I have had a hard time writing funny political songs these days. I thought of one where Mel Gibson has to do a remake of Yentl (in the Mandy Patinkin role), but was not that inspired. Instead, I wrote a depressing angry old timey anti-war song -- part "People's History of the United States" and part Woody. It was written and recorded with my pal Robin Eaton at his grandfather's cabin in the hills of North Carolina (on the porch).
Here are the words:
Hearts and Minds
From the rice fields of the Mekong, to the desert by the gulf
We're winning hearts and minds
We're winning hearts and minds
From the Yankees to the cowboys and the soldiers of the lord
We're winning hearts and minds
We're winning hearts and minds
They can really feel our freedom as we roll into their town
And when they finally get it, they'll give thanks
They'll throw flowers on our tanks
From the death squads of Guatemala, to the folks who brought the shah
We're winning hearts and minds
We're winning hearts and minds
And we will roll, yes we will roll, and we will fly into the burning sky
And we will win, yes we will win
Hearts and minds
From the general in Chile, to the drug lords in the hills
We're winning hearts and minds
We're winning hearts and minds
The children with no fathers and their brothers with no limbs