Posted on 11/12/2014 6:48:37 PM PST by robowombat
Nov. 12, 2014 10:35am Zach Noble
Rapper Eminem’s F-bomb-laced set wasn’t the only eyebrow-raising moment during Tuesday’s “Concert for Valor” on the National Mall — there’s some debate over whether some songs were insulting to the very U.S. servicemen and women and women the show was meant to honor.
Bruce Springsteen, Dave Grohl and Zac Brown played a cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son,” which contains such lyrics as:
Yeah, some folks inherit star spangled eyes Ooh, they send you down to war, Lord And when you ask them, “How much should we give?” Oh, they only answer, more, more, more, oh
It ain’t me, it ain’t me I ain’t no military son It ain’t me, it ain’t me I ain’t no fortunate one
The Weekly Standard described it as an “anti-war screed, taking shots at ‘the red white and blue.’ It was a particularly terrible choice given that Fortunate Son is, moreover, an anti-draft song, and this concert was largely organized to honor those who volunteered to fight in Afghanistan and Iraq.”
However, others were quick to point out that “Fortunate Son” can be read as a critique of class differences — the rich staying home while the poor go off to fight the wars — instead of as an “anti-military anthem.”
Meanwhile, another Springsteen performed didn’t spark quite as much controversy:
Springsteen played a stripped-down version of his “Born in the USA” which, as the Washington Post noted, is a very dark, critical portrayal of American society and the Vietnam War:
Born down in a dead man’s town The first kick I took was when I hit the ground You end up like a dog that’s been beat too much Till you spend half your life just covering up Born in the USA… Got in a little hometown jam so they put a rifle in my hand Sent me off to a foreign land to go and kill the yellow man Born in the USA… Come back home to the refinery Hiring man says “son if it was up to me” Went down to see my VA man He said “son don’t you understand now” Had a brother at Khe Sahn fighting off the Viet Cong They’re still there he’s all gone He had a woman he loved in Saigon I got a picture of him in her arms now Down in the shadow of penitentiary Out by the gas fires of the refinery I’m 10 years burning down the road Nowhere to run ain’t got nowhere to go
Of course, some people took umbrage to both songs.
Springsteen at a Vets Day concert is an insult no matter what he performed. He was a draft dodger and has never done anything for USO or ever performed overseas for the US military.
Fortunate Son is a great song. It was written and recorded in 1968 when most young men feared the draft and recognized that the elite did not have to shed their blood. I wonder, did anyone there boo Springsteen’s performance?
Robert McNamara’s son never was drafted, never served.
Springsteen has no right to put his stank on anything vet related. Draft dodger.
Fortunate Son on the other hand is a fine song. It offends those who love to cheerlead and enjoy wars as long as they don’t have to participate. Draft or no draft, its aimed at a certain crowd. There isn’t a line in that song that is anti-war.
But it is quite insulting to establishment types left and right who love to send others to fight.
And Fogarty was in the Army Reserve.
“The Weekly Standard described it as an “anti-war screed, taking shots at ‘the red white and blue.’”
Uhmmm no. It is aimed at people like Weekly Standard editors. Red White and Blue people as it were,,, and when the band plays “Hail to the Chief”, they point the cannon at you,,,
Sounds fairly accurate to a grunt,,,
A song about the draft in 2014? Is Bruce really that stupid?
Most young men weren’t drafted and sent to Vietnam.
As far as I can tell, ‘Fortunate Son’ is about the kind of military families that produce a lot of generals, senators, and governors.
Some folks are born, made to wave the flag
Ooo, their red, white and blue
And when the band plays “Hail to the Chief”
Ooo, they point the cannon at you, Lord
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no senator’s son, son
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate one, no
Some folks are born, silver spoon in hand
Lord, don’t they help themselves, y’all
But when the taxman comes to the door
Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale, yeah
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no millionaire’s son, no, no
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate one, no
Yeah, yeah
Some folks inherit star spangled eyes
Ooh, they send you down to war, Lord
And when you ask ‘em, “How much should we give?”
Ooh, they only answer “More! More! More!”, y’all
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no military son, son
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate one, one
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate one, no, no, no
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate son, no, no, no
Song has not a single anti war word in it. It simply notes what element of society declines to participate,, except to beat the drum for others. It doesn’t even specifically mention the draft. So it even holds up well in todays wars.
It wont make sense when we see the Bush and Obama daughters in Uniform. Or when grunts snorting coke get the same treatment as Biden’s son.
It even brings to mind Petraeus flying to Paris in a Lear Jet for dinners,, enjoying the fellating of a camp following biographer.
Fortunate Son was pretty popular among my fellow combat infantrymen in Vietnam in 1970-1971. They identified with it and considered it a pretty accurate description of their lot in life. I was one of those military sons mentioned in the song, but since I was out there with the line doggies and not in some cushy job inside the wire, it apparently didn’t apply to me.
I’d love to hear from other combat infantrymen about what they think. My own opinion is that this is a bunch of bunk.
Fortunate Son was pretty popular among my fellow combat infantrymen in Vietnam in 1970-1971. They identified with it and considered it a pretty accurate description of their lot in life. I was one of those military sons mentioned in the song, but since I was out there with the line doggies and not in some cushy job inside the wire, it apparently didn’t apply to me.
I’d love to hear from other combat infantrymen about what they think. My own opinion is that this is a bunch of bunk.
I think the last line of Born in the USA is, “I’m a tone deaf moron in the USA!” It’s hard to tell with Bruth’s teeth-clenched John McCain singing style.
The pukes at the I Heart Radio stations in Miami are just fawning over the Hate America “artists” who “performed” last night.
I have loathed Springsteen ever since he had an affair on his sweet Catholic wife and took up with a skank.
His first wife never remarried.
On the other hand:
Today's reserve and Guard are being beaten like rented mules by the Pentagon and Congress, they deserve every honor that might be put forward.
Most old timers here should remember that Fortunate Son, Fixin' to Die Rag, and We Gotta Get Out of This Place, were pretty damn popular within the ranks...and we're veterans just like today's kids. (Except for the creaking joints and such.)
Really sad to know that aside from better prosthetics and admitting to PTSD, the VA still sucks after 40 years.
PS to Rhino; Great tag line.
the warrior class
I can remember at the hail and farewells, there were always guys who would get asked was your dad ole Colonel so and so? And their dad was ole colonel so and so who went to the Point with ole general so and so and it was a small world. I was the first officer in my family and looks like I will be the last too.
That bass turd Patraeus, what he did is so sickening.
Wasn’t it the redhead in the Glory Days video? I think she’s in his band. She shakes her tambourine or something.
Yes, I believe the homewrecker skank was in his band
Three thoughts:
1) Lots of Ivy League KIAs in Vietnam.
2) Never saw a rich punk beating the drum for war. The rich punks I knew were beating the drum for peace, love, and Communism.
3) Being a veteran seems to increase your maturity and also your employability. It teaches discipline and responsibility, and employers (and potential fathers-in-law) value that. That's why non-Ivy type kids willingly join up. Several of our home-school group boys are in the Marines, one in the Coast Guard. When they're home on leave, man can you see the difference.
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