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Editorial notebook
© St. Petersburg Times, published January 17, 2003
Members of the Hernando County Commission were surprised this week to learn that former President Lyndon Johnson was not the composer of the famous civil rights anthem We Shall Overcome. For many years, the commission read an annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day proclamation that gave LBJ credit for writing the song, which actually was composed by Charles Albert Tindley, a Methodist minister, more than 100 years ago.
"It really shows we need to be more diligent," said Commission Chairwoman Betty Whitehouse after the mistake was finally caught.
Many readers -- and not just those on the Hernando County Commission -- might be surprised to learn that our modern presidents didn't write many of the other well-known songs associated with them.
For example, George W. Bush didn't write Deep in the Heart of Texas -- but he did write Big Hat, No Cattle for Randy Newman and Pretzel Logic for Steely Dan.
And his father, George H.W. Bush, didn't write Don't Cry for Me, Argentina from the Broadway smash Evita -- but he did write Carry On Wayward Son for the prog-rock dinosaurs, Kansas.
Bill Clinton didn't write the Fleetwood Mac hit Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow -- but he did write Oops! . . . I Did It Again for Britney Spears, Baby Got Back for Sir Mix-A-Lot and If the White House Is Rockin', Don't Bother Knockin' for the Vaughan brothers.
Richard Nixon didn't write Hail to the Chief -- but he did write It's Tricky for Run-DMC and Don't Go Break-in My Heart for Elton John and Kiki Dee.
Some of the nation's earlier leaders were even more prolific tunesmiths. Teddy Roosevelt, of course, is best remembered as the composer of Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs' bestseller Wooly Bully. But long before him, George Washington was collecting royalties for Don't Chop Down the Cherry Tree With Anyone Else But Me.
The multitalented Thomas Jefferson wrote the inspirational Movin' On Up, which later became the theme song for the popular sitcom starring his illegitimate great-great-great-great-grandson, George.
And don't forget James Madison, who wrote the Madison Blues. Or James Monroe, the father of bluegrass.
This historic link between presidential politics and popular music has provided Americans with a shared soundtrack, yet no one has fully explained why powerful people write such powerful music. As Harry "Scatman" Truman put it so long ago: It's Just One of Those Things.
-- Robert Friedman is deputy editor of editorials for the Times.