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Open Thread

Tim Robbins' brilliant mockumentary "Bob Roberts" is twenty years old, and yet it's as if the plot (and the dialogue) is ripped from today's headlines. In fact, "Complain" sounds like the 2012 Republican talking points set to music. The

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Tim Robbins' brilliant mockumentary "Bob Roberts" is twenty years old, and yet it's as if the plot (and the dialogue) is ripped from today's headlines. In fact, "Complain" sounds like the 2012 Republican talking points set to music. The prescient Robbins never allowed a soundtrack to be released, citing his concern that the songs would be used by the right wing.

Listen to the lyrics of "Complain":

Some people must have.
Some people have not.
But they’ll complain and complain and complain and complain and complain.
Some people will work.
Some simply will not.
But they’ll complain and complain and complain and complain and complain.

Like this: It’s society’s fault I don’t have a job.
It’s society’s fault I am a slob.
I have potential no one can see.
Give me welfare. Let me be me!
Hey, Bud, you’re livin’ in the Land of the Free.
No one’s gonna hand you opportunity!

Some people must have.
Some never will.
But they’ll complain and complain and complain and complain and complain.

I don’t have a house. I don’t have a car.
I spend all my money getting’ drunk in a bar.
I wanna be rich. I don’t have a brain.
Just give me a handout while I complain.

Or this: I wanna stay in bed and watch TV.
Go out weekends in a limousine
And dance all night takin’ lots of drugs
And wake up when I wanna.
Hey, Bud, you’re livin’ in the Land of the Free.
No one’s gonna hand you opportunity!

Some people will learn.
Some never do.
But they’ll complain and complain and complain and complain and complain.
Yeah, they’ll complain and complain and complain and complain and complain
.

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