Unknown to most, the Sunnyboys from the early 80s illustrated the possibilities of Leninist music – especially with ‘Show Me Some Discipline’:
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21 March, 2011 at 5:06 am
On the theme of ‘showing something’ and politics, there’s also the song ‘Politician’ by Cream. The lyrics are repetitiously simple, but when accompanied by Jack Bruce’s lugubrious bass lines,the song really works:
Hey now baby, get into my big black car.
Hey now baby, get into my big black car.
I want to just show you what my politics are.
I’m a political man and I practice what I preach.
I’m a political man and I practice what I preach.
So don’t deny me baby, not while you’re in my reach.
I support the left, though I’m leaning, leaning to the right.
I support the left, though I’m leaning to the right.
But I’m just not there when it’s coming to a fight.
Hey now baby, get into my big black car.
Hey now baby, get into my big black car.
I want to just show you what my politics are.
My guess is that the song is about the British Labour politician John Stonehouse, minister of Technology in Harold Wilson’s government, a total con-man (he even faked his own death) who made it to the top in what was ostensibly a socialist party. On Stonehouse, see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Stonehouse