Do you think we can change?, Oct 15 2003

I only caught part of the original airing of "Tribute to Heroes" on TV.

Watching the whole thing for the first time on DVD was a moving experience, except when Enrique Iglesias showed up - I couldn't help but wonder whether he was wearing false eyelashes and whether they would fall off.

I was saddened to see the Dixie Chicks on this DVD, not that they didn't belong here. What made me sad was the memory of how strongly all Americans were united together at the time of the making of this Tribute. Not since December 7, 1941 had Americans felt so strongly about their country.

Tragically, this unity of spirit and purpose has proved to be all too brief, as just a year and a half later, the Bush administration used the faith and trust of the American people to plunge American troops into Iraq, against the wishes of the world, against any evidence that Iraq had a direct connection to 9-11, and having fooled everyone, including themselves, into thinking that the going would be quick, easy, and cheap.

As a result of their vocal oppositon to the Iraq war, the Dixie Chicks fell from grace, but have since rebounded again. Which is what makes me sad, to see them on this DVD, and to remember this moment in time when ALL Americans were united in a common purpose.

Finally, I just wanted to say that the part of the Tribute that I caught on TV was Fred Durst (from Limp Bizkit) and John Rzeznik (from Goo Goo Dolls) singing their version of "Wish You Were Here". This piece was my favorite from the DVD. If you are a Pink Floyd fan, you will know that the lyrics and musical arrangement (with strings and voice reverb) are significantly different, but still very recognizably Pink Floyd. The new lyrics are really, really beautiful and appropriate, not only for this Tribute to Heroes, but for what has happened since. As the words are a bit hard to find (compared to the original version), here they are:

So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from Hell,
Blue skies from pain.
Can you tell a green field
From a cold, steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?

So, do you think we can change,
Everybody that hates,
Before it's too late.
So proud to be free,
But who can we blame?
Don't be ashamed,
Do you think we can change?

How I wish,
How I wish you were here,
We're a world of lost souls swimming in a fish bowl
Year after year.
Running over the same old ground,
What have we found?
The same old fears,
Wish you were here.

We don't need,
Need any more pain.
We just need to remain on the very same page,
So much to gain.
No more losing a friend,
We're losing ourselves.
We just need your help,
So glad you're here.

So glad you're here.

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Outstanding and moving DVD, but let's not confuse the issue., Oct 2 2003

I do have to comment on a previous reviewers observation about the supposed irony of performers on this tribute who later took anti-war stances. We're talking apples and oranges here. This tribute is about performers showing their respect and heartfelt feelings towards the victims and heroes of September 11; it's not about politics. It is entirely reasonable and not at all ironic that a performer would wish to devote their time and emotion to a tribute of this nature out of respect for the victims, yet later be critical of the decision to invade Iraq. I would be more concerned about people who CAN'T separate the two issues.

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