Tuesday, October 27, 2009
No, not just Captain & Tennille. Our friend Darren Garnick in the Herald: Torturous interrogation technique isn't music to everyone's ears
In the iconic teen movie "Say Anything," a despondent John Cusack holds a boombox above his head and blares the song "In Your Eyes" outside the bedroom window of his estranged girlfriend.
When Cusack does this, it's cute and heartfelt. But when the CIA uses the same technique, it's cruel and heartless.
The Orwellian-named National Security Archive, the group that launched the Close Gitmo Now campaign, wants to put an end to the use of annoying music to weaken Americas enemies. The activists filed a Freedom of Information Act request last week demanding that the U.S. government release the full list of songs used as Muzak at CIA interrogation centers around the globe...
...Fast forward to Iraq and Afghanistan. Now, recording artists such as R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Nine Inch Nails, Bonnie Raitt and David Byrne are demanding to know if any of their songs were part of this musical injustice. What they are going to do about it, besides complain, is unclear.
Audio torture is all relative. For some detainees, it might be listening to the Sammy Hagar version of Van Halen. Others might break out into hives from the David Lee Roth version. I personally cringe at James Taylor's sappy "You've Got a Friend" and "American Idol's" old farewell ditty, Daniel Powter's "Bad Day."
According to Spin magazine, Gitmo inmates rioted when camp loudspeakers first blared Neil Diamond's "America," which also happened to be the theme of the 1988 Michael Dukakis presidential campaign. No word if there were any attempts to play "Sweet Caroline."...
Don't be fooled. These "artists" are really only interested if they're on the list because it would contribute to ITunes downloads (and possibly lead to a defamation suit..."You say our music is torture?!?"). Maybe they should substitute David Byrne's big white suit for those horrid orange jump suits. Remember the big white suit? "You want us to wear what? I'll talk!!"
Update: In fact, Garnick has come up with the official US Army music list used against Maniel Noriega (seriously): Gitmo's Boombox: Does an official "Music Torture" song list actually exist?. 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover? shudder.
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Add to the set list, disco, cRAP, Hip-Hop, the theme song from TV version of M*A*S*H, YMCA from the Village People, Cindy Sheehan/roseanne barr/wallace shawn reading bedtime stories.
The "CRUELER" the BETTER.
MASH and YMCA? C'mon!
Hey, whatever works...
If any of these self-important artists try to make a big deal over this, the results should be entertaining. I'm not a lawyer, but I fail to see where they have any legal leg to stand on. If the U.S. Army bought their albums legally, how can anyone complain over how those recordings are used? Play 'em backwards at high speed, use 'em as coasters or frisbees, or whatever... this is not the artist's concern.
Personally, I don't think they need to work so hard. Pick something monotonous -- the "Da Da Da" song from the old Volkswagen ads, for example -- and play it repetitively, all day long. I'd think that would make almost anyone talk.
respectfully,
Daniel in Brookline
"MASH and YMCA? C'mon!"
The theme song from the TV M*A*S*H really creeps me out. As soon as I hear the first couple of bars, I dive for the remote to change channels. What a unfunny show. I purposely watched the whole last episode, and it was bad/unfunny/preachy as a typical episode.
A GREAT TV show was St. Elsewhere, and it had a better theme song.
M*A*S*H the movie was good, at least the first part. The last section about the football game was dumb, and detracted from the movie.
And you probably know about the vile antics/politics of mike farrell - the radio spot he did.
YMCA, if the detainees in Guantanamo know what's behind the song, it would drive them nuts. Come to think of it, the detainees DO hang out with all the boys.