Saturday, November 03, 2012

President Obama's Hit List? What's Yours PM Lee?

U.S. Presidential Election 2012 Voting in Singapore? Or Obama, PM Lee Pop Song List?

It's interesting to find out pop song choices of world leaders and because I have never heard of such a topic mentioned or even discussed on our local blogs  I thought I would peek on the Net to find out more.  But it was disappointing because I couldn't find any of our leaders singing on stage or revealing their choice of pop or classical music hits.  Most of them would probably have "more important things to do", so the cliche goes.
Prime Minister Lee singing at Marina Barrage in 2009.
PM Lee Hsien Loong, on the other hand, sang Beautiful Sunday an evergreen since 1972 composed by Daniel Boone. This pop performance happened three years ago at a Marina Barrage gathering where he was accompanied by a guitar group of serving MPs. But I don't know if he has a list of favourite pops?
President Obama singing at the White House in February 2012
So for today's posting I decided to pick  one down to earth, casual and pleasant world leader's choice of personal pops and since he will have to face challenger Mitt Romney for the next *US presidency in a few days on 6th November, I thought it a good idea to find out US President Barack Obama's taste for pop hits.  Not a Herculean task since the information is easily available.

Sheryl Crow
According to some websites he has a list of songs that he loves and this groovy guy makes no qualms about who his favourite music-makers are. The bands and artistes from the 60s and 70s include, The Rolling Stones, Sheryl Crow, Elton John and Earth, Wind n Fire. And Stevie Wonder is his hero since the 1970s.

It is common knowledge that The Rolling Stones' song, Gimme Shelter (1969) tops his favourite pop list. His selection also contains about 30 songs from Bob Dylan, especially the composition Maggie's Farm (1965) which "speaks" to him because of its political rhetoric.  And his choice of jazz legends? It has names like Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Charlie Parker. Fantastic! This man knows his music.  A cool dude indeed!
Vinyl record cover features Bruce Springsteen
Another pop star whom Obama looks up to is Bruce Springsteen. Not only does he love Springsteen's compositions, he  loves him as a person because, according to The President, Springsteen has never lost track of his roots, knows who he is and has never put on a front.  And Obama addresses him as the Boss.

Screen Grab from You Tube: White House with brilliant array of pop music makers.
And like PM Lee, does the US President sing?  Of course.  He gave his rendition of Sweet Home Chicago, a 1937 blues standard during the Red, White and Blues event at the White House this year (2012).  He sang the few lines, Baby Don't You Want To Go... with some persuasion from B.B. King, Mick Jagger and Buddy Guy who were present.

60s Music on RTS (image from Mun Chor Seng).
I wonder what it would take for some of our chieftains to have at least a pop song list, let alone sing in public.  Yes, we understand. As government leaders you need to be serious with election promises, the economy, etc. but too serious an image may lose you votes. So come on out with your list of hits. Even Singapore pop songs from the 60s, 70s and beyond?

Comment anyone?

Images from: Google and You Tube screen grabs.
Image 6: Mun Chor Seng (Copyright).

[The U.S. Presidential Election is on Tuesday, 6 November 2012 between Barack Obama - Democrat and Mitt Romney - Republican.]

OBAMA wins Presidential Election 2012.  Most US citizens in Singapore share joy.

6 comments:

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

I am not familiar with the b/w photograph of a guitar group appearing on 'Easter Parade' at an RTS recording on 26th March, 1963.

If you are, please help.

Thank you.

WIKIPEDIA said...

"Gimme Shelter" is a song by the English rock band The Rolling Stones. It first appeared as the opening track on the band's 1969 album "Let It Bleed".

Although the first word was spelled "Gimmie" on that album, subsequent recordings by the band and other musicians have made "Gimme" the customary spelling.

The Rolling Stones first played the song live on a TV special, "Pop Go The Sixties", on 31 December 1969.

(For more info check Wiki).

CYL said...

Response to previous Halloween posting:

A woman was asked by a co-worker, 'What is it like to be a Christian?'

The coworker replied, 'It is like being a pumpkin.' God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. Then He cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff.

He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, and greed. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see.'

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Thanks CYL to your response. That's very clever since pumpkins are used for Halloween celebrations.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

A video has been put up on the RIGHT BAR of the blog. It has been produced by Dr. Lee YS:

Hi YS,

I sincerely hope you will get lots of response from it. I think it is a beautiful rendition of a lovely song. Very appropriate.

Thank you for the contribution on the blog which has been varied and many.

Regards,
Andy.

WIKIPEDIA said...

Maggie's Farm" is a song written by Bob Dylan, recorded on January 15, 1965, and released on the album "Bringing It All Back Home" on March 22 of that year.

Like many other Dylan songs of the 1965–66 period, "Maggie's Farm" is based in electric blues.

It is frequently interpreted as Dylan's declaration of independence from the protest folk movement...

(Read the rest from Wikipedia)