Timely Jam: Frank Turner & the Sleeping Souls, “Make America Great Again”
Last night my wife and I went to the Playstation Theater in Times Square to see one of our favorite bands, Frank Turner and The Sleeping Souls. Turner started his career with the British post-hardcore band Million Dead, and went solo in 2005 and has become a fierce voice for anti-racism (right after the last presidential election he wrote the anti-Trump ‘Sand in the Gears’), and his new album Be More Kind includes this tune - a wonderful song called ‘Make America Great Again.’
The video, shot at the South by Southwest Festival, Turner took to the streets of Austin and had Americans write their favorite thing about America on a whiteboard. The video is silly, poignant and loving - which perfectly describes the show we saw last night. If Frank Turner comes to your town, by all means, go. His concerts are truly a communal and uplifting experience.
Well I know I’m just an ignorant Englishman
But I’d like to make America great again
So if you’ll forgive my accent and the cheek of it
Here’s some suggestions from the special relationshipLet’s make America great again
By making racists ashamed again
Let’s make compassion in fashion again
Let’s make America great againWell I’ve been fortunate to go ‘round the continent
From California through the midwest and Providence
And I’ve mostly only encountered common sense
Hospitality and warmth from AmericansBut I wish it was a bit less significant
The program and the name of the President
Because it seems to me the truth is self-evident
You fought our king to be independentMake America great again
By making racists ashamed again
Let’s make compassion in fashion again
Let’s make America great againEllis Island take me in
Everyone can start again
In the shining city on the hill
Where nobody can be illegalLet’s make America great again
By making racists ashamed again
Let’s make compassion in fashion again
Let’s make America great againLet’s be a friend to our oldest friends
And call them out when they’re faltering
Remind them of their best selves and then
We’ll make America great again