Nothing But A Lie in the News

A Lament for our Fallen in Iraq

Suburban protest song adds to political battle of the bands

By Burt Constable

Excerpt:

Meanwhile, the Democratic musical brigade is buoyed by Bruce Springsteen and next month's "Vote for Change" concerts featuring Babyface, Jackson Browne, Bright Eyes, Dave Matthews Band, Death Cab for Cutie, the Dixie Chicks, John Fogerty, Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals, Jurassic 5, Keb' Mo', John Mellencamp, My Morning Jacket, Pearl Jam, Bonnie Raitt, R.E.M., James Taylor, Springsteen and the E Street Band.

Springsteen's recent call to action for the musical souls already had been answered locally by Mona Abboud of Sleepy Hollow.

An actress, comedian and voice-over artist, Abboud's comic recording of the song "Pretty Little Dolly" performed in 1966 on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" is a Christmas novelty classic. But her latest venture is a deadly serious song she wrote on a January day while she was reading the obituaries of soldiers killed in Iraq.

"The tears were just rolling down my face as I was sitting on the couch in my bathrobe," Abboud says. "In my own little way I wanted to say these lives are gone and I don't think it's justified."

She says she wrote her mournful folk song, "Nothing But A Lie," as if Willie Nelson were singing it in her head. The words and music flowed as effortlessly as her tears, she says.

"One died today, two yesterday, and five the day before," her song begins. It ends with "We honor and respect our troops, and hold our flag up high. But please don't make them shed their blood for nothing but a lie."
She sang the song over the phone for show business friends such as director Robert Altman, who encouraged her to make a demo.

Vocalists Louise Dimiceli-Mitran and Gerry Dignan sing several versions of the song, recorded at Mitran Mitran Music, a recording studio run by the vocalist and her composer husband, Andy Mitran (best known as Professor Andy on TV's old "Bozo Show"). The song is available for download at www.nothingbutalie.com but should be out soon on a compact disc released by Laughing Cat Records, which is owned by Al Jewer, who plays flute on the song.

The cover (the traditional helmet on a rifle's bayonet to honor the death of a soldier) was designed by Greg Samata of the design firm SamataMason in West Dundee.

Abboud says she has sent the song to Air America radio and hopes Willie Nelson or Springsteen might perform it one day.

" It's just so powerful," Abboud says.

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