The music industry resists through art!
There is a local band in Sonoma County called, Bohemian Highway. They are singer songwriter, Doug Blumer and his wife Nancy Irish, Jane and Kent Fossgreen, Robert Butler and Dan Ransford. Doug and Nancy are the songrwriters for the band. Doug Blumer has had decades in the business and he's written hundreds of awesome songs. If you're unfamiliar with Bohemian Highway, their genre would probably fall somewhere between Americana and/or the folk rock category. One of their songs, "Where is My Country" was the inspiration for this article. It was written (like many of the other songs listed below) upon tRumps' first being elected back in 2016. Thinking back to that election...I remember it well as Nancy and Doug were sitting in my house and we were watching the results of the 2016 election together when it was called for tRump. That was a most tearful and unforgettable moment indeed. Nancy wrote the song after that day. The lyrics that she wrote for this song is about the uncertainty we all faced then (and we all face again now), as the unhinged, dishonest, unintelligent, criminal, is again sitting behind the desk in the Oval Office. The very same office that leaders of honor have sat before him. This time around he is accompanied by a wealthy, selfish South African that seemingly bought the presidency. The richest man in the world, the unelected Elon Musk. And they are both are occupying the White House and dismantling the government as we watch, at a very rapid pace.
"Where is My Country" is on Bohemian Highways' album, Songs in the Key of Bees. Although Doug Blumers' voice is like butter, and the lyrics sound soft and almost upbeat, they are honest and real as to how so many of us are feeling in these scary times.
I have thought many times, where IS my country? Because I for one don't recognize it nowadays. I was born and raised here, and left by the age of 20. I moved to the UK and lived there for more than two decades before moving back here just as Obama was taking charge. I noticed during that time that as an American living outside of this country, there were many eyebrows being raised in a good way, with Obamas' rise. With Obama came more respect for Americans and this country. I felt it strongly whilst living in the UK. Before Obama started coming up, Americans did not get much respect. I can only imagine what a horrible reputation must be growing now outside of this country, seeing how much damage we've already caused to our allies and in only six short weeks. Even though I have a dual citizenship and can move back, I've built a life here and don't particularly want to move, but if things get worse, I've been seriously contemplating it - and I know I'm not alone.
I was thrilled to hear that The Bohemian Highway band has submitted their song, "Where is my Country" to The Tiny Desk Contest and The Music Soup wishes nothing but good things for the success of this tune, and I hope it reaches as many sets of ears as possible. "Where is My Country" opens with, "Why can't I find peace in the valley in these heartbreaking times." And these are the most heartbreaking times indeed!
Bohemian Highway will be playing a free show tomorrow night (March 12) in The Abbey at the HopMonk Tavern Sebastopol from 6-8pm.
As the pain of the election results wear down and the lack of experience and knowledge of this administration kicks in, the ever political band, Green Day continues to speak out within their songs about also not being on the MAGA train. Billie Joe Armstrong the front man for Green Day, is loud and proud about his poitics and announces the words, "Fuck you Donald Trump" in as many opportunites as he can at live shows. Green Day released a super politically charged award winning album in 2004, "American Idiot". The song, American Idiot has been reworked since MAGA emerged with lines like, "I'm not a part of MAGA agenda" and others to call out the brainwashed MAGA party that supports the buffoon. Another singer songwriter, Sam Chase has an unmistakeable anti MAGA song simply called, "Donald J Trump is the Biggest Asshole in the World". Apart from the catchy title, and hook, the bold lyrics are pretty in your face stunning about MAGA and their con man cult leader. Recently, I asked Sam if he had any haters when he performs this song onstage, he said, "yes and the haters are my lifeblood!" This link is recorded at a show in the UK and it's interesting to hear him explain things to a British audience and how they react. I'm pretty sure their reactions would be even stronger if he had done this after the orange guy took office with his billionaire friend. (I suggest you listen to this one without young children present.) But definitely do give it a listen. Sam also told me that he is recording a sequel, so be on the look out for it. You can check back here by the end of March, as I will try to add the link here to his sequel. I'm sure it'll be brilliant!
Here is another link to excellent song that Sam made during Covid right before the 2020 election called "Hey Don:" https://youtu.be/qZIXUtd5iQc?si=ejowqSgu0JIE1d1n
On Sams' FB page he writes about reading the comments under his song, "Going through the comments on this video has been a very fun way to pass the time over the last couple of weeks. The people who appreciate the song make me feel good, but it is the haters who truly are the lifeblood that I crave as I scroll through. They are some of the most ignorant, simple-minded, low hanging fruit humans that you can imagine, and low and behold, they LOVE themselves some Donald J. Trump, and they DO NOT like my song. If a good chuckle is what you are looking for, and perhaps you feel like sparring with intellectual toddlers rather than doing your actual job while at work, click on the video and scroll through the mayhem that is the comments section." Sam is selling a digital copy of the live in England track for $5. Of that five dollars 50% of the proceeds will go towards fighting the Trump regime and support progressive causes:
Since tRump and his cult came on the scene in 2015 the music and entertainment industries have spoken out about their anti MAGA views. Especially as the 2024 election was approaching. And much of the industry continues to speak up for race, and gender equality issues, and peace, which seems to be quite the opposite of the MAGA agenda and their Project 2025. (Except for Kid Rock and Ted Nugent of course.) Peace and love in the music industry has been a running theme for decades. Let's not forget John and Yoko's "Bed in for Peace". The first one happened in March of 1969 and the whole of the 1960's theme was all about peace and love.
We've entered a time of hate, racism and division. This new administration has taken us back decades in sexism, racism and mysogyony. Women are facing things like the Save Act. This will prevent some of us women, (especially those that took their husband's name) from voting in the next election. And as frightening as it is, it may pass. Hoping it won't.
It's sad to see all the forward movement since Dr Martin Luther King Jr, be pushed back in time as much as it has due to the MAGA movement. The young techie that Elon Musk hired to hack our information, Edward Coristine, a 19-year-old high school grad and DOGE member known online as "Big Balls,” is now listed as a "senior adviser" at the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Technology. He said (outloud), "I was a racist before it was cool". And that's exactly what trumpism is all about - making racism fashionable and cool. tRump and his MAGA cult following have made it 'cool' to be racist and sexist. And let's not forget, JD Vance got one thing right years ago when he said (on camera) that tRump is Americas' Hitler. And now he's 'Americas' Hitlers' Vice President.
I've attended protests in the six weeks he has been in office and one of the signs said, "Ignoring it is what the Germans did!" This is not only the scariest of them all, it's words are true and that IS what makes this time scary. Another unfamiliar and dangerous element to these uncertain times is that we are now apparently on Russias' team. tRump seems to love, and admire Putin, for whatever reason, we dont know (yet). However, siding with Russia is somewhere the USA has never been, in the history of this country. As we saw in Germany nearly a century ago, ignoring it is what they did and thats why Nazi Germany was born. tRumpism is simply another name for it. Project 2025 is basically Nazism. We MUST RESIST!
Regarding anti MAGA music and the resistance thru the arts... There are countless of tunes written about the resistance of the MAGA movement, and below are just a few. Most were written and recorded, 8 years ago, at his first term. Needless to say they have had a revival. Here are just a few:
• Neil Young - Big Change is Coming • Carole King, “One Small Voice” • Fiona Apple, “Tiny Hands” • A Tribe Called Quest, “We the People” • Loudon Wainwright III, “I Had a Dream” • Chicano Batman, “This Land Is Your Land” • CocoRosie feat. Anohni, “Smoke ‘Em Out” • MILCK with GW Sirens and Capital Blend “Quiet” • YG feat. Nipsey Hussle, “FDT (Fuck Donald Trump)”
• Billy Bragg, “The Times They Are A-Changing Back”
And, some exciting news...
Drumroll please..... TheMusicSoup has a brand new You Tube channel with oodles of music videos... Hit the SUBSCRIBE button:
Comments