(21) Chess

[Robson]

"Now, let's all guess who that may be"

Did you know?

I think so. If you read it as a political song, anyway, which I think it is.
Then it all points in one direction.
All the "boys" play cards, but one "strong man" plays chess, the game of emperors, which is all about winning. He sits in a palace by the sea, in a golden chair, he is rich and smart, and he is moving his pawns and knights across the global chessboard, sacrificing a few on the way because he wants to win, even if that means setting the world on fire.
There are not many that fit the description...

Of course! All clear.

But musically this song is confusing to understand in this way. It doesn't help like Don't Crash The Ambulance, for example.

[stratmad]

Yes, that's true!
"Ambulance" was a bit easier to understand because it was openly satirical, and it wasn't about a real person, just a type of person.
But "Chess" is much more serious, I think. And may be the contrast with the music makes it even more intense.

[Robson]

Yes, that's true!
"Ambulance" was a bit easier to understand because it was openly satirical, and it wasn't about a real person, just a type of person.
But "Chess" is much more serious, I think.

This is also debatable issue There are different opinions on the subject (father and son)   

[stratmad]

Yes, that's true!
"Ambulance" was a bit easier to understand because it was openly satirical, and it wasn't about a real person, just a type of person.
But "Chess" is much more serious, I think.

This is a debatable issue There are different opinions on the subject (father and son)   

Haha! Of course there were some bits about the son, but it was all so wild and exaggerated that it was clearly meant as a joke, just like the whole film. I really love both the film and the song!

[Robson]

I don't know if we're thinking the same thing

[stratmad]

Do you mean the George W. Bush reference? MK answered the question in an interview at the time, saying it was more about the idea of a handover of power at the White House, not specifically about the Bushes. But of course that was on everyone's mind at the time because they were father and son.

[dustyvalentino]

Yeah, the handover thing doesn’t work due to Clinton’s two terms.

[stratmad]

That's right. And Junior wasn't even president at the time, that was in 1998. But I think that it was clear that he'd be running for president, after the mid-terms, which triggered a lot of jokes all over the world.
The amazing thing is really that the film somehow turned into a satire on the Clinton administration, with all that Lewinsky stuff coming to the surface just when the film came out. Hilarious!

[koobaa]

Do you mean Wag The Dog movie (and song)? Or was there a movie related to the Ambulance situation? 

[Robson]

Do you mean the George W. Bush reference? MK answered the question in an interview at the time, saying it was more about the idea of a handover of power at the White House, not specifically about the Bushes. But of course that was on everyone's mind at the time because they were father and son.

Yes, we were thinking the same thing:)

[Robson]

Exactly, which movie you have in mind ?

[stratmad]

Wag

Exactly, which movie you have in mind ?

Wag the Dog, of course.
Omg, it just dawning on me that this is all huge nonsense! "Don't crash the ambulance" wasn't on "WTD" 
Sorry, sorry, sorry, very sorry! 

[Jules]

Yeah, the handover thing doesn’t work due to Clinton’s two terms.

Maybe Junior was already the candidate for their party, and the possibility of that handover made MK guess how it would be if that would had happened (which it did)?

For me it was always clear the song talked about that, as it clearly showed an US president handing the power to his son, called like him (junior...) and the way things explained clearly showed Junior was not very clever...

[stratmad]

I don't know when the song was actually written, but it was recorded in 2004, so it had already happened.
And of course the idea of the Bushes is there everywhere between the lines, but it's not literally about Bush Junior.

[dustyvalentino]

No, it really doesn't work.

Clinton beat Bush Sr in 1992. Then the Republican candidate in 1996 was Bob Dole. Then Bush Jr was elected (just) in 2000. And the song came out in 2004, just before yet another presidential election.

So unless MK is living in the metaverse there is no way that Bush Sr would be handing over to Bush Jr.