NPR: 'All Things Considered' Wants You to Pick Lyrics

'All Things Considered' Wants You to Pick Lyrics

With a song in my heart... Never mind, I won't sing.

First, Hillary Clinton had a contest to pick a theme song for her presidential campaign. Now, All Things Considered has the bug. The show last month asked listeners to write lyrics for its theme (I'm humming it now, in case you can't remember it). Nearly a thousand people took the plunge and tried their hand at being this generation's Ira Gershwin ... well, maybe not. Apparently, some submissions were more like a bad version of "Weird Al" Yankovic. But hey, it's the thought that counts, right?

The show's producers have chosen four finalists. You can hear them here, sung by the charming songstress (and Supreme Court connoisseur) Nina Totenberg. Then, click on the link above the final four to register your vote.

My favorite line comes from Steve Ledford's version: "Could be worse, it could be pledge week."

10:46 AM ET | 09- 5-2007 | permalink

Comments

Dear reporters,
I am continually amazed at the language of reporting, in this instance about the 'sub-prime' fiasco. Let's just call a spade a spade; sub prime lending is no more than a bait and switch come on. Poor investment decisions? no, greed on the part of lenders. Why do you, reporters, glibly buy into stilted, loaded language without even a nod that such language colors your reporting. Why not take lenders to task? Is your news balanced when you simply adopt the language that the business news machines crank out? Perhaps I'm being guilty of what I accuse you of, but please stop using pat phrases without a thought to how these phrases stilt one's perception. Another example: entitlement programs (republican slant); social services (democratic stance)-same programs, but such politically loaded language.
Thank you.

Sent by Susan Moon | 12:56 AM ET | 12-20-2007

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