Grammy-Nominated Musician Linda Chorney Features Bernie Sanders In New Music Video
Grammy-nominated musician Linda Chorney knows a little bit about what it’s like being an underdog and dealing with naysayers. Back when she was nominated for an Americana Album of the Year Grammy in 2012, the relatively unknown artist faced a backlash from the Americana establishment, with some saying she didn’t deserve her nomination. She may not have won the Grammy, but she’s still making music and living her dream, proving the naysayers wrong.
And she is definitely feeling the “Bern.” Her video for the song “For the People” features a very familiar face in the media these days —Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. Yes, you may consider that an official endorsement.
While the song wasn’t written expressly for Sanders, it gained a whole new relevance in this election, which wasn’t lost on Chorney.
“The original lyric had us ‘dumbing down, screwing up all around 2014,’ when the song was written. I recorded in 2015, and changed the year in the lyrics, as unfortunately not only has the dumbing down not decreased, it has increased. Proof? Trump is ahead. (And the clowns are following him in the car.)”
“I had a nude model in full body paint, dancing in NYC, kids singing around Strawberry Fields in Central Park. Killer footage! And I lost it. I need to work on my organizational skills.”
Or maybe not, as the result still works quite well. The video opens with the lyrics, “We’re undoing everything ever done in the sixties,” and launches into a montage of Bernie Sanders footage interspersed with vintage protest and political photos, media footage, and Chorney in New York. There’s also plenty of selfie video footage at a Bernie Sanders rally where Chorney chimes in and whispers to the camera “I squirmed right to the front.” Suffice it to say, it’s pretty clear who she plans to vote for in this election.
“Bernie Sanders fights for the people! I went to my very first rally to see him, and filmed. I even squirmed my way up to the press area, telling them I was a documentarian. (Which I am.) Bernie is inspiring. He is passionate, he is honest. That’s when I said,” This song is Bernie. I guess it was meant to be that I lost the footage. I am dedicating this song to Bernie Sanders and his cause.”
The documentary Chorney refers to is The Opening Act, about the trials of trying to make it as an independent musician in a corporate music world. Just the trailer alone is filled with mariachi bands, stuntmen and a comparison of guns and beer. If you want to see the connection, check out the trailer.
“I am in love with him! Never have I witnessed a politician with more integrity. Never has there been a greater need for a leader who is there for us, and not the special interests, i.e. Corporations are running this country, and the government bends over for them, and the people get f—ed.”
Chorney hopes Bernie will pick up the video and use it in his campaign. She emailed the Sanders camp through one of their voter mailings, and got a response from a campaign worker that she was passing it on up the ladder, but it might be awhile before she hears back.
“I prefaced them considering the song recording vs. the video, as I call Trump and Cruz a turd [in the video], and I tell Citizens United to suck my b–ls. Not politically correct, but accurate! They are more than welcome to use the song for whatever they want. I really do think the lyrics of the chorus are perfect for Bernie to walk on stage. ‘Who’s gonna fight for the people? Who’ll make it right for the people?'”
“For the People” is one of the songs on Chorney’s latest album, Oysters, which is her follow-up to the Grammy-nominated Emotional Jukebox.
[Photo by Danny Sanchez/Courtesy of Linda Chorney]