From: ajw@cbnews.cb.att.com (andrew.j.whitman)
Newsgroups: rec.music.christian
Subject: Re: More "Election Year"
Date: 14 Oct 92 13:06:49 GMT
Article-I.D.: cbnews.1992Oct14.130649.13956
Organization: AT&T

In article <1992Oct13.234355.24131@wdl.loral.com> trw@spl1.spl.loral.com (Tim R Witort) writes:
>In article <1992Oct13.191559.10901@nosc.mil>, clarkk@nosc.mil (Kevin D. Clark) writes:
>
>[a few lines deleted]
>
>|>  ...reminded me of a Steve Camp song
>|>  from one of his albums several years ago.  The album was called "Justice", but
>|>  the name of the song escapes me.  Part of the song goes like this (...this is
>|>  from memory, so please excuse any misquotes...):
>|> 
>|>        "Politicians all make speeches and the newsmen all take notes.
>|>          I wonder who would lead us if none of us would vote?...."
>|> 
>|>  Just a seasonal thought (...bet it wouldn't be Bill, George, Ross or Andre.)
>
>    The song is called "Strong Love, Strange Peace" and was written by Larry
>Norman - at least he's the first artist I know recorded it.
>
>           "...The politicians all make speaches and the newsmen all take notes.
>            They exaggerate the issues as they shove it down our throats.
>            Well, I wonder who would lead us if none of us would vote.
>            They're all so trapped.
>            They need release.
>            They need your strong love and strange peace."

Yep, it's the great scar-pitted bulldog himself, but I recall the song 
(with slightly different lyrics) as "The Great American Novel" from
the album "Only Visiting This Planet."

Some of the lyrics (adopt best Dylan whine here):

"The politicians all make speeches while the newsmen all take notes
They exaggerate the issues as they shove them down our throats.
Is it really up to them whether this country sinks or floats?
Well, I wonder who would lead us if none of us would vote.

And your money says "In God we trust"
But it's against the law to pray in school.
You say we beat the Russians to the moon
And I say you starved your children to do it.
You say all men are equal, all men are brothers,
Then why are the rich more equal than others?
Don't ask me for the answers, I've only got one,
That a man leaves his darkness when he follows the Son."

I miss prophetic songwriting like that.

And since people are tossing in their Voters Blues favorites, here's
mine.  This is from the singing of Steve Goodman, a wonderful folk
singer from Chicago who died too young of leukemia.  In case anybody's
actually interested, this song appears on the album "Somebody Else's 
Troubles," and features everybody's favorite warbler, Bob Dylan, on, 
ahem, "harmony" vocals.

                         ELECTION YEAR RAG

Well come on babe won't you take a chance,
Your papa's gonna show you a brand new dance,
So shuffle on down now, don't you be no drag,
And do that election year rag.
You take two steps to the left and two steps to the right
Then you stand in the middle and you hang on tight.
So come on babe, now don't you lag,
Do that election year rag.

Don't you cry, don't shed no tears,
You know it only comes around every four years,
And I'm your darkhorse and you're my nag,
Do that election year rag.

Jump on that ol' bandwagon,
Here's what you've got to do,
Go down to the precinct captain's house this mornin'
And scarf up some lame duck stew.

So shake it to the east and shake it to the west,
Hand me down my bullet-proof vest,
It's nobody's choice
And it's anybody's guess,
So do that election,
There ain't no selection,
Yeah, do that election year rag.  

>  Ain't that the truth. I vote for JESUS. Anyone else?

Sure.  Is he on the ballot?

>-- Tim

Andy Whitman
AT&T Bell Laboratories, Columbus, Ohio
att!cblpn!ajw  or
ajw@cblpn.att.com
Newsgroups: rec.music.christian