Today, for no particular reason beyond the title of this week’s featured song, I would like to share with you four awesome letters, spanning four separate generations, sent to American presidents from kids. Enjoy.
From 2008:
Dear President Obama
Please take care of the homeless people and give them food. Free the lions from the zoo and send them to the moon. Stop the war.
-Juliet
From 1985:
Dear Mr. President [Reagan],
I have seen “The Sound of Music.” The Nazis don’t look like very nice people. Please don’t go to their cemetary.
-Chelsea Clinton
From 1958:
My girlfriend’s and I are writting all the way from Montana. We think its bad enough to send Elvis Presley in the Army, but if you cut his sideburns off we will just die! You don’t no how we fell about him. I really don’t see why you have to send him in the Army at all, but we beg you please please don’t give him a G.I. hair cut, oh please please don’t! If you do we will just about die!
-Linda Kelly
And my favourite, from 1940:
Mr Franklin Roosvelt, President of the United States.
My good friend Roosvelt I don’t know very English, but I know as much as write to you. I like to hear the radio, and I am very happy, because I heard in it, that you will be President for a new period. I am twelve years old. I am a boy but I think very much but I do not think that I am writing to the President of the United States. If you like, give me a ten dollars bill green american, in the letter, because never, I have not seen a ten dollars bill green american and I would like to have one of them.
My address is:
Sr Fidel Castro
Colegio de Dolores
Santiago de Cuba
Oriente Cuba
What makes this a beautiful song:
1. The way the sound of pencil scribblings becomes part of the percussive landscape.
2. The way the soft synths contrast the harshness of the pencils.
3. The way you can’t help wondering what Horikawa was writing when he recorded those samples. In a weird way, this might be the only instrumental track in the world that has lyrics.
Recommended listening activity:
Sharpening a pencil at both ends.
This song was suggested by a reader. Thanks, Davis!