Album: Loudon Wainwright III, 10 Songs for the New Depression (Snowdon/Proper)

Andy Gill
Friday 16 July 2010 00:00 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The current economic gloom is tailor-made for Wainwright's trenchant commentaries in this slim portfolio of sardonic observations.

Who else would spot the irony in getting sacked from the job you always professed to hate ("Fear Itself"), or meditate upon the gloomy mien of one's favourite economic pundit ("The Krugman Blues")? A couple of minstrel songs from the original Great Depression offer comparative parallels, notably "The Panic Is On" ("Pawned my razor, but not my gun/ If luck don't change, there'll be some stealin' done"), but the most mordant irony is reserved for "House", wherein he reveals an unforeseen silver lining of sorts in the collapse of the housing market, as anchoring shaky marriages: "There's no way we could sell our house now, so we'll have to stay/ You can't up and walk out on me, and I can't run away".

DOWNLOAD THIS House; The Panic Is On; Fear Itself

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in