Watch Death Cab for Cutie’s Anti-Trump ‘Million Dollar Loan’ Video
Death Cab for Cutie unveiled their new song “Million Dollar Loan,” the opening salvo in a 30-day project “written and recorded by musicians for a Trump-free America.”
My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, Aimee Mann, Clipping. And more are among the artists who have recorded original compositions for the first week of the Dave Eggers-curated 30 Days, 30 Songs, which will release a new song every day until Election Day. R.E.M. will also unearth a “never-before-released live song” during the project’s first week.
In addition to the track’s lyric video, which features a wall being built brick-by-brick around the mogul, Death Cab for Cutie‘s Ben Gibbard penned a statement explaining the motivation behind the track, as well as an imagined conversation between Sean Hannity and Trump making fun of the track.
“Lyrically, ‘Million Dollar Loan’ deals with a particularly tone deaf moment in Donald Trump’s ascent to the Republican nomination. 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 a million dollars’ from his father,” Gibbard wrote.
“Not only has this statement been proven to be wildly untrue, he was so flippant about it. It truly disgusted me. Donald Trump has repeatedly demonstrated that he is unworthy of the honor and responsibility of being President of the United States of America, and in no way, shape or form represents what this country truly stands for. He is beneath us.”
In the 30 Days, 30 Songs mission statement, the collective wrote, “As artists, we are united in our desire to speak out against the ignorant, divisive, and hateful campaign of Donald Trump. We will not be duped by Mr. Trump’s rhetorical contortions, by his pandering and lies and false promises.”
They continued, “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. His words incite hatred and celebrate inequity. Most troubling of all, over the past year, the country has become inured to the towering vileness of his rhetoric and deeds, his attacks on women, Mexican-Americans, Muslims, and those with disabilities. But we have to remember these acts, and act against them. In the words of Cornell West, we cannot become ‘well-adjusted to injustice.'”
Visit the 30 Days, 30 Songs site every morning at 9 a.m. EST for a new track.