Our Person of the Week

Ancient And Justified

In a recent 60 Minutes interview independent-minded Hillary Clinton said she doesn't "stand by her man" like Person of the Week Tammy Wynette. The whole incident attracted a lot of press.

But we didn't pick the singer because of that.

15 Minutes would like to commend Wynette for her performance in the KLF video "Justified and Ancient". It seems impossible that anyone could fit in to the British group's bizarre visual style, but Wynette pulls it off pretty well. And her singing part--essentially a narrative describing the genesis of her involvement with the band--provides interesting blend of country and rap. The down home balladeer spins a tale of self-referential urban creation.

Incidentally, rumor has it Wynette demanded an apology from Clinton. Being well acquainted with defending her "theme song" against feminist criticism--she's been fielding the punches ever since the single's 1968 release and subsequent crossover success--we imagine she had a lot to say. A excerpt from her 1979 autobiography Stand By Your Man sums up her feelings:

"I don't see anything in that song that implies a woman is supposed to sit home and raise babies while a man goes out and raises hell...to me it means: be supportive of your man; show him you love him and you're proud of him; and be willing to forgive him if he doesn't always live up to your image of what he should be.

"Many articles written about me have pointed out that although my theme song is "Stand By Your Man," I've had four husbands. They insinuate I sing one thing and live another. Well, maybe I do, but it hasn't been by choice. I would much rather have stood by one man for a lifetime than four for a short time, but circumstances didn't work out that way."