Dear Mr. President (Pink song) explained

Dear Mr. President
Cover:	Dear Mr. President II.jpg
Border:	yes
Type:	single
Artist:	Pink featuring Indigo Girls
Album:	I'm Not Dead
A-Side:	Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely)
Studio:	Magic Shop, New York City Three Sound Studios, Norcross, Georgia
Length:	4:33
Label:	LaFace
Chronology:	Pink
Prev Title:	Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely)
Prev Year:	2007
Next Title:	So What
Next Year:	2008

"Dear Mr. President" is a song recorded by American singer Pink, featuring the Indigo Girls, for her fourth studio album I'm Not Dead (2006). It was written and produced by Pink and Billy Mann. The song is an open letter to the then-President of the United States, George W. Bush, criticizing several areas of his administration and terms in office, including the Iraq War, No Child Left Behind Act, opposition to same-sex marriage and the LGBT rights in general, perceived lack of empathy for poor and middle-class citizens, and his drinking and drug usage in college. Pink felt that it was one of the most important songs she had ever written.

Critically acclaimed, "Dear Mr. President" was released as the sixth and final international single from I'm Not Dead on April 2, 2007, by LaFace Records. A commercial success, it peaked atop the charts in Austria and Belgium, while reaching the top five in Australia, the Czech Republic, Germany and Switzerland.

Critical response

"Dear Mr. President" received mostly positive reviews from music critics. Entertainment Weekly's Chris Williams described the song "with its incongruous folkie social concern and Bush-baiting applause lines."^[1] The Los Angeles Times Natalie Nichols said that Pink taps her inner Ani DiFranco on the confrontational "Dear Mr. President".^[2] The New York Times Jon Pareles noted that the song is "well meaning", "hectoring" and that it "grow[s] even more sententious".^[3] PopMatters praised the single with long overview: Rolling Stone's Barry Walters praises Pink for "writ[ing] a scathing letter in 'Dear Mr. President and "cooing righteous folk harmonies with Indigo Girls."^[4] Sal Cinquemani was mixed, writing that Dear Mr. President', which cleverly uses George W. Bush's own words against him, pales next to Missundaztoods 'My Vietnam.^[5]

Formats and track listings

Digital Single

1. "Dear Mr. President" – 4:33
2. "Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely)" – 3:18
3. "Dear Mr. President" [Live from Wembley Arena] – 4:45
4. "Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely)" [Live] – 4:44

UK Collector's Set CD1

1. "Dear Mr. President" – 4:33
2. "Dear Mr. President" [Live from Wembley Arena] – 4:45
3. "Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely)" [Live] – 4:44
4. "Dear Mr. President" [Video] – 5:00

UK Collector's Set CD2

1. "Dear Mr. President" – 4:33
2. "Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely)" – 3:18
3. "Dear Mr. President" [Live] – 4:45
4. "Live From Wembley Trailer" [Video] – 0:59

Germany Collector's Set CD1

1. "Dear Mr. President" – 4:33
2. "Dear Mr. President" [Live from Wembley Arena] – 4:45
3. "Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely)" – 3:18
4. "Live From Wembley Trailer" [Video] – 0:59

Germany Collector's Set CD2

1. "Dear Mr. President" – 4:33
2. "Who Knew" [Live From Wembley Arena] – 3:29
3. "Dear Mr. President" [Live from Wembley Arena] – 4:45

Australian Tour Collector's Set CD1

1. "Dear Mr. President" – 4:33
2. "Who Knew" [Live From Wembley Arena] – 3:30
3. "Dear Mr. President" [Live From Wembley Arena] – 4:45
4. "On The Road With Pink" [Video] – 10:00

Australian Tour Collector's Set CD2

1. "Dear Mr. President" – 4:33
2. "U + Ur Hand" [Live From Wembley Arena] – 4:39
3. "Dear Mr. President" [Video] – 5:00
4. "Live From Wembley Trailer" [Video] – 1:00

Remixes

1. Offer Nissim Club Mix
2. Offer Nissim Radio Edit

Personnel

• Vocals: Pink and Indigo Girls
• Backing vocals: Emily Saliers and Amy Ray
• Mixed by: Al Clay
• Pro Tools

Christopher Rojas

• Guitar: Emily Saliers
• Production coordinator: Lana Israel

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (2007)	Position
Australia (ARIA)^[7]	41
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[8]	3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[9]	16
European Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)^[10]	47
Germany (Official German Charts)^[11]	13
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[12]	8

Decade-end charts

Release history

Region! scope="col"

Date	Format(s)	Label(s)
United Kingdom	April 2, 2007	Digital download	LaFace
Germany	April 20, 2007	Digital download	Sony BMG
	April 27, 2007	CD
	May 18, 2007	Maxi CD
Australia	July 7, 2007	CD

See also

• List of anti-war songs
• Commander in Chief (song)

Notes and References

1. Web site: I'm Not Dead . William . Chris . April 3, 2006 . EW.com . . August 19, 2013 . January 13, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160113062331/http://www.ew.com/article/2006/04/03/im-not-dead . live .
2. Web site: Think of Pink as a spectrum . Nichols . Natalie . April 2, 2006 . .
3. Web site: Critic's Choice: New CD's . Pareles . Jon . April 3, 2006 . The New York Times.
4. Web site: I'm Not Dead . Walters . Barry . April 4, 2006 . rollingstone.com . . August 26, 2017 . October 15, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171015203144/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/im-not-dead-20060404 . dead .
5. Web site: Pink: I'm Not Dead . Cinquemani . Sal . April 6, 2006 . slantmagazine.com . Slant.
6. Hits of the World – Eurocharts. Billboard. 119. 28. 51. July 7, 2007.
7. Web site: ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 100 Singles 2007. ARIA. January 26, 2019.
8. Web site: Jahreshitparade Singles 2007. de. January 26, 2019.
9. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2007. Ultratop. nl. January 26, 2019.
10. European Hot 100 Singles. Billboard. https://web.archive.org/web/20090513023130/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/yearendcharts/european_hot_singles.jsp. May 13, 2009. January 9, 2022.
11. Web site: Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 2007. GfK Entertainment. de. December 16, 2015.
12. Web site: Swiss Year-End Charts 2007. de. January 26, 2019.
13. Web site: Bestenlisten – 00er-Single. austriancharts.at. December 25, 2009. March 8, 2020. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20121020012953/http://austriancharts.at/00er_single.asp. October 20, 2012.