Papa is a band that not only wears their musical heart on their sleeves but kind of wear their beating emotional heart like a suit of armor and just released a passionate scathing indictment of "the Donald". Trump who is leading in the GOP polls for President, at first, seemed like a joke candidate but his often incendiary comments have caught fire with his supporters. The lyrics in "I Hate You, Because" (a re-working of an Elvis song) doesn't mince words and as I listened to it I thought a little more seriously about Trump's message.
Fear mongering is insidious and subtle. When Papa coos the first line, "I hate you because I understand dear, my grand folks had to register as Jews. So I know just where your kind of thinking leads to, I hate you most of all because you're you" it hits you like a cold slap in the face. When Trump calls out and targets an entire group of people because of their religious beliefs images of the past come into focus. The word scapegoat used throughout history. "Jew" painted on shop windows. And, a little short man with a short mustache. Trump yelling fire in a crowded theater may of seemed like a joke in the beginning but after the fires has subsided and we sift through the ashes of misguided hate we might find that the joke is on us. All of us.
So I applaud Papa for this important heartfelt (cover) song. I guess it really must be called a protest song right?? No one seems to write them anymore. Maybe more artists should.
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Robb Donker
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