Jason Aldean Covers Tom Petty As 'SNL' Responds To Las Vegas
Saturday Night Live breaks its format only rarely. The cold open sketch, which addresses one of the week's big news stories, is one of its immovable objects. But from time to time, they do change the structure — perhaps most famously when the show returned after September 11, when Paul Simon opened it singing "The Boxer" surrounded by New York City firefighters and police, as well as then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
This Saturday night, SNL broke format again. The show opened on Jason Aldean, who was on stage at the Route 91 Festival in Las Vegas on October 1 when the attack began that left 58 people dead and injured nearly 500. Aldean introduced himself and spoke about solidarity with everyone who was hurting in the wake of the shooting. "When America is at its best," he said, "our bond and our spirit, it's unbreakable." He then performed "I Won't Back Down," from Tom Petty's huge 1989 album Full Moon Fever. Petty died Monday night, the day after the shooting, from cardiac arrest.
A song like "I Won't Back Down," actually not unlike "The Boxer," delivers a general message of perseverance that will be read in a variety of ways by a variety of audiences. And in that way, it echoes the difficulty of responding to tragedies: It's clear that there's a challenge to persevere against, but it goes unstated what that challenge is.
But while Aldean didn't address it, the show didn't avoid the gun control debate that has raged since the shooting. Later, "Weekend Update" began with host Colin Jost saying, "The investigation into the tragedy in Las Vegas this week has sparked a larger debate in America between people who want common-sense gun control and people who are wrong."
http://www.npr.org/sections/monkeysee/2017/10/08/556479829/jason-aldean-covers-tom-petty-as-snl-responds-to-las-vegas
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this wasn't very respectful of musical guest Sam Smith and the kerfuffle over his hit song "Stay With Me," and this song choice.
A lot of wrong here. 
That was awesome. Yep just hit the certain words and have a steel guitar.
"Rape vibe" 
That sounds like an anthem for the NRA to me.
He said he was dressed as Lil Wayne
Okay so I spent 3 hours in the new country world this summer. We'd switched gyms and our new one has many branches but only one outdoor pool. It's in red RED HICKVILLE.
My daughter and I got there and heard a Seals and Croft song I love. Then I really didn't notice it until we got out of the pool. One really bad country song....then another... then another. Finally I went over to the check in table and asked "Do you all play anything other than new country?" They laughed. Apparently the mothers complain if anything else is played because it's "not appropriate". I determined it was more about the artists than the message if you get my drift.
Here's the thing though. First it was LOUD, so loud people couldn't hear the lifeguards whistles - twice I saw one have to get down from his chair and wave his arms to tell people to stop siting on the rope etc. Second, the lyrics took weird turns in every song. I'm not a musician but I'd never heard songs that labor to include some mention of pickup trucks boots and cowboy hats. The themes were that this is what you are supposed to think and what to do to fit into the country lifestye. Lastly there was hardly any actually singing. It was mostly barking orders at the listener.
I love the pool and this was our only trip for th whole summer.
