When baseball, music, and politics mix

That's my cup o'tea - I have a blog on each of the topics (Church of Baseball and Rox Politix). John Mellencamp's performance of the anti-Bush song "Our Country" before Game 2 of the World Series on Sunday was a pleasant surprise and a welcome change from the corporate censorship that we've seen over the past six years on television.

It's too bad the song is used for Chevy ads (and is played every commercial break!) It's a good song. Verses:

I can stand beside
Things I think are right (Remember, Mellencamp was harshly criticized by middle America for taking a stance against Bush, especially after he put out his protest song To Washington.)
And I can stand beside
The idea to stand and fight (When it is necessary. He is against the Iraq War.)
And I do believe
There’s a dream for everyone (Not just for elites. He's always believed this - just listen to his songs like Little Pink Houses.)
This is our country

There's room enough here
For science to live (Obvious slap at the religious right.)
And there's room enough here
For religion to forgive (Another slap.)
And try to understand
The other people of this world (This one's blatant, too.)
This is our country

That poverty could be
Just another ugly thing
And bigotry could be
Seen only as obscene
And the ones that run this land
Will help the poor and common man (Amen!)
This is our country

The dream will never leave
And some day it will come true
And it’s up to me and you
To do the best that we can do
And let the voice of freedom
Sing out through this land (Free at last, free at last, God Almighty, we are free at last!)
This is our country

Update: Apparently I'm not the only one who thinks this ad is something to talk about. WaPo has an article today (Oct 25) about reactions to the ad.