Photo: 11th Story
11th Story
11th Story
On July 4, Milwaukee duo 11th Story released a timely digital single, “Lady Liberty.” The piano, guitar and vocals format begs for an easy categorization—alternative pop will do—yet the moody song isn’t merely a genre exercise but a cry from the heart. The haunting melody conveys a thoughtful lyric suffused with sadness and uncertainty over the current state of the union. It's a time when the vast majority of Americans feel the country is on the wrong course and only 38% in a new Gallup poll are “extremely proud” to be American (a shocking drop for a flag-waving nation).
The video accompanying the song’s release clarifies any ambiguity, showing that the words are addressed to the Statue of Liberty (albeit most of the video was shot at Milwaukee’s War Memorial). Some of the verses reflect on a polarization running deeper than partisan politics: “Your mind and heart seem to drift further and further apart.” Others echo alienation: “What your eyes can’t see is you’re slowly losing me.” And others suggest that Lady Liberty has not only been hollowed out but stands on a wobbly foundation “built on lies.”
A bit of Emma Lazarus’ signature poem is sampled, the part about “your tired, your poor, your huddled masses” in a reminder of disputed ideals. One thinks back to the Watergate era, “the age’s most uncertain hour” as Paul Simon sang in “American Tune.” The difference between then and now is measured by comparing the lyrics of “American Tune” and “Lady Liberty.” Simon remained hopeful because he drew from a national mythology (the Mayflower, the Moon) that seems to have lost its hold on the public imagination.
