Word out of music insider Bob Lefsetz’s popular newsletter is that there’s a new protest song in town, and it’s about to blow up. Given the allusive title “What Do You Mean The Answer Is Blowin’ In The Wind?” — which Lefsetz’s characterizes as “unwieldy” — the new song is reportedly a mass anti-Trump drop produced by the Max Martin juggernaut and featuring Justin Bieber, Katy Perry — even Florida-Georgia Line. And the clincher — it’s a Dylan tune. As in Bob Dylan. Dylan never wanted to be the “voice of his generation” or just to focus on protest music — he said so in his Chronicles Part 1 — but he was. He wrote “Masters of War”, for goodness sake. And “Blowing in the Wind” and… the list goes on and on.
Thing is there’s no less to protest today than when LBJ was sending young Americans to Vietnam. The world and its problems are different but they persist, just like music. Crosby, Still, Nash & Young didn’t have a corporate sponsor when they recorded and unleashed the angry “Ohio” (see below). Lefsetz reports that “What Do You Mean The Answer Is Blowin’ In The Wind?” will be sponsored by Starbucks for its world premiere, slated for the NCAA Finals on Monday night. Lefsetz says he heard the track and it’s “a one listen smash.” Kelly Clarkson crushes it. We’ve written before that Justin Bieber was boarding Bob Dylan’s train. Is “What Do You Mean The Answer Is Blowin’ In The Wind?” the ultimate protest song? Will people who thought Donald Trump was the answer to their problems be swayed? P.S. Happy April Fool’s Day! Remember Sidd Finch?
