"Let's Impeach the President"
by Neil Young
Neil Young is angry about President Bush, but Young's being very polite about it by naming
his latest protest song "Let's Impeach the President" from his latest album, Living with War.
The use of "let us" or its derivative, "let's," is a way to soften the blow
of a command. It's also a way to direct that command to a more communal audience.
If he had named the song "Impeach the President," it would be a demand specifically
to the House Judiciary Commmittee to begin deliberations on whether to conduct an
impeachment inquiry, then go to the full House of Representatives for permission to
conduct such an inquiry, then vote on articles of impeachment, then forward those articles to
the full House for a vote, then send them on to the Senate for a trial. He wouldn't even be
asking for a conviction by the Senate — merely that charges be brought against Bush. Plus,
it would sound like a crankier, more feedback-filled version of Schoolhouse Rock's "I'm Just a Bill."
By adding the "let's," the meaning changes into a collective call — a helpful suggestion,
if you will — to all Americans to demand their president be held accountable for the war in Iraq,
high oil prices and the blockbuster success of "My Pet Goat," as well as for the House Judiciary
Committee to begin deliberations ... and so on.
"Let us" or "let's" is not a construction that one would think fits well in most rock music, or any
other genre that purports to reflect the baser, more emotionally direct instincts of its listeners. "Let us"
is a construction used much in less threatening, more outwardly communal venues, such as the Christian
church. "Let Us Pray." "Let Us Break Bread Together." "O Come Let Us Sing." It's not a demand, it's an invitation
to action.
Sure, there's a hint in the construction that the speaker of "let us" or "let's" strongly suggests
you take action. In the rock and pop venue, "let us" and "let's" have had their greatest success when
used as titles for songs that, even among audiences that accept directness, might be a little too harsh,
or sound like a command given a child — particularly songs that are sly invitations to sexual activity, and,
even more particularly, such songs performed by Prince. Let's chart some songs to see how it works (see, if I
hadn't put "let's" at the start, it would be as if I were ordering you to chart the songs):
| Artist | Song Title | Meaning | Meaning Without "Let's" or "Let Us" |
| The Cure | "Let's Go to Bed" | Sly invitation to sexual activity | It's past your bedtime |
| Al Green | "Let's Stay Together" | Heartfelt plea to save relationship | Don't get lost in the mall |
| Black-Eyed Peas | "Let's Get Retarded" | For purposes of fun, we will let loose | Lose some IQ points |
| Prince | "Let's Pretend We're Married" | Sly invitation to sexual activity | I'm a four-year-old girl trying to get someone to play house |
| Judas Priest | "Let Us Prey" | We shall feast upon the weak | We are the weak |
| David Bowie | "Let's Dance" | Everybody on the dance floor | Yosemite Sam is shooting bullets at your feet |
| Billie Holliday | "Let's Do It" | Sly invitation to sexual activity | I will no longer accept inaction |
| The Cars | "Let's Go!" | Get ready to party hearty | Hit the accelerator already, grandma |
| Chet Baker | "Let's Get Lost" | Sly invitation to sexual activity | Scram, toots |
| Jermaine Jackson | "Let's Get Serious" | Sly invitation to long-term relationship | What are you, stupid? |
| Wilbert Harrison | "Let's Stick Together" | Heartfelt plea to save relationship | Damn Elmer's |
| Prince (again) | "Let's Go Crazy" | For purposes of fun, we will let loose | I order you to lose your mind |
| Earth Wind & Fire | "Let's Groove" | Everybody on the dance floor | Watch out for that long, narrow furrow or channel |
| Marvin Gaye | "Let's Get It On" | Sly invitation to sexual activity | Bang a gong |
| Dead Kennedys | "Let's Lynch the Landlord" | Call for community action against rapacious building owners | Meet my landlord, Lynch |
| Prince (king of the "let's") | "Let's Work" | Sly invitation to sexual activity | Command from your annoying peppy aerobics instructor |
| Ice-T | "Girls Let's Get Butt Naked and Fuck" | Not-so-sly invitation to sexual activity | Come-on from lipstick lesbian Web site owner
| KISS | "Let's Put the X in Sex" | Really not-so-sly invitation to sexual activity | Pay attention to your Scrabble game! |
|
Certainly, this can work the other way. John Lennon's "Imagine" counts on an individual's
intimacy and rumination for its power, pathos and ability to inspire. "Let's Imagine" sounds like it
would be sung by Barney the purple dinosaur.
Young is no stranger to the "Let's" genre. What makes "Let's Impeach the President" somewhat surprising
in some quarters is Young's post-9/11 recording of "Let's Roll." That was inspired by the command Todd
Beamer gave to his fellow, shaken United Flight 93 passengers in their fatal and celebrated attempt to
take over their plane from hijackers. For Beamer and the song, "let's" is used as a polite way to suggest strong
action. Saying "roll" would make you sound like Cecil B. DeMille.
This is not to say that all the songs with "let's" succeed on their own terms. I'm one of the biggest
Neil Young fans going, but "Let's Roll" stunk. "Let's Impeach the President" is better, and has some of the raggedness
that was the boon — and bane — of the 1995 Mirror Ball album he recorded with Pearl Jam.
But in these songs, "let us" or "let's" is necessary to impart the need for action without trying to order
people to do things they might not want to do, or might not do just to spite your controlling ass.
— Bob Cook (bobc@flakmag.com)
