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Music the Walk the Precinct By
When I need to get my blood pumping, there are several ways to go about it. Most predictable is to go to the “Political” section of my music files. I have it shuffling on continuous play right now so I can listen to:
- Michael Franti, “Yell Fire” - I met Michael Franti when he was opening for Billy Bragg in Washington DC about 15 years ago. He was an angry, articulate teenager. Smart ass, smart man. He’s still angry. “They’re telling you to never worry about the future.” He very nearly throat sings in this song. I aspire to throat sing. Mother Jones Magazine chose this as one of its In Tune songs last month. You can listen / download at Anti. “Revolution nevers comes with a warning.” The thing is, when there IS a fire, you have to yell fire.
- Black Crowes, “Soul Singin’” Rocky Anderson vs. Black Crowes remix from Head On Radio - “Holy shit!” I said when I first heard it. “I know that voice. That’s my minister.” There is Tom Goldsmith from First Unitarian Church introducing Rocky Anderson. (Unitarians = all of the church and none of the religion. I didn’t figure Tom was listening to the Black Crowes regularly, so I sent it to him. “What a kick,” he said. Hip dude.) I was there, and I’ve heard the speech many times since, but listening to this song does it for me. This speech certainly has made Rocky Anderson a popular guy. So what if he has ego. Anyone willing to get into politics really has to have massive ego, even if they disguise it. I think he may be pulling an Obama by spreading his approval around across party lines. I know Utah Democrats aren’t happy about this, but I suspect it’s part of his broader strategy. I’m not saying that works. I am just saying I listen to this speech, and I know I want to hear this man speak up on the national stage.
- Steve Earle, “The Revolution Starts Now” - I need to leave my ancestral condo and walk my 5% Democratic precinct to encourage registered voters to walk down the street to the church to vote. I made a map of my precinct showing where all of the voters are — masses of little red dots for registered Republicans, even more pink dots for the Unaffiliated, an impressive number of black dots for Unknown, four American Constitution Party, and two lonely Greens. Altogether, there are fewer than fifty Democrats. I made a map so I could see them clustered together. When I listen to this song, I think about my precinct. “I was running down the street in the town where I was born. . . .” I want to believe they would make community with those who live among them–with ME. I want to believe that we can work together if the disaster we’ve trained for comes. But, look, I say “them.” I can’t say “us” even though this has been my how since before I reached adolescence. “Revolution starts now, in your own backyard, in your own hometown.” Maybe my experiences with neighbors have deflated my high ideals of local community. “They all brought what they could bring, nobody went without.” A demographer for a national Utah campaign told me, 1) I live in the most reliably Republican-voting district in the Redest state, and 2) wouldn’t I be happier in Sugarhouse? Damn. Probably. I heard a nice Unitarian say he was single-handedly integrating Bountiful. I think of myself doing that in my town. I need my soul singing to be able to do this.
OK. Deep breath. Ask myself what’s so funny about peace, love, and understanding, then go encourage my neighbors to vote.
Archive
October 22nd, 2006 at 8:41 pm
I created the remix. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. It has been fun to see the reaction to it. Go Rocky! A populist of the highest order.
October 23rd, 2006 at 10:06 am
Hey, thanks for pointing that out. I love listening to that song.
October 24th, 2006 at 8:56 pm
That’s great to see the Rocky/Crowes mix get noticed. Jon’s a dandy with that sort of thing.
Meanwhile, from a political standpoint, may I suggest The Drive-By Truckers? “Putting People On The Moon” from “The Dirty South” comes immediately to mind. If you like Steve Earle, you’ll eat that up.
The other suggestion for your political music list has to be Will Kimbrough’s “Americanitis.” “Less Polite” is an anthem for folks who are tired of being shouted down.
November 16th, 2006 at 12:08 am
[…] Earlier I mentioned that one of my favorite political songs is Steve Earle’s “The Revolution Starts Now.” I might have mentioned it a couple of times, and I might mention it a couple more. One fine commentor suggested other music if I like Steve Earle. It’s not about the sound and the style, and it’s not so much that I like Steve Earle, though I’m sure he’s great. It’s about the story he tells. I was walkin’ down the street In the town where I was born I was movin’ to a beat That I’d never felt before So I opened up my eyes And I took a look around I saw it written ‘cross the sky The revolution starts now Yeah, the revolution starts now […]