Photo Credit: Kelly Doyle
For close to two decades, Josh Ritter has established himself as a well-respected singer-songwriter. Recently he had the distinction of writing two tunes (“Be of Good Heart” and “Silver Blade) specifically for Joan Baez latest album Whistle Down The Wind.
Ritter isn’t necessarily known as a protest singer, but he has written and recorded a handful of topical songs. For example his excellent 2006 album, The Animal Years feature two standout tracks influenced by the Iraq War (“Girl In The War” and “Thin Blue Flame”).
Another socially conscious highlight from his catalogue is the “The Temptation of Adam” off of his 2007 album, The Historical Conquest of Josh Ritter. It was a fine demonstration of his poetic and articulate ability has a storyteller. Instead of being a direct protest song, it was a love story taken place in a world on the brink of World War III. But the song’s political relevance was highlighted by the fact that Ritter chose to include a live recording of this tune as part of the anti-Trump 30 Days, 30 Songs Project (which was expanded to 50, 30 and then 1000, 1000), which was initiated 30 days before the US presidential election.
Even though the song was written pre-Trump, obviously in the mind of Ritter the thoughts of a Trump presidency caused his lyrics to take on a new perspective. On the project’s website, Ritter made the following statement: “I wrote “Temptation of Adam” during the W administration, in the midst of what seemed to me then to be the darkest days in American political history. Listening to this live version as I write, however, I’m struck by just how innocent it seems. Love is a powerful, powerful force in our human world. I hope and hope that it is strong enough to withstand all that we hurl against it.”
What was a love song built around a potential apocalypse which Ritter felt could be caused by then-president George W. Bush becomes a love song built around the potential apocalypse that could be caused by Trump. Hopefully, love will trump hate.