Harman Patil (Editor)

Dear Mr. President

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Length
  
4:33

A-side
  
"Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely)"

Released
  
December 21, 2006 (2006-12-21)

Format
  
Digital download, CD single

Recorded
  
2005 The Magic Shop, NYC and Three Sound Studios, Norcross, GA

Genre
  
Soft rock acoustic country rock

“Dear Mr. President” is a song by Pink featuring the Indigo Girls, and was recorded for Pink’s fourth album, I'm Not Dead. The song is an open letter to then President of the United States, George W. Bush. The song criticizes several areas of Bush’s administration and terms in office, including the Iraq War, No Child Left Behind Act, disapproval of equal rights for homosexuals, lack of empathy for poor and middle class citizens, Bush’s strong religious beliefs, and Bush’s drinking and drug usage in college. Pink felt that it was one of the most important songs she had ever written.

Contents

Critical response

The song received mostly positive reviews from music critics. Bill Lamb noted that Pink has rarely made songs about social problems: "the searing anti-Bush "Dear Mr. President" (...) "a folkie singalong" (...) The Indigo Girls lend their sizable instrumental and background vocal punch" and he highlighted it. Robert Christgau noted that Pink thinks "Bush did coke and teens care about the homeless." Entertainment Weekly described Dear Mr. President "with its incongruous folkie social concern and Bush-baiting applause lines." Los Angeles Times said that Pink taps her inner Ani DiFranco on the confrontational "Dear Mr. President." NY Times noted that the song is "well meaning" and "hectoring" and that it grows even more sententious. PopMatters praised the single with long overview: "Oh, and speaking of presidents, Pink’s musical letter to the Commander-in-Chief (“Dear Mr. President”) is just as topical. The Indigo Girls tag along for moral support and, with lyrics like “How can you say, ‘no child is left behind’ / we’re not dumb and we’re not blind” or “You’ve come a long way, from whiskey and cocaine”, you just know that if she’d made the song a few years earlier, it would have been featured in Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 911. You also get the impression that this is personal for Pink, that she’s not doing it to be trendy. On the lyric page for “Dear Mr. President”, there’s a picture of Pink in an oval frame. Red, white, and blue ribbons are tied to the frame and her father’s dog tags share the reddish page." Rolling Stone told that Pink writes a scathing letter in "Dear Mr. President" ("You've come a long way from whiskey and cocaine!") and critic praised "cooing righteous folk harmonies with Indigo Girls." Sal Cinquemani was mixed: ""Dear Mr. President," which cleverly uses George W. Bush's own words against him, pales next to Missundaztood's "My Vietnam."

Track listings

  • Digital Single
    1. "Dear Mr. President" – 4:33
    2. "Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely)" – 3:18
    3. "Dear Mr. President" [Live from Wembley Arena] – 4:45
    4. "Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely)" [Live] – 4:44
  • UK Collector's Set CD1
    1. "Dear Mr. President" – 4:33
    2. "Dear Mr. President" [Live from Wembley Arena] – 4:45
    3. "Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely)" [Live] – 4:44
    4. "Dear Mr. President" [Video] - 5:00
  • UK Collector's Set CD2
    1. "Dear Mr. President" – 4:33
    2. "Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely)" – 3:18
    3. "Dear Mr. President" [Live] – 4:45
    4. "Live From Wembley Trailer" [Video] – 0:59
  • Germany Collector's Set CD1
    1. "Dear Mr. President" – 4:33
    2. "Dear Mr. President" [Live from Wembley Arena] – 4:45
    3. "Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely)" – 3:18
    4. "Live From Wembley Trailer" [Video] – 0:59
  • Germany Collector's Set CD2
    1. "Dear Mr. President" – 4:33
    2. "Who Knew" [Live From Wembley Arena] – 3:29
    3. "Dear Mr. President" [Live from Wembley Arena] – 4:45
  • Australian Tour Collector's Set CD1
    1. "Dear Mr. President" – 4:33
    2. "Who Knew" [Live From Wembley Arena] – 3:30
    3. "Dear Mr. President" [Live From Wembley Arena] – 4:45
    4. "On The Road With Pink" [Video] – 10:00
  • Australian Tour Collector's Set CD2
    1. "Dear Mr. President" – 4:33
    2. "U + Ur Hand" [Live From Wembley Arena] – 4:39
    3. "Dear Mr. President" [Video] – 5:00
    4. "Live From Wembley Trailer" [Video] – 1:00

    Remixes

    1. Offer Nissim Club Mix
    2. Offer Nissim Radio Edit

    Personnel

  • Vocals: Pink and Indigo Girls
  • Backing vocals: Emily Saliers and Amy Ray
  • Mixed by: Al Clay
  • Pro Tools: Christopher Rojas
  • Guitar: Emily Saliers
  • Production coordinator: Lana Israel

    • References

    Dear Mr. President Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA