I believe there is still hope for our democracy. The power of music, by motivating and inspiring us to action, plays a large role in fueling this belief. More than any other art form, music can stay with you as you go through your day, in your car, your home or when you’re just taking a break.
On Super Bowl Sunday there was a feeling of optimism when we saw much of the huge crowd at the game cheering for Green Day as they concluded their set with the subversive “American Idiot” The ridiculous controversy over the choice of Bad Bunny as the half-time performer at that game opened the eyes of many Americans to the ignorance and prejudice of the MAGA faithful. During that half-time show, Ricky Martin performed Bad Bunny’s song “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii” which warns about colonialism, displacement and the loss of cultural identity.
On the last “No Kings” day I marched with more than 40,000 other people in San Diego. I was happy and relieved to see many young people among the protestors. They loudly joined in on songs and chants, many of which were based on the protest songs of earlier eras.
The killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good by ICE agents in Minnesota inspired Bruce Springsteen to write the song “Streets of Minneapolis”. The impact of this song can be compared to that of the Crosby, Stills & Nash song “Ohio”, which was written about the shooting deaths of 4 people on the campus of Kent State University in May 1970.
Both of these songs highlighted the price paid by Americans when agents of the federal government are allowed to react in ways that threaten us all. People who hadn’t paid attention to the news were made aware of these issues by the musicians they followed.
Springsteen and the E Street Band also scheduled a series of concerts dedicated to speaking out about the threats to our country. I have seen them many times, but this show was special. Springsteen’s music has always had a political edge but the “Land of Hope and Dreams” tour brought hope and motivation to sell out crowds in cities across the country. Springsteen also shared thoughtful monologues about our current president and the havoc he and his administration have created. Springsteen has many Republican fans (at least he did before this tour was announced) who hopefully couldn’t avoid listening to the words.
Springsteen himself wrote one of the most powerful anti-war songs,“Born in the USA.” This song has been misused by multiple Republican politicians, none of whom seem to have ever listened to the lyrics. He opened the concert with a song made popular by both the Temptations and Edwin Starr, “War”. which opens with the lines “War, huh, What is it good for? Absolutely nothing.” Even after 56 years this song is just as relevant when sung about Trump’s actions against Iran.
The idea of music powering political movements is not a new one. When I was growing up in the 1960s and 1970s, music was a crucial part of protests against the Vietnam War. Songs like “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield, “Volunteers” by Jefferson Airplane and many others inspired young people to be aware of and speak out against the war, Watergate and other injustices perpetrated by the government. The sharing of these songs online, in concerts and during protests motivated concerned Americans of both eras to speak out and make their voices heard.
More and more musicians have been performing music about our current crisis. Jesse Welles put out an EP called “No Kings” which includes the song “Join ICE.” Bette Midler just released her version of a Woody Guthrie song “All You Facists (Bound to Lose)” saying:
“The great Woody Guthrie wrote this song many years ago. I changed some of the words to fit our times, and I hope you’ll sing it when you are marching. Because sometimes people, sometimes you just gotta SING OUT!”
Other musicians have spoken out by presenting their older songs with current visuals. During his current tour David Byrne, former frontman of the Talking Heads, has included the band’s 1979 classic “Life During Wartime.” During the performance of this song the images behind Byrne and the musicians include powerful scenes of ICE and police brutality.
These songs, as well as many of the others mentioned above, should become anthems of the anti-Trump movement. People who don’t watch the news or engage in political action or discussion will find themselves, like many in the 60s and 70s, moved to take action by listening to this music.
As for me, when I started this Substack, Seeking Balance in Dystopia, my goal was to encourage activism while giving readers tools to keep a sane and balanced life a priority. While that can be hard in times like these, during his concert Springsteen noted that even small actions can make a difference. Here are some ideas:
Support artists who are speaking out against the Trump government. They will hear lots of negative comments, so your praise will help counter the nasty, loud trolls.
Become a poll worker and help ensure fair elections. My mom did this for several decades. It was her way of making a difference.
STOP listening to and watching so much news. The MSM really can’t be trusted to bring us the facts anymore. One change I’ve made is listening to music instead of news in my car.
Don’t sacrifice your personal life. There are organizations you can join or volunteer with that make a difference in the world without being political.
This year I am trying to keep my goals and actions focused more on doing the things that make a difference AND make me happy. After all, isn’t that what we’re fighting for?
No posts
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.