George Michael: Anti-War Visionary.

[reprehensor]

During the summer of 2002, the wheels of the war machine were grinding inexorably, and President George Walker Bush, along with Prime Minister Tony Blair, had made the a priori decision that Iraq was suitable grist.

The public, awash in pro-war propaganda, (and in America especially, abandoned by the Fourth Estate to corporate whim), made noise that was summarily ignored by Blair and Bush.



The invasion of Iraq was a certainty, the ideological framework put in place as early as 1998 by the Neoconservative think-tank, the Project for a New American Century.

With a corporate press tacking right, and a Senate and Congress under the sway of a Svengali administration, those of us who saw through the fog of war were left, without a loud and prominent national voice.



The heroes of pop music who had given shape to the voice of protest during the Vietnam era were strangely silent, or they were not heard due to corporate blackouts. Even the mighty Neil Young penned ‘Let’s Roll’, (which he did not play live the last time I saw him).

So who was left… Joan Baez, Country Joe and the Fish, Bob Dylan… all you could hear was the distant gurgle of a bong or the lonesome hiss of vacuum tubes waiting for the sound check.



But wait, what’s that over there? That thumping house beat, that clever mix of samples, smooth production and a smoky voice? What’s he saying?

So, Cherie my dear,
Could you leave the way clear for sex tonight?
Tell him
“Tony, Tony, Tony, I know that your horny, but there’s somethin’ bout that Bush ain’t right”

Say what?

Cherie Baby, Spliff up
I wanna kick back mama
And watch the world cup with ya baby
Yeah, that’s right!
We’re gettin freeky tonight
Stay with me tonight
Let’s have some fun while Tony’s stateside
It’s gonna be alright
It’s gonna be alright
See Tony dancing with Dubya
Don’t you wanna know why?

Yes, that’s right. While the rest of the music industry was coming down off the 90’s, George Michael was wrapping up production on the sharpest barb to be poked in the eye of *BUSHBLAIR* in 2002.

The single, and subsequent video, was a no-holds-barred assault on political mendacity called "Shoot the Dog." It portrayed Blair as Bush’s shameless sycophant puppy-dog. A puppy eager to fetch whatever is thrown, even if it is a Frisbee to hell, which contemporary Persia is today. It was released in July of 2002.

Bush is portrayed as clueless, needing his top general to explain contemporary foreign policy with a ‘sock puppet’. The irony couldn’t be more rich.

Ultimately the video was virtually banned in Britain and the only place you could see it by the end of the year was on MTV Europe, sporadically. Never promoted in the U.S., the song was not included on a studio album until the release of ‘Patience’ in 2004. The video itself remains a bit of a hen’s tooth, but I heard if you search ifilm.com you can find it.



The production team behind the video is the same team responsible for Britain’s award winning 2DTV.

The video remains commercially unavailable in the U.S. except as a PAL DVD through Amazon.uk.



Here are some quotes from George Michael, all July, 2002.

My feelings about George W. Bush, however, are a little different. And I know I'm not alone in fearing his politics, and in hoping that our man Tony can be a calming and rational influence on him. But I have a question for you, Mr. Blair. On an issue as enormous as the possible bombing of Iraq, how can you represent us when you haven't asked us what we think. And let's be honest, we haven't even begun to discuss it as a society. So please Tony, much as we've all loved watching the best team we've had in 40 years at the World Cup, and much as we loved the Jubilee, now that we have some downtime, could we have a little chat about Saddam?'

I do not believe this is melodrama.

I believe this is the most important decision that our respective Government's have ever had to make on our behalf's.

I cannot speak for America, I would not presume to, but there is no doubt that here in the UK, we are not being asked what we think. Like many of you over there in the States, we are just praying that Tony and Dubya know more than we do, because prayer is all that appears to be allowed.

In truth it's not really the Sun alone which has caused negative media attention, it's the Sun, the NY Post (which is where the trouble really started) and Sky News here in Europe, all Rupert Murdoch-owned operations that seem to have it in for me and it's fairly obvious why.

I'm probably the biggest celebrity to have sided (perhaps foolishly) with the Daily Mirror in recent years and I seem to be paying a price for it.

Not that I think it wasn't worth it, this situation is more important than any record or any attack on me and I didn't go in to this with my eyes closed.

I had a feeling that I would get caught in the Sun/Mirror war zone but it never occured to me that Murdoch's other publications specifically the NY Post would mis-represent myself or the reaction of American people in general so enormously.

Presciently;

Britain is now a target, we're effectively a possible target, as a warning to America.

- reprehensor.

(all screen captures from the video "Shoot the Dog")

[Alpharetta]

1. too bad. I wish the video had been released to the internet free

Would have been nice to have it circulating freely. Downloaded for free at GeorgeMichael.com, or something.

[Alpharetta]

2. Well it's on the internet now

Half the video is available on georgemichael.com

Better half than none. :)

I like the sound. Lyrics are spot-on.

Better late than never!

[mogster]

3. Nominated!

Great stuff! It comes in a totally different perspective now, no?

Holy shit how far we have gone, all.