Poortraits of Presidents

Commissioned by Christopher Eanes and premiered by the USC Apollo Choir in 2008.

1. Bubba

“is”:
verb:
third-person singular present indicative of “be.”
“is”: idiom: “as is”

“is”…it depends
it depends on what the meaning of the word “is” is

it depends on how you define “alone”
“alone”
there were a lot of times when we were alone
but I never really thought we were
are…
is…

“is”…it depends
it depends on what the meaning of the word “is” is
“is”…it depends
it depends on what the meaning of the word “is” is

if the
if he
If “is” means “is, and never has been,” that is not
that is one thing
if it means there is none,
that was a completely true statement

now, if someone had asked me on that day,
“are you having any kind of sexual relations with that woman?”
that is,
asked me a question in the present tense,
I would have said, “no”
and it would have been completely true

“is”…
(baby, ooh)
it depends
it depends on what the meaning of the word “is” is
“is”…it depends (it depends)
it depends on what the meaning of the word “is” is
“is”…it depends (it depends)
it depends on what the meaning
(depends on what the meaning)
it depends on what the meaning of the word “is”
is

2. Dubya

this is what he said
this is what George Walker Bush said:
Bring ‘em on!
Bring ‘em on!
Bring ‘em on! Bring ‘em on! Bring ‘em on!
Bring ‘em on!
Bring ‘em on!
Bring ‘em on! Bring ‘em on! Bring ‘em on!

our enemies are innovative and resourceful
and so are we
they never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people
and neither do we

Bring ‘em on!
Bring ‘em on!
Bring ‘em on! Bring ‘em on! Bring ‘em on!
Bring ‘em on!
Bring ‘em on!
Grab a gun! Have some fun! Bring ‘em on!

if this were a dictatorship
it’d be a heck of a lot easier
just so long (so long)
as I’m the dictator
(and the decider)

Bring ‘em on!
Bring ‘em on!
Bring ‘em on! Bring ‘em on! Bring ‘em on!
Bring ‘em on!
Bring ‘em on!
Get the urge! Feel the surge! Bring ‘em on!

people say,
“how can I help on this war against terror?”
“how can I fight evil?”
you can do so by mentoring a child
by going to a shut-in’s house
and say (and say),
“I love you”

Bring ‘em on!
Bring ‘em on!
Help some kids, invalids…bring ‘em on!
Bring ‘em on!
Bring ‘em on!
Sing a song! Bang a gong! Bring ‘em on!

Bring ‘em on!
Bring ‘em on!
Here or there! Grow a pair! Bring ‘em on!

Bring ‘em on!
Bring ‘em on!
Bring ‘em on! Bring ‘em on! Bring ‘em on!
BRING ‘EM ON!!

3. ‘Bama

Hope! (Hope! Hope!)
Hope! (Hope! Hope!)
Hope! (Hope! Hope!)
…and CHANGE!!

could I ask you for some change?
any change will do
all I ask of you
is some change

change
I really hope you have some change
I’ve asked everyone
but I won’t be done
’til I get change

change doesn’t come from Washington
oh, no, change
change comes to Washington

to and from
guitar strum
jazzy drum
time to bum some change

ch-ch-ch-change
doesn’t come from Washington
oh, no, change
change comes to Washington

to and from
guitar strum
jazzy drum
time to bum some change

change, change, change, change, change, change, change!
hear it jingling
and I’m tingling
for your change
change!

change…
now’s the time for change
do a fancy Irish jig
put some lipstick on a pig
but gimme change
gimme change!
gimme some friggin’ change!!