I came to realize yesterday, while I was driving back from the golf course, that this war does not have one.
One of the great things about my new(used) car is that it has a CD player that works. So I can rock out during the extra time it takes me to get to the course these days. So yesterday while I was listening to Neil Young , I realized that one reason neither side of the controversy about the Iraq war is able to be more successful is that both lack a good theme song. Where is the Iraq War’s version of Ohio?
“Stupid Muslims and Bush are coming….We’re finally on our own. This summer I hear the drumming…………”
For that matter there is not a catchy , feel good tune like we had during the Cold War, such as “Proud to be an American”. Something that made you feel good about bombing Libya, or putting the Russians in their place at sea.
Now I have to caveat this theory by acknowledging that I am not as up to speed on current music trends as I probably should be. I don’t listen to music that often except at bars, and normally my attention is turned to other more interesting pursuits than music criticism. So I may have missed this century’s equivalent of the Battle Hymn of the Republic:
“Oh mine eyes have seen the glory of the ending of Islam. We are tramping out the ragheads and making them read the Psalms…………..”
I did a google search on anti-war music and found nothing I really recognize. Sure there have been attempts to rehash some of the classics but they just don’t make it. Perhaps the best attempt, Haji Girl, got stifled before it had a chance to gain traction. Cultural sensitivities and all.
No similar song such as we found in WW-II: ” I’m going to find a fellow who is yellow and stomp him red ,white, and blue!”
Seriously though, the war is probably being wonked to death. Neither side has a good means of packaging its ideas and that probably points up how ambiguous it is to be sending Americans out to defend a bunch of useless Arabs who will not reciprocate by getting their own act together enough to appreciate it. Instead they are more concerned about killing each other over a stupid argument that should have been ended 1300 years ago. Such is the state of awareness in the Muslim world these days.
Its probably a sign too, of how really un-moblized the country is in general that big singing stars are more concerned about market share and stupid anti-piracy issues, than speaking up about an issue of grave national importance. After all, no one is knocking on their door demanding that they serve or giving them an induction notice. They get to continue living their selfish lives while a small percentage of Americans gets stuck carrying the burden. For the rest, “business as usual baby”. All volunteer force and all that, I suppose. God forbid that we would mobilze the nation to understand and accept the magnitude of the task it has taken on. Might spook the market you know? Can’t have that. National service? Don’t ask me, I bought my yellow ribbon bumper sticker for my SUV.
Which astounds me in a world where the majority of Americans, and most of the rest of the world, believe that the invasion of Iraq was a profound mistake. Then again, maybe the music industry has resembled the nation it comes from, fragmented and unsure of itself. Or where it really wants to go. Even controversial videos like this get no notice………….
Just my opinion—I could be wrong.