My own entry in the 2008 election lyrics sweepstakes would be the title track
to Steppenwolf's "Monster" album of 1970.
The spirit was freedom and
justice
And it's keepers seem generous and kind
It's leaders were supposed
to serve the country
But now they won't pay it no mind
'Cause the people
grew fat and got lazy
And now their vote is a meaningless joke
They babble
about law and order
But it's all just an echo of what they've been
told
Yeah, there's a monster on the loose
It's got our heads into a
noose
And it just sits there watchin'
Our cities have turned into
jungles
And corruption is stranglin' the land
The police force is watching
the people
And the people just can't understand
We don't know how to mind
our own business
'Cause the whole worlds got to be just like us
Now we are
fighting a war over there
No matter who's the winner
We can't pay the
cost
'Cause there's a monster on the loose
It's got our heads into a
noose
And it just sits there watching
America where are you now?
Don't you care about your sons and
daughters?
Don't you know we need you now
We can't fight alone against the
monster
It is depressing that an angry and bitter protest song written 38 years ago
is actually more applicable today than it was when it was written. Have we learned nothing? With your
indulgence, I'd like to annotate the lines of that song by pouring on even more anger
and bitterness.
The spirit
was freedom and justice
And it's keepers
seem generous and kind
Yes, "was" in past tense
and the qualifier "seem" nails it.
It's leaders were supposed to serve the country
But now they
won't pay it no mind
A perfect description of the Bush administration.
'Cause the people grew fat and got lazy
And now their vote is a
meaningless joke
We the People are responsible for our government.
They babble about law and order
But it's all just an echo of
what they've been told
Yes, told by the Great American Propaganda Machine (GAPM).
Yeah, there's a monster on the loose
It's got our heads into a
noose
And it just sits there watchin'
Do we understand the nature
of that monster? Does Barack Obama understand its nature?
Our cities have turned into jungles
So why wasn't rebuilding New Orleans a national priority?
And corruption is stranglin' the land
Looters are fully in control of Corporate America. And Congress.
The police force is watching the people
As in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
And the people just can't understand
Products of the joke that passes for an educational system.
We don't know how to mind our own business
'Cause the whole
world's got to be just like us
The Islamic world in particular. Why can't Muslims just embrace mindless materialism freedom and democracy?
Now we are fighting a war over there
Well, two wars so far, Iraq and Afghanistan.
No matter who's the winner
We can't pay the cost
An estimated three trillion dollars will be borrowed for the Iraq War.
'Cause there's a monster on the loose
It's got our heads into a
noose
And it just sits there watching
"My dear brothers, never
forget, when you hear the progress of enlightenment vaunted, that the devil's
best trick is to persuade you that he doesn't exist!" - Charles Baudelaire
(1864)
America where are you now?
Don't you care
about your sons and daughters?
Do the tears falling on my keyboard count as annotation?
Don't you know we need you now
We can't fight alone against the
monster
But don't fret because a knight in shining armor will slay the
monster. And we'll all live happily ever after.
