Democratic presidential candidates name the albums they most like to have in their CD players:
Wesley Clark: "Journey-Greatest Hits"
Howard Dean: Music by Wyclef Jean
Sen. John Edwards: "The Essential Bruce Springsteen"
Sen. John Kerry: "Abbey Road" by the Beatles
Rep. Dennis Kucinich: Music by Willie Nelson
Sen. Joe Lieberman: "Sueno" by Andrea Bocelli
Al Sharpton: Music by Yolanda Adams [AP].
Most of the answers here seem reasonable and within character, although I am curious as to how big a Willie Nelson fan Kucinich was before he got Willie's endorsement. Gospel for Sharpton, romantic operatic for Lieberman, the Beatles for Kerry, Bruce for Edwards.
By the way we listened to discs one and two of the three-CD Essential last night and I have come to the conclusion that I like Bruce better than Bob Dylan and even slightly more than Neil Young among American rock-and-roots singer-songwriters. I am eager to hear disc three, which is rarities.
Disc two wavers after the Born in the USA material (thankfully, the collection is in chronological order), although there are strengths throughout and The Rising songs definitely feel like a rebirth of sorts, although, inevitably, the heat is more diffuse now.
But disc one, which covers his career through Nebraska (and distressingly leaves off the sublime "Kitty's Back" "I Wanna Marry You," and "Cadillac Ranch") is so good and powerful that it made my head hurt and woke me up more than once last night with weird dreams and lyrics coursing through my turbulent brain. Most of the time I was listening I was walking around with Alex (now a robust 6-weeks old) - you know, doing the don't-cry-and-hopefully-fall-asleep baby bounce - and more than once I felt my eyes start to fill for the hopes and fears and years gone by, for the depth of feeling Springsteen was able to comprehend and express, for the wordy exuberance of the young poet-rocker, and for his courage. Near-breakdown moments included "Spirits In the Night," "Rosalita," "Thunder Road," "The Promised Land" and "The River."
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Bruce Kratofil
"although I am curious as to how big a Willie Nelson fan Kucinich was before he got Willie's endorsement."
Chances are, he doesn't own a CD player, and his aides told him that picking Frankie Yankovich would not appear cool.
2 - Eric Olsen
Nice Bruce, you are a Dennis fan I am certain as a Clevelander.
3 - Bruce Kratofil
I assume your tongue is planted firmly in cheek.
(at least, I hope so)
4 - Tim Hall
Why does everybody hate Journey? It's not as if they were Phil Collins.
5 - Eric Olsen
Tim, I tried VERY hard to say that I DON'T hate Journey, or even dislike them within the context of what they were, but to pick their Greatest Hits as what you would "most like to have in your CD player" deserves some ridicule, in my opinion.
6 - TDavid
It is definitely possible to dislike post Steve Perry era Journey. I thought Steve Augeri wasn't that bad, but I know some purist Journey fans who will never accept anybody but Perry behind the microphone. Kind of sad to see what happened to those guys. Perry should get back together with them for one final tour.
Of course none of their greatest hits have been from this era ...
7 - jon
I hate these kind of questions. The only question they answer is "Does the candidate or his staff answer these stupid questions?" Hint: Clark answered truthfully. I think that if you looked in any candidates' record collections you'd find a Color Me Bad, Spin Doctors, Milli Vanilli, or Titanic soundtrack or two.
Looking for cool, hip things from politicians is like looking for ice machine repairmen among the Inuit.
8 - duane
I think people that don't like Journey think that way because they seem to see a big waste of talent. Most of the guys in the band didn't really like the musical directions that Perry took them in, but no doubt they were conflicted, given the size of the paychecks that started coming in once they scored with their ballad approach.
9 - Al Barger
Springsteen over DYLAN??? Not to put too fine a point on it, but have you lost your frickin' mind? I might about take just Freewheelin' equal to the entire Springsteen catalogue. And actually that's a pretty fair career achievement on Springsteen's part.
10 - Rube
I agree with your Springsteen vs. Dylan outcome; in response to Al: I'd definitely put Nebraska equal to the entire Dylan catalog. The Boss's stuff has held up better over time, IMHO. Dylan hits my ears rather flatly these days.
As to the candidates, however, I do think that Clarke is the only one who answered honestly. He should've lied.
11 - Eric Olsen
Actually what I have done is put the Dylan catalog against the Springsteen catalog, and Dylan may win as a universal songwriter - his songs are much more easily and widely adapted - but he doesn't really come very close to Springsteen as a recording artist and is not in the same universe as a performer.
12 - Craig Lyndall
I will never be a Journey fan because #1, their biggest hits were a little bit before me, and #2, I am still bitter that Faithfully was my prom theme in 1997. There is no good reason why Faithfully should be a prom theme in 1997. The song and the band didn't mean a damn thing to me. Anyway, I am admittedly, just angry. Probably doesn't have much to do with the band.
Also, Journey Psych-outs were hilarious in Base-ketball.
13 - Eric Olsen
Journey had many assets, primarily in the musicianship department but also some pretty good songs, but they were never in any way important other than to their families. There is nothing to distinguish them from any number of similar groups, no personality, no indelible point of view, no transcendent song - they were just a melodic hard rock group with some nice ballads. There is no there there.
14 - Tim Hall
And what about George Bush?
I bet he's not listening to the Dixie Chicks....
15 - Eric Olsen
I would like to hear his answer.
16 - Mark Saleski
i'll bet my whole danged music collection it ain't "Wyclef Jean".
17 - Eric Olsen
I share your confidence
18 - Joe
I thought I read somewhere he was a big fan of Throbbing Gristle.
19 - Rodney Welch
Eric, Al, Rube, etc. --
You know, I hate arguments like this, for the obvious reason that it forces people to take extreme positions that are simply foolish. I, too, prefer strong and unequivocating opinions, but sometimes we have to let calm, common sense rule.
Personally, I have such enormous respect for both Dylan and Springsteen that it makes it difficult to praise one far in excess of the other. Difficult, but not impossible: I almost think it goes without saying that no one really matches Dylan in terms of career achievement. He is to rock and roll what Shakespeare is to literature, and he has influenced so much of the music that comparisons seem almost beside the point. I don't say this to denigrate Springsteen -- whom, frankly, I don't think can really be denigrated, or at least not in a way that I find persuasive. No, he isn't Dylan, but any career that includes five of his first six albums and his extraordinary live shows has to be dealt with.
Al, I love Freewheelin', but there's no way in hell you can tell me that all of Springsteen shrinks next to it -- indeed, Born to Run, Darkness on the Edge of the Town and The River are each equal to it on an individual basis -- although I can't say they are as good as Highway 61 Revisited or Blonde on Blonde or Bringing It All Back Home -- then again, nothing is.
On the other extreme, Rube, it's completely foolish to say "Nebraska [is] equal to the entire Dylan catalog" -- that kind of statement could only come from someone who has never heard the Dylan catalog, or at least Dylan's first six or seven albums -- without which, as I think even the Boss would admit, there would have been no Nebraska.
I'm rather surprised at Eric saying that Dylan "doesn't really come very close to Springsteen as a recording artist and is not in the same universe as a performer." The latter point I'll concede, but not the first, for reasons cited. Springsteen has made great records, yes, but it's a different kind of greatness; I'm not sure he has the kind of unique, somewhat abstract edge that could turn out something like Blonde on Blonde. Can you imagine him writing "Visions of Johanna" or "Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands"? No. Springsteen, I think, knows his limits and does not really stretch them, whereas Dylan is someone who can almost always be counted on to push the envelope -- you could almost say that's why his shows aren't as good as Springsteen's, because Dylan is always and forever about reinterpreting his material. Springsteen is a great artist and a great showman; Dylan is a great artist who has no real instinct (or interest) for what pleases people -- he just does his own thing. That is what makes his music and career endlessly interesting and invigorating and, I think, more enduring than most of the people -- like Springsteen, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and God knows how many since -- who have drawn from him.
20 - JR
Young > Dylan > Springsteen
Neil Young is the most interesting musically and Dylan has the most interesting lyrics.
I love Journey, but that was the wrong answer for the reasons Eric stated. Wesley Clark is clearly a political novice. Now if he'd named Look Into the Future, that would have at least been interesting.
21 - Bruce Kratofil
Do you think we will ever see a presidential candidate that will be brave enough to anwer with a Grateful Dead album?
22 - Rodney Welch
We've already had one -- Al Gore was a huge Grateful Dead fan, and said so often.
23 - TDavid
Randy Jackson played bass for Journey. Enough said.
24 - Eric Olsen
Rodney, I can't argue with your answer in terms of music history, I was expressing my own likes and when I said "recording artist" perhaps I meant something more like "performer on record." I totally agree with you about the abstractness of Dylan, but prefer the personalization of Springsteen - although he abstracts that as well. His work is only partly autobiographical, and that is transformed as by any great storyteller. This was really just meant as personal opinion on my part, I have no doubt about Dylan's central role, nor anything but respect for him. Your comment about Springsteen wanting to please and Dylan not giving a shit is apt and perceptive - maybe that's part of it for me.
JR, good one with Look Into the Future: pre-Perry and the big hits would have been interesting.
25 - Britton Wingnut
Bush is an Ozzie fan, or at least I assume so since he invited Ozzie to the white house.
Gore was a big Grateful Dead fan. Tipper was, anyway.