The Morals That They Worship

When I first heard [via the prolific Lance and Blue Girl] that the National Review's John J. Miller had taken it upon himself to compile a list of top conservative ditties, I expected a discography of Wagner by way of Pat Boone, with the near-certain inclusion of Paper Roses by the versatile Anita Bryant. Alas, it was not to be. There, in the number one spot on the 50-song right-wing hit parade, was the classic rock anthem of classic rock anthems, Won't Get Fooled Again.

Oh yeah, they went there. Discredited and hypocritical movement. Disgraced administration. Flailing strategy. Aligned with The Who's classic rant against political revolution. And the rest of the list - Sympathy for the Devil (for its rampant anti-Leninism), Sweet Home Alabama (pro-red state values and George Wallace), I Fought the War (and the pro-law enforcement community won), Rock the Casbah (most requested anti-Islamofascist song by British Army radio), The Battle of Evermore ("The tyrant’s face is red.” Get it?), and ever onward. Play that funky music, white Buckley boy. Tongue sadly slapping loosely around the conservative lips and jaw, nowhere near the inside of writer's cheek, you realize Mr. Miller is actually serious. I guess irony really is dead in the post 9-11 world.

So, onto my own carefully-considered Top Ten list of conservative classics - skipping the many dozens of blatant attacks on the good right (your Dylan, your Neil Young, your Joni, your Bruce, your Steve Earle, your Pearl Jam - all too obvious) and focusing heavily on classics from a certain grouping on my iTunes playlist (certainly betraying my own rock vintage in the bargain).

• Anarchy in the UK - "I am an anti-christ, don't know what i want but I know how to get it." Nailed it.
• Gloria - Patti Smith - "Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine." (Bush-Cheney branch of conservative politics).
• Pills - New York Dolls - Rush Limbaugh tribute.
• Dazed and Confused - Led Zeppelin - (otherwise known as Administration Breakdown).
• Search and Destroy - Iggy Pop - "I'm a street walking cheetah with a heart full of napalm, I'm a runaway son of the nuclear a-bomb." Tribute to Rumsfeld?
• Johnny Ryall - Beastie Boys - The GOP view of the downsized lower classes
• Big Tears - Elvis Costello - "Standing in the shadow, turning wives to widows..." Big tears mean nothing, fellas. Ask Rummy.
• Endless Night - Graham Parker - "If I could only find a switch that turns on the endless night."
• Death or Glory - The Clash - "Every cheap hood strikes a bargain with the world."
• Road to Nowhere - Talking Heads - The one we're on.

Alright, that wasn't particularly well-considered - I slapped it together in nine minutes. The aptly-named Jon Swift - the most genuine conservative now publishing a blog - did a much better job. But it was fun.  And just for your patience, a special bonus track has been appended to this conservative playlist - by far the most recent track in the list: 16 Military Wives by the Decemberists, who write this:

Sixteen military wives
Thirty-two softly focused brightly colored eyes
Staring at the natural tan
of thirty-two gently clenching wrinkled little hands
Seventeen company men
Out of which only twelve will make it back again
Sergeant sends a letter to five
Military wives, whose tears drip down through ten little eyes
Cheer them on to their rivals
Cause America can, and America can't say no
And America does, if America says it's so
It's so!

UPDATE: Pete Townshend laughs at the National Review ranking, and tells the story behind Won't Get Fooled Again. Fascinating read. Check it out, Tom K.

Technorati tags: Pete Townshend | Who | conservatism

Comments

[Tom K]

"Won't Get Fooled Again" is an inspired choice; the only knock on it is how obvious it is, but that's offset by the fact that lotsa folks figure that, because it's anti-govt. and was written by a 60's band, it's therefore leftist. But the Towwshend who wrote this is definitely the same guy who kicked Abbie Hoffman off the stage at Woodstock.

I recall hearing this on WNEW the morning after Reagan was elected, on the way with you, Tom, to freshman Spanish. (I coulda swore we were in your '69 Skylark but, as I think about it, I don't think that had FM). The DJ presented it as fodder for the presumed anti-Reagan attitudes of his audience, but that gets back to confusion about the political implications of not believing that "government" is benign.

A couple of other candidates that the lists you linked to overlooked: Okie From Fenokie (or however you spell it; if "Stand by Your Man" counts as "rock", why not this?); and less obvious, because more obscure, but very much on point: "Mother Russia" by Renaissance (a tribute to Solzhenitsyn: "Punished for his written thoughts/Starving for his fame/Working blindly, building blocks/Number for a name/his blood flows frozen to the snow/Red blood, white snow/He knows frozen rivers won't flow/So cold, so true/Mother Russia--he cries for you"). A damn good song, of it's kind (you know "art rock" isn't exactly my thing).

Also relevant to this is the question, raised years ago by The Weekly Standard (I think) as to whether the punk movement was essentially conservative. A hard case to make, in the way they tried to make it (arguing for substantive conservatism). But, to the extent it (on balance) replaced the overtly revolutionary world-view of 60's rock with an essentially non-political world-view, and replaced a collectivist mentality with an individualistic one, punk kinda-sorta worked with the conservative agenda, if not the most idealistic aspects of it.

[Tom W.]

I'd agreed WGFA is not leftist - but I don't think it's conservative either. It is anti-power, anti-absolutist, anti-politician yes. Clearly, had nothing to do with Reagan - if anything, more with LBJ/Nixon era - as well as the National Front, the far-right party in the U.K. that also made its way obliquely into the less successful Emincence FRont, which lampooned cocktail/fashion set party fanatics.

Believe, btw, it's Okie from Muskogee by Merle Haggard (a reformed Republican, btw, now avowedly anti-Bush and fairly outspoken about it on his recent tour with Bob Dylan) and famously lampooned by Kinky Friedman's classic Asshole from El Paso - ironically, Kinky's running for Shrub's former gig. Strange world!

[Tom K]

Yeah, I remember Kinky's version. (Has Imus stopped playing it yet?)

I think the original was a legitimate pop-cultural event, while AH-F-EL Paso is just a clever spoof. Nothing against Kinky, who is funny in an "I'm gonna piss on you" sort of way.

[Tom W.]

Actually Kinky is polling quite well...definately a longshot, depsite his Lone Star triumphs...

[Tom K]

If he becomes a serious candidate, I think "They Don't Make Jews Like Jesus Anymore" will ensure his demise before that particular electorate.

[Tom W.]

I'm not so sure - perhaps you underestimate the Texan appetite for humor and parody, unfairly accepting stereotypes about "simple tastes" etc. It's a pretty funny song.

[sean]

Irony is dead. What a typical idiotic list. "Bodies" isn't just anti-abortion, its pretty much anti-everything, from unwanted discharges to self-loathing to full on dread. "Janie's Got A Gun" is about the right to bear arms? Oh, thought that was about killing daddy cause he was taking certain "privaleges" that the Eagles (assholes if ever there were any), advise to "just get over." Any list that includes crap by Creed, Oingo Boingo, Iron Maiden (listed merely because y'know Coleridge is invoked, and what about Morrissey where's he, doesn't he mention Yeats, Keats and Wilde..)and the Scorpions are pointless.

[myrnatheminx]

He just published an encore:

http://article.nationalreview.com/print/?q=ZWEzNmQwM2NmZWIwYTFhMGJlZDNlNGE1NWY3NGM4NDg=

[Slappy]

A true God who still walks among us sums it up quite well:

http://www.lyricstime.com/iggy-pop-i-m-a-conservative-lyrics.html

Why beat around the Bush?

And "Generals And Majors" by XTC: http://lyrics.duble.com/lyrics/X/xtc-lyrics/xtc-generals-and-majors-lyrics.htm

"...punk kinda-sorta worked with the conservative agenda..." Beyond comprehension. Like hearing how what a great conservative philospher Benjamin Franklin was. Or when Bush was asked who he admires politically, "Jesus."

[Tony Alva]

I think this is the most fun I've had reading this blog...

[Tom K]

Slappy:

Punk was not conservative. Most of it wasn't overtly political at all, and that of it that was, was not conservative (with very rare exeception).

But, then, by way of analogy, anarchy is not conservative. Yet anarchy resembles libertarianism, which resembles some species of conservatism. Anarchy is much closer to small-government conservatism than either is to socialism.

So, too, punk is closer to "leave-me-alone" conservatism than either is to the communitarian mentality behind the musical culture that punk replaced.

Do you disagree with my (generalized) statement that "punk replaced the overtly revolutionary world-view of 60's rock with an essentially non-political world-view, and replaced a collectivist mentality with an individualistic one"?. If you don't disagree with that, then any disagreement you have with my "kinda/sorta worked with the conservative agenda" statement is really just semantic.

[Tom W.]

Fellas, read the Townshend post reacting to the list ref'd in my update - a good read, and feel free to react...

[Tom K]

I read the Townshend post; it seems spot on, but even if I didn't agree, he's the one who would know, isn't he?

Obviously, the song wasn't a party political announcement on behalf of Reginald Maudling (or whoever the UK conservative leader was at the time). But for a rock band in 1971 to note the futility of revolution was fundamentally (small-c) conservative. Surely, I'm not the only one who recalls that "The Revolution" was something of a holy grail to the counter-culture for at least five years, from 68/69 till past 71. (Pete himself dabbled, as in "Something in the Air": "You better get yourself together/'cause the revvvvvv-o-luuuution's here" (yawn)).

BTW, "Cut My Hair" is one of several tracks from Quadrophenia that have a more conservative flavor than most of the popular music of that era.

On a different note, if anything the Talking Heads wrote can be taken a face value, I'll nominate "Pulled Up" off their first album for the "conservative" list.

[Slappy]

Anarchy to 12 year olds means no rules, no parents, no school, fuck the world. Anarchy as a political belief does not mean free-for-all, we all kill our own meat. Anarchy, assuming its possibilty, would require socialist/communist cooperation amongst the people. This is why the anarchist movement has always had sclose ties to the communist movement. When I refer to communist, I am not referring to some Reaganistic "evil-empire" version but what Marx, etc had in mind and in print. To equate libertarianism and anarchy is a false analogy and the close relationship between the far left and anarchists proves this.

Libertarianism in this country is a false flag waving for freedom but is really a minor movement born out of the belief that the governenment was out to take away our AK-47s and the want to not pay taxes that would in turn help support the minorities leaching off of the system. Libertarians are not screaming for less censorship or more control over ones own body. They want guns and no taxes. This isn't exactly what punks were singin about.

Much of British punk is non-political but a lot of it is. Much of it was a response to the Queen Bitch of Conservatism Margaret Thatcher and the policies she implemented. A lot of it was also a fuck you to the ruling class and what they stood for. This is certainly not conservative in nature.

[Slappy]

And from one of the true prophets of punk, Joe Strummer:

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/c/clash/know+your+rights_20031891.html

Number 1
You have the right not to be killed

And number 2
You have the right to food money

Number 3
You have the right to free
Speech

Feel free to credit conservatism for Number 1 and 3 if you wish but number 2 is a doozy.

[Slappy]

To said "credit" in my above post is misleading. You are not claiming to credit conservatism. But I do dispute the claim that the values expressed in punk are support a conservative agenda.

[Tom K]

*To equate libertarianism and anarchy is a false analogy and the close relationship between the far left and anarchists proves this."

I wouldn't equate them, because they are clearly different in many ways. (In my view, libertarianism can be sensibly defended as a social model, while anarchism cannot).

But just because they are different doesn't mean they don't have significant resemblences, or overlapping qualities. More, by far, than either has with socialism or Marxism of the statist, presumably benvevolent (in theory) kind you describe.

Review of the "close relationship between the far left and anarchists" only confirms this. It consists, mostly, of anarchists joining with the far left to challenge an existing order they both despise and, as soon as the existing order is overthrown (or sooner, as in Spain), the statists exterminating the anarchists. Examples abound.

So, I still think that, in its general rejection of the utopian, collectivist world view that prevailed in the culture of popular music when it emerged, punk "kinda/sorta worked with the conservative agenda". I recognize that's not an obvious proposition, and I don't expect to convince anyone in particular to accept it, but I think, considered fairly, what I'm saying is pretty clearly true.

[Slappy]

Anarchists end to side with the left more than the right not because of a common enemy. The common enemy is usually described as fascist in nature by both factions and this is no coincidence. Communism can easily be seen as a political system with a small to non-exixtent government. In its pureest form there is no governement, only the people. The workers own the factory, the people run the society, not a privileged upper class. This can easily be seen as anarchy. This is why the two camps are atrracted to one another and see the right wing as a common enemy. The right wing being fascists and facsim equals the privileged class with absolute control.

Libertarians do not even come close to this view. Libertarians wish to be left alone by government, not the abolishment of government.

I am not sure how the "general rejection of the utopian, collectivist world view" is conservative in nature. You yawned at the idea of revolution and yet that is what much of what punk was singing about, both politically and socially. It scared the shit out of people. Punks were not pacifists like the hippies before them, that is the major difference. Not the idea that revolution isn't required.

I personally usually dont equate political movements to musical movements. Some bands are very political though. The Clash, MC5 for example. However with music comes attitude. And music is born out of moments in history and is always influenced by politics. I doubt the punk bands of the 70's could have come to life if not for the politics at the time. Punk was in many ways a reaction against conservatism, not a hidden cry of support.

Which I think comes around to how you define conservatism. Maybe I have a completely different idea of what conservatism means.

[Slappy]

My first paragraph is a wreck. My point is the common enemy is common for political/philophical reasons. The enemy isn't common due to a coincidence in place and timing as I think you were suggesting.

[Tom K]

*You yawned at the idea of revolution . . ."

Not to split hairs (I hope), but I didn't yawn at the *idea* of revolution. I yawned at an expression of that idea that, in the time, place and manner it was made, appears vacuous to me, even (if no especially) when set to pleasant tune.

The last thing I would in response to a serious exprssion of revolutionary sentiment is yawn. I might react with horror (more likely), or with excitment (less likely), depending upon the cirucmstances. Maybe I'd just grab my guitar and smile at the sky . . .

[Tom W.]

Tom K. you're a pretentious old right-wing fool!
Slappy, you're a boring communist radical!
TK blows!
Slappy sucks!

C'mon guys this is far too pleasant - it scares me....

[Slappy]

I got off my chest what I had to in previous posts. Hell, even Bush is talking nice with Iran.

[Tom W.]

Yes, TK is rather like President Ahmadinejad - or did you mean Bush?
Either way, it's a big-time diss! You gonna take that, Tom?

[brendog]

Actually, Tom W, you're eerily close to correct.
Tom K and Slappy are both plants.

Tom K works for George Soros' secret disinformation department, and Slappy has "Rove protege" written all over him.

I think these guys need to come clean, and let us know who it is they really represent.

Incidentally, Tom K, including Okie from Muskogee is not legit in this conversation - country music is extremely, and brainlessly "conservative".

The only exception that comes to mind is the Dixie Chicks, and country radio is exacting a price for breaking the redneck line by refusing to play their new album. Even the Hudson Valley redneck music stations (WRWD and WKXP) are blackballing them. I believe both are ClearChannel stations though, so it makes sense. It also bolsters the argument for ownership regs.

In fact it was the song "Have you forgotten?" by Darryl Worley (one of the biggest pieces of know-nothing shit that ever made it onto the billboard charts) that inspired my anti-redneck blog. I can't stop listening to it though, I never stop laughing!

[Slappy]

"...brainlessly conservative."

Redundant.

As far as who I represent? I represent everyman, woman and child. I am your father, your brother, your lover, your teacher, your student, your friend, your foe. I am the everyman. Bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan.

Not really. I represent one lonely vote to offset my republican voting neighbor. The one whose 9 year old threatened to my face to break the Kerry '04 sign in my front lawn.

[Tom W.]

He's the Pusherman...doo, doo, doo, doo...He's the Pusherman.

[Tom K]

*Incidentally, Tom K, including Okie from Muskogee is not legit in this conversation.*

OK -- though I think it was something of a cross-over hit, it's not my idea of "rock". But then Tammy Wynette and "Stand By Your Man" have got to go, too.

As to who I really represent, I am not at liberty to disclose that information, or even to confirm whether I represent anyone, or even to confirm whether I exist or, if I did, whether I would or would not represent anyone or who that anyone or those anyones might or might not be.

Hope that clears things up.

[brendog]

See? I've been vindicated! That's exactly who I thought you were!

[Third Of Never]

My personal take on the song is that we shouldn't rely on others to save us...we need to do it ourselves. Republicans are full of shit...Democrats are full of shit....I'm a registered independent and I'm full of shit too.

Lewis Black on Republicans and Democrats:

"A Republican stands up in the Senate and says 'I have a truly shitty idea', and a Democrat stands up and says, '...and I know how to make it even worse!"

[blue girl]

Tom W. -- I'm glad you cleared up what exactly Tom K. is -- I wasn't sure if he was truly a right-winger or he was here to play devil's advocate.

I'm sure you jest slightly -- but I feel a tad of truth in that one sentence above.

Phew! Now I know!

:)

[Tom W.]

Oh he's real alright - all too shockingly real, as I've found out these nearly 40 years....

[blue girl]

I know! I can tell!

And I keep trying to bait him into exchanging comments with me...but, to no avail.

So sad.

/sniffle