It’s true I came here not knowing much about today’s heavy metal scene. That is slowly changing. I am quickly finding bands and songs that I not only like but can really identify with. I identify with their lyrics, their political views, and even feel their music. I will never let go on my taste of music. I am proud to have very diverse taste. I was born in the late 60’s and was a teenage in the 80’s, so I will always love classic rock, arena rock, with a dab of country ( a really small dab), and have two girls, so have had to listen to their music as well. Most of their music I have hated, except my oldest daughter’s when she went through a major rap faze. I did love some of the rap she listened to. For the most part, I am a classic rock and arena rock girl. However, I learn groups, and Lyrics pretty quick, and take to almost all genres of music pretty quick.

        Berube came up with the great idea of doing a series where I take a song every week and break down the lyrics, and let you know what I think they mean, and in turn, you the readers let BrainGell Know what they mean to you. Over the past week, I have listened to Rio Grande Blood, basically about how the band Ministry feels about President Bush. So I figured I will Put the Lyrics first, and break it down.

And now a message from the President of the United States George W. Bush
I've adopted sophisticated terrorist tactics
And I'm a dangerous, dangerous man
With dangerous, dangerous weapons
I want to drain the coal resources in America
And foreign sources of crude oil.
I'm a weapon of mass destruction
And I'm a brutal dictator
And I'm evil

[Verse 1]
I've got something that I must confess
I make a profit off people oppressed
I take the money 'til there's nothing left
And all I gotta say is Yippie Aye Yay

[Chorus]
Rio Grande Blood

I want money
I want yer money
I want crude oil
It's the government's money
I'm an asshole

[Verse 2]
I can't remember the world such a mess
Not for the companies I like the best
Exxon and Conoco - fuck all the rest
And all I gotta say is Yippie Aye Yay

[Chorus]
Rio Grande Blood

I want money
I want yer money
I want crude oil
It's the government's money

Breakdown
We went to war because of our dependence on foreign oil Halliburton
We went to war because of money
Halliburton
We will settle for nothing less than victory, victory
Halliburton
We will settle for nothing less than crude oil -crude oil

[Verse 3]
Squeezing the middle class whom I detest
Taxing the poor so the rich can invest
I know I'm an asshole, but aren't you impressed
And all I gotta say is Yippie Aye Yay

[Chorus]
Rio Grande Blood

Rio Grande Blood
Rio Grande Blood
I want crude oil
Rio Grande Blood
I want money
Rio Grande BloodSince the 9/11/2001, it has always been my impression that President Bush did not want to go after the real terrorist that had gone and killed thousands of American citizens that day, he said he wanted Osama Bin Laden, but he did not. He wanted to find an excuse to go after Iraq, and Saddam Hassam. He had something to finish for his daddy, the former President Bush Sr. and 9/11/2001, was his way. They told us they found weapons of mass destruction, it was not until we were well into the war that we found out, and that they admitted they said they found none. Something Ministry points out clearly in their lyrics. I believe and I think Ministry believes that whether 9/11 happened or not Bush would have found a way to occupy Iraq for its oil. It is because President Bush is a greedy mother fucker. Now that we are there, who does he bring in to help clean up and rebuild? In the song they talk about Halliburton, he brings in Halliburton, his Vice Presidents old company, where he is still a major share holder. Vice President Cheney still held 433,333 stock options as of two years ago valued about $12,000,000. President Bush has always been about helping his buddies, make more money, and making sure the rich stay rich and get richer, the poor get poorer, and the middle class just stay stuck.

I am not sure if I can say President Bush is evil like the Ministry lyrics say. But I do know this. He is and always has been one greedy fucker. He has gotten us into a war that we can not get out of, took us out of some sort of surplus and dug us into a deficit that we may never get out of for decades to come. He has had a good part of his staff take the fall for him and most of his cronies, while he, Vice President Cheney, Condoleezza Rice, and a few others seem to be all that remain. As Ministry says in their lyrics, Bush has blood all over his hands, and rightfully so. The question right now is does he care? He did not seem to care about the poor who suffered during Katrina, but was very quick to respond to those that where affected by the recent wildfires here in Southern California. Many of the wildfire victims where upper middle class to wealthy white citizens, I saw it, my daughter was a victim, who got good quick care. So the band seems to be hitting it right on the head, when they write about Bush taking care of his own. Ministry is a great band because every song that I have heard has some kind of social or political message. Their music is deep and meaningful, whether you agree with them or not. I am not a Liberal left side crazed woman out to get Bush. I support the troops, I believe some polices are good some bad. I am a moderate. However, we went into a war with blindfolds on. I do not think as a nation we asked enough questions, we where grieving, and went along with it, and did not know or understand what the repercussions would be all these years later. I do not think any of us thought we would still be fighting this war. In my opinion, it feels like we are going for Vietnam round 2. Iraq is playing really dirty, how can we combat that. They have roadside bombs; we have a President who will not even improve their tanks and gear. Personally I think the lyrics of Rio Grande Blood are all about how President Bush feels the rules do not apply to him. At the end of all this President Bush will have a lot of blood on his hands, especially if our next president can not get us out in a timely manner? So throw your two cents in, give your opinion. CB