Courtesy of Society of Rock, we have a performance of Paul McCartney at the White House. The occasion was his getting the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song in 2010 (the prize was first awarded in 2007, and other recipients have been Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Burt Bacharach and Hal David, Carole King, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson and (this year) Smokey Robinson. Who else, do you think, deserves it?)
The real fun begins with the audience participation at 3:50, and who do you think gets up on the stage and boogies? You’ll recognize some of them, but our current President and his family are up there wailing away as well.
Damn, I’ll miss Obama! Can you even imagine Donald Trump doing something like this? And even if he did, it would be fake.
Wikipedia says this:
On November 18, 2009, the Library announced Sir Paul McCartney as the third recipient of the honor. The ceremony for McCartney was held June 2, 2010, in the East Room of the White House with President Obama and Mrs. Obama in attendance. Performers included McCartney as well as Stevie Wonder, Elvis Costello, Jonas Brothers [WTF? Did Sasha and Melia want them?], Herbie Hancock, Corinne Bailey Rae, Dave Grohl, Faith Hill, Emmylou Harris, Lang Lang and Jack White, with remarks by Jerry Seinfeld.
The award:
2010! Lovely. The president’s hair has changed considerably over 6 years. The girls have grown up. What’s next?
James Taylor deserves the award.
Assuming I can nominate dead people:
Bob Dylan
Chuck Berry
Bruce Cockburn
James Taylor
Warren Zevon
Rodgers and Hammerstein
Woody Guthrie
Robert Johnson
Willie McTell
Brian Wilson
Gershwin himself of course
Scott Joplin
Don Henley and Glenn Frey
David Bromberg
Jackson Browne
Pete Townshend
Mick Jagger
Huddy Ledbetter
Neil Young
Joni Mitchell
Lindsay Buckingham
Bruce Springsteen
John Hiatt
Cat Stevens
Pete Seeger
Johnny Cash
Gordon Lightfoot
Elton John
Gabby Pahinui
Lou Reed
Bill Monroe
Bob Wills
Bob Marley
Holland, Dozier, and Holland
Antonio Jobim
Sam Cooke
Stan Rogers
OK, I’ll stop now.
If we’re including dead people – Stephen Foster.
Assuming you can’t nominate dead people: Joni Mitchell, Neil Young. And the Carole King award should have gone to Goffin/King. James Taylor was recently honored by the Kennedy Center. Why they didn’t pick Leonard Cohen before he died baffles me. And if they finally choose Dylan let’s hope he doesn’t show up 🙂
I think the people have to be alive to be chosen. And they have to be Americans, which knocks out both Neil Young and Joni Mitchell (she would have been my choice).
Mick, but no Keith?
I prefer my Rogers with Lorenz Hart.
Two misses on my part, I agree.
I think you got the rest of ’em right, jb.
Wonderful stuff, had me singing along at the end (I cheating, sang with both the men AND the women!)
Not many world-leaders can pull this kind of thing off. Trump incapable for sure, but we won’t see it at Downing St anytime soon either,
Chris G.
Trump can get Ted Nugent.
And David Allan Coe.
Trump will have a similar performance, but the celebrities present will be Scott Baio, Antonio Sobato Jr., Vince McMahon and some has-beens from the WWE, and Lee Greenwood.
And it will suck. The guests will also receive Presidential medals of Freedom and Trump will tell us it was the greatest performance in the history of the world. Fox news will report it as such.
I object. Hey Jude is the secret British National Anthem and should be sung at all State Occasions.
No this should be sung at all State Occasions.
Imagine
Not a bad tune … for the B-side of the 45 with “Revolution.” 🙂
Keeping the list and emphasizing songwriters whose songs have been widely covered by others in addition to their own recordings, I’d go with Brian Wilson, Bob Dylan, and Joni Mitchell.
Also, although I know nothing of the Jonus Brothers, they did a great job on Drive My Car at this event.
Jerry wrote… “Damn, I’ll miss Obama!”
He gets it exactly right. We are about to replace the most likeable president ever… the one we have admired and enjoyed more than any other… with a lying con man. An egomaniac. Jerry Coyne sees what’s coming. It’s much more than policy and ideology. We are about to lose the pleasure we experience from the presence in our lives of a man we have come to love. That space will be filled by a charlatan we despise.
It is probabilistic truth that in the ring of entertainment, there is a only a small pool of willing participants who would want to be in close proximity to future President Pu$$ygrabber.
Just let him try it on Patti Smith 🙂
Unfortunately, in Trump’s book Smith is barely a 4. He only grabs 9’s or higher.
Yeah, let him try that p-grabby crap with a Chrissie Hynde or a Bonnie Raitt. He’d be wearing those little orange nuts of his up around his throat.
Becker & Fagen — though they’re about as likely to get a White House invite as John Hinckley and the leftover Tsarnaev brother.
Also, Robbie Robertson — In the feud with Levon, I trusted Levon. But that doesn’t change that Robbie is a helluva songwriter, and deserving of this award.
Putin can sing too. Maybe he and Trump will do a duet.
Reblogged this on peakmemory and commented:
Too cool not to reblog
The whole performance was great. There’s a cute bit before he sings “Let It Be” where he gets his daughter (Mary) to whistle 🙂
Are you related to the Aldo Leopold?