The Finch Formerly Known As Gold

20 April 2007

So I thought I'd take a chance

Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) on John McCain's "Bomb Iran" shtick:

For those who weren't born, or don't remember, the Beach Boys hit song referred to by Senator John McCain in his comments ... was "Barbara Ann." It deals with a young boy enamored by a girl named Barbara Ann and his decision to ask her to dance.

For anyone, much less highly paid national political commentators, to suggest Senator McCain's comment was anything other than a play on words with no substantive meaning is truly absurd. The criticism of his comment aired by certain media outlets shows how desperate they are to attack McCain and try to discredit one of the nation's leading experts on national defense.

I would be happy to pay for any national commentator who called this either "grave" or "troubling" to download the Beach Boys album that includes the song "Barbara Ann," to his or her iPod, because they obviously need to get a sense of humor.

So I don't get thrown out of the League of Pedants, a couple of points:

  • The Beach Boys (who recorded this on Beach Boys' Party, with a non-Beach Boy — Dean Torrence of Jan and — on lead vocals) got this song from a doo-wop single by the Regents, circa 1961. The Who also cut a version, released in 1966.

  • In the wake of the Iranian hostage crisis in 1980, Vince Vance and the Valiants rewrote the lyrics and issued a single called, yes, "Bomb Iran." Fred Fassert, a member of the Regents, who had written the original song, was duly credited as the composer. Mr Fassert, interestingly, comes from an Iranian-American family.

  • It is at least possible, I think, that John McCain has heard the Vince Vance version.

  • Vance also cut a "Bomb Iraq" song, set to Leiber/Stoller's "Yakety Yak." (Don't talk back.)

Okay, more than a couple. Consider it your birthday present.

(From Michael Bates' linkblog.)

Posted at 9:43 PM to Political Science Fiction


In '91, Limbaugh had "Bomb Iraq" ("...take Kuwait back!") to the tune of "Barbara Ann," with lyrics such as "If Hussein wants a duel, turn him into fossil fuel."

Posted by: McGehee at 2:58 PM on 21 April 2007