A little bit of politics

We're sure Sum 41's sudden interest in writing a political song is nothing to do with wanting to get some of that sweet, sweet Green Day mature applause. Indeed, they seem worried they might have alienated their core audience by writing a song about, you know, stuff on the news and that. Deryck Whibley (Mrs. Lavigne) is quick to reassure:

hey everyone. we've released a new song off of the album on itunes and other digital stores today. it's called "March of the dogs". lyrically it's one of the more political songs that are on the album, following in the style of our songs "still waiting" and we"re all to blame". i wanted to let you all know that this will NOT be a political record. this is just one of our favorite songs on the album so we wanted to give you it to you early since the record won't be out until the summer. this is not the first single. the first single will still be Underclass Hero which will be coming out in may.
go check it out.
enjoy!!

Actually, as it turns out, the song is hardly Newsnight:

Ladies and gentlemen of the underclass: The President of the United States of America is DEAD!

I don't believe in the politics
A dozen fools and hypocrites
To walk a line that's stretched so fine
Is death or glory had in mind
Here we go, again there's mixed illusion
No one knows to sink revolution
Attention grows, the way the world's conclusion

It's too late, there's no time
(It's too late, there's no time)
Offer none never 1,2, 3 ,4

March of the dogs
to a beat of disillusion
Sworn under God bringing panic and confusion
The white flag is down
Sent to the crowds
The carnival of sins is now meant to begin

It may be of a pessimist
but I say we need an exorcist
The root of all evil standing tall
under God and above the sun

Here we ago, again in desperation
All we know is tension and frustration
Attention blooms no vision of salvation

It's too late, there's no time
(It's too late, there's no time)
Offer none never 1,2, 3 ,4

March of the dogs
to a beat of disillusion
Sworn under God bringing panic and confusion
The white flag is down
Sent to the crowds
The carnival of sins is now meant to begin

1, 2, 3, 4!

Another president dead
because They blew off his head
No more sense to be read
Guess to heaven he fled
Was it something he said
'cause of who's in his bed
By who will we be lead
From who's hand will we be fed
all the lies by the lying liars
Who said, we'll be fine, it's okay
hey look mom, no head!

1,2,3,4

(bow, bow, bow, bow, bow)

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA It's okay, Alright.

Interestingly, this subtle political stance has so far generated precisely nothing in terms of response on the band's MySpace page beyond "wooos" and "you guys are awesome" - nobody has even suggested there's something self-defeating about their argument that they don't believe in poltics and yet their response to the fictional assassination of an unnamed president is to ask "well, who will lead us now" rather than to suggest this would be the opportune moment to effect a change to the structure of the American democracy to relocate the people at the centre of the process.

Nobody's even pointed out that Bush "fleeing to heaven" would just mean we'd be having President Cheney sworn in.