But that's not the only reason the Rolling Stones, who
open their world tour at Fenway Park today, won't be getting an invitation to
the White House anytime soon.
The Brit rockers' new CD, ``A Bigger Bang,'' comes out Sept. 6, but Matt
Drudge and other right-wing media types are already foaming at the mouth after
discovering the lyrics to one of its songs, ``Sweet Neo Con,'' a scarcely
disguised savaging of the commander in chief.
"You call yourself a Christian
I think that you're a hypocrite
You say you are a patriot
I think that you're a crock of (expletive)
. . . How come you're so wrong?
My sweet neo con.''
Mick Jagger, who wrote the lyrics, goes on to criticize the war in Iraq as well
as Bush's motives for starting it.
"It's liberty for all
Democracy's our style
Unless you are against us
Then it's prison without trial
But one thing that is certain
Life is good at Haliburton . . .''
"I've got strong opinions,'' Jagger said in a phone interview last week.
"I'm obviously very interested in the way that we conduct foreign policy in
the West. It's one of my interests, if not passions. So obviously I have
opinions about it.''
But never in the 42-year history of the Rolling Stones has he expressed such
partisan opinion. You can count previous Stones political songs on one hand: the
wishy-washy "Street Fighting Man''; "Sweet Black Angel,'' widely
construed as an ode to black activist Angela Davis; and "Undercover of the
Night,'' a denunciation of South and Central American dictators and death squads.
There's not much more to add to the list.
"There's been other social comment before from the Rolling Stones,''
Jagger said. "This one's a bit more direct. Perhaps it's the times we're
living in. I was being more direct than metaphorical.
"I think right-wing commentators get fed up with pop singers getting
involved with anything but pop singing. But artists have responsibilities too.
Everyone has responsibilities. As long as you don't bang on about it every day -
because people get pretty bored with that - I think comments from artists,
whether they are painters or any kind of creative people, is part of what you
do.''
Richards supports his partner Jagger's song, but he worries that fans will
think it's a calculated publicity ploy - or simply boring.
"I spoke to Mick about it,'' Richards said in a separate phone
conversation. "Personally, I find politicians a very pallid subject. I said
to Mick, "Are you sure these guys are worth a Rolling Stones song?'
"But he felt strongly about it and he writes the songs as well as myself.
I said, `If you feel like that about it and you feel it needs to be said, then
I'm backing you up, pal.' That's the way it is. But my fear is that one little
track like that would be a storm in a tea cup and distract from the rest of the
record. But that was my only reservation. Otherwise, hey, it's free speech,
right?''
And just wait. Those with their knickers in a twist over "Sweet Neo Con''
have yet to discover that there's another pointed anti-Iraq War jab on "A
Bigger Bang.'' In "Dangerous Beauty,'' Jagger addresses the Abu Ghraib
prison abuse scandal with some very dark humor.
"Who you got there in that hood
You look so fancy in those photographs
With your rubber gloves on
But you're a favorite of the Chiefs of Staff . . .''
"You're almost the first person to bring that (song) up,'' Jagger said.
"I never hustled that one. But, yes, it's pretty strong.''
