Dan Mangan
Protest songs have been around for centuries. From Yankee Doodle (1780s), Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are a-Changin” (1964) to Rage Against the Machine, “Sleep Now in the Fire” (1999). Whatever there is a civil unrest, somebody will write a song about it. Local artist Dan Mangan continues with this tradition with his new music video, “THERES A TUMOR IN THE WHITE HOUSE”.
Dan Mangan’s music career is astonishing. His debut album, “Postcards & Daydreaming” (2005) was well received in the Canadian indie music scene. He won two Juno awards for his fourth studio album (Club Meds), for Best Alternative Album of the Year and New Artist of the Year (2011). He also scored some splendid music for movies (Hector and the Search for Happiness). However, is his new song “THERES A TUMOR IN THE WHITE HOUSE” good? Not really.
The song never directly names Donald Trump, but it refers to past events that many people blame him for. I understand the anger and the message of this song, and I agree with some implications. However, agreeing with the messages of the song doesn’t make it an excellent song.
The slow pace of the guitar felt like he was putting a beaten horse to sleep. The lyrics are so uninspiringly dull, you can find something with more substance on the back of cereal boxes. The ending line, “I really hope it’s not too late” doesn’t fill with me any kind of hope for a better future but fills me with dread for the next four years. What people need is something that gives them optimism, and this whiny song doesn’t do that.
Listen to Janis Joplin’s rendition of Down on Me (1967). She gave the song such power with her voice and she changed the ending of that song to: “Believe in your brother, have faith in man. Help each other honey, if you can…” This song gave me more hope for the future and they recorded it in 1967.
I don’t enjoy shitting on people’s art. The sacrifices and years of mastering one craft are something everyone should look up to. Dan Mangan is one of those people. I am looking forward to his next studio album, but if this song is going to be what’s coming. I would rather just wait for it in the dollar bin.