More Proof That Obama Is Something Or Other!

JHS · August 12, 2008, 1:48pm

We need another thread about Barack Obama like we need a hole in the head, but I couldn’t help but solicit views about the news, apparently first reported by a British tabloid yesterday and then picked up all over the place today, that Barack Obama has asked Joss Stone to write and record a campaign theme song for him.

Interesting. A little more interesting if it’s actually true, but fun to discuss in either event.

So . . . is it per se anti-American to hire a Brit for this purpose? Or is Joss Stone the perfect avatar for Obama’s vision? White, Jewish, young, romantically linked to African-American men, really cute – looks like Lindsay Lohan with her current dye job, sounds like a 50-year-old black woman from Greenville Mississippi, writes new music that sounds just like old music, international . . . ?

We know that Obama would win the EEU presidency in a landslide if it were actually an elected office. But how is this going to play in America?

Tell me how you feel!

1sokkermom · August 12, 2008, 2:12pm

It will probably get as much press as John Mellancamp and McCain. Mellencamp asked McCain to stop playing his songs at campaign rallies. At the time Mellancamp was a John Edwards supporter. (;)) Not any more.

HisGraceFillsMe · August 12, 2008, 2:23pm

I really couldn’t care less what nationality the girl is.

garland · August 12, 2008, 2:40pm

JHS–much as you are one of my favorite posters, I can’t help but thinking that you were right in your first sentence…

katliamom · August 12, 2008, 2:45pm

And there are those – I believe the majority – who like me will say… Joss who?

(Full disclosure: I discovered The Doors in about 1983)

HisGraceFillsMe · August 12, 2008, 2:48pm

katliamom-she’s not huge in mainstream music, so you’re not as behind as you may think. :)

marite · August 12, 2008, 3:01pm

Well, what about some songs already out there for the candidates (past and present) in this year’s presidential election or their supporters?

For the supporters of The One (to use Idad’s term): “I will follow you; wherever you go, I will follow…”
For supporters of John Edwards, “Your cheating heart will tell on you”
For supporters of Hillary “Don’t they know, it’s the end of the world, it ended when you said goodbye.”

Can someone think up a song for John McCain?

1sokkermom · August 12, 2008, 3:15pm

For McCain: “Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, …Bomb Iran” ? (just kidding)

HisGraceFillsMe · August 12, 2008, 3:17pm

^Do you listen to Capitol Steps? Love them. :)

marite · August 12, 2008, 3:20pm

Well, I just thought of the Peggy Lee song: “Is that all there is? if that’s all there is, my friends, let’s keep on dancing…”

dadx · August 12, 2008, 3:24pm

I think Barack should change his first name to Albert and then use Sweet Home Alobama. Always like the beat and it might help him in the South.

Obama: Jive talkin’

Edwards: You’re so vain

Hillary: The B**** is back

McCain: Fortunate Son

I don’t know who Joss Stone is either.

xiggi · August 12, 2008, 4:22pm

Is that a foregone conclusion? Or is some kind of leftist bridle that the Europeans wish --with a tangible degree of malice-- to see restraining the neck of the United States of America? When people do not have any direct interest in the results of elections, they tend to to support the farfetched. Americans would probably support the first Jewish president in Germany, the first Algerian presdient in France, and a ultra-conservative in the Netherlands.

Qui bene amat bene castigat! Well kinda.

katliamom · August 12, 2008, 4:36pm

xiggi, spend any time in the EU & listen to locals talk about Obama. JHS is right: he’d win in a landslide.

xiggi · August 12, 2008, 5:04pm

Again, it’s easy to confuse popularity and electability. While Europeans would have no problems “supporting” the candidacy of a rock star in … another country, they tend to be more provincial when casting their own ballots.

Have you heard about a certain David Lammy who was viewed as a potential prime minister in England?

Are you aware that in Britain’s House of Commons, only 15 of 646 members are non-white, although minorities make up about 8 percent of the country’s population.

In France, there’s only one minority deputy among the 555 members of the National Assembly who represent mainland France, although perhaps one in five citizens is of minority descent. Two members of the 305-seat Senate hail from North Africa, although no senators are black, and President Nicolas Sarkozy has appointed three minority women to his Cabinet.

As the French love to say, "Charit

soozievt · August 12, 2008, 5:18pm

Back to songs and Obama…

Last night, my daughter was one of the performers for a benefit for Obama in NYC, along with well known NYC performers (except she herself is not known). She wrote a new arrangement of Amercia the Beautiful sung by the current lead of Mamma Mia on Broadway and my D then backed her up. My daughter wrote new arrangements and sang a medley, accompanying herself on piano, of these two songs: Norah Jones’ My Dear Country and Laura Nyro’s Save the Country. I realize Obama is looking for a brand new song but I think lots of great songs were sung on his behalf in NYC last night that dovetail into his theme/platform.

PS, actually a brand new song was penned for Obama that debuted at the show. Song: We Have to Change. Music: Henry Krieger Lyrics: Bill Russell.

Lyrics below:

PEOPLE ALL OVER
HAVE LOOKED TO OUR NATION
THOSE WITHOUT FREEDOM
THOSE WITH NO SAY
WE’VE OFFERED HOPE
FROM OUR FOUNDATION
BUT NOW PEOPLE WONDER
IF WE’VE LOST OUR WAY

THIS IS THE TIME
FOR A CHANGE IN DIRECTION
OUR BETTER SELVES
MUST SHINE THROUGH SOMEHOW
THIS IS THE TIME
TO MAKE A CORRECTION
WE HAVE TO CHANGE
AND NOW

NOW WE THE PEOPLE
NEED TO TAKE ACTION
LEARN FOR THE FUTURE
FROM YESTERDAY
WE MUST GET BEYOND
DIVISION AND FACTION
WE HAVE THE POWER
TO CHOOSE A NEW WAY

WE NEED A CHANGE
A CHANGE TO BELIEVE IN
LET’S SAY GOODBYE
TO FEAR AND TO HATE
BANISH THE LIES
WE DON’T BELIEVE IN
WE HAVE TO CHANGE
BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE

WITH THE WORLD’S ADMIRATION
NEARLY GONE
WE WELCOME INSPIRATION
TO MOVE US ON

WE NEED NEW LEADERS
TO TAP WELLS OF WISDOM
EXPRESS THEMSELVES CLEARLY
HELP US STAND TALL
SO WE THE PEOPLE
CAN BRING BACK THE PROMISE
AMERICA’S HOPE
FOR ONE AND FOR ALL

THIS IS OUR CHANCE
FOR A CHANGE IN DIRECTION
OUR BETTER SELVES
MUST SHINE THROUGH SOMEHOW
THIS IS THE TIME
TO MAKE A CORRECTION
WE HAVE TO CHANGE
AND NOW
WE HAVE TO CHANGE
WE HAVE TO CHANGE
AND NOW

cathymee · August 12, 2008, 5:21pm

you should all listen to some Joss Stone, she’s really good.Much better than alot of the crap female singers popular right now.

collegemom16 · August 12, 2008, 5:27pm

I think all the candidates should use:
It’s The End of the World As We Know it (and I Feel Fine)
by REM

That’s great, it starts with an earthquake, birds and snakes, an aeroplane and Lenny Bruce is not afraid.
Eye of a hurricane, listen to yourself churn - world serves its own needs, dummy serve your own needs.
Feed it off an aux speak, grunt, no, strength, Ladder start to clatter with fear fight down height.
Wire in a fire, representing seven games, a government for hire and a combat site.
Left of west and coming in a hurry with the furies breathing down your neck.
Team by team reporters baffled, trumped, tethered cropped.
Look at that low playing! Fine, then.
Uh oh, overflow, population, common food, but it’ll do.
Save yourself, serve yourself.
World serves its own needs, listen to your heart bleed dummy with the rapture and the revered and the right, right.
You vitriolic, patriotic, slam, fight, bright light, feeling pretty psyched.

It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.

Six o’clock - TV hour. Don’t get caught in foreign towers.
Slash and burn, return, listen to yourself churn.
Locking in, uniforming, book burning, blood letting.
Every motive escalate. Automotive incinerate.
Light a candle, light a votive. Step down, step down.
Watch your heel crush, crushed, uh-oh, this means no fear cavalier.
Renegade steer clear!
A tournament, tournament, a tournament of lies.
Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives and I decline.

It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.

The other night I dreamt of knives, continental drift divide.
Mountains sit in a line, Leonard Bernstein. Leonid Brezhnev, Lenny Bruce and Lester Bangs.
Birthday party, cheesecake, jelly bean, boom!
You symbiotic, patriotic, slam book neck, right? Right.

It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it. can’t I have some time alone?
It’s the end of the world as we know it can’t I have some time alone? and I feel fine…fine…

From the 1987 album Document

mathmom · August 12, 2008, 5:40pm

I’ve heard those lyrics ^^ a million times and never knew what they were saying. I liked The Black Eyed Peas song. Do we need a new one?

I’m another one who’d never heard of Joss Stone - nice voice, very attractive. Don’t know really what she’s like as a lyricist.

As for the pick a foreigner issue, it feels risky to me. Lots of potential for more dissing - though I can’t imagine it would really have any actual influence on someone’s vote.

garland · August 12, 2008, 6:01pm

collegemom–my D knows the lyrics of ITEOTWAWKI and can sing along without a miss. It always amazes me.

We saw REM 2 days after the 04 election. They started the concert with that (usually don’t play it anymore, or if they do, it’s an encore.)

katliamom · August 12, 2008, 7:08pm

Xiggi, it’s unfair to comment on the numbers of minorities in European goverments as compared to in the US, as I assume you mean. Large numbers of minorities have lived in Europe only since the middle of the last century(notice I mean LARGE NUMBERS, not any numbers.) It’s disingenuous to assume that within fifty-sixty years these minorities should reach comparable level of political assimilation as in the US.

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