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iPod One > Inside George Bush's iPod

Words by Heather Caspi
July 2005

George W. Bush’s iPod became the highest profile music player in the world after an aide revealed the president’s play list to the media.

The MP3 player was quickly dubbed “iPod One,” and although it remains to be seen what Bush will do for the image of the iPod, the iPod appears to be having a positive impact on the image of the President.

It was previously reported in 2004 that Bush, as well as Vice President Dick Cheney, are iPod users, and that during the 2004 presidential campaign, both Bush and opponent John Kerry used Apple PowerBooks.

With the release of the president’s play list, however, came a flurry of articles from around the world seeking to analyze the president’s musical taste, and finding it a little edgier than expected with some not-so-conservative lyrics and politically opposed artists.

Others were quick to note that the details of Bush’s iPod habits appear to reveal not sophistication, but a lack of it. According to the New York Times, which first reported the story, Bush does not download songs himself and only has 250 songs stored, a fraction of the iPod’s 10,000 song capacity.

Online chatters also delighted in wondering whether all of Bush’s downloads are legal.

New York Times reporter Elizabeth Bumiller reported that Bush, 58, uses the iPod during his mountain bike rides at his Texas ranch, calling it his “indispensable new exercise toy,” loaded with country and popular rock tunes.
Bush has had his iPod since July 2004, when his twin daughters Jenna and Barbara gave it to him as a birthday gift.

Bush does not download his music himself; that is taken care of by his personal aide, Blake Gottesman, who buys individual songs and albums from the iTunes music store. Bush also has an eclectic mix of songs downloaded from Mark McKinnon, his bike riding buddy and chief media strategist during the 2004 campaign, the New York Times reported.

Bush’s iPod is heavy on traditional country singers such as George Jones, Alan Jackson and Kenny Chesney. He also has selections by Van Morrison, including “Brown Eyed Girl,” and by John Fogerty, including “Centerfield.” Other songs on the play list include “Circle Back” by John Hiatt, “(You’re So Square) Baby, I Don’t Care” by Joni Mitchell and “My Sharona,” the 1979 song by the Knack.

“My Sharona” is the selection that stirred up some interest due to its suggestive lyrics.

Joe Levy, a deputy managing editor at Rolling Stone in charge of music coverage, described the lyrics to The New York Times as “suggestive if not outright filthy.”

CNN noted that one of the song’s lyrics, “Such a dirty mind. Always get it up for the touch of the younger kind,” prompted Spin Magazine editor Dave Itzkoff to comment, “This wouldn’t be consistent with Bush’s image as protector of conservative values.”

Analysts also noted that Bush’s play list includes musicians who campaigned against him, such as John Fogarty, who was part of the anti-Bush “Vote for Change” concert tour across the United States last fall.

According to the Times, McKinnon, who once wrote songs for Kris Kristofferson’s music publishing company, responded via e-mail that “if any president limited his music selection to pro-establishment musicians, it would be a pretty slim collection.”

McKinnon’s contributions to Bush’s iPod include “Castanets” by Alejandro Escovedo and “Alive ‘N’ Kickin’” by Kenny Loggins.

Levy summed up the play list for the New York Times as, “A lot of great artists from the ‘60s and ‘70s, and more modern artists who sound like great artists from the ‘60s and ‘70s.”

“This is basically boomer rock ‘n’ roll, and more recent music out of Nashville made for boomers,” he said. “It’s safe, it’s reliable, it’s loving. What I mean to say is, it’s feel good music. The Sex Pistols it’s not.”

Levy also noted that George Jones was an interesting artist to include because he is considered “the greatest living singer in country music” and is a recovering alcoholic. Bush quit drinking after his 40th birthday.

“It tells you that the president knows a thing or two about country music and is serious about his love of country music,” Levy said. He added that the songs by Alan Jackson indicate that the president “has a little bit of a taste for hard core and honky-tonk.”

Caitlin Moran of the London Times noted, however, what was missing from the list. “No black artists, no gay artists, no world music, only one woman, no genre less than 25 years old, and no Beatles,” she wrote.
McKinnon stressed to the media that the presidential play list is just a play list, nothing more. “No one should psychoanalyze the song selection,” he said. “It’s music to get over the next hill.”

According to the New York Times, Bush’s play list also included “El Paso” by The Gourds, “Swinging From the Chains of Love” by Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, “The House is Rockin’” by Stevie Ray Vaughan, “Valley Road” by James McMurtry, and “Say It Ain’t So” by The Thrills.