Hey everyone. Tim Rose here. We’ll start the podcast in just a minute. I want to give you a warning that this episode includes songs and frank discussions about war and some of the side effects of war. It probably not suitable for small children. So you may want to listen and decide for yourself if it’s appropriate for your child.
Ok. ‘Nuff said. On with the shew.
[Intro]
[Intro Theme – Motor]
When I was a teen, I had a paper route delivering the Washington Post. My paper route wasn’t near my house so the route distributor, that’s the person that delivers the papers to the paperboy, would drive me and my friend Charlie up to our routes. After we were done, he’d come back and pick us up and take us home. But while we were waiting for him to pick us up, we’d read the paper as there was sometimes a paper or two left over. Of course, we always went right to the comics and when the comics were done there was a syndicated column by investigative reporter Jack Anderson. Anderson, a Pulitzer prize winning Morman republican muckraker, was equally hard on the left and the right. After that we’d turn over to the editorial section to decrypt the latest political cartoon from Herblock. Then, we’d seek out the latest Art Buchwald column. Art was kind of the printed version of Jon Stewart. A more political Dave Barry, if you will. Growing up in the DC area would have a profound effect on my worldview and sense of humor.
I try not to be political, in a “I’m this party or that party” sense. I try to be apolitical, which is becoming harder and harder as the world changes. I am a proud registered independent waiting for candidates to convince me to vote for them. I try to vote for the person I like who tells me what they are going to do, in real terms, not in vague generalities. I’m much more interested in why I should vote for someone than why I shouldn’t vote for the other candidate. That I can decide for myself.
[Pod Lick]
Hi. I’m Tim Rose and this is the Tim Tunes pod cast. In this episode we’ll cover three songs that are arguably political in nature. The first song satirizes the US government’s involvement in South America in the 70s, the next song is my reaction to our post 9/11 invasion of Iraq, and the last song laments our loss of liberty because of these events. So, get comfy as we delve into the world of politics.
[Pod Lick – Big D]
,
[CIA Gents]
In 1974 I was a sophomore in college. One of my classes was on how to do a debate. Now, real debating has nothing to do with televised political debates. TV debates are really just platforms where candidates can spew out their political rhetoric as opposed to answering any of the questions posed by the moderator. Both parties use this tactic. I can’t even watch them anymore. Everything is so scripted. This doesn’t really relate to this song, but I just had to get that off my chest.
Sooo, back to college. In a real debate you are given a proposition that you then have to prepare to argue both the positive version of the proposition and the negative version of the proposition. The proposition that I had to defend was “The CIA is interfering with the governments of South America” or conversely, “The CIA is not interfering with the governments of South America”. Well, at the time Congress was investigating this very issue. It was easy to gather evidence that that the US was interfering with South American governments. It was not so easy to prove they didn’t.
This class provided fodder for me to write a funny song, thank you Art Buchwald, about the CIA’s involvement in South America. This proved to be very popular amongst the college audience and became one of my most popular songs, back in the day. I usually performed it with Joe Cashwell on bass and Steve Vaughn on harmonica.
[Podlick – Fma7b5 Guitar Chord]
I recorded this in my studio back in 2003 or so. I played guitar and sang. Give a listen now to “CIA Gents”
[Play Song – CIA Gents]
G C D7 Dsus7 D7 INTRO Capo on 7th fret, Repeat 4x
G C D7 G VERSE 1
CIA Gents south of the border, working hard to keep law and order.
C D7 Stop!
If you don't like their point of views, they make you an offer that you can't refuse.
G C D7 G CHORUS 1
CIA Gents hey, hey, hey! CIA Gents they get their way.
G C D7 Stop!
CIA Gents hey, hey, hey! Gonna make the world safe for the USA
G C D7 G VERSE 2
CIA Gents they can do, anything that they choose.
C D7 Stop!
And if you try to ask them why they say, "Sorry I can't tell you that's classified."
G C D7 G CHORUS 2
CIA Gents hey, hey, hey! CIA Gents they get their way.
G C D7 Stop!
CIA Gents hey, hey, hey! Gonna make the world safe for the USA
G C D7 G VERSE 3
CIA Gents south of the border, military dictatorships made to order
C D7 Stop!
And if you own lots of Texaco they give you the Gulf of Mexico.
G C D7 G CHORUS 3
CIA Gents hey, hey, hey! CIA Gents they get their way.
G C D7 Stop!
CIA Gents hey, hey, hey! Gonna make the world safe for the USA
G C D7 G VERSE 4
CIA Gents they came one day to visit president Allende
C D7 Stop!
And when they left he felt so bad that he shot himself seventeen times in the back
G C D7 G CHORUS 4
CIA Gents hey, hey, hey! CIA Gents they get their way.
G C D7 Stop!
CIA Gents hey, hey, hey! Gonna make the world safe for the USA
G C D7 G VERSE 5
CIA Gents they work real hard to keep the commies out of their backyard
C D7 Stop!
And if your politics are red, don't be surprised should you wake up dead.
G C D7 G CHORUS 5 & END
CIA Gents hey, hey, hey! CIA Gents they get their way.
G C D7 Stop!
CIA Gents hey, hey, hey! Gonna make the world safe for the USA
G C D7 Dsus7 D7 Repeat and improvise lyrics end on G
“shot himself 17 times in the back” always makes me laugh.
[Pod Lick]
[Blood for Oil]
After 9/11 President Bush knew he had to take action. He had a ton of political capital and he needed to spend it before it slipped away. So, Saddam Hussein, the political bad guy of the moment, was somehow complicit with the Saudi and Egyptian based Al-Qaida team that actually did the job. Plus, there were allegedly intelligence reports about a tractor trailer fleet that drove around Iraq manufacturing sarin gas and anthrax bombs. Not to mention evidence of a shipment of aluminum tubes was found that could possibly be used to refine weapons grade uranium to make a nuclear bomb.
As it turns out all of this was false. Saddam Hussein was not a fan of Al-Quida which was largely entrenched in Afghanistan. No trace of the WMD tractor trailers were ever found. There are thousands of different uses for aluminum tubes other than refining uranium. Yet, the Administration was able to convince the American people and even a few of our allies, that we needed to invade Iraq to stop this catastrophe and avenge 9/11. Now, I’m no fan of Saddam Hussein. He was, by all accounts, a very bad man. But we can’t go around invading every country that has a despot for a leader. We’d be at it all day.
There were what seemed to be some real advantages to invading Iraq, not the least of which was access to the oil in the region. Imagine if we had more oil, then we could tell OPEC to get lost. Second, we didn’t have any bases in that region to strike into Iran, should it become necessary. And finally, this was a chance to finish the job that George Herbert Walker Bush, George Walker Bush’s dad, started in the Gulf War in 1991. GHWB was embarrassed because he negotiated a cease fire in that war that forbade Iraq from using military airplanes. However, the Helicopters that were allowed for humanitarian aid were equipped with weapons and used to quell unrest in the population and help keep Hussein in power. Now, the son George Walker Bush, had an opportunity to avenge his father’s embarrassment.
At least that’s the way it looked to me when I wrote this song in 2003 and now with what’s going on in the world it seemed like the right time to resurrect it.
[Podlick – Eye Nu U Wud]
I only played this song once in public around 2004. Afterwards a man came up to me and said that I shouldn’t sing it because he had with him two children who’s father was in Iraq. I felt bad after that and kind of put the song on the shelf. Since we’ve since withdrawn from Iraq, thank God, I figured it was time to pull it out again.
As I was remastering this song I added a new bass part and a marimba break. I’ve intentionally harshed up the sound so it’s not what you would call a “pretty” recording. Originally recorded in 2004 and remixed and mastered for this podcast, here is “Blood for Oil”.
[Play song – Blood for Oil]
Dm F C G, Dm A Dm A INTRO
Dm F C G CHORUS 1
I have come to liberate you, negate you, break you, and berate you
Dm F A7
So excuse me if I kill you while I try
Dm F C G
If you please don't be an ingrate and forgive me all my mistakes
Dm A Dm A
'Cause blood for oil is our way of life.
Bb C F Dm VERSE 1
I really do not like your sandbox, but without a place on your block.
Gm Bb A
Re-supplying my guys is too hard
Dm F C G
You see, I've come to try my toys out and to kick all of the other boys out
Dm A Dm A
So I can build my fort in your backyard
Bb C F Dm
Crash! Bang! Goes the wars machinations, up the stock tics for corporations
Gm Bb A
Don't tell me you're sorry that it's true.
Dm F C G
See all of my bombs go boom, your happy home is now your tomb
Dm A Dm A
Oops! I guess the big one got away... (My bad!)
Gm C F Dm CHORUS 2
I have come to liberate you, castrate, humiliate, and berate you
Gm Bb A7
Excuse me if I kill you while I try
Dm F C G
So please don't be such an ingrate and forgive me all my mistakes
Dm A Dm A
'Cause blood for oil is our way of life.
Bb C F Dm VERSE 2
Too bad he won't really comment, but you cannot make an omelet,
Gm Bb A
Without breaking a few thousand heads
Dm F C G
Somebody gave him a good excuse, but he didn't really care cause to tell the truth
Dm A Dm A
You hurt his Daddy, now he's gonna hurt you.
Bb C F Dm
It's just too hard for them to miss it, where there is no will to resist it
Gm Bb A
When all the stars so perfectly align
Dm F C G
With all the portents put together, it has to be now and forever
Dm A Dm A
'Cause the writing on the wall is a dollar sign.
Dm F C G, Gm Bb A7, Dm F C G, Dm A Dm A, CHORUS (Marimba Break)
Gm C F Dm BRIDGE
Blood for oil is what we trade, as martyrs for their cause we make,
Gm Bb A
To perpetuate this never-ending war
Dm F C G
So we sacrifice our brides and grooms to heal the sores in old men's wounds
Dm A Dm A
As we steep our souls in blood for oil
Bb C F Dm CHORUS 4 & END
But I have come to liberate you, castigate you, and berate you
Gm Bb A
So if you please don’t kill me while I try
Dm F C G
I don't care if you're an ingrate, I won't give up no matter what it takes
Dm A Dm A Dm A Dm A
'Cause blood for oil is our way of life. Yes blood for oil is our sacrifice.
Dm A Dm A Dm
'Cause blood for oil is the bottom line.
I have only admiration and respect for the soldiers, sailors and airmen and women who comprise our military. It’s not their fault that they are put in harms way. As the song says, “We sacrifice our brides and grooms to heal the sores in old men’s wounds”. And by the way, if we had invaded Afghanistan instead of Iraq I wouldn’t have written this song. But, there was nothing of political or strategic value in Afghanistan, except for the guys that planned 9/11.
[Pod Lick]
[Goodbye, Lady Liberty]
One month after 9/11 Congress passed the Patriot Act. This act gave law enforcement all kinds of support to combat terrorism and led to the military arming of local police. Even small community police forces could now gain access to riot gear, personal armor, military weapons, and armored vehicles. Our “peace officers” now look more like something out of George Orwell’s 1984.
In addition, law enforcement gained all kinds of warrantless access to personal information. The act permitted warrantless searches that did not require notification of the target. For instance, your library or internet search records could be searched without a warrant and without you knowing or ever finding out. You could then be targeted as a terrorist or just a criminal to be watched based on these behaviors.
Also, I was beginning to see a pattern in the US that was disturbing to me. The US has the largest percent of the population in incarceration. In other words, a higher percentage of our citizens are in prison than any other country on the planet. I wonder why this is.
I looked at the disparity of the US being this icon of Liberty and yet having the highest percentage of incarcerated citizens and I thought the Statue of Liberty might have something to say about it. This song is a conversation with the Statue of Liberty as she decides to leave the US and look elsewhere for Liberty. There, now you don’t have to try and figure out what this song is about. That’s it in a nutshell.
[Pod Lick]
Last week, I found an old partial recording of this song from around 2004 in my archives. I think the original got lost in the great hard disk crash of 2012. I found a recording mixed with a guitar recording, piano midi, base midi and drum midi parts. The verse was incomplete, and the chorus was, well, just weird. So, I pulled the midi parts into my Finale composer and edited them to correct the intro, to complete the verse, to edit the chorus, to add the bridge and to edit the ending. As I’m getting older, I lowered the arrangement a whole tone in pitch. It was so easy guys, all I had to do was change the key in Finale from G to F and presto chango it magically transposed everything. I had to go through the piece and make sure that nothing was ridiculously high or low (I’m looking at you, trombones). Then, I recorded a new guitar part and all the vocal parts in my little studio du chambre.
I mastered the recording using a tool called AVS4YOU which is a great tool for editing just about any audio file and for converting files between formats. You’ll hear a fade at the end. I want to point out that this is not a repeat and fade out to which as a live performer I am opposed. The song actually ends, just very quietly. This represents Lady Liberty slowly walking through the Verrazano Narrows on her way out of the Bay and into the Atlantic Ocean. Off to find a new place with Liberty and Justice for all.
Now sit back, kick your shoes off, close your eyes, and have a listen to “Goodbye, Lady Liberty”
[Play Song – Goodbye, Lady Liberty]
Capo up to third fret (In concert F)
D A/C# 1st Verse
She was standing in the harbor looking out to the sea
C G/B A
When I thought for a moment she was looking at me
D A/C#
+She looked so fine against a clear blue sky
C A
Imagine my surprise to see a tear in her eye
D A/C#
I said, “Hey, Lady, why are you crying?”
C G/B A
She said, “You’ve done you’re best and I can see that you’re trying…
D A/C# C A
But I’ve been watching you here since ’86 and now it’s time to go”
G D A E F#/D 1st Chorus
Goodbye Lady Liberty, standing in the harbor looking out to the sea
G D E F#/D
Looking for the home of the brave and the land of the free
G D A E F#/D
Goodbye Lady Liberty, off of her pedestal and ready to flee
G D E
Goodbye Lady Liberty, goodbye
D A/C# 2nd Verse
She said, “You changed so much you don’t know who you are
C G/B A
You never know what’s true you twist the truth so hard
D A/C#
You’re letting fear run your life
C A
And now you’ve thrown out the baby with the bath
D A/C#
You need to take a good look at yourself
C G/B A
You have more people in prison than anywhere else
D A/C# C A
Some are held without being heard or ever seeing the light of day”
G D A E A 2nd Chorus
Goodbye Lady Liberty, standing in the harbor looking out to the sea
G D E
Looking for the home of the brave and the land of the free
G D A E A
Goodbye Lady Liberty, off of her pedestal and ready to flee
G D E
Goodbye Lady Liberty, goodbye
Em D Bridge
She says, “It comes down to this you see
C G/B
Security or liberty
Em C G/B D
You can’t have both until all are at peace
C [C, B, Bb, A] A A7
That’s just the way it is. That’s just the way it is”
D A/C# C G/B A 3rd Verse
“Freedom comes at a heavy price - Every day you have to face the fight
D A/C# C A
You have the light and the right – to know and show the way
D A/C# C G/B
Be brave my friend and listen here - Beware of those who use your anger and fear
D A/C# C A
To bend your will to do their bidding – ‘Cause in the end, we all pay”
G D A E 3rd Chorus & End
Goodbye Lady Liberty, tossing back her tresses as she’s fixin’ to leave
G D E
Looking for the home of the brave and the land of the free
G D
She says, “I gotta to find a place where I can stand tall
A E
Where the ground is firm so that I won’t fall
G D E
Somewhere - with liberty and justice for all…
[Podlick - Surrounded]
[Outro]
We come to the end of our songs politique. I hope you’ve, not sure if enjoyed is the right word, this episode.
There, you have it. Please feel free to send me comments on this episode via Facebook at the Tim Tunes Podcast group or email me at timtunespodcast@gmail.com or via twitter @rimtoes or if you are a Patreon subscriber you can send me messages via Patreon.
Speaking of Patreon. Thanks so much to all my donors it means the world to me and helps to keep the lights on and the podcast going. If you’d like to donate you can do so at my Patreon site at patreon.com/timtunes. Or you can send a donation via PayPal to @rimtoes. It’s an anagram of Tim Rose, you’ll figure it out.
If you can’t donate, I get it. Times are hard. You can also help out the podcast by writing a review on whatever podcast tool you use or by liking us on Facebook or iTunes. That will go a long way towards increasing my reach. Also, you can support the show just by listening to some of my songs on your favorite music streaming service.
However, you choose to support the show, I appreciate you.
Thanks for listening. Fare thee well until next time…
[Outro Pod Lick,]
[After Outro Goodbye Lady Liberty Vocals only ending]