Who knew? LOL! Here's the article from yesterday's New York Times, with
President Obama's entire playlist listed at the end. -- Kathy, Richrath.com

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The Obama Spotify Playlist: A Little Bit Country, a Little Bit Indie and REO
Speedwagon

By BEN SISARIO

Three musical touchstones that have probably never been associated with
President Obama are country, "raw choral pop" and REO Speedwagon. Yet those are
three of the revelations of a Spotify playlist created by the president's
campaign staff, released via a Twitter message Thursday morning.

Some of the 28 songs on the list predictably follow the president's tastes, like
Al Green's classic "Let's Stay Together," a few seconds of which he sang at a
fund-raising event at the Apollo Theater last month. (His 10-second excerpt
helped the download sales of Mr. Green's original version jump 490 percent in a
week.) Also present are Aretha Franklin (her cover of "The Weight" by the Band),
the latest single from Bruce Springsteen ("We Take Care of Our Own") and the
Impressions' classic soul number "Keep on Pushing."

As Mr. Obama heads toward a re-election campaign, those songs, along with others
by Electric Light Orchestra ("Mr. Blue Sky") and Raphael Saadiq ("Keep Marchin'
"), convey themes of persistence, patience and a light at the end of the tunnel.

But there are some surprises, like the preponderance of country music. Seven of
the songs — one-fourth of the list — are in the country or country-rock genres,
including two each by Sugarland and Darius Rucker, plus Dierks Bentley, the Zac
Brown Band and Montgomery Gentry.

Could that be a calculated effort to reach "heartland" voters, or does the
president just have some twang fans on staff?

A spokeswoman, Katie Hogan, said that the playlist had been put together over
the last couple of weeks from suggestions made by campaign staff members and
volunteers, and that it represented only the beginning of what might grow to be
a longer list. According to a note identifying the playlist, the list includes
"a few of President Obama's favorites."

U2 ("Even Better Than the Real Thing"), James Taylor ("Your Smiling Face") and,
yes, REO Speedwagon ("Roll With the Changes") represent mainstream rock, and the
indie-rock world comes through strong with Wilco, Arcade Fire and AgesandAges, a
little-known band from the indie capital and Democratic stronghold of Portland,
Ore., whose bright sound has been described by local critics as "raw choral
pop."

One slight surprise is the absence of Stevie Wonder, an Obama family favorite
whose music was frequently used in the president's 2008 campaign.

What songs do you recommend for the president's playlist, personally or
politically?

http://tinyurl.com/7zlmaxe
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PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SPOTIFY PLAYLIST:

Keep Marchin' --Raphael Saadiq.
Tonight's The Kind Of Night --Noah And The Whale.
We Take Care Of Our Own --Bruce Springsteen.
Keep Me In Mind --Zac Brown Band.
The Weight --Aretha Franklin.
Even Better Than The Real Thing --U2.
The Best Thing About Me Is You --Ricky Martin.
Home --Dierks Bentley.
You Are The Best Thing --Ray LaMontagne.
Got To Get You Into My Life - (Live) --Earth Wind & Fire Experience
Green Onions - Single/LP Version --Booker T. & The MG's.
I Got You --Wilco.
Keep On Pushing -- The Impressions.
Love You I Do--Performed by Jennifer Hudson
No Nostalgia --AgesandAges.
Stand Up --Sugarland.
Let's Stay Together --Al Green.
This --Darius Rucker.
We Used to Wait --Arcade Fire.
You've Got The Love --Florence + The Machine.
Your Smiling Face --James Taylor.
Roll With The Changes --REO Speedwagon.
Everyday America --Sugarland.
Learn To Live --Darius Rucker