It's Hard Work

Story Behind The Song

During the second debate between President Bush and Senator John Kerry, it seemed like all Bush could say in response to questions about his Iraq policy were "It's Hard Work." He sounded as stupid as ever, but his childish repetition seemed almost autistic, and it touched a nerve in me. After I wrote most of the song, I decided to have a Bush imitator sing it, and I wanted to use the actual recording of Bush's speech during the debate as well. I downloaded the text and audio from the internet and created the mash-up of all eleven of Bush's repetitions of the phrase "it's hard work" that opens the song. When the Bush imitator proved unable to sing, we just had him riff in response to my lyric. I think it worked out pretty well!

Song Description

It's a subtle and wicked indictment of President Bush's incompetence, divisiveness and criminal behavior achieved with silliness and grace. Four minutes of fun in service of a good cause!

Song Length 3:56 Genre Unique - Unclassified, Folk - Contemporary
Tempo Medium Slow (91 - 110) Lead Vocal Male Vocal
Mood Composed, Outraged Subject Politics, Protest
Similar Artists Weird Al Yankovic, Neil Young Language English
Era 2000 and later

Lyrics

IT?S HARD WORK being the President (verse1)
Especially when you are the President?s son
IT?S HARD WORK sounding that unintelligent
Getting elected by a margin of one
IT?S HARD WORK, IT?S HARD WORK

It was hard work handing out tax cuts (verse2)
To all his millionaire oil-patch country-club chums
They mailed their donations to his coronation
He figgered he?d better give ?em back some
IT?S HARD WORK bein? Robin-Hood-in-reverse IT?S HARD WORK

IT?S HARD WORK cuttin? the budget (verse3)
For the levies on Lake Pontratrain
Even harder bein? in New Orleans
And drowning in a hurricane

He is the emperor who?s got no clothes (bridge)
Except that doofy grin lurkin? underneath his nose
His face is so simian it seems sorta sub-human
Hail to the chief: Alfred E. Neuman!
IT?S HARD WORK, IT?S HARD WORK

IT?S HARD WORK defending Ron Dumbsfeld (verse 4)
Now all the generals have called him a hack
Our troops are on their third rotation, watch him take a long vacation!
He?s the decider! He decided they can?t come back!
IT?S HARD WORK being such a hard-ass
Hey America, how do you like the price of gas?

IT?S HARD WORK spying on citizens (verse 5)
Handing out medals to both CIA directors that failed
Soon the White House leakers and congressional speakers
Are all gonna wind up in jail
Doin? hard time! Five and ten in Leavenworth,
Who dropped the dime on all their Hard Work? The New York Times?

Just like Nero fiddled while Rome burned (bridge2)
He ain?t made no mistakes, nope there?s nothing he?s learned
He thinks the Iraqi people call him their ?Liberator?, well
Good Morning Teheran! Here comes your ?Terminator??

IT?S HARD WORK
IT?S HARD WORK
IT?S HARD WORK

Lyrics Barrett Zinn Music Barrett Zinn
Producer Josh Margolis Publisher i*zinntune, llc
Performance Barrett Zinn (lead vocal) Ken Perstein (Voice of President Bush), Tomas Marsh (sound effects), Brad Siroky (Trumpets), Rich Ford (Tuba and trombone), Clarence Ferrari (Fiddle)

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