Everything's free in America!

[regala_electra]

At school. Next class at 4:30. That is a hell of a suck-ass break. It'll be good when school gears up, as I am a frelling procrastinator and I rarely actually DO any work at home. However it does encourage my "write that important paper ONE HOUR before class" tendency, so I shall fight it as best I can.

I am only slightly bitter that I forget to upload the most recent work of my Remus fic to disk, so I can't work on it. *tear-sob*

I watched the RNC last night. Because I hate myself. I was amazed at how subdued it was to the DNC, the cheering was really half-hearted (I watched most of it on C-SPAN). Rudy was a bit of a jack-hole, and I flipped to The Daily Show when it was on to be comforted by the wonder that is that show.

Sadly, I missed the Moore diss. But it amuses me, as I am not a fan of Moore (I'm not an 'anything' of Moore, he's allowed to do whatever he wants, I honestly don't care), but I did actually see F-9/11 and thought it was a very powerful movie that had several excellent points and wonderful scenes that depicted a LOT of what the American media has not shown us. And McCain has admitted to not seeing it, so W.T.F. ever.

I still can't get over that Broadway medley at the beginning. First of all, using West Side Story songs is just a bad fucking idea. If you've seen it or even read the whole lyrics to the songs, it's not about OMG AMerica ROCKS! Whee! Dancing gangs! The song about living in America is not just "wow, it's cool be in America!"

In fact, that made my blood boil so much, here's the lyrics from each song:

ROSALIA
Puerto Rico,
You lovely island . . .
Island of tropical breezes.
Always the pineapples growing,
Always the coffee blossoms blowing . . .

ANITA
Puerto Rico . . .
You ugly island . . .
Island of tropic diseases.
Always the hurricanes blowing,
Always the population growing . . .
And the money owing,
And the babies crying,
And the bullets flying.
I like the island Manhattan.
Smoke on your pipe and put that in!

OTHERS
I like to be in America!
O.K. by me in America!
Ev'rything free in America
For a small fee in America!

ROSALIA
I like the city of San Juan.

ANITA
I know a boat you can get on.

ROSALIA
Hundreds of flowers in full bloom.

ANITA
Hundreds of people in each room!

ALL
Automobile in America,
Chromium steel in America,
Wire-spoke wheel in America,
Very big deal in America!

ROSALIA
I'll drive a Buick through San Juan.

ANITA
If there's a road you can drive on.

ROSALIA
I'll give my cousins a free ride.

ANITA
How you get all of them inside?

ALL
Immigrant goes to America,
Many hellos in America;
Nobody knows in America
Puerto Rico's in America! (bolded, by me, as it always amused me that A) You really can't say "go back to yer own country, you TERK R JERBS!" to a Puerto Rican and B) There are more Puerto Ricans living on Manhattan than in Puerto Rico itself. Heh.)

ROSALIA
I'll bring a T.V. to San Juan.

ANITA
If there a current to turn on!

ROSALIA
I'll give them new washing machine.

ANITA
What have they got there to keep clean?

ALL
I like the shores of America!
Comfort is yours in America!
Knobs on the doors in America,
Wall-to-wall floors in America!

ROSALIA
When I will go back to San Juan.

ANITA
When you will shut up and get gone?

ROSALIA
Everyone there will give big cheer!

ANITA
Everyone there will have moved here!


Tonight

RIFF
The Jets are gonna have their day
Tonight.

BERNARDO
The Sharks are gonna have their way
Tonight.

RIFF
The Puerto Ricans grumble: "Fair fight."
But if they start a rumble,
We'll rumble 'em right.

BERNARDO
We're gonna hand 'em a surprise
Tonight.

RIFF AND JETS
We're gonna cut 'em down to size
Tonight.

BERNARDO AND SHARKS
We said, "O.K., no rumpus,
No tricks."
But just in case they jump us,
We're ready to mix
Tonight.

ALL
We're gonna rock it tonight,
We're gonna jazz it up and have us a ball!
They're gonna get it tonight;
The more they turn it on the harder they'll fall!

RIFF AND JETS
Well, they began it!

BERNARDO AND SHARKS
Well, they began it!

ALL
And we're the ones to stop 'em once and for all,
Tonight!

ANITA
Anita's gonna get her kicks
Tonight.
We'll have our private little mix
Tonight.
He'll walk in hot and tired,
So what?
Don't matter if he's tired,
As long as he's hot
Tonight!

TONY
Tonight, tonight,
Won't be just any night,
Tonight there will be no morning star.
Tonight, tonight, I'll see my love tonight.
And for us, stars will stop where they are.
Today
The minutes seem like hours,
The hours go so slowly,
And still the sky is light . . .
Oh moon, grow bright,
And make this endless day endless night!

RIFF
I'm counting on you to be there
Tonight.
When Diesel wins it fair and square
Tonight.
That Puerto Rican punk'll
Go down.
And when he's hollered "Uncle"
We'll tear up the town!

(RIFF, TONY, and MARIA sing simultaneously)

RIFF
So I can count on you, boy?

TONY
All right.

RIFF
We're gonna have us a ball.

TONY
All right.

RIFF
Womb to tomb!

TONY
Sperm to worm!

RIFF
I'll see you there about eight.

TONY
Tonight . . .

MARIA
Tonight, tonight
Won't be just any night,
Tonight there will be no morning star,

(JETS, SHARKS, MARIA, TONY, and ANITA sing simultaneously)

SHARKS
We're gonna rock it tonight!
They're gonna get it tonight,
They began it,
They began it,
The began it.
We'll stop 'em once and for all.
The Sharks are gonna have their way,
The Sharks are gonna have their day,
We're gonna rock it tonight.
Tonight!

JETS
We're gonna jazz it tonight!
Tonight!
They began it,
And we're the ones to stop 'em once and for all!
The Jets are gonna have their way,
The Jets are gonna have their day.
We're gonna rock it tonight.
Tonight!

ANITA
Tonight, tonight,
Late tonight,
We're gonna mix it tonight.
Anita's gonna have her day,
Anita's gonna have her day,
Bernardo's gonna have his way
Tonight, tonight,
Tonight, this very night,
We're gonna rock it tonight!

MARIA
Tonight, tonight,
I'll see my love tonight.
And for us, stars will stop where they are.

MARIA AND TONY
Today the minutes seem like hours.
The hours go so slowly,
And still the skiy is light.
Oh moon, grow bright,
And make this endless day endless night,

ALL
Tonight!

Is there nothing more patriotic than rioting in the streets? Apparently the RNC agrees with the protestors and truly encourages them to protest! Yay!


The funny part? I hate West Side Story (admittedly, I've only seen the movie). Just...argh, that moment supremely pissed me off.

Comments

[neverneverfic.livejournal.com]

they honestly used "America" as a patriotic song?

*is struck dumb*

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

It's not new. The GoP has tried this before, for example, looking to use "Born in the USA" and "Pink Houses" for Reagan's campaign because they sound anthemic, even if the lyrics are completely in opposition to what the party stands for. It's a case of image over substance - just like the RNC.

[gaeta.livejournal.com]

If you've seen it or even read the whole lyrics to the songs, it's not about OMG AMerica ROCKS! Whee! Dancing gangs! The song about living in America is not just "wow, it's cool be in America!"

Never let it be said republicans don't love irony.

;?)

[regala-electra.livejournal.com]

Well, obviously, it's all about how totally awesome America is! Whee!

They're all struck a little extra dumb at the RNC.

And it was horrifying watching the delegates 'dance' especially the Texan portion. How do you tell which ones were Texans?

Huge 10 Gallon Hats.

Way to keep up the stereotypes, guys.

[regala-electra.livejournal.com]

Hee. I remember hearing about Born in the USA, and ah, that was just so beautiful that Bruce totally told them Hell No.

a case of image over substance - just like the RNC.

Oh definately. I notice that there was no talk about 'the issues' and I'd be bowled over it there was.

[regala-electra.livejournal.com]

Ah, Republicans. So crazy. So scary. They're like fandom, in a way.