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Politics & Government

The Rose - Bette Midler - Music Video - Behind the Scenes Insights

Enjoy the song and music video, but remember. Freedom isn't free. Things you didn't know and that may not be part of a Jeopardy episode.

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Base image credit: still from music video posted on YouTube. Text and collage credits by MHProNews' L. A. "Tony" Kovach for the Patch.
Base image credit: still from music video posted on YouTube. Text and collage credits by MHProNews' L. A. "Tony" Kovach for the Patch.

There are some songs that have a haunting beauty to them. In response to this writer's inquiry to Copilot, here is the snapshot sources for a quick insight into the hit song, "The Rose."

"The Rose" is a beautiful ballad written by Amanda McBroom and made famous by Bette Midler. The song was featured in the 1979 film The Rose, which was loosely based on the life of the legendary singer Janis Joplin 2. Bette Midler performed the song in the movie, and it plays during the closing credits 1.

The song itself is a message of hope and resilience, encouraging listeners to persevere through life's challenges. It resonated deeply with audiences and became a major hit, reaching number 3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 1 on the adult contemporary chart 1. Bette Midler's powerful and emotional rendition earned her a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

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The film and the song both pay tribute to Joplin's legacy and the struggles she faced in her career and personal life. "The Rose" has since become an enduring classic, beloved by many for its heartfelt lyrics and Midler's soulful performance.

1 en.wikipedia.org 2 www.musicbanter.com

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In doing Q&As with artificial intelligence platforms such as Bing's Copilot or Google's Gemini, keep in mind that however impressive some of the results may be, others are problematic and reflect a bias. That said, my follow up to Copilot was as follows.

Q - The life of Janis Joplin was tragic in several ways, don't you think?

Copilot A -Absolutely, Janis Joplin's life was both remarkable and tragic. She was a groundbreaking artist with an extraordinary voice and a charismatic stage presence, but her life was marked by struggles with addiction and personal turmoil. Joplin faced many challenges, including battling substance abuse and dealing with the pressures of fame. Her untimely death at the age of 27 due to a heroin overdose was a tragic end to her promising career.

Despite these hardships, Joplin's legacy lives on through her music, which continues to inspire and move listeners. Her raw and powerful performances, coupled with her unique voice, made her one of the most influential musicians of her time.

Her story is a poignant reminder of the immense pressures and vulnerabilities that often accompany great talent and fame."

The lyrics to the Rose, per Genius, are as follows.

The Rose Lyrics

[Verse 1]

Some say love, it is a river
That drowns the tender reed

Some say love, it is a razor
That leaves your soul to bleed

Some say love, it is a hunger
An endless aching need

I say love, it is a flower
And you, its only seed

[Verse 2]

It's the heart, afraid of breaking
That never learns to dance

It's the dream, afraid of waking
That never takes the chance

It's the one who won't be taken
Who cannot seem to give

And the soul, afraid of dying
That never learns to live

[Verse 3]

When the night has been too lonely
And the road has been too long
And you think that love is only
For the lucky and the strong

Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snows
Lies the seed that with the sun's love
In the spring becomes the rose

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Why post thus under Politics instead of some other category? Consider this next question to Copilot.

Q - Isn't it true that elements of the U.S. government are credibly accused of influencing the drug and music culture in the 1960s and 1970s? Isn't it also true that hearings were held by Congress to look into ways that the FBI and the CIA dealt drugs in the U.S. and attempted to manipulate musicians and others?

Copilot - A: Yes, there are credible accusations and documented evidence that elements of the U.S. government, including the FBI and CIA, were involved in influencing the drug and music culture during the 1960s and 1970s.

For instance, the CIA-Contra Crack Cocaine Controversy involved allegations that the CIA was aware of and possibly facilitated drug trafficking by Contra rebels to fund their activities against the Sandinista regime in Nicaragua. This controversy led to congressional hearings and investigations 2.

Additionally, the FBI conducted surveillance and investigations on various musicians and activists, particularly those associated with the counterculture movement and the Civil Rights and anti-war movements. The FBI's files on artists like Jimi Hendrix, the Doors, and the Grateful Dead reveal the extent of their monitoring and attempts to manipulate these cultural figures.
These actions were part of broader efforts to control and influence social movements and cultural expressions during that era. The hearings and investigations aimed to uncover the extent of these activities and hold those responsible accountable.

It's a complex and often controversial part of American history that continues to be studied and debated.

1 letterboxd.com 2 oig.justice.gov 3 www.vice.com

The first link above is to a page that mentions the video "Drugs as Weapons Against US." That video with commentary is posted in the article linked below. We can't post it here due to some of the content potentially violating Patch community guidelines. Keep in mind that however compelling the topic is that video is likely inappropriate for younger viewers.

https://www.manufacturedhomepr...

According to that post on Letterboxd: "Evidence supports that the CIA manipulated musicians and activists to promote drugs for social control, particularly regarding the Civil Rights and anti-war movements. Some musicians that resisted these manipulations were killed." See the link here to learn more.

As part of a follow up, Copilot said this: There isn't concrete evidence to suggest that Janis Joplin was directly targeted or manipulated by government agencies like the FBI or CIA. However, it's well-documented that the FBI kept extensive files on many prominent musicians and activists from the 1960s and 1970s, including Joplin, as part of their efforts to monitor and control the counterculture movement 1.

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. Enjoy the song, but please keep in mind that our society has been manipulated in ways that most of us have never been properly told about. There is more on cultural, entertainment, cartoons, and other topics in the select articles linked below. Or catch this entire popular series on the Patch at this link here. Because freedom isn't free.

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> Frank Sinatra - Someone To Watch Over Me (Remastered) - Old Blue Eyes

> Stunning. Tracking Endowments to Top U.S. College and Universities

> Majority OK Trump Transition-Mass Deportations-Tariffs- Is it Hopeful?

> Movie Buffs – Movie Classic - “Enemy of the State” – Lessons Learned

> The Creepy Line-Peter Schweizer-Dr. Jordan Peterson-Dr. Robert Epstein

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> ‘MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN’ RFK Jr. for Health and Human Services

> Dr. Marty Makary Gives Reasons to Support RFK Jr for HHS Secretary

> Properly Exposing Corruption is the Start of Rooting Out Corruption

> Niskanen Center Praises Manufactured Home ‘Cost Savings’ and ‘Quality’

> Alice Carter-The Northern Forum-Deporting Immigrants & Housing Crisis - includes insights on Manufactured Housing Institute & Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform.

> “There is a Hero in All of Us”-Bobby Charles ex-Ast Secretary of State includes insights into AMAC.us.

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https://patch.com/florida/lake...--

--> Deception & Misdirection-3 Tricks-Paltering, Posturing and Projecting

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--Affordable housing, mobile homes and manufactured homes related topics:

--> Realtor-What Is a Manufactured Home? The Next Step Beyond Mobile Homes

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L. A. “Tony” Kovach is a publisher who has earned multiple awards in history. He and his family live in a manufactured home on private property in Winter Haven, FL. He is the co-founder of ManufacturedHomeLivingNews.com (MHLivingNews.com) and ManufacturedHomeProNews.com (MHProNews.com), trade publications serving segments of the manufactured home industry. Having worked in several segments of the manufactured home industry for over 3 decades, Kovach is a widely acknowledged and often praised expert on manufactured housing. ###

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