It’s got to be tough being Barack Obama these days: everyone in the media wants to know what’s on his iPod. And that’s kind of personal, like the “boxers or briefs?” question.
Even Ludacris is in the act, rapping about being on Obama’s iPod in his new song, “Politics.” Obama’s peeps scrambled to denounce the song because it took some shots at Hillary, McCain, Jesse and “mentally handicapped” Bush. But it’s a pretty good jam with plenty of bass, drums and heart. If I were Obama, I’d start my day listening to it with the volume way up and a cup of strong coffee.
Beyond that, there’s no accounting for musical tastes. You can tell a lot about people by the kind of music they listen to, so maybe the media is on to something here.
Recently, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen endorsed Obama, so naturally, Jenn Wenner, the editor of Rolling Stone, asked him what Dylan songs he had on his iPod.
“I’ve got probably 30 Dylan songs on my iPod,” Obama said. “I think I have the entire Blood on the Tracks album on there.”
Okay, not what you‘d expect from a multi-racial senator from the Chicago area, but anything‘s possible. Entertainment Weekly magazine also reveals that Obama’s iPod packs plenty of Jay-Z, along with Frank Sinatra, Sheryl Crow, John Coltrane and a “lot of R&B.”
As a citizen, I’d feel pretty safe going to sleep at night, knowing that my president was listening to Frank Sinatra, Jay-Z or “Sugar Pie Honeybunch,” wouldn’t you? Those are much better choices than, say, the Insane Clown Posse.
John McCain isn’t much into the computer/iPod thing, but Entertainment Weekly reports that he likes ABBA, Roy Orbison, Usher and Linda Ronstadt. (McCain is kind of a rebel with that last one, considering that Ronstadt was kicked out of a Vegas casino a few years back for dissing George Bush.)
I don’t have an iPod (being too cheap and lazy to get around to downloading songs), but there are tunes by The Killers, Coldplay, Phoebe Snow, The London Beat, Tim Buckley and Jesse Cook collecting moss on my computer.
What about you? What’s on your iPod? Here’s some speculation on what folks in the news may be packing these days:
• Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is trying to dodge too many legal problems to list. So he’s probably listening to The Clash’s version of “I Fought the Law (and the Law Won),” along with “Back on the Chain Gang” by The Pretenders, “Smooth Criminal” by Michael Jackson and “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gayner.
• John Edwards, who was recently outed for cheating on his cancer-stricken wife, is digging “Loser” by Beck on his iPod, along with “Your Cheatin’ Heart” by Hank Williams.
• Omelette & Finster: Are the KLT yakkers secret fans of Hannah Montana and the screechy ballads of Celine Dion? Only their iPods know for sure... But
seriously, I’d expect to find “Crazy Train” by the Ozz in constant rotation on their
iPods, or else something totally unexpected, like Vivaldi.
• TC Mayor Mike Estes has a plan to spend $6 million over the next six years to fix the city’s bumpy roads. Perhaps he‘s listening to Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again” and AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” for inspiration.
• Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps? That would be “We Are the Champions” by Queen and “The Swimming Song” by Loudon Wainwright III. Also, “Splish, Splash, I Was Takin’ a Bath” by Bobby Darin.
• Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has several versions of “Georgia On My Mind” on his iPod, sung by Lou Rawls, Hoagy Carmichael, Alicia Keys and Ray Charles. He can’t seem to get enough of that tune for some reason.
• Dick Cheney? Glad you asked: He’s got the Appetite for Destruction CD by Guns ’N Roses on his iPod, along with the Thug Life tunes of Tupac Shakur. Got any Trick Daddy? ICP? No doubt.
• George Bush can’t get enough of Barney the Purple Dinosaur. Also, “I’m a Little Teapot,” a private, home recording; and “Rocket to Russia” by the Ramones. Anything but the Dixie Chicks.
• Garfield Township voters who swept the entire township board and supervisor out of office in the recent election? “Hit the Road, Jack” by Ray Charles and “The Thrill is Gone” by B.B. King.
• Local TV weather teams have had some seriously botched reports over the past few weeks (rain and wind when it’s supposed to shine, and sunny when it’s predicted to rain, etc.). I’ve canceled weekend plans based on their predictions, only to find out later that their much-touted
Doppler radar seems to have wigged out. Perhaps they’re listening to “Stormy Weather” by Lena Horne and “Radar” by Britney Spears...
• Express readers: Got to be “You Are So Beautiful To Me” by Joe Cocker and “Neva Have 2 Worry” by Snoop Dogg.
Even Ludacris is in the act, rapping about being on Obama’s iPod in his new song, “Politics.” Obama’s peeps scrambled to denounce the song because it took some shots at Hillary, McCain, Jesse and “mentally handicapped” Bush. But it’s a pretty good jam with plenty of bass, drums and heart. If I were Obama, I’d start my day listening to it with the volume way up and a cup of strong coffee.
Beyond that, there’s no accounting for musical tastes. You can tell a lot about people by the kind of music they listen to, so maybe the media is on to something here.
Recently, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen endorsed Obama, so naturally, Jenn Wenner, the editor of Rolling Stone, asked him what Dylan songs he had on his iPod.
“I’ve got probably 30 Dylan songs on my iPod,” Obama said. “I think I have the entire Blood on the Tracks album on there.”
Okay, not what you‘d expect from a multi-racial senator from the Chicago area, but anything‘s possible. Entertainment Weekly magazine also reveals that Obama’s iPod packs plenty of Jay-Z, along with Frank Sinatra, Sheryl Crow, John Coltrane and a “lot of R&B.”
As a citizen, I’d feel pretty safe going to sleep at night, knowing that my president was listening to Frank Sinatra, Jay-Z or “Sugar Pie Honeybunch,” wouldn’t you? Those are much better choices than, say, the Insane Clown Posse.
John McCain isn’t much into the computer/iPod thing, but Entertainment Weekly reports that he likes ABBA, Roy Orbison, Usher and Linda Ronstadt. (McCain is kind of a rebel with that last one, considering that Ronstadt was kicked out of a Vegas casino a few years back for dissing George Bush.)
I don’t have an iPod (being too cheap and lazy to get around to downloading songs), but there are tunes by The Killers, Coldplay, Phoebe Snow, The London Beat, Tim Buckley and Jesse Cook collecting moss on my computer.
What about you? What’s on your iPod? Here’s some speculation on what folks in the news may be packing these days:
• Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is trying to dodge too many legal problems to list. So he’s probably listening to The Clash’s version of “I Fought the Law (and the Law Won),” along with “Back on the Chain Gang” by The Pretenders, “Smooth Criminal” by Michael Jackson and “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gayner.
• John Edwards, who was recently outed for cheating on his cancer-stricken wife, is digging “Loser” by Beck on his iPod, along with “Your Cheatin’ Heart” by Hank Williams.
• Omelette & Finster: Are the KLT yakkers secret fans of Hannah Montana and the screechy ballads of Celine Dion? Only their iPods know for sure... But
seriously, I’d expect to find “Crazy Train” by the Ozz in constant rotation on their
iPods, or else something totally unexpected, like Vivaldi.
• TC Mayor Mike Estes has a plan to spend $6 million over the next six years to fix the city’s bumpy roads. Perhaps he‘s listening to Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again” and AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” for inspiration.
• Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps? That would be “We Are the Champions” by Queen and “The Swimming Song” by Loudon Wainwright III. Also, “Splish, Splash, I Was Takin’ a Bath” by Bobby Darin.
• Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has several versions of “Georgia On My Mind” on his iPod, sung by Lou Rawls, Hoagy Carmichael, Alicia Keys and Ray Charles. He can’t seem to get enough of that tune for some reason.
• Dick Cheney? Glad you asked: He’s got the Appetite for Destruction CD by Guns ’N Roses on his iPod, along with the Thug Life tunes of Tupac Shakur. Got any Trick Daddy? ICP? No doubt.
• George Bush can’t get enough of Barney the Purple Dinosaur. Also, “I’m a Little Teapot,” a private, home recording; and “Rocket to Russia” by the Ramones. Anything but the Dixie Chicks.
• Garfield Township voters who swept the entire township board and supervisor out of office in the recent election? “Hit the Road, Jack” by Ray Charles and “The Thrill is Gone” by B.B. King.
• Local TV weather teams have had some seriously botched reports over the past few weeks (rain and wind when it’s supposed to shine, and sunny when it’s predicted to rain, etc.). I’ve canceled weekend plans based on their predictions, only to find out later that their much-touted
Doppler radar seems to have wigged out. Perhaps they’re listening to “Stormy Weather” by Lena Horne and “Radar” by Britney Spears...
• Express readers: Got to be “You Are So Beautiful To Me” by Joe Cocker and “Neva Have 2 Worry” by Snoop Dogg.
