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Songwriter Randy Newman is more famous for his scores to Toy Story and Monster's Inc than he is for his solo albums, but it's on those albums that the memorable singer really lets loose. Set to the tune of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas," "I'm Dreaming" is the latest in a line of scathing political songs such as "Political Science" (on why the world hates America) and "Rednecks" (Southern ignorance).
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Explaining the mindset of his "Dreaming" character, whom Newman has said is an example of a person who doesn't want a black person in the White House, who wants President Obama out, explains to Slate:
No one, and I mean no one, would admit feeling that way. Still, it’s clear that there are lots of people out there who are uncomfortable. The Civil War was a long time ago but there are aspects of it that remain unsettled, I think. Early on in Obama’s term, there was heat generated by issues that you wouldn’t think would cause such passion. Even the term “Obamacare,” the way it’s spit out, like he was some kind of witch doctor. Maybe I’m overly sensitive to the issue, but I don’t think so. There’s an edge to things that normally wouldn’t have an edge. I thought it was a little extra.
Read the whole Randy Newman interview on Slate.
A sample of the lyrics:
I'm dreaming of a white President 'Cause things have never been this bad So he won't run the hundred in ten seconds flat So he won't have a pretty jump shot Or be an Olympic acrobat So he won't know much about global warming Is that really where you're at? He won't be the brightest, perhaps But he'll be the whitest And I'll vote for that
Newman's "Political Science":
Newman's "Rednecks":
