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In 2006, Todd Snider composed an essay (or series of essays) for the L.A. Times -- a small portion of which were actually used. Below is the essay in its entirety as received from Todd.


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WHAT ROLL CAN MUSICIANS PLAY IN SWAYING OPINIONS
ABOUT THE WAR?
by todd snider

when it comes to politics
i think people generally make up there own minds
and then once they do
there is a whole menu of activities waiting to support them
music being just one.
most of my songs are flaming liberal
so thats what the crowd is
but once in a while
i get conservative,christian,right wing republican,straight, white,
american, males at my shows
and
while i would get a kick out of turning them into
tree hugging, peace loving, pot smoking, p*** watching,
folk singing hippies like me
i think hoping to would be arrogant
i dont want to be a campaigner
i want to be a singer
so if somebody gets their mind changed at my show
its their own fault.


WHAT ROLL CAN MUSICIANS PLAY IN SWAYING OPINIONS
ABOUT THE WAR?
by todd snider

all the major players in these wars
have very publically claimed
that they are following the voice of god
we gotta find this god...
we gotta find him
and we gotta really pin him down
because, lets face it,
he plays to rough
he plays two sides against the middle
and he's coming at "we the people" from all sides
he's violent
he's evasive
he's mysterious
its torture
he's killing us
and we dont even get to know for sure if he exists
we gotta "have faith"
s*** man,
bob dylans more accessible.

i feel sorry for osama bin laden
i feel sorry for george bush
i feel sorry for sadam hussien

we gotta find this god.
and we gotta find him fast
negotiate if we can, attack if we have to....

swaying anyone?


WHAT ROLL CAN MUSICIANS PLAY IN SWAYING OPINIONS
ABOUT THE WAR?
by todd snider

look at us ....
were at war with an emotion now.......
terror....
the war on terror..........
personally
id have gone for despair first
or hope .....
.either one would do i suppose.
but im just a folk singer
i dont think its my job to sway opinions,
or make the world better
technically as a folk singer
i think im supposed to sing about trees and wolves
and maybe ask "what about the children?" once in a while
personally i like to think my gig is to
show the people whats in my heart .......
but swaying peoples opinions?
jeez...i dont know
we drove all night, im pretty tired
they worked all week, their pretty tired
besides
what am i gonna sway peoples opinions about the war to?
my opinions?
have you heard my opinions?......
i smoke more dope before nine a.m.
than most people do all day
come on man......
..................................get it together.

pretty much 0, since there's probably not a single undecided opinion out there.

AlbatrossFlyer wrote:pretty much 0, since there's probably not a single undecided opinion out there.

I dunno, AF......

I think there are plenty of sheep out there who can't be bothered to educate themselves and form their own opinions, and those people are liable to look to their heroes or to celebrities (musicians, athletes, actors, etc) to tell then what to think.....

SchoolGirlHeart wrote:

AlbatrossFlyer wrote:pretty much 0, since there's probably not a single undecided opinion out there.

I dunno, AF......

I think there are plenty of sheep out there who can't be bothered to educate themselves and form their own opinions, and those people are liable to look to their heroes or to celebrities (musicians, athletes, actors, etc) to tell then what to think.....

Amen to that.

How many folks on this very website have bought into the Manatee issue?

I do know it can definately effect their fanbase though.

My wife likes to consider herself an independant (but tends to lean Republican on most issues) and I am conservative. Although I'm considered the "right-wing guy", she's the one who can't stand Springsteen anymore. She got royally ticked a few years ago when we were at Shea Stadium and he started his show with quotes from Bush about the war (which I think led into "Souls of the Departed"). Her stance is, I pay good money to be entertained, not preached to. Do that on your own time. This feeling goes back to "American Skin" where she felt he had no right to get into a still volitile situation with that song.

Keep in mind we are both long-time Springsteen fans (going back to the 70's).

I feel you have every right to say what you want, but be able to accept the backlash. I'd prefer people handle their viewws like Jimmy does, when in concert, have fun, when making a statement, make it a fund-raiser. This way everyone knows the deal. But, I also feel, if you feel strongly, are you doing a dis-service if you do not use your influence to express what you feel is right (or wrong being done)?

I think that unfortunately the bigger issue is that of those unfamiliar with issues blindly parroting (pun intended) anothers position without looking into it themsleves.

Crazy Navy Flyer wrote:

SchoolGirlHeart wrote:

AlbatrossFlyer wrote:pretty much 0, since there's probably not a single undecided opinion out there.

I dunno, AF......

I think there are plenty of sheep out there who can't be bothered to educate themselves and form their own opinions, and those people are liable to look to their heroes or to celebrities (musicians, athletes, actors, etc) to tell then what to think.....

Amen to that.

what you mean we let uninformed, ignorant people vote?

12vmanRick wrote:
what you mean we let uninformed, ignorant people vote?

Well, we can't really stop them...

On a semi-serious note, I do believe in a true democratic voting system, but our country is too large for that. So the representative voting is a good second choice. The problem with a representative system is that these people are supposed to vote the way we the citizens want. I don't believe that always happens, so that brings us back to your point of ignorant people voting. But it's the representatives who may be the ignorant ones, not the general public.

stepping off my soapbox now