Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch has written many songs on patriotic themes, including the “Heal Our Land” tune performed at George Bush’s 2005 inauguration. Now he’s penned a song for a colleague across the aisle — Sen. Ted Kennedy.
After Kennedy was diagnosed with a brain tumor, Hatch said, the Senator from Utah was approached by a prominent Democrat who asked him to write a song for Kennedy that could be performed at the Democratic convention in August.
The result is “Headed Home,” a ballad whose lyrics proclaim that Kennedy is “headed home” to the Senate.
The longtime Senator from Massachusetts is “a special person to me,” Hatch told the Boston Globe.
“I want to honor him this way.”
Hatch, who plays keyboards and the violin, had singer Tony Middleton record a tape of the song, crooning: “Just honor him, honor him, and every fear will be a thing of the past.”
Hatch and Kennedy have worked closely together on legislation over the years, and Kennedy has said Hatch is “like a brother to me.”
House majority leader Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland told the Globe that the song is “a testament to the deep affection that Senator Hatch and Senator Kennedy have for one another. Both share a deep love for this country. I think that’s what the song reflects.”
Kennedy spokeswoman Melissa Wagoner said Kennedy has no plans to attend the convention as he undergoes treatment, but he is “appreciative of the kind words and sentiment from his friend Senator Hatch.”
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