Bernie Sanders Sings with Vampire Weekend
Bernie Sander: politician, senator, 2016 presidential nominee, and now, a musician.
It should come as no surprise that a number of musicians and other celebrities are supporters of Sanders. Rock band Vampire Weekend is one of many groups that have announced their support for Sanders, even going as far as performing at one of his rallies in Iowa. Joined by members of other bands, as their own pianist and bassist both left the ensemble, the band may have looked a little different than what fans are used to. The makeshift band performed a number of their own songs, as well as Woody Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land.” As soon as they began playing Guthrie’s famous masterpiece, Bernie joined the band on stage, singing with everyone else.
If you’re a Bernie supporter or a Jimmy Fallon fan (Fallon played the track on his “Do Not Play” segment on the tonight show) you might be aware that this was not Sander’s first time performing Guthrie’s classic. In 1987, Sanders released “Bernie Sanders and 30 Vermont Artists: We Shall Overcome,” a folk album in which Bernie performed spoken word vocals. Sanders has stated in an interview that the album served as “Vermont’s answer to “We are the World.”” As a Sanders supporter, I have to say, I’ve listened to the album, and while it sounds like Sanders is giving a speech over music, I’m fan-girling about it: his voice sounds just as powerful and passionate as it does today.
