Icky Thump — The White Stripes
#365 Songs: August 30
Holy shit is it my turn to pick songs again already? I don’t even have a theme prepared! I’m so embarrassed. It’s like running out of gas at your own barbecue or forgetting to wear underpants.
So let’s talk about some current events. Shohei Ohtani’s dog “threw” out the first pitch last week. That was cute. Astronauts are stuck in space. Someone call Christopher Nolan. Trump broke the law again. And rain is wet. Oh! Right. Yes. Obviously I’m going to talk about my new favorite sport. Public litigation of Donald Trump over the right to play an artist’s music.
My heart grows three sizes every time a musician sues TFG for using their song at his rallies or in his propaganda. The two latest examples come to us from the Isaac Hayes estate and Jack White.
First up: Isaac Hayes III.
It should be mentioned that the song in question, “Hold On, I’m Comin’” was made famous by Sam & Dave and written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter. Hayes performed the song as part of his live act, but as far as I can tell never recorded it for a studio album. But maybe I’m mistaken on that point. Though, if you want to talk about some of Isaac’s film scores, I’m your guy.
While Isaac the Third posted rather earnestly and purposefully on Twitter. Jack White went for some cold-hearted truth slapping courtesy of his Instagram account. It appears that Trump’s social media used “Seven Nation Army” in a clip of the orange menace lumbering, tie undone and dangling limply, walk-of-shame style, into his plane. Here’s White’s response:
White summoned the hounds of hell. I want a front row seat. Best of all, I’m quite certain he rage IG’d from a location in Pittsburgh because he was in town to perform at my favorite venue, Mr. Smalls. I want to state for the record that I tried to get tickets. I think I’m the first guy who successfully procured five Taylor Swift tickets but couldn’t acquire one ticket to see Jack White. Fucking hamsters fuel the TicketWeb servers.
I’ve read bullshit responses on social media from the right that shame artists for letting their political affiliations get in the way of an easy paycheck, that they’re also just grifting for money, that they’re “tarnishing the man’s legacy,” as in the case of Mr. Hayes.
I want to be very clear. Trumpism is beyond politics. The “right” has been hijacked by a swelling, pulsing, animalistic repugnancy. The arguments we’re all having? They’re not political. This is a conversation about morality. One side has cast aside all of theirs to support an anti-ideologue that worships dictatorships and demands unquestioned power and allegiance — but not allegiance to a cause or a movement. Allegiance to a single man. Calling Trump a fascist isn’t entirely accurate, but failing to cite the ways in which Trumpism bleeds into fascism is essential to any rational observation about the state of American politics. In response, the right calls anyone that’s not blindly allegiant a communist, a liar, a brainwashed cult member. Generally, they just regurgitate acute observations about themselves. It’s impossible to argue with a mind so thoroughly corrupted by Fox News conditioning.
There’s no room for rational discourse when one side of the argument is coked to the gills on blind hatred for anything that stands in opposition of their “team.”
No reasonable human would want their art to be associated with this moral vacuum. This is not a normal environment, but musicians have long distanced themselves from politicians who do not align with their beliefs. A quick cease and desist would have been a sufficient statement during the Reagan or Bush or Bush years. With Trump, however, a man that believes he can take anything with impunity (women, art, land, money, Supreme Courts), the Jack Whites and Isaac Hayes IIIs of the world must draw a vocal, public, and violent line in the sand.
This is not political. This is a moral imperative. They have an opportunity to deny Trump the thing he most wants — affection and accolades and respect. What any good dictator demands. Every artist that refuses him free reign is a slap, some sting more bigly, some strike more forcefully than others, but each stands as an injurious blow nonetheless.
This week of song selections I dedicate to the artists that have reached forth and slapped TFG with everything they’ve got.
White Americans, what? Nothing better to do
Why don’t you kick yourself out? You’re an immigrant too
Who’s usin’ who? What should we do?
Well, you can’t be a pimp and a prostitute too
~
Start following the #365Songs playlist today, and listen to each new song with each new article!
