Indigo Girls White House Blues
Subject: Cover: White House Blues.
"White House Blues" is a song by Atlanta singer/songwriter Caroline
Aiken. The girls have been doing it now and then since 1987. When
they first started doing the song, they did it as Caroline wrote it,
but, after a while, they re-wrote the third verse to make it more
topical. I've heard it at least twice in the past two years, but I
don't remember whether they used Caroline's third verse, or the one
they reworked in 1988, or if they wrote a whole new third verse, as
the 1988 one is kinda dated. Anyway...
White House Blues.
I wrote a letter to my senator
It came back "The Address Unknown"
Put a call in to the President
He wouldn't come to the phone
Now, how in the hell can a person
Feel safe and secure at home
When all the decisions are being made
By big boys getting stoned?
-Chorus-
Now, I've been listening and watching
It seems like something's going to give, yeah
I can't seem to find a groove
Something's gone wrong around here.
I took a train to the White House
Wrote this song on the way
Knocked at the Oval Office
I was sure what I had to say
They looked at me kinda funny
Asked me what group I was with
I said I've come on my own
To represent the group that don't take no shit
-Chorus-
(Caroline's 3rd verse)
Hey, Ronnie's taking time
We know that things ain't fine
Been sweating in your seat
*From the weapons scandal heat
You know that I love my country
But how can we get ahead?
Take your thumb out of my pie
Stick it somewhere else instead
(The girls' 3rd verse, c.1988)
Now, Jimmy Swaggart is taking time
We know that things ain't fine
Been sweating in your seat
*From the sex scandal heat
Think of that woman down in New Orleans
And what was in your head
Did you think you could save her soul
By getting into her bed?
-chorus x2-
