Pink and Billy Mann wrote the song, Dear Mr. President. It was sung by Pink and Indigo girls in 2006. The song is a direct criticism of President George W. Bush and the policies of his administration. Pink address the major concerns of most Americans. The lyrics were written in a straight forward and powerful way. Pink and Billy use affective strategies to give their opinions across through lyrics in a song. How do singers and songwriters get listeners to trust them? Their names within the community speak for themselves. Music name signifiers appears trustworthy to someone who identifies with the words in a song.
Pink is a name within the music world that many young listeners trust. Within the song Dear Mr. President, Pink and Billy Mann use specific lines to lead a listener to believe in their credibility. The lines “Come take a walk with me. Let’s pretend we’re just to people and You’re not better than me. I’d like to ask you a question if we can speak honestly. ” With these words Pink states an invitation to talk with the President and listen to her opinions. Pink is trying to balance out the social standings between them. She states that she will be truthful with him and not beat around the bush with what she has to stay.
While Pink sings the words there is a slow low guitar accompanying her. The guitar sets the mood that belongs with the words of such importance. The argument of the song that Pink and Billy were showing through lyrics and music was addressing the political corruption that supposedly occurred in the Bush administration. Pink and Billy wrote many social issues during the song. The line “How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye? ” refers to all the mothers that lost their children in the war in Iraq. The feeling of a death of a child before a parent is horrible.
Most of the fallen were and still are American soldiers, but some are innocent children that were living in the war zone. Another line towards the end of the song that is an attack on the President’s actions in the war was “Rebuilding your house after the bombs took them away. ” This was a pass on the war policy set by George Bush. There are many people that did not support the war in the Election of 2008, but when the song came out it was very uncommon for people to discuss the destruction that was inflicted on the innocent bystanders that resided in Iraq.
There are further facts about social issues that are written in the lines of the song. Pink states, “What father would take his own daughter’s rights away? And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay? ” Those statements represent George Bush’s policy of anti-abortion and the decision to take away a women’s right to abortion. Also, the last line mentioned, calls into question the administration s anti-gay policies. The song also mentions the no child left behind act and poverty by stating, “How can you say No child lift behind” and “Building a bed out of a cardboard box. Both of these issues were never helped when Bush was leading the United States. All the funds that could have changed or made better went to making war. With all the powerful words and steady rhythmic music to back up it, the song became very emotional. Certain feeling’s come across on each social issue. Sadness comes from the lines about a mother has no chance to say goodbye and seeing all the homeless on the street. Pink uses the line “ How do you sleep while the rest of us cry ”once in the song. The line covers all the unhappiness in the world that affects everyone but the President.
Anger comes from a couple lines that could target people differently. “We’re not dumb and we’re not blind “ is an example. It could be perceived that the President thinks that ordinary people are not smart in the topic of our country. People are not blind to problems that affect the country they love and live in. The song itself could have a negative or positive reaction to certain emotions people feel. When this song comes to mind to some people, they wonder why Pink and Billy wrote it. I believe that the song reflects what Pink and Billy thought of President Bush at the time.
She was giving her opinion about our countries problems with Bush in the leadership role. Singing was the best way for her to get her point across especially with all the young listeners and supporters she has. I remember the first time I heard this song. I was browsing around iTunes and I came across it. I listened to the beginning of the song and I got goose bumps all over my arms, so I decided to buy the song. I listened to it all the way through in awe. When the song was over I sat in silence thinking finally there was a person that was willing to speak what they truly felt.
Pink delivered the song with such a professional understanding about our country and who is leading it. I felt the lyrics and music conveyed an important message in a strong and powerful manner. Dear Mr. President, was a perfect match that described the Bush administration. Pink and Billy Mann created one of the most important and true songs in a long time. Even though it was not big song on the radio, listeners will never forget the meaningful message that comes across with important words to back it up.
