DJ Trump: The Music Man
October 19, 2024–Rumor has it former President Donald J. Trump likes to “DJ” for guests now and then at his Florida home and golf resort, Mar-a-Lago.
Readers may, as of this writing, think of him as “DJ Trump” his newest nickname. We’ve referred to him as every variant of a hero for his inimitable courage — from Atlas of Greek mythology to Braveheart and Rocky Balboa of filmdom — long enough.
DJ Trump? Why didn’t I think of that? It’s so obvious, isn’t it?
His new moniker was coined by none other than Human Events Daily show host and journalist Jack Posobiec’s father from when he attended Trump’s Town Hall in Oaks, PA (outside Philadelphia) this week where Trump was ‘rocking out to music’ for approximately 39 minutes (the anti-Trump media told us it was ‘weird’ and ‘dark’ and ‘surreal’ – scroll for links) after the event was interrupted by two medical emergencies. “Papa Poso” enjoyed the change of pace however and shared his thoughts on air with his son. See it here.
Media with some affinity for 45 observed that his uncharacteristic pivot from giving ample time for medics to deal with medical events before resuming his Q&A with the audience to asking his staffer – a guy named “Justin” – to play Ave Maria were a lot more forgiving.
At least one reporter said, that Trump turned the campaign event into an ‘intimate concert.’ See below:
The regular Mean Girl media outlets were not as kind. In one headline after another, the MSM used the one instance when Trump really truly honest-to-God went off script to lambaste him for turning a town hall into a music concert. Just look:
- TMZ, “Donald Trump No More Questions, Let’s Dance for 39 Minutes!!! Weird Close at PA Town Hall” Link here.
- The Washington Post, “Trump sways and bops to music for 39 minutes in bizarre town hall episode.” Link here.
- The Philadelphia Inquirer, “Inside Trump’s bizarre first town hall in the Philly suburbs, which included a 30-minute playlist party and election date flub” Link here.
Only a masochist would Google for more. Additional neutral and positive articles are available however under Resources below.
Fake News notwithstanding, the scene was a real departure from Trump’s usual event and rally conduct. After any medical emergency involving an attendee has been dealt with – and there has been it seems one at every event lately – Trump always returns to the mark where he left off.
This time he decided – in the face of coaxing to return to the regularly schedule program from town hall co-host, Republican Governor, Kristi Noem of South Dakota – to just turn up the volume: “Let’s all enjoy a little music.”
It should be noted that it took much longer than usual for medics to resolve those emergencies; it was reported both people fainted possibly due to heat.
Trumpers, like this writer, have been observing that one of Trump’s stellar, if little-known, qualities is that he loves music. Italians, inventors of opera, call it musicofilo, a love of music, or appasionato di musico, a passion for music.
Friends of Trump had to know of it – because, well, they’re insiders – but it seems that Trump kept this trait under wraps. Now in the closing days of his third and last campaign for president he seems comfortable with letting the world know he is indeed a musicofilo.
It’s always fun to play Compare & Contrast. The Gateway Pundit’s headline, “One Party Sings “How Great Thou Art” — The Other Party Sings Hook-up Songs for Seniors.” It really nails the stark difference between Republicans and Democrats. Here:
A Little Night Music at the RNC Convention 2024
Let’s start with two surprising aspects of this summer’s Republican National Convention.
First, people all over social media gave kudos to Sixwire, the warm-up or fill-in live band that hails from Nashville for their freshness and virtuosity. Sixwire played hits from Foo Fighters, Cheap Trick, Doobie Brothers, and Collective Soul. When a teleprompter malfunctioned, they filled in with a 10-minute rendition of “I Want You to Want Me,” by Cheap Trick. Relive Sixwire’s music here.
Second, the RNC’s festivities began with extraordinary drama because its host – the leader of the Republican Party and presumptive nominee for president, Donald J. Trump – had to wear a white gauze bandage over his right ear which has been grazed only a week earlier by an assassin’s bullet at the now infamous rally in Butler, PA. No one knew how Donald Trump would look or behave that first night.
The first night we saw a more sober if not sweeter Donald Trump, but when he entered the arena on the third night at the RNC (before the final night when his gave his acceptance speech) to strains of This is a Man’s Man’s World, the place went wild.
The version Trump teed up was sung in duet a by Italian operatic tenor, Luciano Pavarotti, and, James Brown, the American “King of Soul” and progenitor of funk. It was recorded by the duo in 2002. Brown, co-wrote and sang the original in 1966 with Betty Jean Newsome.
Maestro Pavarotti and James Brown have both since passed. It was a spine tingling if not a mysterious accompaniment to the proceedings.
This is a Man’s Man’s World was followed by equally stirring and mysterious strains of Ave Maria, Nessun Dorma, and Hallelujah to name a few. Trump has since repeated this basic ‘operatic’ playlist at both his Return to Butler commemorative rally (scroll down for more) and now again this week in Oaks, PA.
The Washington Post couldn’t resist more Mean Girl reportage in it’s coverage of Trump’s triumphant appearance at the RNC that night. They at least provided a full playlist. It’s here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/07/18/rnc-music-playlist-republican-convention.
Our article “The Unconventional RNC Convention” (July 19, 2024) is far more gracious. It’s here.
The nastiest barbs were delivered by Rolling Stone, in its piece, “The RNC Convention Playlist Features Artists Who Detest Trump.” An excerpt illustrates:
“A slew of recording artists and their estates, including Queen, the White Stripes, Rihanna, Prince, Pharrell Williams, the Smiths, Elton John, Guns N’ Roses, Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith, Linkin Park, Sinéad O’Connor, and the Village People, have similarly denied Trump the rights to use their music at his campaign events. “Drake, whose hit song “God’s Plan” was included in the RNC’s debut 2024 mix, summarized much of the industry’s feelings about the former president quite succinctly in 2017: “Fuck that man.”
If you can stomach it, link to article here.
The Return to Butler Rally Closed with a Full Medley of Opera Songs
We wrote briefly about Trump’s Return to Butler rally last week (open for gallery photos) where he staged a spectacular show that featured everything from a newly unveiled sculpture of him, paratroopers dropping from the sky, and a special guest appearance by a very enthusiastic, Elon Musk, in a black-on-black MAGA hat, who was warmly welcomed by the crowd. Attendance topped 100,000.
The purpose of the event, you will recall, was to mark his own triumphant return to the very spot in that Butler farm field where he was shot, and to commemorate the loss of Corey Comperatore’s life, a firefighter and ardent patriot in the crowd that day, who was killed by one of the 7 bullets fired.
Once again, Donald Trump chose to close that event – which stretched from day into early evening – with a full medley of opera songs. It mirrored how he used music so successfully throughout the Republican National Convention. Whether piped in, Sixwire’s live sets, and even Kid Rock’s appearance on stage that introduced Donald Trump on the final night to song, “Fight, Fight, Fight…” the music was entertaining, enlivening, and meaningful throughout.
The Butler playlist ran the gamut too. It went from Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” and “Proud to be an American” to Trump’s typical ending to any rally with YMCA to the finale that included Christopher Macchio on stage singing from sunset on. Macchio sang “Ave Maria” (by German composer Franz Schubert) after the moment of silence observed in the middle of the rally by Trump and the crowd.
Scroll for clips of “America the Beautiful”, “Ave Maria”, “Hallelujah”, and Nessun Dorma and check out Resources for more links.
America the Beautiful
Ave Maria
Hallelujah
Nessun Dorma
“Nessun Dorma” – a Puccini aria – created a lot of buzz after the RNC once people figured out the meaning of the lyrics which were sung in Italian. Christopher Macchio, who is called Trump’s ‘go-to tenor’ says the word vicero in “Nessun Dorma” means ‘victory’ and he says it is ‘Trumps Victory Anthem.’
Macchio’s RNC performance of “Nessun Dorma” is available below:
For more background, go here.
And, don’t get me started about Trump Dancing to YMCA as he exits every campaign event.
RESOURCES
The New York Post, “Trump forced to cut Pennsylvania town hall short after multiple audience members experience health emergencies,” (October 14, 2024) Link: https://nypost.com/2024/10/14/us-news/trump-forced-to-cut-pennsylvania-town-hall-short-after-multiple-audience-members-experience-health-emergencies
The Gateway Pundit, “Trump Turned Interrupted Pennsylvania Town Hall into Concert Party After Two Supporters Fainted” (October 14, 2024). Click below:
Smooth Radio clip of Pavarotti-Brown duet, “This is a Man’s Man’s World.” Link: https://www.smoothradio.com/news/music/pavarotti-james-brown-duet
