President Obama Reveals His Favorite Song of 2015
Bruno Mars can make anybody feel at ease, even President Obama and his family. And with so many unsettling things happening in the world, the President and his family deserve time to regroup and listen to music or watch films. But what exactly are their favorite movies and songs? People reports that “Uptown Funk” is very much in the music repertoire for the First Lady, while President Obama liked Kendrick Lamar’s “How Much A Dollar Cost.”
This choice says a lot about the President. “How Much A Dollar Cost” is about a homeless man seen through the eyes of Lamar himself. Kendrick talks about his journey from looking down at the man to feeling guilty for not helping. It all culminates in a twist ending where Lamar realizes the homeless man is God himself. The man tells Kendrick the cost of a dollar is the price of having a spot in heaven, meaning our greed and the failure to help others will cost us our place in heaven. It’s quite a fitting selection from President Obama with a great message.
Pres. Obama says @kendricklamar 'How Much a Dollar Cost' was his favorite song from 2015. #BlackExcellence https://t.co/q3UjRVfCqH
— Todd Johnson (@rantoddj) December 9, 2015
Despite the power of Lamar’s song, I would much rather listen to Bruno Mars to lift my spirits! What about movies? Movieweb reports the President said that his favorite film was Ridley Scott’s The Martian. Starring Matt Damon, the movie’s message is similar to the one found in “How Much A Dollar Cost.” Damon’s character becomes stranded on Mars, and earth’s inhabitants have to find a way to bring him back home. Last year, the President’s favorite film was Boyhood, which garnered many Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Picture.
Michelle Obama went with Pixar’s Inside Out, which made over $850 million at the box office this year. The film was part of a historic two-movie year for Pixar, which released The Good Dinosaur later in the year, as well. No word as to whether the First Lady has seen the latest Pixar film.
Moving on to TV, President Obama listed The Knick as his favorite show. The series follows Dr. John Thackery as he works at the fictional Knickerbocker Hospital helping to care for a poor, immigrant population. The main character pushes the medical world forward with unprecedented procedures to help as many people as he can. Again, the theme of helping other people, especially those suffering from poverty, is demonstrated in President Obama’s selections. Michelle enjoys the show Black-ish, which is produced by ABC, a subsidiary of Disney. Anthony Anderson, one of the shows stars, even told the Obama’s to come on the show.
Whoa, President Obama's favorite show of 2015 is The Knick! @attheknick https://t.co/LyR3qjDl1u
— Ying Ying Li (@majortypesofpie) December 11, 2015
As for books, the President enjoyed Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff, which portrays a marriage through two different points of view. The Light Of The World by Elizabeth Alexander was the favorite of the First Lady, which is a memoir about the sudden death of the author’s husband.
The President and First Lady’s picks show us a lot about who they are as people. President Obama’s enjoyment of The Martian is the manifestation of his efforts to keep the International Space Station running for the past nine years. And his knack for enjoying stories with helpful messages serve as a reflection on the man who is currently in the White House. Michelle did like to enjoy more lighthearted entertainment, but if you’ve seen Inside Out, you know that can be serious enough to bring a tear to your eye at any moment.
The Obama’s have good taste, and in this time of trouble in the world, everybody needs to relax, whether that’s with Bruno Mars, Kendrick Lamar, or a great movie like The Martian.
[Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images]
