Kevin
Macklemore
Today, they played this in the ethics session regarding the opioid crisis. As soon as I Dr. Townley’s intentions to play it, I knew she’d made an apt choice. I can remember hearing this at the Grammy’s and being incredibly moved by Macklemore’s message. Powerful song. Nice to be reminded of it’s presence.
Looking for a featured picture, I stumbled across this website. Fascinating! They give the artist interpretation, theirs, and links to related media (my favorite here, because I have seen other sites that collect artist interpretations). I continued to browse around the site and realized how neat it is. They list out songs and then label them by the general cause they advocate for. I look forward to seeing their site grow.
Macklemore’s Intention:
“This one is personal… I started writing it when my friend Kevin passed from an overdose on prescription medication. It was my attempt to process his death. To grieve. And also to examine the over abundance of prescription drugs in America. How quick we’re taught at an early age to put a pharmaceutical band aid over our pain/anxiety.”
The lyrics:
As with any issue it is more gray than black and white, but Macklemore makes a strong point is his lyrical stanza, “Look at Kevin, look at Kevin, Now he’s wrapped in plastic, First dealer was his Mom’s medicine cabinet, Got anxiety, better go and give him a Xanax, Focus, give him Adderall, sleep, give him Ambien ‘Til he’s walking ’round the city looking like a mannequin, Ups and downs, shooting up prescriptions you’re handing him, So America, is it really worth it? I’m asking you.”