The President (2020 version)

from The President (2020 version) by Robyn Hitchcock

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about

I wrote ‘The President’ in the spring of 1986 after Ronald Reagan had been talking in a very inflammatory way about Russia (and a patronising way about Europe) during a visit to what was then West Germany. At this point the Cold War still felt to many of us that it might go nuclear. And like many that bleak April, I was horribly scared. The song, recorded on ‘Element Of Light’ by the Egyptians and myself, caught a lot of that dread - I hope.

34 years later, the latest and most monstrous in a line of egregious Republican Commanders-in-Chiefs is a shameless bullying gangster who, abetted by a coalition of Greed and Ignorance, is aiming to scupper the forthcoming US election and proclaim himself Emperor of America. Bizarrely, one of his greatest allies is in this is Russia - which is almost the opposite of the Reagan scenario. But this man’s offense to human decency is far greater than Ronald Reagan’s. I’m aware that in comparing him to a pig, I’m insulting pigs - and I apologize to any who are reading this. He is physically disgusting to behold, like some extruded prolapse that’s managed to squeeze itself into a suit and tie. He looks uncomfortable with himself, as if one half of him would love to detach from the other and float away. Of course, I could be projecting here...

lyrics

The President by Robyn Hitchcock

The President is threatening us
In his bright red tie
He’s in the Oval Office
Like a pig inside a sty

I know you’re out there
I know you’re out there somewhere
I know you’re out there

When I hear the word ‘Democracy’
I reach for my headphones

He’s radiating hatred from
Each presidential pore
How does he come to rule this land?
Who does he rule it for?

You know I’m out here
But you can’t see me darling
You know I’m out here
When I hear the word ‘Security’
I reach for my cellphone

Woah woah woah

He’s holding up a Bible
While the rubber bullets fly
He’s holding up a Bible but
He cannot quote one line

I know you’re out there
I know you’re out there somewhere
God knows you’re out there

I can almost hear it raining
I can almost hear it raining
I can almost hear it raining

credits

from The President (2020 version), released November 8, 2020
Robyn Hitchcock - vocal and guitar
Emma Swift - harmony vocal
Patrick Sansone - Mellotron, Mellotron bass, triangle and 12 string guitars

Produced by Emma Swift and Robyn Hitchcock at Tiny Ghost Studios
Mixed by Patrick Sansone at Tiny Door Studios
Mastered by Michael Hynes

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about

Robyn Hitchcock London, UK

Robyn Hitchcock is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist.

After leading The Soft Boys in the late 1970s and releasing the influential Underwater Moonlight, Hitchcock launched a prolific solo career.

He lives in Nashville, TN with the singer-songwriter Emma Swift. ... more

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