Dear Mr. President

Dear Mr.President
-Pink

Allgemein
"Dear Mr. President" is a song by Pink featuring the Indigo Girls, and was recorded for Pink's fourth album, I'm Not Dead. Pink said that the song was an open letter to the President of the United States, George W. Bush, and that it was one of the most important songs she had written. She stated that it would never be released as a single in the United States, because it was too important to be perceived as a publicity stunt.[1] It has since been released in Europe, Australia and Canada. The video of her performance live from Wembley Arena was added to the VH1 line-up of videos.

Charts Chart (2006–09) | Peakposition | Australia (ARIA)[2] | 5 | Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[3] | 1 | Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[4] | 1 | Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[5] | 3 | Canadian Hot 100[6] | 55 | Czech Republic (IFPI)[7] | 2 | German Singles Chart[8] | 3 | German Airplay Chart | 1 | Netherlands (Mega Single Top 100)[9] | 43 | New Zealand (RIANZ)[10] | 11 | Slovakian IFPI Chart | 48 | Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[11] | 18 | Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[12] | 3 | UK Singles Chart | 34 | | [edit]Year-end charts Chart (2007) | Rank | German Singles Chart[13] | 13 | |
[edit]Certifications Region | Certification | Sales/shipments | Australia (ARIA)[14] | Gold | 35,000^ | Austria (IFPI Austria)[15] | Platinum | 30,000x | Germany (BVMI)[16] | Platinum | 300,000^ | Summaries | World | | 1,000,000[17] | ^shipments figures based on certification alonexunspecified figures based on certification alone |

Die Single “Dear Mr. President” aus dem Album “I’m Not Dead” ist ein gesungener Brief. Das Lied stellt eine scharfe Kritik an den 43. US-Präsidenten George W. Bush dar. Angeklagt werden seine Politik (Armut) und besonders der Irakkrieg. Das Lied wird in den USA von den meisten Radio-Stationen und TV-Sendern boykottiert. Als Single wird das Lied lediglich in Australien und Europa veröffentlicht. Laut Pink hat George W. Bush auf den Song bisher keinerlei Reaktion gezeigt.

Entstehung
Dear Mr. President ist eine Single der US-amerikanischen Sängerin Pink. Das Lied ist das fünfte Lied auf dem Album I’m Not Dead und ein offener Brief an George W. Bush. Als Single erschien es in Deutschland am 27. April 2007 bei Sony BMG. In den USA wurde es nur als Teil des Albums, aber nie als Single veröffentlicht.
Das Lied entstand in Zusammenarbeit mit Billy Mann. Eingesungen wurde es mit den Indigo Girls. Eine Veröffentlichung als Single war ursprünglich nicht geplant, um den Verdacht der Kommerzialisierung nicht aufkommen zu lassen.
Im Jahr 2008 wurde das Lied mit dem österreichischen Amadeus Austrian Music Award zur Single des Jahres international gekürt.

Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009 and the 46th Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000. The eldest son of Barbara and George H. W. Bush, he was born in New Haven, Connecticut. After graduating from Yale University in 1968 and Harvard Business School in 1975, Bush worked in oil businesses. He married Laura Welch in 1977 and ran unsuccessfully for the House of Representatives shortly thereafter. He later co-owned the Texas Rangers baseball team before defeating Ann Richards in the 1994 Texas gubernatorial election. Bush was elected president in 2000 after a close and controversial election, becoming the fourth president to be elected while receiving fewer popular votes nationwide than his opponent.[4] Bush is the second president to have been the son of a former president, the first being John Quincy Adams.[5] He is also the brother of Jeb Bush, former Governor of Florida.
George W. Bush schreibt Geschichte: Umfragewerten zufolge, ist er der unpopulärste Präsident der Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika. Ein Präsident des amerikanischen Volkes? Nein, ein Kriegstreiber und Kriegsverbrecher, welcher den Krieg gegen den Irak aufgrund einer Lüge einleitete. Massenvernichtungs- sowie chemische Waffen wurden nie gefunden, er umging die UNO, um seine Kriegsspielchen ungehindert durchführen zu können. Zugegebenermaßen: Der 11. September war ein Dolchstoß mitten in das amerikanische Herz, wie einst "Pearl Harbour", als das Kaisereich Japan auf die amerikanische Bedrohung im Pazifik reagierte und die halbe US-Flotte fast komplett vernichtete. Zum ersten Mal erlebten die USA einen gezielten Angriff auf eigenem Hohheitsgebiet: 3.000 Opfer waren zu beklagen. Wenn man sich die Bombardierung von Dresden durch die Amerikaner vor Augen hält, fällt diese Zahl noch gering aus: 40.000 Deutsche verloren in dieser Nacht ihr Leben. Die verfehlte amerikanische Nahost-Politik war für den Tiefschlag durch Osama-Bin-Laden verantwortlich. Bush reagierte geradezu primitiv: Unter dem Deckmantel der Terrorismusbekämpfung startete er seinen privaten Rachefeldzug: Er mobilisierte seine europäischen Verbündeten und begann seinen sinnlosen Krieg in Afganistan und im Irak, um die geschmähte Reputation der USA wieder aufzuwerten. 6.000 US-Soldaten sowie 3.000 Briten sind zwischenzeitlich gefallen. Gerhard Schröder verweigerte ihm zusammen mit den Franzosen die Gefolgschaft: sinnlose Hetze und Diffamierung waren Rumsfelds Antwort. Bush profitierte bei seiner Wiederwahl vor 4 Jahren von einem amerikanischen Prinzip, welches besagt, dass während eines Kriegs ein Präsidentenwechsel in den USA nicht erwünscht ist. Zudem hat Amerika ein Problem: Man kann dort nicht mit Krisen umgehen!

Pink
Alecia Beth Moore (born September 8, 1979), known by her stage name Pink (stylized as P!nk), is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress. In 2000, she released her first single "There You Go", from her debut album Can't Take Me Home. The song garnered commercial success, peaking at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2001 she released her second studio album Missundaztood, which was critically acclaimed, and her most commercially successful album to date. The album produced the hit singles "Get the Party Started", "Don't Let Me Get Me", "Just Like a Pill" and "Family Portrait". In November 2003, Pink released her third studio album Try This, which produced the hit singles "Trouble", and "God is a DJ". Although the album was less commercially successful than Missundaztood, it earned Pink her first Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance.
In April 2006, Pink released her fourth studio album I'm Not Dead. The album produced several hit singles including "Stupid Girls", "Who Knew", and "U + Ur Hand", and marked her comeback after the poorer-than-expected commercial performance of her previous record. Pink followed up I'm Not Dead with her 2008-released album Funhouse, largely inspired by her separation from Carey Hart. The lead single, "So What", became Pink's first solo single to ever reach the top spot on Billboard Hot 100. The album produced three other Top 20 singles: "Sober", "Please Don't Leave Me", and "Glitter in the Air".
On November 15, 2010 Pink released her first compilation album, Greatest Hits... So Far!!!. The album featured Pink's biggest career hits as well as three original songs. "Raise Your Glass" and "Fuckin' Perfect" were released as singles, with the latter reaching number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and the former becoming Pink's second solo single to reach the top spot on the list. After taking a short hiatus to give birth to her daughter Willow, Pink released her sixth studio album, The Truth About Love. The album was released on September 18, 2012 and for the first time in Pink's career, debuted atop the Billboard 200, selling more than 280,000 copies in its first week. The lead single, "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100.
Pink has sold over 40 million albums and 70 million singles worldwide, making her one of the best-selling artists in history.[2] Her career accolades include three Grammy Awards, two Brit Awards and five MTV Video Music Awards, in addition to having 17 Top 20 Hits on the Billboard charts. In 2009 Billboard magazine named Pink the number one pop musician of the decade,[3] and in 2012 VH1 named Pink number 10 on their list of the 100 Greatest Women in Music.[4]

Themen
Das Lied besteht aus einer Reihe von rhetorischen Fragen in anklagendem Ton wie etwa: „Was fühlst du, wenn du all die Obdachlosen auf der Straße siehst?“[Original 1] Damit spielt Pink möglicherweise auf die allgemein stark steigende Zahl der Obdachlosen in den USA an, möglicherweise aber auch auf die Obdachlosen nach dem Hurrikan Katrina im Jahr 2005. Bush wurde damals für die langsame anlaufende Hilfe für die Obdachlosen kritisiert.[4] Mit der Passage „Wie träumst du, wenn eine Mutter keine Chance hat Abschied zu nehmen?“[Original 2] wird höchstwahrscheinlich auf den Irakkrieg und die tausenden gefallenen US-Soldaten Bezug genommen.[4] Mit der Passage „No child is left behind“ (auf deutsch etwa „Kein Kind wird zurückgelassen“) spielt sie auf den No Child Left Behind Act, ein umstrittenes Gesetz aus dem Jahr 2001, an. Die Frage „Welcher Vater würde seiner eigenen Tochter ihre Rechte nehmen?“[Original 3] kritisiert die Haltung Bushs als Abtreibungsgegner.[5] Ein weiteres Thema des Liedes ist Homosexualität – „Welcher Vater würde seine Tochter hassen, wenn sie homosexuell wäre?“[Original 4] Bush ist ein Gegner von homosexuellen Partnerschaften. Dies wurde vor allem kontrovers diskutiert, als sich die Tochter seines Vizepräsidenten Dick Cheney zu ihrer lesbischen Liebe bekannte.[5] Mit „Du kamst einen langen Weg von Whiskey und Kokain“[Original 5] spielt Pink auf die Jugend von Bush an. So soll er stark dem Alkohol zugesprochen haben. Weiterhin wird vermutet, dass Bush 1972 festgenommen werden sollte und bei ihm Kokain gefunden wurde.[5]
Englischer Originaltext: ↑ What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street? ↑ How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye? ↑ What kind of father would take his own daughter’s rights away? ↑ What kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay? ↑ You’ve come a long way from whiskey and cocaine

Pink's "Dear Mr. President" is a stirring anthem to the current political sentiments of Anti-Bush activists. Her lyrics have been criticized by supporters of the current president, reasoning that her statements are biased or exaggerated accounts of events. Regardless of these opinions, each line is at the very least based around an element of truth from the president's personal or professional life. To get a better understanding and appreciation of the song, here is an analysis of the key lyrics to Pink's "Dear Mr. President."

Dear Mr. President, Come take a walk with me. Let's pretend we're just two people and You're not better than me. I'd like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestly.
What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street?
-According to HUD estimates, the homeless population has quadrupled in size in the last twenty years, while the number of beds available in shelters has fallen by approximately 57,000 (http://www.wsws.org/articles/2007/mar2007/home-m19.shtml). However, since the plight of the homeless has not been a major point of contention within the Bush presidency, Pink may be referring here to those left homeless after Katrina. Bush was widely criticized for his slow reaction to the threat of the Hurricane and his delayed response to the destruction and victims.
How do you sleep while the rest of us cry? How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?
-This most likely refers to the death of American soldiers in Iraq. According to icasualties.org, under President Bush's administration (and at press time), over 3500 soldiers had perished as a result of the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Dear Mr. President, Were you a lonely boy? Are you a lonely boy? How can you say No child is left behind?
-This refers to President Bush's widely debated "No Child Left Behind" program, in which federal funding for schools is contingent on standardized test scores. The program has been praised by supporters for its aim to raise the bar for teachers and push for continued education, as well as its basis in literacy support and individual school accountability. It has also been berated for creating a narrow curriculum because of limited focus of the standardized tests, inadequate funding, allegations of test score manipulation and its clause to guarantee the facilitation of military recruitment during introductions to higher education.
What kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away?
-This refers to President Bush's adamant pro-life stance. In accordance with the teachings of Bush's Methodist faith, President Bush believes that life begins at conception. Therefore, he has a track record of opposing all proposals that interfere with life before birth. This also includes most stem-cell research proposals.
And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay?
-Again, in accordance with standard Methodist teachings, Bush is opposed to homosexual unions. In particular, President Bush has pushed for the "Marriage Protection Amendment," a piece of legislature which would define marriage as the union between a man and a woman (http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=2042516&page=1). Bush has met controversy during his term when it was revealed that Dick Cheney's daughter was openly gay and having a child with her partner.
I can only imagine what the first lady has to say You've come a long way from whiskey and cocaine.
-This refers to allegations that Bush had an affinity for alcohol in his youth. Pink refers to cocaine here because of Bush's supposed arrest and ensuing discovery of cocaine possession in 1972. Bush neither confirms nor denies these allegations, saying only "when I was young and irresponsible, I was young and irresponsible."
Regardless of your political viewpoints, Pink's song is a thought provoking listen. While I have attempted to remain neutral in this piece, the song stirs your opinion either to one side or the other. As it ends with the words, "Dear Mr. President, you'd never take a walk with me, would you?" I urge you to use it to spur discussions of your own.

Reaktion
Lied wurde verboten. Wurde nicht im Radio oder sonst wo gespielt.
Bush hat sich nicht geäußert.
Pink is thrilled by the response to her anti-Bush song "Mr. President" because it has inspired fans to take up the cause.

Lyrics

Dear Mr. President Songtext:Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, naDear Mr. President, come take a walk with me, (come take a walk with me)Let´s pretend, we´re just two people andYou´re not better than meI´d like to ask you some questions,if we can speak honestlyWhat do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street?Who do you pray for a night before you go to sleep?What do you feel when you look in the mirror? ? Are you proud? How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?How do you walk with your head held high? ? Can you even look me in the eyes, and tell me why? Dear Mr. President, were you a lonely boy? (were you a lonely boy?)Are you a lonely boy? (are you a lonely boy?)How can you say, ?no child is left behind?We´re not dumb and we´re not blind (we're not blind)They´re all sitting in your cells ?while you pave the road to hellWhat kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away?And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay?I can only imagine what the first lady has to say?You´ve come a long way, - from whiskey and cocaine! How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?How do you walk with your head held high? ? Can you even look me in the eyes?Let me tell you about hard workMinimum wage with a baby on the wayLet me tell you about hard workRebuilding a house after the bombs took them awayLet me tell you about hard workBuilding a bed out of a cardboard box Let me tell you about hard work! Hard work! Hard work! You don´t know nothing about hard work! Hard work! Hard work!!! How do you sleep at night?How do you walk with your head held high??Dear Mr. President, you´d never take a walk with me..would you?

Quellen

http://www.webnews.de/164964/bush-schreibt-geschichte-dear-mr-president

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Bush

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P!nk

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dear_Mr._President

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dear_Mr._President

http://voices.yahoo.com/analyzing-political-anthem-pinks-dear-mr-president-411013.html?cat=9

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1519661/pink-pens-open-letter-president-bush.jhtml

http://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/cnn-umfrage-unbeliebt-unbeliebter-bush-1.211755

Lyrics

http://www.songtexte.com/songtext/pnk/dear-mr-president-bdb7d22.html