Music II: An Unlikely Love Affair

You could have knocked me over with a microphone cord when I found out that R&B singer Lionel Richie is popular in the Arab world and nowhere more so than in Iraq.

ABC News correspondent John Berman reports that

Grown Iraqi men get misty-eyed by the mere mention of his name. "I love Lionel Richie," they say. Iraqis who do not understand a word of English can sing an entire Lionel Richie song. . . .

There obviously something up there. The more [he and Richtie talked during an interview], the more he theorized as to the reasons his music might be so popular here. He thinks it is because of the simple message in his music: Love. . . .

Richie was no supporter of the war, but he says he could see a day when he would come and perform in Baghdad. I would love to be here for that. I have reported many stories here in Iraq, many of them sad, some inspiring, but none of them quite like this.

(Hat tip to Will Bunch at Attytood.)