Mary Chapin Carpenter is a musician and song-writer whom I've long admired and whose work I've enjoyed. She has a new album out called "The Calling" which contains a couple of very topical songs ... one about post-Katrina New Orleans and one dedicated to The Dixie Chicks that effectively tells the Chicks' detractors what they can do with their vitriol. But the album also contains a song that, from the first time I heard it, I thought could be the anthem of one of our progressive candidates for President. I must admit that, until yesterday, I thought that that person was Barack Obama. But after yesterday's stunning press conference that highlighted the remarkable characters of John and Elizabeth Edwards, and after going over in my mind all the ways that Sen. Edwards has taken the lead in highlighting progressive issues in the campaign so far, I'd love for the Edwards campaign to start using "Why Shouldn't We?" as its anthem.
Because of copyright issues, I can't reprint all the lyrics to the song here. But it begins with the lines,
"We believe in things that we cannot see/Why shouldn't we, why shouldn't we?/Hands that heal can set a chained man free/Why shouldn't we, why shouldn't we?"
The lyrics progress through themes of peace and hope, the celebration of the power of a single vote, and the essential humanity of every person.
The lyrics climax with these lines,
"We believe in things we're told we cannot change/Why shouldn't we, why shouldn't we?/We had heroes once, and we will again/Why shouldn't we, why shouldn't we?"
The chorus of the song sings,
"God is all around/Buddha's at the gate/ Allah hears your prayers/It's not too late."
And those stirring words are borne aloft by a simple and beautiful melody that underscores the power and passion of the song's message. I think that music can be very effective in helping to shape a campaign's spirit and I'd like to suggest that, if anyone in the upper reaches of the Edwards campaign reads this that s/he strongly consider adding this song to the campaign's arsenal.
I'd also like to throw the question open to other bloggers ... what music do you think would be an effective tool as the Edwards campaign "goes on strongly"? Or, for that matter, what music would work for other campaigns, as well?