From: jhv@acpub.duke.edu (Joseph Vilas)
Newsgroups: alt.music.tmbg
Subject: Proposed TMBG video
Keywords: rodney king video racist
Date: 13 Nov 92 04:16:58 GMT
Organization: Duke University; Durham, N.C.


	This is something I wrote after I first heard about the riots in
L. A. last summer.  It was originally written for an amateur press
alliance I run, and it may be a little bit dated now, but I think this
newsgroup will enjoy it.  The lyrics are from the liner notes for
_Flood_, but I changed them if it sounded to me like they actually
sang something else on the recording. 

==========================================================================

	Amazingly, three of the four defendants in the Rodney
King beating trial were found not guilty yesterday.  The jury
was hung on a verdict for the fourth and a mistrial was declared.
I can't imagine how a jury could come up with such a verdict.
I mean, what the hell could King have said or done that would
have justified those cops beating on him like that?  In any case,
Los Angeles had riots last night, riots that were likened to the
Watts riots of the sixties.  So far, nine people are dead,
hundreds are injured.  Businesses were looted.  I saw at least
two different film clips on Headline News of motorists being
attacked in broad daylight.  One was pulled out of a truck and
beaten while lying in the road.  It's not pretty.
	After watching this, I was taking a shower and listening
to _Flood_ by They Might Be Giants when it hit me: "Your Racist
Friend" could easily be about the King incident, the trial, and
its aftermath.  TMBG has been prescient before, as a friend of mine
pointed out concerning "We Want A Rock" and last year's war with Iraq.
[This was supposedly that the line "everybody wants a rock to wind a
piece of string around" meant "everyone wants war with Iraq to wind up
around spring. JHV]  I propose that CNN produce a They Might Be Giants
video for "Your Racist Friend" using their video footage and TMBG's
music. I'm not trying to make light of this, but I think such a video
would be good for a lot of people to see.  
	What follows is an outline for such a video.  Lyrics are
on the left, and proposed video is on the right.  Lyrics are (c)
1990 by They Might Be Giants, and are copied without permission.
	
----------------------------------------------------------------


This is where the party ends            Courtroom view
I can't stand here listening to you     Judge on bench
And your racist friend                  Defendants in court
I know politics bore you                Bush on tv after verdict
but I feel like a hypocrite             Traveling shot of
     talking to you                     defendants walking out of
and your racist friend                  court after trial


It was the loveliest party              Shot of King being
     that I've ever attended            beaten
If anything was broken                  Shot of injured King 
I'm sure it could be mended             in hospital
my head can't tolerate                  Closeup of King's
     this bobbing and pretending        head being hit w/baton
Listen to some bullet-head              Head shot of Daryl
and the madness that he's saying        Gates mouthing off


This is where the party ends            Black man physically
I'll just sit here wondering how you    confronting people
can stand by your racist friend         leaving court after trial
I know politics bore you                Bush talking about civil
but I feel like a hypocrite             rights / Defendants after
     talking to you                     trial talking about being
You and your racist friend              not guilty


[fast instrumental passage]             Montage of people looting
                                        in L. A. played back at
                                        three times normal speed

[Calypsonian trumpet piece]             Slow motion helicopter
                                        shots over flaming
                                        portions of L. A. the day
                                        after the verdict


This is where the party ends            Black man outside court
I can't stand here listening to you     court saying he hadn't
And your racist friend                  felt like this since MLK
I know politics bore you                was shot / other black
but I feel like a hypocrite             man predicting dire
     talking to you                     consequences because
and your racist friend                  of verdict


Out from the kitchen                    Bush talking about 
to the bedroom to the hallway           Justice Dept. investi-
Your friend apologizes,                 gation superimposed on
     he could see it my way             varying newspaper head-
He let the contents of the              lines after Greensboro
     bottle do the thinking             civil rights case dis-
Can't shake the devil's hand            missal and other rele-
and say you're only kidding             vant ineffectual legal
                                        cases


This is where the party ends            Looped shot of King
I can't stand here listening to you     being beaten in time
And your racist friend                  with music
I know politics bore you                Head shot of defendants
but I feel like a hypocrite             expressing thanks after
     talking to you                     trial superimposed on
and your racist friend                  defendants beating King

==========================================================================

	I hope you folks enjoy this.  At least some of you have the
lyrics to "Your Racist Friend" now.
-- 

          Joseph H. Vilas          jhv@acpub.duke.edu
     My opinions are my own.  Others are invited to share.
Newsgroups: alt.music.alternative