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Music News and Commentary.
September 04, 2010
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Music News and Commentary.
September 04, 2010
I’m neither a singer nor a songwriter, but I do know how to make a point when I need to. I wrote last week that I was going to take a stab at the lyrics to a new political protest song, and you all probably figured I was just yak yak yakking in the heat of the moment. Truth be told, I was a little heated. See, I’m in favor of the healthcare bill that Congress passed and President Obama just signed into law, and while it can really only be seen as a starting point to true healthcare reform, it’s better than doing nothing, and it’s that call to continue doing nothing that is the source of all that heat I was venting.
There are a lot of people in this country who prefer the status quo. Not only is that unacceptable, it’s a propaganda trick if ever there was one. The very corporations that have their hands in our wallets taking money like it’s theirs have figured out a way to get a significant number of people they’re robbing blind to actually defend them. That’s insanity, people, and something has got to be done about it.
Since my last column I’ve had a few cogent thoughts about all this, and have even turned them into a few usable lyrics. Granted, writing lyrics isn’t my tradecraft, and maybe it was all the drugs that the serious protest musicians were taking back in the day, or perhaps it’s the canyon-wide gap in talent between me and them, but I gotta tell ya that it’s harder to write lyrically while speaking in plain terms than I’d really ever imagined.
I’ll give you a little taste of what I’ve written so far, but it’s a work in progress and if you laugh I might get discouraged. So, with that in mind, here goes nothing.
The claws of the predatory corporations // dig deep into the naïve culture // acceptance, blind virtue // their reasons taunt the absurd.
It’s not just the back-of-the-bus people // bearing the regrets of the thieving drug cartels // living in the luxury they built with our bones.
The friendly face of the drug cartels // conquest of style, ego, hate // walks among his dogs while violence kills the declining state // and every on-screen politician becomes a household mess.
So welcome to the land of free will and free war // as soon as you’re settled we'll send you to a foreign shore.
Okay, so it needs some work…a lot of work in fact, but it’s a start. I’ll write some more between now and whenever, and I’ll post ‘em here along the way. In the immortal words of Jack Kerouac, when you become enlightened you’ll know you always were. Here’s hoping I become enlightened, soon!
Political protest music probably made its way onto the scene five seconds after politics and music were invented. The two just go hand-in-hand, and in this country’s history its origins can be traced to the civil war (“When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again”), and the abolition of slavery (“Song of the Abolitionist” and “No More Auction Block for Me”).
Some of the greatest political protest songs of all time happened in the middle part of the 20th century when guys like Woodie Guthrie, Millard Lampell, Lee Hayes, and Pete Seeger were singing about the labor movement, and McCarthyism, and anti-nuclearism. “This Land is Your Land”, “Deportee”, “Dust Bowl Blues”, and “Tom Joad” are still well known. Albums like Songs for John Doe, which urged non-intervention in World War II, are as relevant today as they were then.
The 1960s with the civil rights movement gaining a full head of steam, and the Vietnam war heating up, gave us arguably the greatest collection of political protest songs in history. Led by Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jefferson Airplane, and about a thousand other bands.
Songs like “Blowin in the Wind”, “Masters of War”, “North Country Blues”, “Where Have All the Flowers Gone”, “Turn, Turn, Turn”, “Volunteers”, “Fortunate Son”, and “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree” are still well known today and show up in the regular rotation on “oldies” radio stations across the country.
So, where are all the protest songs today? We’re still at war in two countries and have been for seven years now. The biggest piece of social legislation since the 1960s – healthcare reform – was just signed in to law this week, and by all accounts it’s dividing this country right down the middle.
Will we see the singer and songwriters emerge? Will they tell us in the plain language of their predecessors what the score is? Will they unite a people in political protest over war, a terrible economy, cronyism government, and uncapped federal spending?
Honestly, I’m not too hopeful. I think we’ve grown too apathetic as a nation. Those who used to protest against the establishment have become the establishment, and the next generation can’t change the channel and stop watching updates on Twitter and Facebook, viral videos on YouTube, and their cell phones long enough to say,” OMG! Have you seen what they’ve done? WTF!”
Maybe I’ll take a shot at it. Lyrics only. I’ll post ‘em here and see if I can get a LOL, or maybe even a ROFLMAO. Whatever. TTYL.
Lady Gaga is being sued by producer and ex-boyfriend, Rob Fusari, for a whole lot of interesting and ridiculous reasons that might be hard to prove. The Lady herself has counter-sued Fusari claiming he tricked her into signing a bogus and illegal contract. Twist!
Fusari claims he not only discovered the singer in 2006, but is the responsible party for her moniker, Lady Gaga. He’s seeking a 20% slice of two of her companies, Team Love Child and Mermaid Music, citing a contract that assured him portions of her merchandise and revenue.
In a twist that probably isn’t too unexpected, Gaga is counter-suing Fusari claiming that he tricked her into signing an ultimately illegal contract.
What’s my take on all of this? A little cash out of court, hush-hush and all that, and smooches for the cameras, and everyone's friends again. Gee…ain’t life grand?
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Alex Chilton, lead singer for one of the hottest bands to emerge from the early ‘70s, died on St. Patrick’s day in New Orleans at the ripe young age of 50. Chilton, a native of Memphis, Tennessee, was the front man for the rock band Big Star, who were commercially snubbed but heavily critically acclaimed.
There’s no mistaking Chilton’s influence and cult idol standing. Bands such as R.E.M. and the Replacements cite both Chilton and Big Star as major influences in their music. The Replacements’ Pleased To Meet Me even featured a song titled “Alex Chilton”.
Over the decades the music of Big Star has been covered by the likes of Cheap Trick, Garbage, Wilco, R.E.M., and Beck. Rolling Stone Magazine rightfully acknowledged the greatness of Big Star by naming all three of their albums – #1 Record, Radio City, and Third/Sister Lovers in their collection of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and two of their classic songs – “Thirteen”, and “September Gurls” on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
RIP, Alex Chilton. We were better off with you. You will be missed.
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One of the most anticipated music videos of all time will make its world premier this Thursday on E! TV. Lady Gaga’s “Telephone”, featuring Beyoncé and Gaga’s pals Semi Precious Weapons, is reported to be just shy of 10 minutes long, and is directed by Jonas Aklerlund, who helmed Gaga’s previous smash-hit video, “Paparazzi”.
Gaga, who appears in the video in a number of outrageous outfits, has said that “Telephone” picks up where “Paparazzi” left off and is calling it a “true pop event". In the video, Beyoncé breaks Gaga out of prison in what is being described as Quentin Tarantino-inspired clip that even features the very same truck that Uma Thurman's character drove in Kill Bill.
Don’t forget to set your DVR when you catch the world premier of “Telephone” this coming Thursday at 11:30 Eastern on E! TV, the hottest entertainment television channel on DISH Network!
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