directed by Michael Salomon with animation by Ben Naff, the video captures the song's barrier-erasing view of the American people. The video reflects the song's basic tenant: people are different, but as they lift their glasses inside the walls of a bar the camaraderie and, yes, the alcohol washes away the differences. That is the song's message and, in turn, it is the video's message--from the opening frame focusing on the exterior of Toby's All-American Star Spangled Bar to the final image of a neon Statue of Liberty with a martini glass in place of the torch's flame.
Written by Brandy Clark, Bob Dippier and Shane McAnally, the lyrics to "Drunk Americans" shatter cultural and racial barriers:
"We isn't east, we isn't west. We aren't left, we aren't right. Isn't black, we isn't white, we just came here to drink... We just rise up our glass, we don't give a rat's ass, if you're a Democrat or Republican, we're happy to be here tonight you can see, we're just all drunken Americans."
