On Jay Leno - "When the President Talks to God."

[alfredo]

By Bright Eyes

If you haven't heard it, you should. It is one of the harder hitting protest songs I have heard on broadcast TV. A sign of Change?

It is a free download from the iTunes music store.

Here's the Lyrics:


"When The President Talks To God"

When the president talks to God
Are the conversations brief or long?
Does he ask to rape our women’s' rights
And send poor farm kids off to die?
Does God suggest an oil hike
When the president talks to God?

When the president talks to God
Are the consonants all hard or soft?
Is he resolute all down the line?
Is every issue black or white?
Does what God say ever change his mind
When the president talks to God?

When the president talks to God
Does he fake that drawl or merely nod?
Agree which convicts should be killed?
Where prisons should be built and filled?
Which voter fraud must be concealed
When the president talks to God?

When the president talks to God
I wonder which one plays the better cop
We should find some jobs. the ghetto's broke
No, they're lazy, George, I say we don't
Just give 'em more liquor stores and dirty coke
That's what God recommends

When the president talks to God
Do they drink near beer and go play golf
While they pick which countries to invade
Which Muslim souls still can be saved?
I guess god just calls a spade a spade
When the president talks to God

When the president talks to God
Does he ever think that maybe he's not?
That that voice is just inside his head
When he kneels next to the presidential bed
Does he ever smell his own bullshit
When the president talks to God?

I doubt it

I doubt it

[seg4527]

1. bright eyes is wonderful

buy all his stuff, if you haven't. :-)

athough, actually, most of his songs aren't political. his last two has stepped up the politcal rhetoric a little.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

2. His new song, "Landlocked Blues"

is one of the best love songs/protest songs ever written, in my opinion.

[brettdale]

3. wouldnt it be great

If this song went to number one.

[Timebound]

4. My eyes popped out of my head when I heard it.

I was screeching "OMG OMG OMG WHO IS THAT?!?!" :):) I will buy lots of Bright Eyes stuff from now on. :)

[AbbeyRoad]

5. That was an incredibly cool performance

Damn, he certainly cuts through the bullshit. I liked his cowboy getup too. :applause:

If you haven't heard it already, I'd just like to mention that his latest album "I'm Wide It's Morning" is outstanding.

[alfredo]

8. I loved the way the crowd cheered at the line about voter fraud.

The word is getting out.

[seg4527]

9. it is.

road to joy is beautiful.

[AbbeyRoad]

14. "we're gonna make them goddamn certain how it's gonna end"

That line gets me every time. He delivers it with just the right amount of righteous indignation.

[seg4527]

16. i could have been a famous singer

if i had someone else's voice
but failure's always sounded better
let's fuck it up boys, make some noice

the sun came up with no conclusions
flowers sleeping in their beds
the city's cemetaries humming
i'm wide awake, it's morning

that song and let's not shit ourselves are my two of my favorites. it's so hard to pick just one or two songs, though.

[Selteri]

6. Good lyrics

Makes a lot of sense and fits.

[Kerrytravelers]

7. Note to self: When paycheck comes in, buy this album!

[blueblitzkrieg]

10. I couldn't believe what I was watching!

Brilliant, just brilliant. I am now a fan.

[d_b]

11. Good lyrics

I'll have to watch Leno tonight.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[LosinIt]

13. Did that BushWhore Leno have to go change his drawers after?

When he heard those lyrics, I'm certain he must have shit himself.

[jbnow]

18. Leno knew lyrics ahead of time

He talked about this song, and protests songs that some might disagree with,early in the show.

[BBradley]

15. I'm so happy that Connor is getting the recognition that he deserves.

He truly is an amazing artist.

Anyone who is interested in his other work should visit www.saddle-creek.com

Check out his work with Bright Eyes, and with Desaparecidos. He's an amazing lyricist, and an amazing musician.

[MirrorAshes]

17. Absolutely. One of the best songwriters of our era.

And he's only 24.

[Dover]

24. Thanks. You can download the song here >

http://www.saddle-creek.com/nf_home.html

[Dave Sund]

19. Bright Eyes kicks ass

I get to see him in Council Bluffs next week with The Faint. Really looking forward to it.

[dhinojosa]

20. Was this last night? nt

[alfredo]

21. yes, but you may be able to find

a rebroadcast somewhere.

[Tactical Progressive]

22. That was unbelievable

I'm surprised Leno or NBC put it on the air. I thought maybe Jay would sort of disassociate himself from the performance even though he seems center-left, because it was really politically antagonistic, but he was right there saying great job at the closing.

Leno usually repeats last night's show late-night at 2:00am EST, after Conan and Carson Daley, so it may be on again tonight just before 3:00am. I think it's last night's show, but it may be the week before show, in which case it would be next Monday at the end of the 2:00am repeat.

Tape it if you can.

[TNOE]

23. Posting to find tomorrow

wow, just wow - I've got the hear this.

[chalky]

25. There's a link to the performance on this thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=109x20631

It was....wow. Jay looked a little rattled at the end. And I loved Wanda Sykes reaction.

[AbbeyRoad]

29. Thanks for the link

I've been looking for the video.

[ocean girl]

26. Hey, thanks for letting us know about the free download

I just watched this clip and was BLOWN AWAY by it.

I've downloaded the song. It's on my iPod.

I'll be blasting it on my way to work tomorrow.

Thank you! Thank you!

[alfredo]

27. I'm thinking seriously of buying some of his work.

I will have to listen to a lot more before shell out my meager disability check.

[osaMABUSh]

28. Wow! on Leno? Oh my God!

I saw Bright Eyes on the Act For Change Tour (you remember pre-Nov '04 with Springsteen/REM/Fogerty ?)

Anyway most of the baby boomers in the audience kinda ignored Bright eyes waiting for the rock n' roll to start. But I liked him - with a 21st century anger acting like a grunge Dylan - loud, acoustic, spitting and pissed off!

On Leno? Now that's getting some exposure with a direct salvo to Bush. I loved the cowboy getup - mocking the whole country, macho Shrub look.

[deadparrot]

30. Leno was on as background noise...

but when I heard what was coming out of the guy's mouth, I thought I was gonna fall over. That was awesome.