The Candidates’ Favorite Tunes
Posted by Peter Lawler
Here’s some troubling news. Can we really trust the judgment of a man who thinks what ABBA does is music, much less his favorite music? Of course, it’s no better (although no worse) to put Hip Hop at the top.
9:54 AM / August 12, 2008
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It's time again to light the fuse on Allan Bloom's explosive discussion of music and the soul, and the regime. What does each candidate's playlist say about his soul (in the Platonic, not the Marvin Gaye sense)? Are either candidate's choices anything that would irk or befuddle or challenge the pop taste of most Americans?
What if McCain listed at least "Anchors Aweigh," instead of "Take a Chance on Me" (which he could loan to Obama as a campaign anthem)? Would he gain or lose support? What would it say about the candidate, and the public's reaction, if he put on his list something beyond pop music, whether a march, a waltz, or maybe Beethoven's Third?
Obama also picked a good tune by the Boss. Overall he wins.
Yes, these are weighty matters, right up there with the boxers-or-briefs issue and the all-important question of "Which candidate would you really like to sit at a bar and have a beer with?"
Actually, the Freudian question I would like to ask would be; you sit in an empty bar -what drink would you order?
But Peter doesn't McCain's Merle Haggard reference trump all?
Geez,
What a strange couple of candidates we have.
Unicorns first pick of something by "The Fungees" would seem to be calculated BS. As good as the late Marvin Gaye is, "What's Going On?" is truly the clueless Unicorn's theme song!
As a "pop-rock" listener since 1954, I really enjoy ABBA, but "Dancing Queen"?
I'll go with "One of Us".
BTW, the so-called "Boss" is probably the most overated performer ever. One really good album, "Born to Run", with the two best songs he ever recorded;
"Back Streets" & "Born to Run"!
Mike, Ordinarily I'd be challenged and offended by your dissing of the Boss. But because those possible fighting words follow "I really enjoy ABBA," I feel free to disregard them.