state of the union
As we inch closer and closer to the election, I’ve got several feelings: feelings of dread; fearful feelings; feelings of sorrow overshadowed with melancholy and a touch of red-hot rage.
This election is going to be an important one. I realize people say that every election cycle, but there’s something different about this one. There’s a literal demagogue in the White House right now. One who thinks that public appearances to greet well-wishers while sick with a deadly virus is a smart idea instead of isolating and not putting others at risk. One who has called the novel coronavirus a “plague;” used highly offensive, xenophobic language to refer to the virus in public speeches; a leader who told the nation that “it’s just going to fade away.”
And here we are. We’re approaching seven months into the pandemic across the United States, and the current state of the union is…not good.
The current state of the union, with a pandemic, growing racial tensions across the country, the threat of white supremacy, political chaos and turmoil, a deep divide between Americans and the theatrics we all see play out every single day is not a good one.
What does all of this chaos, confusion and turmoil do to everyone? It harms their mental health to the point where people start to ask if this year is just a strange fever dream. This year has been truly eye-opening when it comes to asking the question, “but can it get any worse?”
I’ve been asking myself the same thing for the longest time. I thought that losing my job in the middle of a pandemic, before a huge election, in the middle of restless racial tensions and at a time when there needs to be some sort of stability was the worst thing.
Friends, I was wrong. On so many levels. We’re spiraling into uncharted waters here.
And that got me thinking over the last few weeks. As I’ve seen things get worse and worse, my playlist-making brain cells decided to do something about it.
But first, some background. Growing up, I listened to a myriad of folk songs; many of which were iconic protest songs. I’ve gravitated towards music that goes against what we’re told to believe is real; music that energizes people to take a stand against something they don’t believe is right.
My parents are still trying to figure out how my voracious appetite for social justice and reforms came about. It’s something to I’ve tried to reconcile my feelings with over the years, especially as I started to pursue a career in media.
I’d be lying if I said the past four years were easy to reconcile and consolidate those feelings. It hasn’t been easy, especially being a minority in society, working in media and trying to maintain an even keel to everything happening around us.
If I’m feeling this way, I’m sure there are a multitude of others who feel the same way, if not worse.
So. That playlist. I’ve compiled 21 songs that span different genres and different time periods to put forth some cohesive look at the current state of the union, with a specific focus on the current racial tension and injustices across the country; the political unrest that continues to divide; media consumption that’s messing with everyone’s mental states and of course, what it’s like living in 2020 during a pandemic.
You can listen to it on Spotify below.
“The Times They Are A-Changin’” – Nina Simone (originally performed by Bob Dylan)
“Freedom” – Beyonce ft. Kendrick Lamar
“The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” – Gil Scott-Heron
“pulling the pin” – Run The Jewels ft. Mavis Staples and Josh Homme
“Stop!” – Against Me!
“To Be a Ghost…” – Jeff Rosenstock
“All You Fascists” – Billy Bragg and Wilco
“The Happiest Place On Earth” – Desaparecidos
“Windowsill” – Arcade Fire
“Better Than We Found It” – Maren Morris
“Long Violent History” – Tyler Childers
“My Enemy” – Jimmy Eat World
“Americans” – Janelle Monae
“Lift Every Voice and Scream” – The Cornel West Theory
“With God on Our Side” – Straylight Run (originally performed by Bob Dylan)
“Ain’t Gonna Let Them Turn Us Round” – Marc Ribot with Steve Earle and Tift Merritt
“Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You into Heaven” – John Prine
“Not Ready To Make Nice” – The Chicks
“A Change Is Gonna Come” – Los Cost and Gary Clark Jr. (originally performed by Sam Cooke)
“Bella Ciao (Goodbye Beautiful)” – Tom Waits and Marc Ribot (an Italian folk song)