Clinton protest song burns up airwaves

San Diego recording artist Steve Vaus has worked with top stars -- Willie Nelson, Christine McVie, Kenny Rogers. Now add President Clinton to the list.

But Clinton isn't playing saxophone on Vaus' new release. As a matter of fact, the president may not even know yet that he and Vaus are "partners" -- but a quick tune around the talk radio dial suggests it may not be long before he finds out.

The musical wildfire started in San Diego last Thursday when KOGO midday talker Roger Hedgecock played a new song from Steve Vaus. Barely a second into the song a familiar voice leaps from the speakers, "I did not have sex with that woman, Ms. Lewinsky." This is no ordinary song -- Vaus' insistent music and pointed lyrics are interspersed with Clinton's well-known denials regarding the Lewinsky scandal -- the result is an electrifying three minutes.

Before the song finished its inaugural spin on KOGO, callers were clamoring to buy copies -- but Vaus won't sell it. He announced on KOGO (and subsequent radio appearances such as the Farah News Hour) that he'd like listeners to record it off the air and make at least two copies -- one to send to the White House; others for friends. Vaus said, "This isn't about making money. I just want to remind America, and the president, that honesty, integrity and morality matter." Consider America reminded.

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Within minutes after the first of three airings in as many hours on Hedgecock's program, a local tape duplicator, California Magnetics offered to manufacture 500 copies. Delivered to KOGO on Friday -- listeners have maintained a steady stream to pick up copies. Hedgecock also rushed to add the song to his Website.

"This song hits people's hot buttons," said Joseph Farah, host of the Farah News Hour and editor of WorldNet Daily.com. "We couldn't keep up with listeners' calls for information and copies. In two minutes and fifty seconds, Vaus says what radio and TV commentators have tried to articulate for seven months."

A few days after the Clinton-Lewinsky sex scandal first broke, Vaus said he felt compelled to write a song about it.

"I say I 'needed to' because every once in a while an issue comes along that gets right in my face -- I can't ignore it," he says.

"Wrong's Not Right" was the result. The original version, without the Clinton quotes, is included on Vaus' newest album, "I Still Believe."

"I didn't think much more about the song until I got a call two weeks ago from Duane Patterson, executive producer of the Warren Duffy program on KKLA in Los Angeles," explains Vaus. "He'd been thinking about my upcoming appearance on their show, had an idea, and wanted to share it with me. In a stroke of genius, Duane had placed Clinton 'denial' sound bites into the song. The result was electrifying. It was as though the song finally had achieved its full potential. In its first airing on KKLA it hit the public's hot button."

Vaus has refined the concept, added some more sound clips and remixed the song.

Roger Hedgecock (a frequent Rush Limbaugh guest host) premiered the final version on KOGO, San Diego. Reaction was overwhelming. Listeners streamed in KOGO's doors to get copies.

But Vaus is not looking for fame and fortune in "Wrong's Not Right." Instead, he wants to use the song to "remind Bill Clinton and all of America that morality, honesty and integrity matter."

"I'd like everyone to do a few things -- make a copy off the Internet or the radio; duplicate at least two more copies. Send one one to the White House and the rest to friends. Make frequent requests to talk radio programs to play it and share these instructions."

Vaus offers to send stations free CDs if they call him at 619-674-4444.

"You may think I'm crazy for not trying to sell the song but it's more important to me that the message is heard," he said.

A RealAudio clip of Vaus' "Wrong's Not Right" is available.

For more information about Vaus music, visit his Internet site.