A coalition of musicians who have banded together for a “Trump-free America” will release a new anti-Donald Trump song every day in the 30 days leading up to the election, with the effort kicking off Monday with the release of Death Cab for Cutie’s “Million Dollar Loan.”
The video for the Washington-based rock band’s new song features a silhouetted Trump dancing while construction workers slowly build a brick wall around him.
“A siren screams through the city as he falls asleep/The campaign begins again at the break of day,” the song’s lyrics read. “Million dollar loan, million dollar loan/Nobody makes it on their own without a million dollar loan.”
In a statement accompanying the song posted on the band’s Facebook page, Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard said the new song “deals with a particularly tone deaf moment in Donald Trump’s ascent to the Republican nomination.”
Gibbard wrote:
While campaigning in New Hampshire last year he attempted to cast himself as a self-made man by claiming he built his fortune with just a “small loan of million dollars” from his father. Not only has this statement been proven to be wildly untrue, he was so flippant about it. Like it was no big deal. It truly disgusted me. I remember thinking, “surely THIS will be the turning point. To refer to an amount of money most working class people will never see in their lifetime as ‘small’ illustrates a shocking lack of perspective. Assuredly now everyone will see this man for the charlatan he truly is.” And yet, here we are.
“Million Dollar Loan” is just the first entry in author Dave Eggers’ “30 Days, 30 Songs” project, which will feature a new anti-Donald Trump song from a different artist every day leading up to Election Day on November 8.
“As artists, we are united in our desire to speak out against the ignorant, divisive, and hateful campaign of Donald Trump,” the group wrote in a statement on its website. “We will not be duped by Mr. Trump’s rhetorical contortions, by his pandering and lies and false promises. He has shown the content of his character time and time again, and the very fact of his candidacy is a blight on the nation.”
The artists describe Trump’s opponent, Hillary Clinton, as a “calm, intelligent, empathetic professional with more relevant experience…than any candidate in the modern era.”
The website also features encouragement for those voters not so enthusiastic about voting for Clinton. One section offers support for “feminists who can’t get behind Hillary.”
“Donald Trump has bragged about perpetrating sexual assault. Hillary Clinton is a smart, professional woman endorsed by the Broad City ladies,” the group wrote, referring to the female-powered Comedy Central television show. “One vote, and you make and save history at the same time.”
Other artists expected to contribute songs to the effort include Aimee Mann, REM, Thao Nguyen, Jim James and Bhi Bhiman. The songs will be posted to the campaign’s website and uploaded as a playlist to streaming service Spotify.
Follow Daniel Nussbaum on Twitter: @dznussbaum
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