The United States is currently broiling in record heat across most of the Midwest. Sitting in a “heat dome,” basically every state touching the Mississippi River is experiencing the hottest temperatures of the year (and high humidity to boot) as rain has become a foreign concept temporarily. I stepped outside this afternoon and immediately felt like bearded Ron Burgundy in Anchorman.
While relief may not seem to be on the horizon for those affected by the sweltering, wretched curse of the Sun, I’m told that I will indeed stop sweating at some point in the near future.
I’m not sure I believe that.
You see, it’s easy to panic. The human race is conditioned to worry, and for very good reason. I mean, when you’re ancestors were avoiding impending death in the form of wild beasts, constantly evolving disease, and one another, that paranoia tends to be passed down. The United States is no different from the rest of the world. From British totalitarianism through total economic collapse, from Pearl Harbor to McCarthyism, the U.S. has basically operated like Mad-Eye Moody, and to great prosperity and success. Yet, the unfortunate consequence of this paranoid mindset is a developed tendency to envision disaster in every current event, making news broadcasts seem like apocalypse predictions to a significant portion of the population.
So why am I still sweating if I’m aware the vast majority of the perilous stories peddled by the media will amount to a minimal effect on my personal well-being? Because I’m legitimately frightened the 2016 Presidential Race could have a significant, negative impact on major aspects of my life.
Boasting Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton as the frontrunners in a laughably terrifying race for the White House, and paired with an extremely disgruntled and polarized general population, the United States is at a pivotal political crossroads, arguably on par with that of the late Sixties. If I’m not mistaken, the response in 1968 was to hand over a divided nation to Richard Nixon and hope for the best. We don’t really have a stellar track record of making reasoned decisions under pressure over the last sixty years.
I know what you’re thinking by now: what does this have to do with the Beatles? Let me explain.
Since earlier this week, when I heard the first song from Tom Morello’s new outfit, “Prophets of Rage” by Prophets of Rage (look at that shameless Bad Company ripoff), I’ve been contemplating the best protest songs over the years. Of course I considered the great Bob Dylan tracks of the Sixties, “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “The Times They Are a-Changin’,” etc., but I also thought about Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son,” Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth,” CSN&Y’s “Ohio,” Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power,” Rage Against the Machine’s entire discography, and Edwin Starr’s “WAR,” (among others), before sifting through my Beatles catalog.
Every protest song, especially those of the late Sixties, remain painfully relevant in their subject matter and tone. However, the perfect protest song to represent the events occurring in today’s United States is a track released in 1968 off The White Album by the Beatles: “Revolution.”
Allow me to show my work with a line-by-line breakdown of the Beatles’ hit single:
“You say you want a revolution. Well, you know, we all want to change the world.”
Lyrically referencing both political parties, 2016 has witnessed the rise of revolutions on both sides of the aisle by voters. While the attempted coup on the Democrat establishment was long and hard-fought, the newest generation of voters was ultimately unable to fully overthrow the current leadership and Bernie Sanders was forced to concede defeat (though the Left must now be painfully aware of the political feelings of the educated millennial generation). Meanwhile, the GOP ceded defeat yesterday against the middle-class, fear-and-xenophobia-induced revolution from the new Right by announcing Donald Trump as the Republican nominee for the presidency. While many Americans are divided on social and economic issues, nearly everyone has fallen in line with the revolution mentality sweeping the nation.
“You tell me that it’s evolution. Well, you know, we all want to change the world.”
See above.
“But when you talk about destruction, don’t you know that you can count me out.”
Here’s where the Beatles begin their oppositional stance towards Mr. Trump. Taking cues from the liberal-leaning American population, the Beatles denounce the proposed bombings in the Middle East. However, reading into this lyric, you can notice that the subtext also disavows the hinted intentions of Trump to remove the United States from global organizations like the United Nations. Not only do John, Paul, George, and Ringo oppose literal destruction abroad, but they also want the GOP to “count [them] out” of the potential “destruction” of global coalitions to which the United States belongs.
“You say you got a real solution. Well, you know, we’d all love to see the plan.”
A common criticism of political candidates amongst the general population is the tendency for prospective politicians to offer primarily sentiment while avoiding detailed descriptions of their intentions or execution of proposed plans. Here, the Beatles return their attention to the whole of major party politics in the United States, criticizing both Trump’s ability to outline a plan beyond “we’re going to build a wall and Mexico’s going to pay for it,” and the lack of a defined platform proposing significant changes to the current political landscape from Hillary Clinton. Clearly, the Beatles want more information than they’re being given, as do many American citizens.
“You ask me for a contribution. Well, you know, we’re all doing what we can.”
Here, we witness a thinly veiled jab at the political campaigns of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. While the Beatles may have the capital to endorse the political candidate of their choosing, they recognize that the vast majority of their fans are insulted by wealthy individuals like Trump and Clinton begging for donations from the middle class. In response, they take the given opportunity to speak out against the top 1%’s shameless solicitation of America’s populace.
“But if you want money for people with minds that hate, all I can tell you is “buddy, you’ll have to wait.”
Again, the Beatles direct their attention towards Mr. Trump. Unafraid to protest openly against the Republican presidential candidate, the Fab Four openly refer to the former Apprentice host as a person with a mind that hates. While this could be referencing a number of Trump stances, I would assume the Beatles are particularly focusing on the xenophobic leanings of the Donald regarding Muslims and Mexicans. Through this lyric, the Beatles respond with a resounding “NO” to Trump’s earlier pleas for campaign funding.
“You say you’ll change the Constitution. Well, you know, we all want to change your head.”
For the first time, the Beatles seem to nod towards the Left more than the Right with a lyric. While this line is a little vague, I would assume they’re referencing the ongoing attempts of far Left activists to revoke or scale back the scope of the Second Amendment. While this line could also refer to recent passing of laws protecting the rights of the homosexual and transexual community, the previous criticism of Mr. Trump would make this an odd shift in political leaning for the Fab Four.
“You tell me it’s the institution. Well, you know, you’d better free your mind instead.”
Yeah, the Beatles’ buzz is starting to wear off by now. Their attention span has dissipated (typical millennials) and now the group seems to be encouraging a nationwide “high” in an effort to calm the ongoing tension across the country.
“But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao, you ain’t gonna make it with anyone, anyhow.”
Oh yeah, this song came out in the Sixties, not recently. Also, if you’re carrying pictures of Chairman Mao, it’s a little weird at this point. Might want to update your wallet with a picture of Vladimir Putin or Kim Jong-un.
And lastly,
“Don’t you know it’s gonna be alright.”
The reprise heard throughout the song emphasizes the necessity for optimism in such tumultuous times. It’s a much needed sentiment that offers hope for a brighter future at the end of these dark times. How poetic.
In conclusion, the Beatles’ “Revolution” is the perfect song to encapsulate current events in the United States, particularly regarding the upcoming presidential election. They truly were ahead of their time.
Unintentional Talk 