I dont like Bush but I dont like the song much either.
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I dont like Bush but I dont like the song much either.
Thats exactly how i feel, so i like it when some bands do political songs... Ever heard B.Y.O.B. by system of a down. Thats a good political song for people anti-bush, and who like hard rock.Quote:
Originally Posted by nik0tine
I guess I'd have to hear it to music, but I can't say the lyrics sound like they'd fit very well into a song form that I'd like. Also, I think it's pretty overbearing. I'm pretty damn liberal, but I believe that many of the problems aimed at George Bush in that song are problems of the American people in general.
Can't say I like this song.
That's about how I feel about it, yes. Except I'm not pretty damn liberal.Quote:
Originally Posted by Azar
And it doesn't fit very will to music. The lyrics are spoken with some soft music in playing.
Uh...I don't like it either. I defend political songs, and political poetry, but I don't think those lyrics are specially interesting. In fact it's quite a pamphlet, and I dunno...it's not really moving or anything. I've read better poems and heard better lyrics. Try, for example, with this Leonard Cohen one:
A Singer Must Die
Now the courtroom is quiet, but who will confess.
Is it true you betrayed us? the answer is yes.
Then read me the list of the crimes that are mine,
I will ask for the mercy that you love to decline.
And all the ladies go moist, and the judge has no choice,
A singer must die for the lie in his voice.
And I thank you, I thank you for doing your duty,
You keepers of truth, you guardians of beauty.
Your vision is right, my vision is wrong,
I’m sorry for smudging the air with my song.
Oh, the night it is thick, my defences are hid
In the clothes of a woman I would like to forgive,
In the rings of her silk, in the hinge of her thighs,
Where I have to go begging in beauty’s disguise.
Oh goodnight, goodnight, my night after night,
My night after night, after night, after night, after night, after night.
I am so afraid that I listen to you,
Your sun glassed protectors they do that to you.
It’s their ways to detain, their ways to disgrace,
Their knee in your balls and their fist in your face.
Yes and long live the state by whoever it’s made,
Sir, I didn’t see nothing, I was just getting home late.
Dunno, I guess that's a preety good example on how I think the best social lyrics are done. The ones on my sig too. God I just love Cohen, he's the best English songwriter ever.
I could think of a hundred good songs that have little or nothing to do with politics.Quote:
Originally Posted by nik0tine
Love, friendships, losing friends, financial problems, what life means to you, coming to terms with some aspect of yourself, and of course death, all strike me as pretty meaningful things.Quote:
Originally Posted by nik0tine
I dno't hate when bands get political, but I find not many of them are very good at being political. Most of the stuff out there is just whiny and usually misplaced dislike which achieves nothing except allows one's political opponents to laugh and say 'Yeah, I'm sure your views are so well backed up, being formulated by Green Day and all' (Not dissing GD, just the first band that came to mind.). Especially when songs make fun of personal aspects, as I think this line is; "Are the consonants all hard or soft?", although the message is kind of obtuse there (Again not a good thing. Subtlety is good, obtuseness is not.). Just like all the people who tack someone about how Bush looks like a monkey (Well duh, homo sapiens and all that) onto their rants. It instantly loses the respect of many people, myself included.
Now some people are very good at political songs, as Rye mentioned SoaD, although even they can really overdo it at times (Deer Dance, much as I love it, makes me collapse with laughter nowadays.). You want the real classy stuff, listen to someone like Springsteen.
Bob Dylan.
I agree with Mandee. And eesty beasty.
I don't see why people like to point out all this God stuff about Bush anyways. I can't think of one Presidential speech I've heard or read that hasn't in some way alluded to a God-figure. I can't think of one President who, at least outwardly, wasn't religious at all. And I can't think of one President who hasn't behaved in a hypocritical manner. Well, I can't think of any people who haven't done that.
I'm not defending Bush, I just don't get why I should appreciate art that basically rips off the same things the press has been saying (poorly) for the past forever. Yeah, it's a message, but it's not particularly powerful, and it's not particularly unique.
At least, that's my critique on it.
Agreed, foa.
And, eest mentioned Bob Dylan, which I think is a great point. I love political music when it's done well. This song isnt. I've heard it, and it doesnt even sound good.
yes. too bad Townshend has gone mad and refuses to let people use that song against the Iraq war.Quote:
Originally Posted by eestlinc
When things like this happen I wonder what happened to the separation of church and state.
Actually, if a Democratic majority is elected in 2006 it's entirely possible that he will be impeached, since he's already done enough to merit an impeachment. You know, lying to Congress, lying to the American people. It's all in the Downing Street Memo, but I don't expect the Republican majority to do anything about it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Excelsior
or, you know, presiding over international war crimes ordered by his administration
well, that too, but I learned long ago that trying to get politicians to call a fish a fish is a fruitless endeavour.
Well first off, the "international war crimes" and "enough to merit an impeachment" are both crocks of, but I won't go towards them in this topic.
The problem here is that for some reason, famous people have this idea that America gives a damn what they think. No, we really don't. Their opinions are no more important than anybody else's--being stupid enough to believe this crap but talented enough to write songs about it doesn't mean they're not still stupid enough to believe this crap. They're here to entertain us, not educate us on topics of politics. Unless you're running for office (Schwartzeneger, Reagan, Ventura, etc.), there's no reason for anybody to give a damn about your political beliefs.