David Crosby Considered This Pink “Protest Song” From 2006 To Be One of His Favorites

In 2008, David Crosby, then 67, shared some of his favorite songs from childhood, including songs by The Everly Brothers and Josh White, and others found during his days with The Byrds to songs with Crosby, Stills, & Nash and former CSN bandmate Graham Nash (“Cold Rain”) and more contemporary bands like Death Cab For Cutie (“I Will Follow You Into the Dark”). Another surprising favorite was one politically slanted song by P!nk.

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Co-written by Pink and Billy Mann, “Dear Mr. President” was featured on her 2006 album I’m Not Dead and featured the Indigo Girls. Released during the George W. Bush administration, and before the election of Barack Obama in 2008, Pink released her open letter song to the current administration at the time, criticizing its opposition to LGBT rights, same-sex marriage, the Iraq War, and other policies.

“Well, what inspired it?” said Pink. “I live in America. I love being an American. I love the fact that I can write songs like this. I have the right to speak my opinion. And be heard. And I feel like more people need to do that. And I have a laundry list of questions for the leaders of this country.”

Dear Mr. President
Come take a walk with me
Let’s pretend we’re just two people and
You’re not better than me
I’d like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestly

What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street?
Who do you pray for at night before you go to sleep?
What do you feel when you look in the mirror?
Are you proud?

[RELATED: The Tragedy That Inspired David Crosby’s 1971 Solo Debut ‘If I Could Only Remember My Name”]

In the same vein as Crosby’s politically charged “What Are Their Names” or “Someone Other Than You,” he felt Pink captured the uncertainty and disillusionment of the time in her song.

“If you listen to the radio now, you won’t hear any protest music,” said Crosby. “You used to be able to get some songs like ‘Ohio’ or ‘For What It’s Worth,’ but you won’t hear anything like that now. This song of Pink’s is a strong anti-war statement, a strong anti-George Bush statement.”

Crosby added, “If you go to Neil Young’s website, there’s something like 2,500 protest songs on there, all written by fans, by the public. People are still writing them, but they’re mostly being excluded from the mainstream. This song by Pink is a rare thing: a mainstream pop song that’s also a protest song.”

Photo: Jimi Celeste/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images