Singer Randy Newman on McCain’s Music List: ‘Then Again, Hitler Liked Some Good Music, You Know?’

August 17, 2008 | Filed Under Democrats/Leftists, Elections, Entertainment, Media Bias, News, President, Publius Contributor, Society/Culture, Warner Todd Huston |

-By Warner Todd Huston

Blender Magazine, self billed as “the ultimate guide to music and more,” is famous for compiling “lists” of music for one thing or another. This month they’ve gone politics with the candidate’s top ten favorite songs as reported by the campaign offices of John McCain and Barack Obama. To make a mountain out of this mole hill, they also invited as commentators on these lists aging funnyman Randy Newman and exhibitionist Gregg Gillis who goes by the stage name “Girl Talk.”

For the most part, it is all pointless gibberish that these two “experts” are blathering concerning the two candidate’s music picks. But two things stand out… but first the Blender lists:

JOHN McCAIN

Dancing Queen ABBA
Blue Bayou Roy Orbison
Take a Chance On Me ABBA
If We MakeIt Through December Merle Haggard
As Time Goes By Dooley Wilson
Good Vibrations The Beach Boys
What A Wonderful World Louis Armstrong
I’ve Got You Under My Skin Frank Sinatra
Sweet Caroline Neil Diamond
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes The Platters

BARACK OBAMA

Ready or Not Fugees
What’s Going On Marvin Gaye
I’m On Fire Bruce Spingsteen
Gimme Shelter Rolling Stones
Sinnerman Nina Simone
Touch the Sky Kanye West
You’d Be So Easy to Love Frank Sinatra
Think Aretha Franklin
City of Blinding Lights U2
Yes We Can will.i.am

As I said, two comments from these “experts” stand out. The first is where Gregg Gillis said that he found Obama’s pick of “Yes We Can” by will.i.am a bit odd. He didn’t seem to know if it was “cool or creepy” that the song was on the list. “Maybe he’s in love with himself,” Gillis said, “and wants to hear his speeches over and over as collaged by will.i.am.” (By the way, just as presented there was no question mark punctuating the end of that sentence on the Blender site)

Mildly amusing that.

I have to agree with both of them that it was interesting to see The Beatles shut out of the lists, too.

But, not to be outdone by Gillis’ mild Obama hit, the dyspeptic Newman had to come out swinging at McCain.

McCain has a really likeable list. Then again, Hitler liked some good music, you know?

I see. So McCain is just like Hitler, eh?

Nice.

Supply your rejoinder to Randy Newman here…

____________

Warner Todd Huston is a Chicago based freelance writer, has been writing opinion editorials and social criticism since early 2001 and is featured on many websites such as newsbusters.org, townhall.com, New Media Journal, Men’s News Daily and the New Media Alliance among many, many others. Additionally, he has been a frequent guest on talk-radio programs to discuss his opinion editorials and current events. He has also written for several history magazines and appears in the new book “Americans on Politics, Policy and Pop Culture” which can be purchased on amazon.com. He is also the owner and operator of publiusforum.com. Feel free to contact him with any comments or questions : EMAIL Warner Todd Huston