[lbo-talk] the music of politics

[Miles Jackson]

Michael Pollak wrote:
> On Thu, 17 Jan 2008, the Washington Post was quoted as saying:
>
>   
>> If we can tell anything about the candidates from their campaign theme 
>> music, it may be this: They (or perhaps their aides) aren't paying much 
>> attention to the lyrics. If they were, they might change their tune.
>>     
>
> Except didn't Reagan prove the opposite, that all that matters is the 
> chorus and the title?  I mean, what could possibly more inappropriate than 
> his use of "Born in the USA" in the 1984 campaign?  He played that song 
> into the ground -- it's probably one of the few campaign theme song still 
> remembered 25 years on -- and won by a landslide.
>
> Michael
>   
As a general rule, people don't pay attention to the lyrics in pop 
music.  My favorite example: the popularity of Police's "I'll be 
watching you" as a wedding song.  It's a creepy song about a stalker!

Miles