Re: GD Citing / Patriotic GD Songs?

Date: Mon, 19 May 2003 17:56:15 GMT
Newsgroups: rec.music.gdead
Size: 2,565 bytes

> >ggull" email-address-deleted wrote
> >Date: 5/19/2003 5:40 AM Eastern Daylight Time
> >Message-id: <baa8q7$qi2$email-address-deleted>
> >
> >I was checking out Caroline Kennedy's "Patriot's Handbook" in the store
> >yesterday, and it just sort of fell open to --- U.S. Blues :-). Oddly
> >enough, just attributed to "the Grateful Dead", not Garcia/Hunter.
In article <email-address-deleted>, Mark
<email-address-deleted> wrote:...
> Odd that they should choose that song as some sort of patriotic tribute, I've
> always thought it rather cynical. The book looks quite interesting and I'm
> going to borrow it.
>
> Perhaps Caroline pulled a Ronald Reagan...(Born in the USA).
Hardly!
Caroline's sharp as a tack , and I'm sure she included this song to
acknowledge that all patriots are not sitting at $1000 a plate
fundraisers.
US Blues celebrates the yin & yang of the US, an eyes wide open
patriotism: Wave that flag, wave it wide and high Summertime done come and gone, my oh my
(celebrates the impermanence of life while letting freaks have their
piece of the flag) I'm Uncle Sam, that's who I am Been hiding out, in a rock and roll band
(plainly stating that even within the confines of an outlaw "acidhead"
band, patriotism lives!) Shake the hand that shook the hand Of P. T. Barnum and Charlie Chan
(while noting that we see through all the bullshit-- shake the hand
that shook the hand of the greatest showman/conman in history, and the
famous non-asian actor who played a chinese detective, essentially
illusions. shaking a hand that shook a hand is also an illusion of
sorts, a goof on America's overempasis on celebrity) Shine your shoes, light your fuse
(illegal fireworks? something a bit more deadly!!??) Can you use them old U.S. Blues I'll drink your health, share your wealth
(tell that to the Bushies!) Run your life, steal your wife
(some wag said Republican pols all must love families-- they all seem
to have at least two!) [chorus] Back to back, chicken shack Son of a gun, better change your act
(there are 2nd acts in America despite what Fitzgerald said?) We're all confused, what's to lose You can call this song the United States Blues
BTW, I'm surprised no one has mentioned Uncle John's Band with this
great (& profane) invocation of our forebears:
"God Damn, well I declare! Have you seen the like?!
Their walls are built of cannonballs
Their motto is 'Don't Tread On Me'. "