An Old Song with Contemporary Relevance

This afternoon I was writing about Theaster Gates’ Afro-Mingei exhibition at the Mori Art Museum (continuing until September 1, 2024), I plugged an old CD from 1995 by Don Henley, formerly of The Eagles, into my player. Toward the end is a song that I had listened to dozens of times in the past. But this time, I felt like it was highly applicable to a certain political figure in the United States today.

The song is titled “The Garden of Allah” and the stanza that suddenly impressed me by its meaning in 2024 is as follows:

Today I made an appearance downtown
I am an expert witness, because I say I am
And I said, ‘Gentlemen…and I use that word loosely…
I will testify for you
I’m a gun for hire, I’m a saint, I’m a liar
Because there are no facts, there is no truth
Just data to be manipulated
I can get you any result you like
What’s it worth to ya?
Because there is no wrong, there is no right
And I sleep very well at night
No shame, no solution
No remorse, no retribution
Just people selling t-shirts
Just opportunity to participate in the pathetic little circus
And winning, winning, winning

Don Henley - "The Garden Of Allah" (from "Actual Miles: Henley's Greatest Hits")

I was only half-listening to the album, but the lyrics of this particular song grabbed my attention. It perfectly describes the political situation this year, in which a large group of Americans don’t care about what is right or what is wrong. It is all about “belonging” to a certain group, one which has no policies, no plan, no sense of responsibility for what happens in the country or with its allies. The only change that Henley could make to replace “people selling t-shirts” with “people selling gold sneakers.”

Well done, Henley.

(298 words)