A Playlist music series

American Crisis Playlist #20

Almost there

I sit in the mountains of Virginia, a relatively blue state, though from where I sit, there are more orange plague signs than not. I passed a sign a couple of days ago that said:

“Jesus is My Savior Trump is my…”

The car slid past, and I couldn’t read the rest. I didn’t back up because I don’t need the bullshit. Equating Jesus and the orange plague, believing that they share guiding moral principles, feels like believing that a soap opera, the Kardashians, Jerry Falwell Jr, and Franklin Graham represent models of true love and sanctity. Or sanity.

We’ve taken long hikes over the past few days and looked at houses that we’re considering for our mountain retreat — a place to be near our older daughter and son-in-law as life continues to unfold.

It’s less than two weeks to the election, and I keep reminding myself that it’s likely that we’ll never see an aftermath like the one that’s coming. Will someone have to lead the orange plague away in shackles and bonds? Will he head down to the bunker that he claims he “only visited” when protestors took to the streets back in the summer? Will he emerge looking like the tieless, bearded Saddam Hussein after he hid from his own undoing? Will he watch The Clash documentary, Rude Boy?

So much to contemplate, and still much to worry over.

So he has a bank account in China?

So he thinks Bin Laden is still alive?

So he continues to cozy up to QAnon?

And dis Lesley Stahl?

What else will he do before we listen to scientists and psychologists and admit that he has…a problem? A DSM-IV (or is it V now?) variant of some kind of personality disorder?

Having raised such questions, I must now admit that I have no answers, but then I consider that according to Jewish sages, the answer to every question lies within the question itself.

And while you think on that, let’s have some music to soothe our savage beast inside as we await the twilight or new dawn of our democracy.

AMERICAN CRISIS PLAYLIST #20

1. “That’ll Be the Day,” Buddy Holly, from 1958’s That’ll Be the Day. A plane crash in Iowa on a lonely winter’s night amidst a driving snowstorm. That’s one way to end it all. The title came from Holly’s abiding impression of John Wayne in The Searchers. What would Wayne or Holly think of these days? How would they vote? Yeah, I know Wayne was a Republican, but would he, could he, countenance Cadet Bone Spurs, that All-American he-man? More questions, and herein, the Jewish sages might have to rethink something.
2. “Paper Planes,” M.I.A. from her record Kala (2008). During that snowstorm, the plane Holly rode in surely seemed such. This song, which samples The Clash’s “Straight to Hell” (Combat Rock), has found its way into commercials, movie soundtracks (Slumdog Millionaire, for one), and Lord knows what else. One of my students quoted it as she turned in an essay last week: “All I want to do is…” I missed the reference and felt stupid afterward. Guns and money, but where are all the lawyers? Still thriving in the swamp?
3. “Times Like These,” Steve Earle, from his upcoming as yet untitled release. I just don’t know how to describe these times, but I’ll defer to Steve who wonders how we’ll overcome, whether we’ll be set free, and if love is really all we need. If love isn’t all we need, though, can we get a little more of it at least. And speaking of which…
4. “Gimme Some Lovin’,” The Spencer Davis Group, from somewhere in 1967, though you can find it on 1985’s The Best Of. Spencer himself died yesterday, and I felt such a pang. For almost all my life I’ve known this group and their big hits, and though I’ve often been a stranger in their midst, I feel that much more alone in these years, now. The sentiment is stronger than ever, if we even know anymore what he means. Or as The Jackson 5 once put it, “Stop, the love you save may be your own.”
5. “You Know I’m No Good,” Amy Winehouse, from Back to Black (2006). “I cheated myself, like I knew I would. I told you I was trouble; you know that I’m no good.” I find it hard to add anything to Ms. Winehouse’s lament. Well, what did we know? What do we know now? Nothing? Anything? Someone else whose voice I miss and who could have done so much for us, given us so much more, if she only would have, if only she known. You were so much better than you knew.
6. “Don’t Want You No More,” The Allman Brothers Band, from their self-titled first album back in 1969. Isn’t it fun to find songs and titles that sum up how we are feeling, might be feeling, depending of course on who we are? I feel this way, though I hasten to add that I never wanted you, Mr. Orange Plague, in the first place. Never will, never can, no way, no how. How would Duane and Gregg have voted? Gregg supported Jimmy Carter once upon a day, so…..I love how this song seamlessly segues into “It’s Not My Cross to Bear.” Makes you think they saw something coming.
7. “Shut Up and Kiss Me,” Angel Olsen from 2016’s My Woman. Nothing so very thematic here; I just love the song and felt like adding it, though I can imagine a post-election scenario as we celebrate and scream and drink more champagne or bourbon that I’ll say this to my wife and even to my good friend John who wonders where I am right now. Maybe I’ll say it to you, too, if you want me to.
8. “Put Your Money on Me,” Arcade Fire from their amazing 2017 release Everything Now. Likely, Vegas isn’t giving good odds anymore, because you just can’t bet on a guy who thinks dead dictators are still alive and living within himself. Not that he said that, but I’ve always said he pouts and puffs his chest like Mussolini. Remember when he knocked state leaders out of the way to get to another photo op? Remember when he sat in the White House with president Obama during the transition, thinking, “Oh shit, what have I done?” Yeah, good question there.
9. “Dog,” The Bottle Rockets, from 2015’s South Broadway Athletic Club. As my dog lies beside me on my kids’ leather couch, I listen to him breathe, and I love him so much. Sometimes life is really just this simple: My dog, he’s my dog, is a better living creature by a trillion times (and I’ll never be able to count as high as I want) than the creature sitting in the Oval Office. No contest. NO DOUBT. “If you don’t love my dog, that’s okay. I don’t want you to. He’s my dog.” Words to die by.
10. “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours),” Stevie Wonder, from the 1970 album of the same name. My and my wife’s were done two weeks ago. As we await the confirmation, affirmation, and dedication of what we hope is a fresh start, I want to be hopeful. And when I hear Stevie sing, that’s it. Hopeful, and on this same record is his cover of The Beatles’ “We Can Work It Out,” and the hit, “Heaven Help Us All.” More bang for the buck. More words to live by, and no question about it.

Life is very short, and there’s not time for fussing and fighting…” But if you have the time, check out these past playlists, please, and also read more about music at The Riff where Noah Levy, Jessica Lee McMillan, Oliver Norris, and other live and play, when they aren’t working.