Joe in DC over at AMERICAblog posted a link to the musical artist Pink’s live performance of her song “Dear Mr. President” from the 2006 I’m Not Dead album.
I hadn’t heard it yet and was blown away. Here’s the link to the You Tube feed of the video. I’ll post the lyrics below the fold.
What a powerful song! It had me all choked up. The truth will do that when one is exposed to so much crap everyday in the MSM.
Update [2006-4-22 18:14:42 by Man Eegee]: Here’s an easier way to view the video:
Dear Mr. President
Come take a walk with me
Let’s pretend we’re just two people and
You’re not better than me
I’d like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestlyWhat do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street
Who do you pray for at night before you go to sleep
What do you feel when you look in the mirror
Are you proudHow do you sleep while the rest of us cry
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye
How do you walk with your head held high
Can you even look me in the eye
And tell me whyDear Mr. President
Were you a lonely boy
Are you a lonely boy
Are you a lonely boy
How can you say
No child is left behind
We’re not dumb and we’re not blind
They’re all sitting in your cells
While you pave the road to hellWhat kind of father would take his own daughter’s rights away
And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay
I can only imagine what the first lady has to say
You’ve come a long way from whiskey and cocaineHow do you sleep while the rest of us cry
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye
How do you walk with your head held high
Can you even look me in the eyeLet me tell you bout hard work
Minimum wage with a baby on the way
Let me tell you bout hard work
Rebuilding your house after the bombs took them away
Let me tell you bout hard work
Building a bed out of a cardboard box
Let me tell you bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
You don’t know nothing bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
OhHow do you sleep at night
How do you walk with your head held high
Dear Mr. President
You’d never take a walk with meWould You?
I had heard the song before, but I hadn’t seen her perform it.
I don’t believe he feels anything at all …
away with her performance. I like that it’s a slow, crooning song, it makes it more accessible to different audiences. Wow, just wow.
I agree, he is an empty shell that is taking us over the cliff.
My daughter and I have been Pink fans from the beginning. She is not just another pop star. Cy just heard this album last night and said that Dear Mr. President was absolutely beautiful. She will be getting the album for her b-day next week.
IMO, the music has been one of the elements that’s been missing (at least from my perspective) with the current anti-war movement relative to the Vn anti-war movement.
While I was not previously aware of Pink, I think that presentation was very impressive. I highly doubt there’ll be any “opologies” after the fact from this group.
political statements have been made by groups like Green Day’s “American Idiot”, the Dixie Chicks (their new album comes out in a couple of weeks), and Neil Young’s “Lets Impeach the President”. Plus there was a pretty sizable group of modern artists that remade Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Goin On” right after 9/11.
I think they’re starting to organize. Here’s hopin’ anyways.
Bernie Sanders’ campaign song is that of James McMurtry–he’s been out in front re: speaking out for nearly a year!
We Can’t Make It Here Anymore
Let’s not forget about System of a Down and A Perfect Circle. They’ve been out there…just not that mainstream.
Thanks for reminding me again. I forgot that it was their CD that I was supposed to go buy. I think along with Pink, Neil Young and the Dixie Chicks (ack) too perhaps. Now, off to listen to Pink!
I absolutely love Green Day and that one song was called ‘Come September’ wasn’t it…and good video with song also.
They are out there. There’s probably been more protest songs about this president than any other. However, 1) rhe media isn’t really covering them. 2) pop music has changed so much.. we can no longer listen to hits from groups like Cindy Lauper that evryone.. simply everyone, gets to hear in a single day. (I say it’s because Hip Hop rules today in place of Rock n Roll but I’m sure to find my face covered in tomatoes at such a suggestion)
Of course i may be wrong, So i will be sure to add a little ‘IMHO’ tag to the end of all this :p hehe
Punk rock and the magazine Amp has been talking about bush for a long long time.
If you have a chance to listen to air america radio, either online or from a local station or satellite, you hear all manner of great songs. Getting a lot of play this past week is one called “I am the Decider.” A terrific one, as is this one.
Link to the decider at the Huffington Post
Thanks for the heads-up on this, Man E. Haven’t heard the song as of yet.
There’s an enormous amount of compassion there — the kind that I generally try to practice.
Sadly, though, given the chance to ‘take a walk’ with the president (I’m assuming that means Bush), I’d very likely decline — as I’d always rather avoid violent confrontation, especially when it’s useless.
smirk she gave at the end after she sang “Would you?” It summed it up.
That is the Indigo Girls singing with her I believe.
I’m on dialup and have neither the time or patience to get the whole thing to load, but no, that does not appear to be either of the Indigo Girls, either Amy Ray or Emily Saliers, on stage with her.
I did see the beginning and it is really a moving piece, though. Thanks for the heads up, ManE. I particularly liked the shot of the young women in the audience singing right along, passionately. The kids are all right.
I’m like you Indy, on dial up so I usually save myself the aggravation of trying to play stuff like this..or even if it loads the buffering sucks and I only get to hear half of what is being said or sung..I’ll have to check Fuse or MTV I guess.
Yay, Manny! I actually got to see half of it with your update. I’ll have to try to catch it once I get my high-speed access back east. I love the way she’s totally subverting what Marilyn Monroe did.
And, um, I don’t know who the other singers are but they are definitely not the Indigo Girls, lol. These are the Indigo Girls:
Neil Young’s Living With War blog is also requesting assistance from the progressive blogosphere.
SPREAD THE WORD
Please email livingwithwar@earthlink.net if you support Neil and would like to help promote his new album online.
Some of us will never be ‘too old’ to rock-n-roll, BTW.
thanks for the heads up on Neil Young’s blog, I’ll definitely send an email.
What an incredible song and video. Brava to Pink and all that stand up to this regime ruining our country. Thanks Manny for bringing this to my attention. I just emailed it to my nonblog friends and family.
about Pink in a superficial way. Her more pop-y songs usually make it to the radio waves. I knew that she was a great lyricist, and this song confirmed my admiration.
wow, thanks.
That’s all, just wow.
that was all I could say too. Not only were the words powerful, her performance and emotion were so real they jumped out of my screen.
I haved loved Pink for awhile. If you like that check out Don’t let me get me and Family Portrait, another 2 good ones. 😉 Everyone at the time when she came on the scene tried to paint her in the “Brittany mold”. I am so glad to be vindicated!!!
A beautiful and quite moving performance…I had heard it, just not seen it. Thanks for this Manny!
stay away from pop music except through necessity, but was aware that she wrote most of her own music. This piqued my interest to check out more of her stuff. Consider your vindication full, CoD! 🙂
Lol, I hear ya on the staying away from Pop. 😉 I am normally not a pop fan at all…more into hard rock and metal. (I know wierd huh?) But her voice is what got to me…I just love that voice of hers! Then I started to realize that yes…admittedly the music was catchy as well.
I have recieved no end of grief for my obsession with Pink, AHHH Vindication at last!!
This is too funny Man Eegee. Ealier this week in a diary about the new Dixie Chicks song there was some discussion about musicians who were stepping up with political songs. I added Pink’s name to the list because I had recently heard her song “Stupid Girls.” Omir added a comment about not having heard of her before. I hope he sees this so we can make a Pink convert out of him.
I hadn’t heard this song – I’m a BIG fan now!!
Here is a link to Stupid Girls.