Posted on 09/08/2011 9:55:47 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Joe Scarborough -- the former Republican congressman who now hosts a basic cable morning show -- wrote a 9/11 song. Why? I don't know. I really don't. It's called "Reason to Believe," and it comes with an insane, Americana-drenched video that also doubles as a parody of horrible Americana-drenched country music videos.
How "tasteful," that Scarborough did not appear in this video. That would've drawn attention away from the message of the song, which is that Joe Scarborough loves America and also wants to be a country singer.
I'm sure this was all meant with the best possible intentions, or at least done without the intention of actively harming anyone, but there are few things on this earth grosser than the vanity projects of millionaires. It is sort of immediately apparent to anyone not living in a bubble of celebrity that commemorating the tenth anniversary of a national tragedy by releasing a crappy charity country single is incredibly narcissistic and gross behavior. At some point, probably before Scarborough shelled out money for studio time, someone should have stopped this from happening. No one besides Joe Scarborough has any interest in Joe Scarborough's dabbling in country music. There was no demand for it. The only "awareness" it raises is awareness of Joe Scarborough's desire to branch out a little.
And why on earth is MSNBC promoting this? If Chris Matthews wrote a 9/11 screenplay would MSNBC film it? It's just weird.
Even weirder (via The Awl) is the Huffington Post's lengthy, worshipful write-up of the song and video. According to HuffPo this assortment of 9/11-related banalities has a stirring "anti-war" message!
Seriously, read some of this:
The host of MSNBC's "Morning Joe" and former Florida congressman, Scarborough is no John Mellencamp and he's certainly not the Dixie Chicks -- he's a Republican, after all. Yet the host, also a songwriter and Beatles fan, told The Huffington Post that his new song, "Reason to Believe," has a purpose that would have resonated with earlier critics of Vietnam.
"It's critical that we remember the heroes of 9/11 and those who are still fighting in an endless war," Scarborough said. "They need to come home. It's time." [...] The catchy tune and Americana visuals can't hide the searing lyrics as Scarborough laments the bloodshed of the last 10 years: "In an endless war / Tell me please how many more have to die / Before my sweet boy comes home."
Though his face never appears in the video, Scarborough's song resonates partly because he's the one sending the message. It says something about the antiwar canon of this generation that a conservative has been one of the most vocal critics of America's wars.
As art tends to require the passage of time, it could also be that Scarborough's song is just the first in a series of more reflective cultural examinations of the last 10 years. Such works cannot change the last decade, cannot bring back brave soldiers, but they can offer hope that the years will bring greater understanding. As Scarborough concludes: "At the end of the hour / When I'm drained of all power / I still find the reason to believe."
What? Is this just the press release Scarborough sent over? Did a human who isn't specifically paid to praise Joe Scarborough write those sentences? The searing lyrics! I'm seared. This song is like "Eve of Destruction" and "Fortunate Son" had a baby.
You can purchase the song at iTunes. Or you could give that 99 cents to Doctors Without Borders or something and listen to something else. (How about this? It's a song with the same name but written by a talented songwriter whose message is slightly more complex than "I like America and wars make people sad.") (Oh wait here's another better song with the same name.)
If he wasn’t a narcissistic fool he wouldn’t be working at MSNBC.
Joe Scarborough is a “Republican” the same way Michael Bloomberg is one.
Wasn’t Joe one of those 1994 newcomers? Otherwise I can’t figure out how he was elected.
He’s a loon.
Wasn’t he a good party friend with the Californian who could have “killed” his mistress—THAT Gary Condit. I think joe got a divorce really soon after that incident and got contact lens, etc.
I used to like him somewhat and he did a about change....I always thought he was blackmailed, as most politicians and pundits probably are.
The Scab needs to find a new line of work, but that ain’t one of them
I’d rather Neil Young’s “Let’s Roll” about Flight 93 written shortly after the attacks
http://www.neilyoung.com/lwwtoday/lwwvideos/letsroll_wm.html
“Let’s Roll”
I know I said I love you,
I know you know it’s true,
I’ve got to put the phone down,
and do what we got to do.
One’s standing in the iselway,
Two more at the door,
We’ve got to get inside there,
Before they kill somemore.
Time is runnin’ out,
Let’s roll.
Time is runnin’ out,
Let’s roll.
No time for indecision,
We’ve got to make a move,
I hope that were foregiven,
For what we got to
How this all got started,
I’ll never understand,
I hope someone can fly this thing,
And get us back to land.
Time is runnin’ out,
Let’s roll.
Time is runnin’ out,
Let’s roll.
No one has the answer,
But one thing is true,
You’ve got to turn on evil,
When it’s coming after you,
You’ve gota face it down,
And when it tries to hide,
You’ve gota go in after it,
And never be denied,
Time is runnin’ out,
Let’s roll.
Let’s roll for freedome,
Let’s roll for love,
We’re going after satan,
On the wings of a dove,
Let’s roll for justice,
Let’s roll for truth,
Let’s not let our children,
Grow up fearfull in there youth.
Time is runnin’ out,
Let’s roll.
Time is runnin’ out,
Let’s roll.
Time is runnin’ out,
Let’s roll.
Joe, just gotta tell you -
Someone like you makes it hard to live without
Somebody else
He played his video on his show this morning. It was AWFUL! Dull, forgettable music. Bad voice—Joe, you’re 48 years old, for crying out loud. It ain’t gonna get better with age. Bad lyrics—girls writing poetry in their diaries could have done better.
Keep your day job, Joe.
Now I just wonder if Jon Stewart, et al, will mock this little exhibition on their shows?
I imagine once Imus hears about this he won’t let it go. He hates Scarborough’s guts.
He's as much a conservative as he's a song writer.
Leni
Leni
brothers from different mothers?
His politics and associates at PMSNBC come up lacking. But let's let him sing his song. At least he didn't rap it. Like Dolly Parton (a great songwriter) said, I thank the Lord every day for rap music. I write country and pop, some blues...probably as badly as Joe.
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