The Kerry campaign pounced on a new round of charges about President Bush’s National Guard service. It even began playing John Fogerty’s classic Vietnam protest song, “Fortunate Son.” In hindsight, this may have been a questionable move. The song may remind some of Kerry’s own anti-Vietnam excesses, while others note John Fogerty himself served in the National Guard. Of course, if the memos at the center of this week’s revelations turn out to be politically motivated forgeries — as appears increasingly likely — Kerry may take the blame in the public’s eye.
None of this should take away anything from the song, which is one of Fogerty’s many classics. It’s been misused before, and likely will again. But since it’s in the news, it makes for this week’s Sunday Song Lyric.
Some folks are born made to wave the flag,
Ooh, they’re red, white and blue.
And when the band plays “Hail to the chief”,
Ooh, they point the cannon at you, Lord,
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no senator’s son, son.
It ain’t me, it ain’t me; I ain’t no fortunate one, no,
Yeah!
Some folks are born silver spoon in hand,
Lord, don’t they help themselves, oh.
But when the taxman comes to the door,
Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale, yes,
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no millionaire’s son, no.
It ain’t me, it ain’t me; I ain’t no fortunate one, no.
Some folks inherit star spangled eyes,
Ooh, they send you down to war, Lord,
And when you ask them, “How much should we give?”
Ooh, they only answer More! more! more! yoh,
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no military son, son.
It ain’t me, it ain’t me; I ain’t no fortunate one, one.
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate one, no no no,
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate son, no no no,
Update: His own National Guard service notwithstanding, Fogerty may be happy with the Kerry campaign’s use of the song, as Fogerty signed up with the anti-Bush “Vote for Change” tour and has a new song lamenting the Iraq war. (Thanks to various readers for the tips.)
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