…this ain’t.
At the same time, though, I’m not at all bothered by the President’s taste in music — nor do I think we learn anything essential about his character by pretending that his admiration for other people’s lyrics is indicative of a flaw in his worldview: both Obama’s policy initiatives and the way he treats those he presumes to govern adequately speak to that point, after all — and besides, I don’t think my having, eg., “Faeries Wear Boots” or “Paranoid” or “Dirty Deeds” on my iPod marks me as a potential sociopath, nor does it send any kind of “message” other than, perhaps, “this dude happens to like early heavy metal.”
If it makes sense to have Obama “answer” for some of the lyrics in the songs of some of the artists he admires, it makes just as much sense to question the character of cineastes who appreciate, say, most of Scorsese’s earlier work.
As Dennis Leary once famously quipped, if we as a society can blame heavy metal music for turning teens into murderous Satanists, isn’t it fair for him to sue Dan Fogelberg for turning him into a pussy during the 70s…?
(h/t TerryH)
I’m not at all bothered by the President’s taste in music
Does it change things if I ask you to picture Obama in his smoking jacket and ice cream-stained sweat pants bustin’ a rhyme to his “good friend” Valerie Jarret?
Hmmm, you might have found Obama’s one positive. He’s not Tipper Gore.
I remember right after Columbine, a cow-orker of mine at the lab was aghast at the sort of music the two “murderous goth boys” listened to. One of the songs quoted in the article that upset her was NIN’s Head Like A Hole. When I explained that the song in question kicked ass, and encouraged her to listen to my copy of it, my poor lab tech had no idea how to react.
I should look her up and see what she’s doing nowadays. I wonder how she feels about blowing up global warming nonbelievers…
I think it’s cute. He’s pushing 50 and still trying to get in touch with his blackness. I try listening to folk music sometimes, but instead of making me feel all beta and whitey, it just makes me want to murder hippies.
I’m getting into Woodie Guthrie a little. I think Depression-era music is the wave of the future.
Obama has to mention his affinity for guys like L’il Wayne and Jay-z in order to reinforce his “authenticity”; something he been striving to do for years, it’s one of the reasons why he joined Jeremiah Wright’s church.
Otherwise he’s just some over-educated, light skinned, african named guy who, when he talks, sounds suspiciously like a white guy.
He’s keepin’ it real!
I went to the MUSE show last night, and I gotta say that paranoid sci-fi conspiracies filtered through shameless borrowings from Queen, Rush, Radiohead, Rage Against the Machine, U2, and Rachmaninov is the wave of the future.
Amazing show, by the way. If you have the opportunity, I recommend highly.
The negative message — as far Obama goes — is the conspicuous spending. It’s odd that the writer didn’t make this connection.
Our country is now a rusted junker with new 22 inch rims, yo!
as far as Obama goes
I want to go golfing with Alice Cooper. Does that make me a bad man?
I’m afraid your musical choices confirm your sociopathic tendencies. The black helicopters are circling.
In honor of Government Motors, it’s an ’85 Chevy Caprice… on 24s, no less.
I just drove 2 hours with an animaniacs CD on repeat and I didn’t even notice until I parked and had to make a phone call.
Because I don’t make calls when I drive.
I email.
The wheels and tires are worth more than the car.
I judge anyone poorly who listens to Rap music.
That’s just how I roll.
I just drove 2 hours with an animaniacs CD on repeat…
How many times did you hear “Lake Titicaca”?
I’m getting into Woodie
and this is a new development?
*low fruit alert
As soon as you get past age 35, something terrible happens to popular music.
I saw Dan Fogleberg in concert many moons ago. On stage were a piano, an acoustic guitar, and Dan.
He gave a good show.
Sorry, but there it is. I have to say the same about Manilow and John Denver, whom I happened to see.
No Osmonds, dicentra? ;-)
“Fountain of Sorrow my ass motherfucker, I hope you wind up in the ground” was and remains one of my favorite bits of lyrics of all time. I’m a baaad dude.
One place I definitely agree with Paul Harvey, who once said he’d give rap a “C”.
I don’t mind some metal rap. Kid Rock back around the turn of the century mark was way up there on my playlists, but he’s weakened a bit since. I haven’t bought anything since Cocky.
“I want to go golfing with Alice Cooper. Does that make me a bad man?”
I want to go hunting with Ted Nugent. I hope that makes me a BAD man!