Laura Gibson is a singer, multi-instrumentalist, and writer. Her latest album, Empire Builder, was released April 1, 2016. Dave Depper is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer, currently on tour providing guitar, keys, and harmony vocals for Death Cab for Cutie.
Throughout this election, I’ve found myself thinking about shame. I felt shame watching the debates, an emotion different from the anger or embarrassment I’d experienced during other political moments. Donald Trump is often described as having no shame. But his delusions, his uncontrolled outbursts, his posturing and self-protection all seem to be covering up a deep well of shame. Why else would a man spin himself, so thoroughly toward attention that he is left with no substance, no true conviction or personality of his own. Why else would he cling so desperately to the lie that his manhood is defined by money and power? That a woman’s only worth is her ability to visually please him? Shame.
It is heartbreaking that such large percentage of the U.S. population believes Donald Trump is their only option. I wanted to write a classic heartbreak song, perhaps from the perspective of someone who had believed Trump actually cared for them, but then realized they’d been betrayed, that he’d been lying the whole time.
Where were you when the battle was fought? When they stood up straight, rain-slick faces, carrying someone else’s weight You were uptown pacing your lair, stealing glitter from a pageant winner, judging her skin, her hair It’s a lie! It’s a lie! “But they love me!” you cry What they love is a lie Where were you when a life was taken? You were spitting out hate, saying whatever might place your name on the ticker tape Where were you when the towers fell? Eye on the profit, money in your pocket, saying “See how tall my throne looks now!” It’s a lie! It’s a lie! “But they love me!” you cry What they love is a lie Where were you? You never cared much, Too busy pressing your body against somebody you felt was yours to touch Big hat no cattle, alone in the saddle you are not self-made as you claim, only hell bent on fame It’s a lie! It’s a lie! “But they love me!” you cry What they love is a lie -- Song by Laura Gibson Performed by Laura Gibson and Dave Depper Engineered and mixed by Dave Depper