Song drips with meaning

Thursday, June 21, 2007 | 7:18 a.m.

Hillary Clinton's campaign has boldly gone where no campaign ...

Oh stuff it. Truth is, the campaign let Internet voters chose a Clinton campaign song, and they chose the aural equivalent of imitation maple syrup and Valium: Celine Dion's rendition of "You and I."

But one aspect of this is bold: By putting the choice to a vote, the Clinton camp bypassed campaign advisers who usually select songs very carefully, even timidly.

Campaigns usually weigh possible songs carefully, choosing those that are upbeat and popular, but do not talk about sex, drugs, violence, dropping out of school or money. (Supermarkets make more daring musical selections.)

Clinton's choice was different. This was democracy.

Sort of. The Clinton team did meddle a bit, culling from the list of choices any unkind suggestions, like, say, "Sympathy for the Devil" and "Mr. Roboto."

So it was like Iranian democracy. Vote for whomever you like, from our approved list.

And 200,000 people did.

"America has spoken," said Hilarie Grey, the Clinton campaign's spokeswoman in Nevada. But not before she asked: "You're not going to be sarcastic about this, are you?"

No way. Campaign songs are an American tradition. During this particular republic's first century or so, campaign songs were usually popular ditties repurposed with original lyrics.

In 1800 voters were serenaded with the idea that to tyranny they should never bend a knee but vote instead for Jefferson and liberty.

In 1828 voters were warned that without John Quincy Adams, they would face Satan. Andrew Jackson won anyway.

By the turn of the century campaign songs were professionally written, melodies included. In 1908 voters were asked to get on a raft with William Howard Taft. Amazingly, they did, and Taft became our most spherical president.

The writing got pretty good. Tin Pan Alley genius Irving Berlin composed three, one in 1928 for Democrat Al Smith, who lost, and two in 1952 for Dwight Eisenhower: "They Like Ike" and "I Like Ike."

After Ike, television, as usual, ruined everything. Original melodies went out the window. By 1972, so were lyrics.

George McGovern ran on "Bridge Over Troubled Water," and a lot of good it did him.

And of course there have been gaffes.

In '84 Reagan tried out Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A.," which he said had a "message of hope," apparently without reading the lyrics.

Bob Dole laughably repurposed "Soul Man" into "Dole Man," until he was threatened with a lawsuit.

Ross Perot went with Patsy Cline's "Crazy," but that was more joke on himself than gaffe.

Wait, you say. This is frivolous. What about the weighty, serious issues of the campaign? The matters of import?

Nuts to that. It's summer (as of 11:11 this morning - happy solstice). Besides, the campaign released a promotional online video that referenced the final episode of "The Sopranos" (some kind of television show), in which Bill reluctantly ate carrots.

"You and I," written by an ad executive to promote a bankruptcy-prone Canadian airline, rhymes burning, yearning and turning in the space of four words. Did we mention it's sung by Celine Dion?

Clinton spokeswoman Grey said the song could be used at many different points in a campaign rally. A high school band might warm up the crowd, like last time Clinton came to town. "You and I" might be played as the candidate is shaking hands, Grey says, or maybe as people are leaving.

There could be a whole roster of songs, Grey says. "The intent is for it to be the campaign song of right now," Grey said.

Wait, is this the campaign song or not?

It is, Grey said, "in this moment."