Nearly 40 years after its release on Beggars Banquet, "Salt of the Earth" is among the songs played at rallies for Democratic candidate John Edwards.

From the Dec. 20 edition of The New York Times:

DES MOINES — Campaigns use music at rallies for two purposes. The first is to pump up the crowd, with exciting anthematic music designed to stir the soul and get the adrenaline flowing. (That, by the way, is the real reason U2 exists).

But the second is to underline the candidate’s message. Bill Clinton did this famously in 1992 with the Fleetwood Mac song “Don’t Stop” (Thinking about Tomorrow).

And now John Edwards has emerged with a rather eclectic – and musically speaking, fairly admirable – selection of music he is playing to accompany his pugnacious closing argument speech to Iowans as the Jan. 3 caucus approaches. Mr. Edwards speech is filled with references to fighting corporations and American revolutionaries and he closes by urging his audience to rise up against special interests.

The music at his rallies includes a cover by Grandaddy of “Revolution” by the Beatles (self-explanatory).

It also includes “Salt of the Earth” from Beggar’s Banquet by the Rolling Stones. (“Let’s drink to the hard working people; let’s drink to the lowly of birth; Raise your glass to the good and the evil; Let’s drink to the salt of the earth.) There is also “I Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty (also self-explanatory).

His rallies end with the song “The Rising” by Bruce Springsteen, presumably to provide a musical illustration of the “Rise Up” refrain with which Mr. Edwards now ends his speeches. Now that may be a tad of a stretch. Mr. Springsteen’s song is not a call to insurrection; rather it is a gripping, and redeeming, tale of a firefighter who is climbing one of the World Trade Center towers on Sept. 11. No matter. It clearly pumps up the crowd.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-12-21 05:58 by Monkeylad.

..... if edwards is elected, im gettin a bunker in austrialia, where real people live........... .. happy holidays ter



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-12-21 06:17 by soundcheck.

soundcheck Wrote:
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> ..... if edwards is elected, im gettin a bunker in
> austrialia, where real people live........... ..
> happy holidays ter


what's wrong with edwards?

edwards has no chance. he can't compete. if you want a dem do not nominate him.

A neo-con politician tried using "The Rising" a few times out here in my part of the world during an election a few years back. When Springsteen caught wind of it his lawyers put a stop to that real quick. Makes me wonder if people in politricks ever actually listen to the words.

ronald reagan famously used Born in the USA on his campaign, utterly ignorant of the song's actual message. fool!

*everybody need a little help sometime!*

I don't even think this guy has a chance. I'm not a fan of his, but he did gain a point for the music choice.

This John Edwards?

inopeng Wrote:
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> This John Edwards?
>
>




"I'm John Edwards and I approve of this hair style."

Thanks funny..

But he doesn't have a chance. It's gonna be Hillary if she doesn't blow it,
we'll see..

MLC

Please do not bring politics or politicians into IORR, even if some of the politicians do have musical "on-topic" preferences. Sooner or later, all these threads will bring up fights and silly comments; that is why I don't want them here. Thanks.

Bjornulf
IORR Editor