While progressives across America continue to protest and speak out against Donald Trump’s election victory, outspoken folk star J. Tillman has been voicing his opinion through his musical pseudonym Father John Misty.
This outspokenness shines through on his latest track “Holy Hell”, a politically-charged piano ballad that alludes to the Trump victory with lines like “Holy hell, holy hell/ Damn, the future ain’t looking so bright." The song explores the “unfathomable, nameless rift” that the country is currently undergoing. Though “Holy Hell” is quite the dismal and dooming track, Father John Misty does end his ballad with a glimmer of optimism.
“But all my friends, yeah, I’m talking to you/The world won’t end unless we want it to/There’s no one in control/And it’s our life to choose.”
Prior to the Republican nominee’s unlikely victory, the musician went on a shameless rant about the stupidity of the entertainment industry and how it relates to the rise of Trump. After releasing the fluffy love song “Real Love Baby” earlier this year, Father John Misty followed the hopeful track up with a cover of comedian Tim Heidecker’s song “Trump’s Pilot”, a hilariously grim song about a pilot deciding to crash Trump’s plane for the betterment of the country.
Needless to say, Father John Misty isn’t a big fan of the direction that America is heading in, and he’s certainly not afraid to let that be known. While much of his previous musical work centers around love and psychedelically literary journeys through life, don’t be surprised to see J. Tillman use the politically charged voice found on “Holy Hell” more often in the near future.
