Chumbawamba – extracts from “Never Mind The Ballots”
(Agit-Prop Records, LP, 1987)
On Election Day, I posted the Kuti track from his Black President album. But I had alternate plans for that day’s Screamer of the Day had McCain won the election. Given the current tenor and low-level political chaos that is ensuing on just about every level of government, I thought I’d post this alternate track today.
It’s Chumbawamba. Everyone knows Chumba, right? I get knocked down, but I get up again yadda yadda. Yeah, them. But what most people don’t know is that Tubthumper was from the band’s *eigth* studio album. Prior to that, they were much more politically motivated and presented a porn-load more integrity in their messages. Recently, I had the pleasure to check out their Readymades album. Honestly, I was skeptical, but I wound up loving the album. Alice and Danbert are certainly in their full presence, but the album reads more like Tracey and Ben in bed with Neil and Christopher and the whole affair sounds like it should have been named Anything But The Pet Shop Boys. It’s great – seriously – but Chumbawamba?
No.
Rewind to 1987. The Wall is still up, Thatcher is Still In, Reagan doesn’t remember, and punk’s not dead. Yet. Nevermind The Ballots hits the streets and has entire legions of glued-up mohawks bobbing and Doing the Revolution and the whole thing is the perfect soundtrack to Republicans-Gone-Wild. (Wait. Do I really want to envision *that*? Sorry if I ruined your tea.)
The Chums were already well known in many small circles for their first effort, Pictures of Starving Children Sell Records, and Danbert’s solo single showing off his large unaltered maleness on the cover earned the band enough of a reputation to make the records fly off the shelves. Suddenly, we had a fucking *movement* on our hands.
The sharp sarcasm in these extracts from Nevermiond the Ballots (tax cuts and platform shoes/for every small business man!) still manages to apply today. Some find that comforting. Ultimately, it’s very sad. But the election’s over. Prop 8 has become a national issue, so let’s see exactly what our leader is willing to deliver…
Can I hear a hallelujah??