My Nostalgic Anti-Bush/Anti-War Playlist, part 1

I've been feeling nostalgic, especially after reading snippets of Dubya's forthcoming interview with Matt Lauer. So, I'm taking this opportunity to share the first half of my Anti-Bush/Anti-War playlist (second half to follow soon) with you. Enjoy!

1. American Idiot / Green Day: This is a great one to start with. It adds a bit of punch, and helps to set the tone for the playlist. Plus, it just rocks.
   Best Lyric: Don't want to be an American idiot / One nation controlled by the media


2. When the President Talks to God / Bright Eyes: You may remember Bright Eyes' controversial performance of this song on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. To be fair, there was no controversy for the live audience--just the audience at home...and NBC.
   Best Lyric: When the president talks to God, does he ever think that maybe he's not? / That that voice is just inside his head when he kneels next to the presidential bed / Does he ever smell his own bullshit, when the president talks to God?
   


3. Him / Lily Allen: Speaking of God, here's a great song from Lily Allen's 2009 album, "It's Not Me, It's You". It paints a nicer view of God--one in which He's tied of people waging war in His name.
   Best Lyric: I don't imagine He's ever been suicidal / His favorite band is Creedence Clearwater Revival.


4. Bu$hleaguer / Pearl Jam: Moving on to a different "he"--as in the opening line of this song, "How does he do it?"--you can guess from the name that we're back to talking about Dubya. This is one of two songs on my playlist where the verses are fantastic, but the chorus is kinda lame. Still, it's great song and very catchy.
   Best Lyric: Drillin' for fear makes the job simple / Born on third, and thinks he got a triple.


5. We Can't Make It Here / James McMurtry: Here's another great song--anti-Bush, anti-war, but mostly about hard economic times. There's so much I can say about this song, but I'll let the lyrics do my talking.
   Best Lyric: I can see 'em all now, they haunt my dreams / All lily white and squeaky clean / They've never known want, they'll never know need / Their shit don't stink and their kids won't bleed / Their kids won't bleed in their damn little war / And we can't make it here anymore.


6. Take a Bow / Muse: I love being judgmental, and this anti-Bush song lets me pursue that love so eloquently.
   Best Lyric: Pay, you must pay / You must pay for your crimes against the earth.


7. Let's Impeach the President / Neil Young: This song features Dubya's greatest hits, including my personal favorite from a press conference regarding the search for Osama bin Laden: "Oh, I don't know where he is; you know, I just don't spend that much time on it."
   Best Lyric: What if Al Qaeda blew up the levees? / Would New Orleans have been safer that way?


8. Whatever Happened to Peace on Earth / Willie Nelson: This song came out just in time for the 2006 election, and when interviewed about it, Willie, of course, made a point to tell everyone to go vote for "whoever's against the war".
   Best Lyric: They won't lie to me / Not on my own damn TV / But how much is a liar's word worth? / What happened to peace on earth?


9. 16 Military Wives / The Decemberists: What can I say about the Decemberists? Like the song goes, the country they come from is called the Midwest; they're awesome (yes, Mom, in the true sense of the word), and this song is one of their best.
   Best Lyric: Cheer them on to their rivals / Cause America can, and America can't say no / And America dies, if America says it's so / And the anchorperson on TV goes la de da de da de-dadedade-da


10. Not Ready to Make Nice / Dixie Chicks: I could really relate to the circumstances that led to this song. I mean, like Natalie Maines, I'm from Texas, and I'm proud to be a Texan. Also like Natalie Maines, I am ashamed that Dubya was also from Texas. I like to think he and I don't have much in common. Still, whether you agree with Maines or not, the subsequent death threats Dixie Chicks received were way over the line.
    Best Lyric: And how in the world can the words that I said send somebody so over the edge / That they'd write me a letter sayin' that I better shut up and sing / Or my life will be over?

That's it for part 1. I hope you enjoy it, and stay tuned for part 2.