Phew this is epic. I LOVE the big crescendo. Glad you posted it! Love your voice in this

Outstanding. The words - the actual words - are chilling, and using them straight up like in a setting reminiscent of a patriotic anthem makes the point more sharply than writing around it would've done. Musically, gorgeous home-style piano sound. Masterful use of the orchestra with the timpani adding sinister important in behind. And... is that a light veneer of olde vinyl crackle I hear, as if this song had been discovered among your racist granddad's record collection? If so, it's chef's kiss.

An artful exhibition of the idea that nothing is quite so damning as one's own words. That penultimate line "because an American" is so saturated with irony, it's hard to believe it was ever uttered in any kind of earnestness.

The french horn, with the whole orchestra hot on its heels, gives it an anthemic -- almost martial quality that plays perfectly off the apocalyptic lyrics sung so sweetly.

Marvelous song David,on a topic that is frankly scary - not much else to say really , if i started i would write a book!

It’s a gorgeous song, David. And you laid out the story behind the song so beautifully. Of course, I then had to read about this book, as my duty, of course, to make sure I wasn’t misunderstanding what you were saying. Sadly, I wasn’t. I try to not say much about politics - about my own or other countries. But what I think is really sad is that the extremists get all the attention as if there is only the extreme left and the extreme right. There are so many of us who are somewhere in the middle. Again, lovely song, musically and vocally.

Give us hell, Quimby!

The second to last line is very good. Was that one a quote? I think even without it being a quote it is an accurate depiction of how many people here think about their countrymen, even as they decry any sort of exception to American exceptionalism.

Also my personal opinion is that everyone here owns the situation. Letting people off the hook with some sort of notallamericans is unhelpful, but I don’t know anyone could communicate that without causing offense and isolation, which is not a recipe for a return to a society that values the power of ideals over the power of an individual. (Whether or not that ideal was ever reached, we are farther away from it right now).

The line that makes this work for me as a work of art is "Because an American is a dangerous creature" as the second to last line. Because that's where the implicit, subtle criticism -- and art -- sneaks in. Yikes.

I love this style of yours. Your Newman inspiration is special. The arrangement is soaring dude! I’ve said it 100 times but you always perfectly execute whatever sound you’re aiming for in every aspect, performance, production, arrangement, lyric…it’s so very impressive and you always blow my mind. How have you not been knighted? Can you send me the kings mailing address so I can pick his brain and give him his come to Jesus moment and make you lord David! You deserve some pomp and circumstance damnit!!!

Mixed emotions, yes. For me as a German person, the political situation in the USA is frightening. I can understand that you couldn’t resist using “the final solution”

This raises mixed emotions for me. Always love your music but it’s not evoking much love for Kevin Roberts (sorry KR). How did we get here…

I should add that it seems so clear to non-Americans. I just don’t understand the blind or self interested followers from my own country.