Juno- and Grammy-award winners Arcade Fire have put up a post on their band blog warning their fans against voting for Stephen Harper. “Our current leader has championed some pretty destructive initiatives on everyone’s behalf…” they write.
[UPDATE: As of 1930, the post from the band has been removed. Trying to track down band members/management to see what’s up]
[UPPERDATE: Post is back up, this time signed by band member Richard Parry.
Meanwhile, indie acts around the country have been pitching in (I’m discovering) with their own mix of politics and music.
Let me point you to this catchy ditty by Regina, SK band Library Voices and their track “The Prime Minister’s Daughter”. The song’s subject is, in fact, Rachel Harper.
Then there’s Waterloo, Ont. indie outfit Will Currie and the Country French in which they cast their eyes on the current lot of leaders looking for our vote and, apparently disappointed, pine for the days of Tommy Douglas, Pierre Trudeau and Stephen Lewis.
Of course, one stalwart of Canada’s indie scene is already in Parliament. That would be NDP MP Charlie Angus. The musical projects of his that I most enjoyed included Grievous Angels and L’Etranger. Speaking of L’Etranger, Chuck’s partner-in-crime in that band, Andrew Cash, is now trying to join Angus in the NDP caucus but to do that, he’ll have to beat Liberal incumbent Mario Silva in the Toronto riding of Davenport. Here’s Cash and Angus (many moons ago) performing “One People” while in L’Etranger. (For a great example of the roots-rock flavour from Grievous Angels here: Can you spot Charlie?) [Update in 2014: Cash did beat Silva and he and Angus are now in the House of Commons)
I asked my tweeps for some other contributions in the same vein and will include them here.
Richard Underhill, who once led my all-time favourite all-sax band The Shuffle Demons (remember “Spadina Bus”?), leads a crowd in Kensington Market, Toronto singing “I Don’t Like Stephen Harper”. He put the results on YouTube. Dylan Bell has a disco-flavoured take on the same theme with “L’Etat C’Est Moi”.
First time, I have to admit, that I’ve run across The Dinghies. But Emma points me to “The Right Honourable Stephen Harper”, a loopy, little bit of synthesized syrup takes some musical cues from Laurie Anderson and Cocteau Twins (am I dating myself with those references?). And, like Laurie Anderson and Cocteau Twins, I don’t really understand this.
Meanwhile, this one is just plain funny. “I’ve Got a Crush on Harper”
And, of course, our prime minister can rock right back at you. Here’s the PM doing The Who’s “The Seeker” at his party’s Christmas Party in Ottawa in 2010:
If you’ve got some, please post in the links:
BC's Tongue and Groove playing “Pull Out” (..of Afghanistan, Stephen Harper) from a few years ago. A hilarious, sexual play-on-words from the point of view of his wife..
http://radio3.cbc.ca/play/band/Tongue-and-Groove/Pull-Out
A few days ago I emailed the following to Arcade Fire's manager…
Mr. Harper, How Do You Sleep?
On March 29 Prime Minister Harper played keyboard while singing John Lennon’s “Imagine” at a Winnipeg photo op.
Another song on Lennon’s 1971 album Imagine is “How Do You Sleep?”, directed at Paul McCartney (www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNjTPZW7GCU).
Once you’re familiar with the melody, try these new lyrics. All together now!
Mr. Harper, How Do You Sleep?
So the contempt vote took you by surprise
You better see through the people’s eyes
Those guys were right on the price of the jets
Cost twice as much but what about our vets
How do you sleep?
Ah, how do you sleep at night?
You made coalition a dirty word
Most Parliaments have them, haven’t you heard?
Policies favoured by most in their land
More moderate than left and right demand
How do you sleep?
Ah, how do you sleep at night?
Prorogue the Parliament, twice down the drain
Can’t hear Afghan detainees scream in pain
Large tax cuts for the largest companies
And for the Tar Sands boys more subsidies
How do you sleep?
Ah, how do you sleep at night?
At the climate talks, what do we have here
Four times awarded Fossil of the Year
Those Action Plan ads cost twenty-six mill
The G8 and 20, over one bill
How do you sleep?
Ah, how do you sleep at night?
Why did you lose the seat at the U.N.?
Who inserted the word ‘not’ with a pen?
Five times Bruce Carson convicted of fraud
Then secret clearance in a PMO job
How do you sleep?
Ah, how do you sleep at night?
Only five questions, ’cause you are the king
Jump when reporters ask you anything
You keep them more than forty feet away
Behind steel fences, just another day
How do you sleep?
Ah, how do you sleep at night?
You challenge Michael to a face-to-face
He tell you any time, any place
Next day you say that it can’t be done
You’ll just abide by the consortium
How do you sleep?
Ah, how do you sleep at night?
Get back on the ‘rights’ track says Amnesty
And how do you define democracy?
Your London rally, two students kicked out
‘Cause of a picture on a Facebook account
How do you sleep?
Ah, how do you sleep at night?
The AG’s words recycled by mistake
But who says he’s sorry for that fake lake
Why does food with GMOs get no blame
Why is Helena the one you can’t name?
How do you sleep?
Ah, how do you sleep at night?
For further reference:
Getting Back on the ‘Rights’ Track
(www.amnesty.ca/files/HRA.pdf)
Hey Canadians!
(www.arcadefire.com/blog/hey-canadians/)
Harper missing the point on F-35s
(http://embassymag.ca/page/view/edit-03-16-2011)
Auditor general to probe lump-sum disability payments for veterans
(www.leaderpost.com/story_print.html?id=3948651)
Government sees no need to test GMOs
(www.commonground.ca/iss/237/cg237_gmos.shtml)
Are we going to reward contempt of Parliament?
(www.ottawacitizen.com/story_print.html?id=4564215&)
The Government of Canada’s record on climate change
(www.climateactionnetwork.ca/e/news/2011/release/index.php?WEBYEP_DI=8)
Tories used praise for Liberals to defend summit costs: Fraser
(www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canadavotes2011/story/2011/04/11/cv-election-weston-ag-fraser.html)
David Buckna