Country singer Neal McCoy is best known for a couple of hits in the 1990s, but his latest tune is catching fire on Internet, going viral thanks to addressing the hot-button controversy of NFL players kneeling during the U.S. national anthem.
McCoy — known for such songs as “No Doubt About It” and “Wink” — is not a fan of football players who protest police violence on African-Americans by kneeling during the anthem, and makes his feelings about the issue crystal clear in his recently released song “Take A Knee, My Ass (I Won’t Take A Knee)”.
Available as a single on iTunes, McCoy also shared an in-concert version on Facebook (below), which has clearly struck a chord with nearly 4 million views and counting.
In another Facebook video, McCoy explains why he decided to address the controversy in song.
“I’ve been on 15 USO tours. I’ve entertained our troops in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and all over the world. So no, this is not a money grab,” says McCoy. “This is a guy that believes in our country, that does not like people kneeling, not standing with their hands over their hearts, for the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem. That’s what I’m about.”
He also address Colin Kaepernick — the former San Francisco 49er quarterback who started the movement — being named “Citizen of the Year” in the latest issue of GQ.
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“Now, I didn’t read the article, I saw it when I was driving, I understand they’re probably going to say he’s done a lot for civil rights and everything, and maybe he has,” McCoy admits. “Maybe whatever he was trying to do, with civil unrest, maybe African Americans being treated wrong, or not equally, and some of that’s right. Maybe that’s what he was trying to do. But, taking a knee during the National Anthem at a professional NFL game is not the way to do it.”
While the song continues to rack up views on Facebook, it’s being pilloried on Facebook — and not just for its message. In fact, fans are taking issue with the shoddy grammar in McCoy’s title, which is technically inviting one’s buttocks to take a knee.
As a result, the Twitterverse is positively bursting with hilarious tweets such as these (including one from “Silicon Valley” star and recent “SNL” host Kumail Nanjiai):
