Debunking the "50 greatest conservative songs", part 14 - Saving the Beatles from the evil conservative clutches

2. “Taxman,” by The Beatles.

NRO take: A George Harrison masterpiece with a famous guitar riff (which was actually played by Paul McCartney): “If you drive a car, I’ll tax the street / If you try to sit, I’ll tax your seat / If you get too cold, I’ll tax the heat / If you take a walk, I’ll tax your feet.” The song closes with a humorous jab at death taxes: “Now my advice for those who die / Declare the pennies on your eyes.”

DL take: Some points to make:

1. George Harrison stated in an interview that his inspiration for the song came "…when I first realised that even though we had started earning money, we were actually giving most of it away in taxes..." How interesting that Miller would put a song on his list where the subject took no personal responsibility for knowing anything about his finances, yet at #48 he gleefully refers to a song about a woman that mooches off guys. Sorta hypocritical, ehh?
2. Taxman refers to Harold Wilson and Edward Heath, both of which were prime ministers of the U.K. Wilson was a member of the Labour party; Heath of the Conservative party. Harrison’s slam was of the system itself, and not of one party.
3. Liberals don’t love taxes…we just love taxing rich conservatives (kidding!).
4. At the time Taxman was written, the highest tax bracket in the U.K. was 95%; by any sensibility that is offensive.
5. If the conservatives feel the need to call this their song, I would take Destiny’s Child’s Bills Bills Bills as the liberal rebuttal. Because at the end of the day, we know how to balance our budgets and pay our bills, while they have no problem with deficit spending since they don’t believe the bill will ever come due.

7. “Revolution,” by The Beatles.

NRO take: “You say you want a revolution / Well you know / We all want to change the world . . . Don’t you know you can count me out?” What’s more, Communism isn’t even cool: “If you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao / You ain’t going to make it with anyone anyhow.” (Someone tell the Che Guevara crowd.)

DL take: Well leave it to the conservatives to oppose revolution of any sort. It took a revolution to get African Americans equal rights. It took a revolution to give women the right to vote. It took a revolution to end barbaric labor practices and allow workers to make a safe and respectable living. It took a revolution to free the slaves. And yes, it took a revolution to establish the 13 colonies as its own independent nation (which was undoubtedly created so Tom Tancredo’s ancestors to immigrate here so he could then try and lock the doors behind them).

So yes, if this is considered an anti-revolution song, then go ahead and take it conservatives. This country’s done plenty well with its revolutions so far.

As far as Che Guevara, making a 40 year old reference doesn't exactly rock...but if it wasn’t for him The Ruttles would never have played at Che Stadium.