Political Music Videos Brigette Proctor Music and Politics

Political Music Videos Brigette Proctor

Music and Politics Music a major component of campaigns and elections through Campaign Songs - John Quincy Adams: Little Know Ye Who's Coming His song warns of fire, slavery, pestilence and plague if Adams does not win the election over Andrew Jackson: “Fire's a-comin', swords a-comin'/pistols, guns and knives are comin'/. . . if John Quincy not be comin'. ” - FDR: Happy Days are Here Again (from the 1930 musical Chasing) Roosevelt was the first President to pick a pre-existing song for his campaign, handing the Democratic Party its unofficial theme song for years to come - John F. Kennedy: Kennedy for Me theme song Time Magazine online http: //www. time. com/time/specials/packages/0, 28757, 1840981, 00. html

Early Music Videos • 1984 God Bless the USA by Lee Greenwood – Released in the wake of the deep early 1980 s recession and at the beginning of Reagan’s 1984 re-election campaign

Early Music Videos • God Bless the USA cont. – “God Bless the USA” became that GOP’s theme song, and Greenwood sang it during the Republican convention – Its popularity has surged anew first in 1991 during the Gulf War and later during the Iraq War – Shows values: family, flag, freedom, liberty – Democrats had a visceral reaction: • Video reiterates values to distract the lower class from Republicans true economic interests

Early Music Videos • 1989 Fight the Power by Public Enemy – “Fight the Power!” is the political statement of the group – Spike Lee produced and directed two music videos for the group • 1 st video featured various clips from the movie Do the Right Thing • 2 nd video is a simulation of a massive political rally in Brooklyn

Early Music Videos • Fight the Power cont. – Video and song were a major hit for black youth black power anthem – Cameo by Tawana Brawley - young black girl allegedly raped by 6 white police officers – First hip hop video to feature ideas of political and historical importance – MTV and VH 1 did support the video – Song not widely accepted: • Older generations did not approve of Chuck D calling the March on Washington “nonsense” • Both black and white radio stations refused to play the song

Recent Music Videos • 2005 Wake Me Up When September Ends, Green Day – Video features the story of a teenage couple – Highlights anti-war sentiment of US occupation in Iraq – Song eventually became a tribute to Hurricane Katrina victims – Is the video effective?

Recent Music Videos • 2005 Get Ya Hustle On, Juvenile – Tribute to victims of Hurricane Katrina – Shot in the rubble from housing communities – Makes strong political statements: • paper heads of Bush and Cheney with “Help is Coming” on the back • Kids dress up as Bush and Cheney • Sign reads “ 2005 or 1905” – Is this video effective?

Recent Music Videos • 2007 What I’ve Done, Linkin Park – Juxtaposition of ironies – World Trade Center towers collapsing – Ku Klux Klan footage – Images of important historical figures including Abraham Lincoln, Saddam Hussein, and Fidel Castro – Racism, nuclear war, starvation – Is the video effective?

2008 Election • Raisin’ Mc. Cain, John Rich – Original anthem by country music star in support of John Mc. Cain – Mc. Cain t-shirts and signs; American flag; special needs person • Hank Williams, Jr. John Rich performing Raisin’ Mc. Cain The Mc. Cain-Palin Tradition

2008 Election • 2008 Yes We Can, Will. i. am – Collage style video created from Obama’s concession speech in the New Hampshire primary – Considered a viral video: a video that gets widespread popularity through Internet sharing – Conservatives view the video as over-the-top and worshipful – Emmy award for Best New Approaches in Daytime Entertainment – Guest appearances: Scarlet Johansson, Herbie Hancock, Common, John Legend

2008 Election • 2008 We Are The Ones, Will. i. am and Zoe • 2008 American Prayer, Will. i. am (Barack Obama Music Video)

New Technology • Development of commercial editing programs and increasing Internet bandwidth has allowed everyday citizens the means to create videos • Free video-hosting sites such as You. Tube. com and Hulu. com: – provide sharing capabilities with other users – allow for user-generated content – Support and foster viral video Harp, Dustin. “Programmed by the People: The Intersection of Political Communication and the You. Tube Generation. ” Conference Papers -- International Communication Association; 2007 Annual Meeting, pp 1 -23.

New Meaning • Political music videos take on a whole new meaning – Videos now seem to replace the enthusiasm achieved from campaign songs – Raisin Mc. Cain and Yes We Can are music videos in support of one particular candidate – Most recent political music videos are parodies or humorous • • John. he. is Rainin’ Mc. Cain Jib. Jab. com Obama girl videos