Mellencamp Unveils Anti-War Song (More Musical Idiots Join the Dixie Chicks & Sheryl Crow)

Billboard Magazine ^

[Recovering_Democrat]

John Mellencamp has made a new anti-war-themed song, "To Washington," available for free download on his official Web site. The cut, inspired by Woody Guthrie and the Carter Family but penned by Mellencamp, questions President George W. Bush's motives at waging war against Iraq: "He wants to fight with many / And he says it's not for oil / He sent out the National Guard / To police the world."

"To Washington" will appear on Mellencamp's next studio album, a collection of covers he is recording in his Bloomington, Ind., homebase with his touring band. The set, tentatively titled "Trouble No More," is due in late May on Columbia. Despite Mellencamp's announcement last summer that he had parted ways with the label, the artist tells Billboard, "Our divorce failed."

Other songs set for inclusion on the new album are "Stones in My Passway" (Robert Johnson), "Death Letter" (Son House), "Johnny Hart" (Woody Guthrie), "Baltimore Oriole" (Hoagy Carmichael), "Teardrops Will Fall" (Dickie Do and the Don'ts), "Diamond Joe" (traditional, recorded by Ramblin' Jack Elliott and Tom Rush), "End of the World" (Skeeter Davis), "Joliet Bound" (Joe McCoy), "Lafayette" (Lucinda Williams), "John the Revelator" (traditional), and "Down at the Bottom" (Willie Dixon).

A spokesperson says Mellencamp, Billboard's 2001 Century Award winner, is not planning to tour in the next few months. But, he will appear April 9 in New York at a 70th birthday tribute to Willie Nelson, with whom he is a partner in the yearly Farm Aid benefit concert.

-- Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.

[reflecting]

However, if Mel Gibson attends a peace rally holding hands with Garofalo and Sarandon, I will be devastated and in need of medical attention. LOL....there will be two of us at the ER.:)

[correctthought]

oh yeah, the world moves on,
long after the thrill of his "talent" is gone.

[correctthought]

Well, ain't that Afghanistan.

[showme_the_Glory]

United States Code
United States Congress


Here's what the United States Code has to say about treason.

Title 18 Section 2381. Treason

Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or
adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United
States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall
be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not
less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the
United States.

[JoeSchem]

I fought the Logic, and the Logic won . . . . "

Starting with Sting and working on down, it seems like the entire contemporary music scene is a bunch of poseurs. What will they do when the crowds cheer our troops marching into Baghdad?

[berserker]

Link to Mellencamp's website where, for those so inclined, you can download "To Washington."

The lyrics are also posted there, and the site invites you to e-mail comments.

[wideawake]

He's such a loser.

I remember that way back, when he officiously announced that he was changing his name from John Cougar to John Cougar Mellencamp, the lead singer of the Philly punk band The Dead Milkmen changed his name from Rodney Anonymous to Rodney Anonymous Mellencamp.

[Xenalyte]

Oh, man, that is FUNNY. I do remember the Dead Milkmen!

[ez]

John Cougar and Jon Bon Jovi should have a race to see who has their mid-life crisis first. Oh, already there? Sorry...

[dixierose]

Glenn Beck played some of that song yesterday morning...the first words are:
After eights years
Of peace and prosperity

So it's not only anti-war...it's also anti-Bush.

[Rastus]

After eights years Of peace and prosperity

They don't even bother to be objective. Kosovo, Haiti, Somalia . . . all of that was just peachy as long as Billy was in the catbird seat. And, no To Washington when things were looking good for an Iraq invasion in '98.

Then again, Billy isn't even held to any of that. He can change overnight without anyone in the entertainment field or the mainstream media calling him on it.

[TxBec]

Gap Band.

[missdean]

I'm with you on that. If people want to say unpatriotic things, they should say them in the bathroom with the door closed where no one can hear. I am sick of singers like the Dixie Chicks letting the world know that half of America is against waging war. Do we have to go advertise that?

[missdean]

I'm with you on that. If people want to say unpatriotic things, they should say them in the bathroom with the door closed where no one can hear. I am sick of singers like the Dixie Chicks letting the world know that half of America is against waging war. Do we have to go advertise that?

[missdean]

That's a great point. Mellencamp is so desperate to get that song out before the war starts. It's just so annoying when people make major decisions based on greed.

[asformeandformyhouse]

I don't have a problem with anti-war anthems as long as they are not anti-American, anti-Bush or anti-soldier.

Exactly! I heard a song recently titled something like "This is God". I have only heard part of it once, but the gist of it is about God speaking concerning loving our neighbors, etc. From what I heard, not an anti-american line in the entire song, just a wish that peace were possible. I don't think it was a very well-written song or even a very catchy tune, but at least we finally hear a cry for peace that doesn't assume America is the root of all evil in the world.

[missdean]

I think the Dixie Chicks could have spoken only to their friends or people they are close to and that would have been okay. But to just go blurting out whatever you want on stage???? That's disrespectful!

[angel_n_waiting]

John Mellencamp was Booooooo off the stage during Farm Aide in Columbus Ohio for cutting down the President and his 87B that he wants. I guess he messed with the wrong state.
Way to go Ohio Farmers.

[Recovering_Democrat]

Gosh I wonder why I didn't hear this in the press.

[Recovering_Democrat]

CMT unfortunately is doing a promo show for JCM this month, some kind of "inside fame" or "behind the story" story on him. Oh well. Even country has its liberal hacks.