There are elections in America.
President.
There is always a presidential election in America.
As soon as one worthy US president takes office, he immediately begins a new campaign.
And it continues for four long years, and the rest of the most worthy candidates (who have not yet become presidents) have been closely following the elected comrade for all four years, noting his shortcomings and flaws, boldly pointing out them and loudly offering themselves.
And so - all four years.
Or rather, always.
Elections in America are a huge PR project, a giant touring show.
And tickets for it are always sold in advance and for future use, even if no one buys them.
This is not show business for you.
It...
By the way!
About show business.
And as soon as it turns out that the stars of rock and jazz, blues and country, without any elections there, hold leading positions in the charts and the hearts of fans, and the presidents are forgotten, go into the shadows?
Not that at all, you can't say that.
But also not so that they become icons of the time.
Like, say, Elvis Presley.
Or Johnny Cash.
In the 20th century, especially starting with President Roosevelt (a whole train of celebrities from the stage and Hollywood came to him), inviting artists to inaugural celebrations became a common thing, or rather, a must.
Remember how they pecked Trump for the fact that not a single more or less significant star would sing at his inauguration holiday.
Trump got out (an entrepreneur after all).
And even provided an incredible rise in the career of the dearest Jackie Ivanko - she was 16, and she sang the US anthem.
But there were few significant figures.
And what can I say - there are almost no kings left.
Trump is a Republican, isn't he?
This I know for sure.
Let's remember a couple more Republican presidents.
And let's look at their relationship with the "leaders of rock and folk".
What is all this for?
I want to show how those who since ancient times have been called play-actors have influenced and influence politics and humanity in politics more than the presidents of the entire United States themselves.
Life is full of irony, paradox and deceit.
Richard Nixon.
37th President.
The only one who left office before the end of the term: Watergate.
Bad luck.
In December 70, Elvis Presley decides to visit the President of the United States.
Elvis has something to say to him.
Elvis has a civic position.
The king of rock 'n' roll wants to defeat all drug dealers in the world, and for this he vitally needs the status and gold-plated badge of the FBI special agent on drugs and dangerous drugs.
In the collection of Elvis - by the way, a big fan of the police - there are personalized weapons, and insignia of an honorary sheriff (rumored to be about 28 states), and a photo for memory with entire police units from different American cities.
And certificates (there are plenty of them) - Elvis actively and real money helps the police.
Like this.
Although he could ... and not help.
After all, such people are given commemorative signs for free.
Elvis arrives incognito in Washington, goes to the White House and, introducing himself to the guards, hands over a letter "for Mr. President" and asks for an audience.
This is unheard of.
Is not it?
Nixon is informed of Presley's request, and after a short meeting (Presidential Aide Egil Crowe is a big fan of Elvis) a meeting is scheduled, Mr. Presley is invited to attend an audience.
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Elvis arrives with a present, a .45 Colt from his personal collection.
General minor confusion, drinks, rather lengthy conversation.
Nixon is fascinated - Elvis wants to help the government, wants to be useful to his country, and he also served in the army (God knows what to do with all this, but the guy is useful and madly famous).
Elvis is excited - Nixon listens to him, nods, agrees, and even in many of his views they are quite the same (but I think Elvis's excitement is not from meeting the president).
Elvis claims the Beatles are rocking anti-American sentiment.
Nixon argues that drugs are evil and "together we will win."
Elvis receives a special agent badge.
Nixon gets an autograph for his daughter.
You can see how everything really happened in incredibly sad, ironic, funny and touching details in the film-parable of Lisa Johnson "Elvis and Nixon".
Kevin Spacey, playing the 37th president, was able to convey with incredible accuracy the feeling of the abyss separating the "mister ) to the owner of the Oval Office: "It's not that simple at all."
And Michael Shannon as Elvis.
In the networks they wrote: "Was Elvis really SUCH ?!"
Elvis was and is - SUCH.
And he died, ruining himself with drugs, barbiturates, and other rubbish.
Having torn myself up with the incredible rhythm of life.
It would seem that we should make fun of the King.
What a redneck!
He can't keep an eye on himself, but climbed into the White House - for the badge!
But he is sinful!
Sinful in everything!
And what?
Is this sinful Presley forgotten?
All that was left of him was a medical posthumous report with disappointing diagnoses?
Come on, really ... Had Elvis happened to run for president tomorrow, the election would have happened by itself.
After all, fans have long defined for themselves a "general vector of movement": "America had many presidents and only one King!"
And Nixon?
This influential gentleman, twice vice president in the Eisenhower administration, one and a half times the president of the United States (damn Watergate), what is he?
Does he (like Elvis) have enough influence to be re-elected, would there be such a chance?
Will hundreds of millions (there is no error in the figure) of fans follow him (as well as Elvis)?
Stop it.
No one will go anywhere for Richard Nixon.
And it's not that sic transit gloria mundi.
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The point is in the light - you either emit light or absorb the blessings of the earth, not caring at all about the consequences.
In June 72nd, Nixon meets Johnny Cash.
Cash is a country icon.
A fighter for the rights of prisoners.
A fierce opponent of the US penitentiary system with all its perversions, torture, violence against minors and the most brutal "anti-education" of prisoners.
Cash travels around America and regularly gives free concerts in prisons.
His albums At Folsom Prison (68th) and Johnny Cash At San Quentin (69th) were recorded at prison concerts, and they are wildly popular.
Cash is considered their own by both farmers and those sentenced to life imprisonment.
Nixon listens.
Very carefully.
After all, he is the president, delving into everything.
Nixon redirects Cash to the US Senate Subcommittee on Penal Reform (as he previously redirected Elvis to the FBI - directly to Edgar Hoover).
Cash demands fairness for everyone.
He talks about the need for re-education, but not an endless increase in punishment.
He talks about the horrors of life in the prisons of his native Arkansas.
His pressure cannot be stopped (and Nixon is already bogged down in Watergate).
It is then, in 72nd, Senator Quentin Burdick, after listening to the testimony of the singer, will say: "I think we need more Johnny Cash."
And what about Cash?
Trapped in police stations for drunken antics, an alcoholic and a drug addict who fought with himself for a good 10 years.
A redneck like Elvis.
The same "white rabble", hated and despised by the northerners.
Is he forgotten?
This is ridiculous...
If he happened to perform right now, he would crash all the charts, and few people would watch the broadcast of the inauguration (if it goes with Cash's concert at the same time).
People love light.
They want those who receive their attention to radiate light.
Not darkness.
Almost 50 years have passed.
The world is fighting drugs.
With crime.
With the cruelty and unwillingness of those in power to hear those who are at the very bottom, who, in fact, choose them.
Elvis is gone for a long time.
There is no Cash either.
And everything they talked about worries and hurts us.
And yes - we listen to their records.
And yes - the degree of passions changes, turns sour, disappears, as it were.
Everyone understands everything.
Everyone is tired of everything.
Achievements are expected from presidents.
But presidents are busy with elections, and elections in America never end.
Did I promise you a story about the first two Republicans?
Excuse me.
Ronald Reagan.
40th President of the United States - 81st to 89th year.
No no.
Nothing about which of the gods of fate he met.
And just a few words about the music video of Phil Collins and Genesis for their song Land of Confusion (86th).
Why Phil Collins?
Simply because, without meeting with anyone (including the presidents), he ridiculed everyone en masse, putting an end to conversations about "the need to convey your opinion personally."
Even then, in 1986, everything was crumbling, what can we say about today.
So, the clip.
Significant, by the way.
Grabbed a Grammy.
Such an unimaginably pleasant nostalgia that completely blows your mind.
Old man Roni dressed as Superman and a cowboy, hugging a teddy bear, nuclear confrontation, nightmares with dinosaurs and John Paul II playing the electric guitar.
Gorbachev, Jackson, Honecker, Turner.
Hell.
Turned into a farce of everyday life.
What we tried to present as a "simple and easy game of childhood."
But the rules of the booth are unchanged.
American presidents come and go.
Iconic people stay forever.
And the point is not whether the gods of fate are personally good - who can decide this?
And the matter, as already mentioned, is in the light that they emit.
Even moving away from us.
Even leaving for unknown worlds.
And what the legitimately elected presidents of America are radiating there, apparently, is known only to the universal mind.
Keep up with good music.
Elections in America will take place on their own.
And this is from the Genesis video:
There's too many men
Too many people
Making too many problems
And not much love to go round
Can't you see
This is a land of confusion.
The author's point of view may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.