Lou Hughesele

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    Songs I Want You To Know: No Particular Reason

    There’s a lot of songs I want everyone to know. I’m simply desperate to tell you about them. My first attempt at sharing some songs I want you to know has become a whole thing, because they’re especially important to me or whatever, so that will be a special edition later, but in the meantime, here’s some really good songs that get caught in my head all the time lately for definitely no reason in particular, presented in chronological order.

    Listen here.

    Better World A-Comin' by Woody Guthrie from the 1940s “Well, there’s a better world that’s a-comin’, I’ll tell you why, why, why, There’s a better world that’s a-comin’ I’ll tell you why: We will beat ‘em on the land, on the sea and in the sky, there’s a better world that’s a-comin’, I’ll tell you why.” I hold this song in my heart like a prayer all the time.
    Orere Elejibgo by The Lijadu Sisters from 1979 “Get out, fight! Trouble in the streets! Watch out! Write, ‘Jamba is on the way!’ Get out, fight! Trouble in the streets! Watch out! Write, ‘Jamba is out to stay!’” “Jamba” is “disaster” in Yoruba. The rest of the song is in Yoruba, so I only have a rough translation, but this extremely funky Afrobeat song is a warning to those living under Nigeria’s military dictatorship.
    Life During Wartime by Talking Heads from 1979 “Burned all my notebooks. What good are notebooks? They won’t help me survive. My chest is aching, Burns like a furnace, The burning keeps me alive.” I wrote about this song back in 2017 for no particular reason. Past me had this to say: “In spite of having a stated lack of time for lovey dovey, this narrator still feels tender. I hope that whatever may happen and whatever paths we all choose to take, we maintain that tenderness and that burning in our hearts, our drive towards something beyond and better than life during wartime.”
    Waiting for the Crisis by Kate Fagan from 1980 “We sell guns to all our Third World friends. We sell guns if they will sell us oil. We are waiting! We are waiting! Waiting for the crisis! Waiting for the crisis!” A simple DIY punk/new wave song with a drum machine, guitar, and lyrics that absolutely don’t still resonate in the current geopolitical environment.
    Wind It Up by Mumbo Jumbo from 1986 “Little fascists are everywhere. In the cupboard, nothing’s there. Take your time ‘cause there is a lot. In the ground, there’s already rot. In the workplace, in your own bed, In your heart and in your head. Now is the time, don’t hesitate. Now is the time to activate.” A groovy little song and the only release from this Australian band.
    Enough is Enough by Chumbawamba from 1994 “Enough is Enough” by Chumbawamba from Anarchy! (1994) “Open your eyes, time to wake up, Enough is enough is enough is enough. Open your eyes, time to wake up, Enough is enough is enough is enough.” This song is an anthem!! I am not quoting the most impactful lyric here. You will just have to listen to know what I mean! And then sing it with your friends. For fun.
    The Beast by The Fugees from 1996 “Warn the town, the beast is loose… The chase is on, I feel like the bad guy, Fifth gear, 125 like New Jersey Drive. Looked in my rear view mirror Police was getting closer. Heard a roar in the sky, looked up and saw the Blue Thunder. My inner conscious says, ‘Throw your handkerchief and surrender.’ But to who? The star spangled banner? Oh, say can't you see cops more crooked than we By the dawn early night, robbin' n—-- for keys Easy, low-key crooked military Pay taxes up my ass, but they still harass me.” A great rap song about being targeted by law enforcement of all levels while the government refuses to fund anything that would actually help you. Unrelatable to anyone in the present! I recommend skipping the skit at the end unless you're ready to dig into the complex dynamic between Black and Chinese communities in NYC i the 90s.
    The Only Good Fascist is a Very Dead Fascist by Propaganhi from 1996 “Just what exactly are the great historical accomplishments of your race that make you proud to be white? Capitalism? Slavery? Genocide? Sitcoms? This is your fucking white history, my friend. So why don't we start making a history worth being proud of and start fighting the real fucking enemy?” Just one minute and ten seconds of good old fashioned punk! The last line of this song is my favorite, but I don’t want to spoil it.
    Get off the Internet by Le Tigre from 2001 “This is repetitive, But nothing has changed. Am I crazy? Where are my friends? Get off the Internet! I’ll meet you in the streets. Get off the Internet! Destroy the Right Wing.” Obviously I disagree with the directives in this electro-punk song. I mean, I’m on the Internet right now.
    Phenom by Thao and the Get Down Stay Down from 2020 “In the past I was peaceful, Now I’m on fire. I’m a creature of the future, But I am an old phenomenon.” This is one of my favorite songs of all time!!! I hold it in my heart like a prayer! Dreaming of a better future and striving to bring it into being is an ancient tradition!!

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