When I first heard the news that Pearl Jam had recently released a new album titled Riot Act I actually considered adding it to my music library. Yeah, I somewhat sheepishly have to admit to kinda liking Pearl Jam. Mock me if you will but that's just the way it is. I know that Eddie Vedder is a pompous ass who takes himself way too seriously. Despite his complete lack of appeal the band's music usually works for me although I have to admit to only owning two of their previous albums Ten and VS both early Pearl Jam releases. However, the window of opportunity for my possible purchase of Riot Act closed quickly when I heard that one of the songs on the disc was a satirical attack on President Bush oh so cleverly called...ready for it?
Bu$hleaguer
How did Vedder ever come with the idea for that dollar sign instead of a S? I guess that's what being a creative genius is all about. You see Eddie's not just a musician he has something to say too. Although after hearing the lyrics to Bu$hleaguer I think we can all agree that the world would be a better place if Eddie kept his political commentary to himself. I won't bore you with the whole song here (what kind of hack would post song lyrics anyway?) just this one stanza. The rest of it is mostly nonsensical drivel anyway.
A confidence man, but why so beleagued?
He's not a leader, he's a Texas leaguer
Swinging for the fence, got lucky with his strike
Drilling for fear, makes the job simple
Born on third, thinks he got a triple
Obviously Eddie is trying his best to use baseball metaphors to belittle Bush although all he really achieves is confusing me. Is beleagued to be taken as beleaguered? If so that is a most inaccurate description of GW these days. And if he truly is a "confidence man" why does Eddie ask why he is "beleagued"?
The next line is a fairly straight ahead questioning of Bush's qualifications implying that he is not ready for the big leagues. Not bad Eddie. It actually makes some sense. You get a gold star.
Alas, the momentum doesn't carry through to the next line and I'm again perplexed as to just where Eddie is going. Is "swinging for the fences" a bad thing? And how exactly did Bush "get lucky with his strike"? Perhaps Eddie is making a subtle reference to the Supreme Court ruling that gave Bush the 2000 election which some Democrats have since called a "coup." Somehow I doubt it.
Eddie then plays the oil card in the next line with use of the word "drilling" and I believe he wants us to reflect on Bush's alleged lack of intelligence by characterizing his work as "simple". You gotta give him extra credit for originality right? I mean he's not just pulling out the same old tired cliché's about Bush that we've heard over at over again. Right?
And then we get to the last line of this stanza. Oh Eddie. Eddie, Eddie, Eddie. You had to use the "born on third, thinks he got a triple" didn't you? For some reason bitter Dems have fallen in love with this little crack and just won't let it go or stop overusing it. Molly Ivins has probably recited it in thirty eight different columns since 1998. The first time it was mildly amusing. The second time it earned a half hearted smile. The third time it started getting old and now it's gotten bleepin' ridiculous. Have you nothing else? Are you that bereft of material?
So what's my point? That Eddie Vedder's an idiot? Of course he is but you didn't need to read this to know that. I was willing to consider buying a Pearl Jam disc even though I know that Eddie Vedder is a pinko. But when I found out that a song on the disc had a blatantly political message I had to draw the line. The artist is the artist and if you want to stay away from artists with a Leftist political bent you'll be left with slim pickings. R.E.M. is one of my favorite groups but if you put me in a room with Michael Stipe to have a discussion of politics it would be a cage match with only one man emerging alive (and I ain't bragging but I think I can take Stipe). I can accept the artist as having a viewpoint that is the polar opposite of my own. What I can't accept is when the art itself does. I've had an ongoing debate with a friend over the fact that I refuse to watch 'The West Wing' because of it's obviously liberal presentation. It's not Martin Sheen the actor that's the problem. It's the show itself. In fact I wouldn't have any problem at all seeing the next well made, politically neutral, movie starring Martin Sheen. Or Charlie Sheen. Or even Emilio Sheen for that matter. When's 'Men at Work II' coming out?
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