Beto’s Indie Playlist
We explore the candidate’s pre-rally mix at a NH campaign stop.
When I received a text telling me that Beto O’Rourke was going to be at a house party in nearby Salem, NH —and that I was invited — I was intrigued.
Last fall, I made a couple of single-digit micro donations to Beto’s Texas senatorial campaign against (possibly human, certainly vile) incumbent, Ted Cruz. Beto very narrowly lost. In addition to giving me entertainment stakes in a midterm senate race in a state I’ve only had a couple of layovers in, my $6 bought me an invitation to the NH campaign kickoff event.
And, while Beto the presidential hopeful hasn’t wowed in the Democratic debates and has struggled (as of this writing) to get above 3% in the party polls, I still think it was $6 well-spent.
I arrived alone. I found the snacks. I was disappointed to see there was no bar. And then, while was milling around with rest of the gathered attendees in the backyard of a prominent New Hampshire democratic host family, waiting for the candidate to arrive, I heard something in the music playing out of the speakers: purposefulness. These were not random songs. This was a hand-picked collection of tunes meant to evoke and provoke. Beto was speaking to us through his music. He made a mix!
Quick rant: I get pretty fired up about the failings of the Music Genome Project. It was supposed to democratize music exploration and give listeners access to quality artists, regardless of major label affiliation (or, importantly, lack thereof). Instead, the money got involved, and now I have to hear that “Man Down Under” song or some shitty 2010s Red Hot Chili Peppers track every time I go to a restaurant. As popular music streaming apps’ algorithmic payola structures continue to reduce the likelihood of hearing something interesting or surprising in a public space, the presence of a DJ with a point of view becomes all the more vital and refreshing.
This was a playlist, curated by hand, by a “man who would be president”^1.
And…it was good! I’ll shut up now so we can explore the candidate’s choices.
“Rock and Roll” — The Velvet Underground
“You know parents gonna be the death of us all.”
What it says about the candidate: There are countless songs with some variation of “Rock” or “Rock and Roll” in the title. Chuck Berry, Joan Jett, the Stones, John Lennon…Whose version would you pick, knowing that the definitional banner you choose to wave could in turn define you?
Going with this song as opposed to Berry’s “Rock n Roll Music” or the Stones’ “Only Rock n’ Roll” places Beto as a maverick, an outsider. Smack, blowjobs, sex-positivity and trans rights…it’s all right there. No Bob Seger for this candidate.
“Left of the Dial” — The Replacements
“What side are you on?”
What it says about the candidate: Great tune, from a band that flamed out semi-famously, about a love that never-quite-was and college radio stations that you could barely hear. Nuanced, sad and flawed, this is not classic rock Pandora; this is indie/alt canon. For those not interested in scouring the static for subtle meaning, the refrain of “Left of the Dial” is a fairly on-the-nose allusion to progressivism.
“Baby Come Close” — Smokey Robinson
“Let me touch your heart. Let the fire start.”
What it says about the candidate: Smokey! Great choice. It’s worth noting that black and brown artists are underrepresented in the song sequence I was present for, but perhaps the entirety of “Pre Rally Get Hype Mix” tells a more balanced story.
“That’s How I Escaped my Certain Fate” — Mission of Burma
“This might be your only chance…”
What it says about the candidate: Obtuse and angular, MoB is a bold followup to Smokey Robinson. And, given his stump points, I’d say he threaded the needle nicely by avoiding other Burma tracks such as “That’s When I Reached for My Revolver” (gun violence) or “Academy Fight Song” (school violence).
“Straight Shooter” — Reigning Sound
“The truth’ll make you cry.”
What it says about the candidate: I’ve gotta admit I had never heard this song before. That tells me that Beto isn’t scared to dig in crates, the same way that he visited all 17,542 counties in Texas to dig up those rare, rare blue votes.
“Roadrunner” — The Modern Lovers
“I’m in love with Massachusetts.”
What it says about the candidate: This is Perhaps pandering a bit to the New England audience, though I doubt a huge slice of this crowd is still getting high and listening to “Astral Plane”.
Also, there’s a lot of dudes…white dudes…on this list. I thought we would have heard something a little more cross-cultural by now. Great tune, but “I was dancing at the Lesbian Bar” would have been a more inclusive pick.
“It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry” —Bob Dylan
“Well, if I die on top of the hill…”
“I would Die 4U” — Prince
“And if you’re evil I’ll forgive you by and by”
What it says about the candidate: These two by Dylan and Prince are properly calibrated. They show breadth and avoid cliché. Although, P***y Control might have been a good nod to women’s reproductive rights.
“The Return of Jackie and Judy” — The Ramones
“Nobody wants you, nobody wants you.”
What it says about the candidate: Just a solid pick, man. Although, if I was Beto’s campaign playlist strategist I would have urged him to go with “Dany Says’, the Ramones’ forlorn and tuneful examination of the rigors of endless life on the road. Might have a been a nightly shot in the arm for a guy who’s been sleeping in hotels (or donor mansions) since last spring.
“Turnover” — Fugazi
“Maybe it was time to smash things up…”
What it says about the candidate: Choosing a Guy song over an Ian song is a political stance in and of itself.
I love the outro to this track, but we never get there, because the music stops and the crowd begins to cheer as the candidate approaches from somewhere in the direction of the driveway.
Epilogue: When Beto eventually does address the crowd, his charisma is apparent. He is tall and tanned. He is deferential as he allows both the hosts and his own wife — who is joining the campaign for the first time tonight— to address the gathered crowd first. He gives them space to thank everyone before taking the mic and diving into his stump speech.
Once he’s amplified, he speaks his greatest hits: compassionate immigration policy, common-sense gun reform, healthcare as a right — each sharpened with a road-earned anecdote from someone he met in Corpus Cristi, or Albuquerque, or Detroit. He is resonant and persuasive. He is practiced in his points…at times bordering on rote.
As I’m walking back to my car to beat the traffic, the candidate’s audience Q&A scrum fading behind me, a young woman with a clipboard approaches and asks if they can count on me. “I need to hear a bit more,” I say.
But I’m thinking of the mix.
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[1]By the way, if you want to kill 10 minutes before diving in, check out this list of US Presidential campaign songs. There’s a lot to unpack there.
