"2016 Obama's America"......& A VP Who Got Into the Game - The Music Game

A new film reaching a wider arc of cinemas this weekend is: 2016: Obama's America I wasn't surprised to find that it's not on the schedule at our local movie theater, but it's being shown in Wichita Falls, Texas, some 50 miles away. Having read a few reviews I've decided it'd be a waste of gas and cash better spent on a (hopefully) upcoming trip further afield.

For anyone curious about the movie I'd recommend a very fair review by a moderate Republican writer, Mike Ghouse at the Smirking Chimp website: 2016 Obama’s America - A disgustingly dishonest film. I'm no fan of the President, as anyone who reads my posts will have gathered. My own feelings do not stem from anywhere near the same place as the opinions of Dinesh D'Souza, this movie's creator, quite the opposite end of the political spectrum, in fact. This film, polished propaganda, the wide release of which was obviously timed to coincide with the Republican convention, appears to be critical of the President for reasons which I see as irrelevant. His record over the past three and a half years alone offers material enough for two movies.



SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.......

Thoughts of the likes of Joe Biden, Paul Ryan, Dick Cheney writing a beautiful melody boggles the average mind. There was a Vice President in the USA who did just that, though: Charles Gates Dawes - today is the anniversary of his birth on 27 August 1865. He died in 1951.

A banker, politician, self-taught pianist and composer, in 1911 he wrote a piece originally known as Melody in A Major. It became a kind of signature tune for him when he later became President Calvin Coolidge's VP. 40 years later lyricist Carl Sigman added words to the melody and VP Dawes' work morphed into the pop song It's All In the Game, the only number one pop single in history written by a Vice President of the United States. Tommy Edwards sang the hit version in 1958, since then many other artists have recorded it.

The melody (arr. Kreisler) performed by
Ivry Gitlis, violin; Shuku Iwasaki, piano.

The smooth-as-silk voice of Nat King Cole with the pop song version:

Charles Gates Dawes was US Vice President between 1925 and 1929, VP Dawes must have been quite a character. According to Wikipedia:

"Dawes' Vice Presidency was one of the most disastrous on record. Soon after his election he sent an insulting letter to President Coolidge informing him that he would not be attending cabinet meetings. This is believed to be the beginning of a feud between the two which brought the Vice Presidency to its nadir for the 20th century.

Having insulted the President, he then proceeded to publicly insult the entire US Senate. The inauguration of the Vice President was held in the Senate Chamber in those days, and the VP would give an inaugural address before everyone headed on to the outside platform where the President would take the oath. Dawes made a fiery, half-hour address denouncing the rules of the Senate, the seniority system and many other things that Senators held dear.

Everyone was so shocked at the speech that President Coolidge's own inaugural address was completely overshadowed, leaving him even angrier at Dawes than ever before."

For his work on The Dawes Plan, a plan to enable Germany to restore and stabilize its economy after World War I, Dawes shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1925. The plan was deemed unworkable and replaced with The Young Plan, with harsher provisions against Germany. Later in his career Dawes became US Ambassador to the United Kingdom.

A rapid rundown of his natal chart for any passing astrology buffs:
Charles Gates Dawes was born 27 August 1865 in Marietta, Ohio. astrodatabank has time of birth as 3:32 PM with a "C" rating (accept with caution)....this birth time gives Capricorn rising, and while not completely reliable is entirely appropriate for a banker and politcian.



The aggressive, critical and outspoken character he obviously was can be seen as connecting to Mars (aggression) conjunct Mercury(communication) in Virgo(critical), squared by Jupiter(excess) in its own sign of Sagittarius(outspoken). His natal Sun in critical Virgo also. Uranus sextiles his natal Sun - here may reside the rebel.

His natal Moon was in passionate Scorpio, and in harmonious trine to Venus (the arts) in Cancer which links to his musical talent.

It's All in the (Vice Presidential) Game

Listening to a BBC programme on-line I made an interesting discovery. After playing a particular recording the presenter explained that the music had been written by a former Vice President of the United States. I pricked up my ears. Thoughts of the likes of Dick Cheney writing a beautiful melody boggled my mind.

Vice President Charles Gates Dawes had penned the music in 1911, it was originally known as " Melody in A Major", and became a kind of signature tune for him when he later became President Calvin Coolidge's VP.

40 years later lyricist Carl Sigman came along, added words and VP Dawes' work became the pop song "It's All In the Game". It is the only number one pop single in history written by a Vice President of the United States. Tommy Edwards sang the hit version in 1958, since then many other artists have recorded it.

You can be reminded of the song at YouTube HERE




VP Dawes must have been quite a character. He was Vice President between 1925 and 1929. According to Wikipedia:

"Dawes' Vice Presidency was one of the most disastrous on record. Soon after his election he sent an insulting letter to President Coolidge informing him that he would not be attending cabinet meetings. This is believed to be the beginning of a feud between the two which brought the Vice Presidency to its nadir for the 20th century.

Having insulted the President, he then proceeded to publicly insult the entire US Senate. The inauguration of the Vice President was held in the Senate Chamber in those days, and the VP would give an inaugural address before everyone headed on to the outside platform where the President would take the oath. Dawes made a fiery, half-hour address denouncing the rules of the Senate, the seniority system and many other things that Senators held dear.

Eveyone was so shocked at the speech that President Coolidge's own inaugural address was completely overshadowed, leaving him even angrier at Dawes than ever before."

Charles Gates Dawes was born 27 August 1865 in Marietta, Ohio. The chart above is calculated for 12 noon in absence of birth time. Sun at 4 Virgo, Mercury 22 Virgo, Mars 28 Virgo. Jupiter in Sagittarius is square his natal Mercury. We can see here the aggressive, critical and outspoken character he obviously was! Mars (aggression) conjunct Mercury(communication) in Virgo(critical), squared by Jupiter(excess) in its own sign of Sagittarius(outspoken), with Sun in critical Virgo also, and natal Moon in passionate Scorpio, though the degree is uncertain without birth time. Venus and Uranus in gentle, sensitive Cancer may indicate his musical abilities. Uranus sextiles his natal Sun - here may reside the rebel.

This tale makes some current dramas seem pretty mild. I reckon the United States could use someone like the obtuse and outspoken VP Dawes right now.