Snapshots #321: A Top Fifteen Presidential Songs

While America prepares to re-elect the riot-inciting, bleach-advocating man baby (not that we can talk, considering they brought Cameron back), here are fifteen songs that mention a former POTUS in the title. But before we get to that... here's Poet Laureate Simon Armitage giving his verdict on the Trump regime...

15. Miller makes a Turkish Delight.

Frys make Turkish Delight, with Glenn Miller.

Glenn Frey - He Took Advantage (Blues For Ronald Reagan)

14. Heroic railroad engineer.

Casey Jones is that brave engineer, as Johnny tells us here.

Kacey Jones - Donald Trump's Hair

13. Berry knows the future.

Chuck is a prophet.

Chuck Prophet - Nixonland

(Chuck also did a song about Trump. Of course he did.)

12. Met Frankenstein with a monk.

Lou Costello met Frankenstein with Bud Abbott.

Elvis Costello - Eisenhower Blues

11. Charity begins a long time in the past.

Charity Chic, a long time ago.

Chicago - Harry Truman

10. Tasteless restaurant.

The Hooters - Washington's Day

9. Shaky Oh + Frozen Queen + Panama + Pasture + Trois.

Shaky sang Oh Julie. Anna was the Queen in Frozen. A panama is a hat. A pasture is a field. Trois is 3.

Juliana Hatfield Three - President Garfield

8. He's searching for Curtis and Brown.

He's an Ian Hunter!

Ian Hunter - Cleveland Rocks

7. Blockbuster movie, filled with stunts.

Sounds like an action spectacular to me...

Action Spectacular - Bill Clinton

6. Buffalo Bill is in charge of misplaced UFOs.

Buffalo Bill Cody is in command of lost planet airmen.

Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen - Hot Rod Lincoln

5. Max, not top... 

Anagram!

Tom Paxton - Lyndon Johnson Told the Nation

I'll throw this one in too as it only has 6 views on youtube, but it deserves more...

Redhouse Gasoline - Lyndon Johnson's Best Intentions

4. Nancy's town.

Nancy Sinatra sang about Sugar Town.

Sugar - Hoover Dam

3. Inane Emma is really confused.

Inane Emma is an anagram of the divine...

Aimee Mann - You Could Have Been a Roosevelt

2. That time Johnny thought of replacing Stephen with number 15.

An Eagle joining the Smiths!?!

Fred Eaglesmith - Carter

1. Nuptials now!

The Wedding Present - Kennedy

Don't have too much apple pie for your Sunday dinner. Join us again next Saturday for more Snapshots.

My Top Ten American President Songs

Well, they had me worried for a few minutes there. Still sanity appears to have preveiled in the USA and so, to celebrate Obama's rightful return to the White House... and a world without the horror of President Mitt... here's eight songs about American presidents... and two about former top members of White House staff.


10. Pink - Dear Mr. President

Written for George, could just as easily have applied to Mitt...

9. Mercury Rev - Lincoln's Eyes

Haunting.

8. Steve Earle - Condi, Condi

OK, so Condoleezza Rice was never actually president... but she couldn't have done a worse job than her boss.

7. Ry Cooder - J. Edgar

Ry Cooder has a pig named after the former FBI Chief.

6. Bright Eyes - When The President Talks To God

When the president talks to God
Does he fake that drawl or merely nod?
Agree which convicts should be killed?
Where prisons should be built and filled?
Which voter fraud must be concealed
When the president talks to God?

5. Action Spectacular - Bill Clinton

Well, I hope it was the best sex of all time
Because tomorrow, Mr. Clinton, we're all gonna die!

See, it's not only Republican presidents who get bad press from songwriters.

4. Billy Bragg - Bush War Blues

It is mostly Republicans though. Here Billy updates Leadbelly with his reaction to the US "liberation" of Iraq...

If you’re worried about Iraq
I’ll tell you this one thing I’m certain
This war is gonna make
The whole world safe for Haliburton

And it's not just Dubya who gets a kicking...

Cute little smile
Curly hair
It’s George Bush’s poodle
Goddamn Tony Blair

3. Manic Street Preachers - The Love Of Richard Nixon

What if Watergate never happened?

2. Okkervil River - The President's Dead

A song that's hugely evocative of November 22nd, 1963, even though none of the band in question were alive back then. 

1. The Wedding Present - Kennedy

So good, Kippers named his blog after it.

Have you lost your love of life?




Those get my vote... but which one leaves you with a hanging chad?