I grew up in a conservative household, but I have been getting more
liberal and even radical as I have aged. In one sense most of my songs
are political in the sense that they express opinions that most people
probably disagree with. I've singled out these to give you a sampling
of how I have evolved in this dimension of my songwriting.
Well, I was trying to be a feminist in Mary stepped out,
but 1963 was a long time ago.
I professed to be an atheist from ages 17 to 34. The next two songs
some of my rage on this topic. In There's a plot afoot I
take on the theologians and the philosophers. Bring 'em on!
More than once I rewrote the lyrics to a melody that I liked. You've
got your opinions and I've got mine was the old atheist
talking to the "argument from design" provers of God's
existence. The rewrite I woke up this morning and looked
out there was
inspired by an epistemology course I took from Virgil Hinshaw at
OSU. And maybe some good stuff, too.
I hate you was written with a certain relative's
problems in mind (we have to keep this quiet). Actually, TV hasn't
changed much in twenty years, except now we that we have cable, there's
a little more. Now I'd have to say I hate most TV.
The images of America the farce in 5/4 are very
sixties, but we could draw some parallels to today's problems.
Do you believe in retribution, in its symbolic way,
asks if nonviolence applies to the murderers of nonviolent leaders.
ERA's for everyone is so crass and corny, I hope
it didn't help kill the amendment. ;-)