Bonnie Raitt Sings 'About to End' About Bush Wednesday, July 21, 2004
STOCKHOLM, Sweden — Winding up her summer tour across Europe, Bonnie Raitt (search) drew thunderous applause at the Stockholm Jazz Festival for dedicating a classic to President George Bush.
"We're gonna sing this for George Bush (search) because he's out of here, people!" Raitt crowed Tuesday night before she launched into the opening licks of "Your Good Thing (Is About to End)," a cover that was featured on her 1979 album, "The Glow."
The song, written by Isaac Hayes (search) and David Porter, has been sung by several notable performers, including Mable John and Lou Rawls.
Raitt's comments resulted in a round of applause and even whistles from among the estimated 3,000 concertgoers at the Swedish capital's annual jazz event held on the banks of the downtown Skeppsholmen island.
Swedes are skeptical of Bush, and the Scandinavian country refused to support his efforts in the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.
The Grammy-winning singer is no stranger to political activism. Her Web site urges fans to learn more about preserving the environment and she was a founding member of MUSE, or Musicians United for Save Energy.
Mike D "High explosives are applicable where truth and logic fail"
quote:The Grammy-winning singer is no stranger to political activism. Her Web site urges fans to learn more about preserving the environment and she was a founding member of MUSE, or Musicians United for Save Energy.
I guess she only plays an acoustic guitar now? Entertainers and their foolishness. Just play the music lady. That's what we're paying for. We'll turn on the news for politics. if we so desire. Oh yeah, don't go overseas and put down the president it's so classless and weak.
...come in here dear boy, have a cigar, you're gonna go far.....
Posts: 775 | Location: Evans, GA USA | Registered: April 02, 2004
Isn't art supposed to be a reflection of our times? Isn't it also supposed to challenge our beliefs and perceptions? If not, then what's left -- Three Stooges DVDs and Britney Spears CDs?
Seems to me it's not the fact that she uses political themes in her music that upsets you guys, it's that those themes aren't in line with your beliefs.
I haven't seen any posts bashing right-leaning artists like Merle Haggard (right wing and lovin' it for 40 years!), Montgomery Gentry (dumbed down flag waving and proud of it for, well, about 4 years) and rockers like 3 Doors Down (who believe, like PJ O'Rourke, that dabauchery can coexist with Republican ideals, somehow).
And there are plenty of news items on them doing songs IN SUPPPORT OF the president. Should they shut up too?
Artists have a right to say whatever they want. Hopefully she'll say it here, and not just overseas. It's easy to say something like that overseas. How about here in the US?
The Dixie Chicks didn't know their fan base.
B.A.S.E. Secretary and #0013 <(0)> R.O.C.A #14 Foreign Affairs Minister - BS
I haven't seen any posts bashing right-leaning artists like Merle Haggard (right wing and lovin' it for 40 years!), Montgomery Gentry (dumbed down flag waving and proud of it for, well, about 4 years) and rockers like 3 Doors Down (who believe, like PJ O'Rourke, that dabauchery can coexist with Republican ideals, somehow).
The difference is clear - the entertainers you named are clearly conservative but their songs are politically neutral (unless you consider patriotism to be a primarily conservate value) and I don't recall any of them specifically bashing any particular liberal (although either Clinton and just about any Kennedy would have made an almost irresistable target). The Dixie Chicks, Harry Belafonte (who has clearly gone off the deep end) and now Bonnie make their political views known by specifically attacking conservatives and Republicans in general and President Bush in particular. It's as if they have concluded that, despite the fact that about 50% of Americans voted for Bush TWICE, none of them are in the audience. You have to wonder what types of drugs their business managers are taking.
The bottom line is that, just like the rest of us, entertainers have the right to say whatever they want BUT, just like the rest of us, they do not have the right to do so without consequences.
Originally posted by nixdad: The difference is clear - the entertainers you named are clearly conservative but their songs are politically neutral.
No, they all have issue-related material, from anti-hippie anthems (Haggard) to pro-Iraq war songs (3 Doors Down) to "I'm gonna keep drivin' my 10mpg SUV with a deer strapped to the hood and beat anyone who disagrees with a baseball bat" (Montgomery Gentry, and I'm not making that up...there's a video to go with it).
Bonnie Raitt (and Kris Kristoferson and the Dixie Chicks, for that matter) make their more overt comments between songs, not in them.
Again, seems like a double-standard to me.
quote:
The bottom line is that, just like the rest of us, entertainers have the right to say whatever they want BUT, just like the rest of us, they do not have the right to do so without consequences.
I'm not sure what those consequences should be. Half of their audience abandons them? I think that would be fine with them. Just like the Blue Collar Comedy Tour seems happy to do without my ticket money...can't please everybody.
quote:
It's as if they have concluded that, despite the fact that about 50% of Americans voted for Bush TWICE, none of them are in the audience.
It's not like 70% of Americans voted for Bush, or even 51% (more like 49%, right?) And judging by his approval ratings, about 10-12% probably wish they voted the other way. So it's not like she's tearing up pictures of the Pope on stage like Sinead O'Connor did.
Just my 2 cents -- I'm outta here before someone turns this into a Bush vs. Kerry debate.
Holy crap! Someone dug up an old one. Here's the problem with the Bush bashing left entertainers. If I enjoy their music and purchase a ticket to their concert, I expect to hear what I paid for, nothing more. If they feel that they want to have a political debate that's fine too. Just don't charge the same rates or put it on your billboard as such. The same would go for a conservative group with the exception of The Nuge. I pay for his political view.
The sad part is the lefties will only say their peace overseas or hide behind a website.
Mike D
I hate violence! I hate it so much I am willing to kill anyone who tries to use it against me. -- Mike Waidelich
