Music: Monday Mourning Meltdown by Gov’t Mule
Shocker of the year: Band named Gov’t Mule has libertarian roots. Ok, so its almost expected that this southern rock blues band is not flying the flag of socialism, but for a group of guys who have generally kept political issues out of their material, their 2009 release, By a Thread, sheds some light into how they view current American political policy.
One of the hardest working bands in the industry (and one of the best live acts I’ve seen personally), Gov’t Mule hits home their dissatisfaction with current American anti-terrorism policy, the PATRIOT Act. Mule attacks this horrible piece of legislation in their song ‘Monday Mourning Meltdown’ as “damn deceiving” and lyricist Warren Haynes regrets “believing,” presumably the Act, in the first place.
Indeed, the PATRIOT Act is the single biggest intrusion into our lives and civil liberties infringement in the 21st century. The government can now legally wiretap your personal phone conversations, enter your home without a warrant, and detain you indefinitely without judicial freedom. Widely criticized under its Bush-era inception, the PATRIOT Act has since been renewed by President Barack Obama and Democratic majority Federal houses.
The album cover displays the world loosely kept together by a thread, from which a helpless man desperately clings to. As the world spins towards collective economic collapse, it often feels that if our grip fails, we will fall into the pit of oppression and strife.
One can speculate that Mule is less than pleased the direction our country has been headed, as they note growing dissatisfaction and fear from “Brooklyn” to “Oakland.” They leave the powers-that-be with a ringing question, “How do you like me when I’m not around?” Indeed, we live in a time where Americans are feeling increasingly unrepresented by our political leaders, evidenced by bailouts and sweeping health-care legislation forced on us despite overwhelming opposition. Last time Americans were isolated from their government, there was revolution and a country was born. This time, can revolution save a country from its death?
In the mean time, listen to Monday Mourning Meltdown by Gov’t Mule.
Lyrics:
Fear grows in Brooklyn
Bitterness in Oakland
Guess there’s nothing you can do
So much for the new day
Making your own way
These things don’t apply to you
Shame on you for fooling me
Shame on me for believing
Who’d have thought your Patriot Act
Could be so damn deceiving
What’s happened to you
Is it all a part of your monday mourning meltdown
If a tear falls in the ocean does it make a sound
And what about all of the blood there on the battleground
How do you like me now that I’m not around
Looking backwards
Is your life everything you wanted it to be
But looks will only take you so far
Do you patron-eyes let you see
Prisoners are as prisoners do
You’re all alone in your open cell
Betraying those that had your back
Guess your methods served you well
What’s happened to you
Is it all a part of your monday mourning meltdown
If a tear falls in the ocean does it make a sound
And what about all of the blood there on the battleground
How do you like me now that I’m not around
What do you do now
You’re all alone
Do you still stand by your misguided views
Is it all a part of your monday mourning meltdown
If a tear falls in the ocean does it make a sound
And what about all of the blood there on the battleground
How do you like me now that I’m not around
How do you like me now that I’m not around
How do you like me now that I’m not around
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