Sunday, July 15, 2007

Dear Mr. President

Jenn, who blogs about her life in the Netherlands, a country not her own, has a question for us: "Along the route home [from Austria], driving toward Holland through the hills of Germany, this song played several times on the radio. I had not heard it, nor of it, before this trip. I will tell you straight up, I think it beautiful as it captures so much, so perfectly. But I am wondering if it gets any sort of radio play in the U.S. or elsewhere. Weigh in please, and tell me what you think. How do you feel? I give you: Dear Mr. President, by Pink. Lyrics below."

Jenn shares a YouTube recording of the song on her blog. I have copied the lyrics to post here. Have you heard this song? What do you think of it?

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 honestly.
What 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 proud?
How 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 why?
Dear 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 hell.
What 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 cocaine.
How 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?
Let 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
Oh, How do you sleep at night?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Dear Mr. President,
You'd never take a walk with me.
Would you?

10 comments:

CJ said...

Since you asked, I'll answer.

I think the song is a self-indulgent, leftist take on reality with no quarter given for the good things that have happened. It's simplistic to the point of being silly.

But, that's just my take on it.

cjh

Bonnie Jacobs said...

Thanks, CJ, I'll share your comment with Jenn ... unless you commented there?

Stephanie said...

Personally, I love it!! If I thought that there was even ONE GOOD thing that this president has done, I might agree with CJ's comment. But this president, who is supposed to represent THE PEOPLE, has done nothing to help this country. (Unless of course, you are in the oil business)

Nothing good has come from this administration. Period.

Bonnie Jacobs said...

Thanks, Stephanie. Did you tell Jenn? If not, I'll share you comments.

ErinPaperbackstash said...

I like it, this president has done nothing good since he's come into office. He tries to force every belief he has on everyone else more than I've seen others do in the past. Ugh.

Unknown said...

As an outsider I'll erm, stick my neck out. It is high time it was said - and sung. The President's words and actions have done the American image - in the eyes of the rest of the world - no end of damage.

CJ said...

Nope, I didn't comment there, Bonnie. Thanks for doing so. I didn't realize I should've.

And, as much as I want to, I'll refrain from taking the conversation any further. This is Bonnie's Books, after all.

But, if you want to read a little on my political views, I've got another blog that covers it: www.angam.blogspot.com

cjh

Dewey said...

I'm familiar with this song (and the youtube video) already, and every time I hear it, I get chills. I think that she very eloquently expresses the pain felt by the vast majority of U.S. citizens, who disapprove of this administration for all of its atrocities. My personal view is that I will not live long enough to see this country recover from the damage of the last eight years. Damage to not just this country, but the entire world.

2 Mad Ladies' Cafe said...

JDrmp51169
I believe Mr. Obama has made many errors, but i think that much of the error is what he inherited from years of Republican tyranny and stupidity under G.W. Bush. I think Obama put our feet on the right path with healthcare reform--although we kicked and screamed all the way. I am sickened that we did not close the in vulturistic insurance industry down completely with a single-payer system. However, I pray that will come. I do not agree with everything the Mr. Obama has done, but I also understand that much of what we see, hear, and "know" about his faults and accomplishments is heavily filtered through a media machine that long ago lost the edge that was known as "journalistic reporting." There is no longer a true "watchdog media." Rather, media is more often than not the source of our misinformation about ourselves, our government, and the world at large. Hats off to Pink--the song is perfect!!!!

Bonnie Jacobs said...

Thanks, Dana, but I think this conversation ended about three years ago and I'm the only one who'll read your words.

Last year Jenn's family moved back from the Netherlands to St. Louis, where her husband now teaches international law.

And Dewey, the last one to comment before you, was right in her prediction: "My personal view is that I will not live long enough to see this country recover from the damage of the last eight years. Damage to not just this country, but the entire world." She died young in November 2008, leaving a husband and a teenage son. I still miss her.