I never thought that a cover song from a daughter-in-law of a former president facing multiple indictments would be something I spent anytime talking about. And yet, here we are.
Released last week, Lara Trump’s (wife of Eric) debut single is a cover of Tom Petty’s 1989 smash hit “Won’t Back Down”. You can re-read that sentence all day and it won’t make any more sense. However, there is one interesting thing you can’t help but think about when listening to the song. Lara Trump, the 40-year old Fox News contributor, isn’t just trying to launch her singing career, she is trying to make a newsworthy and culture-grabbing item. This is a brazen attempt by a political talking head to make an Important (capital I) Anthem (capital A). So, when listening to this, you have no choice but to ask yourself two questions: “Is the song good?” and “Will this song be important?”
The answer to both of those questions is a resounding no. Maybe we’ll get a Don Jr. cover of “Paradise City” or some shit.
Ok, so here is where things get interesting.
I’m about to talk about this song, which is available to listen to on Spotify (that’s where I heard it), and I would like you to hear it. After all, while I assume you’re here because of my opinion, it’s also important for you to also listen to the song. I fucking suffered through this. Shouldn’t you?
And, therein, lies the rub.
There is no youtube clip on this song for me to embed. I wonder if the cease and desist order from the Petty estate telling Trump to stop using the tune at rallies and campaign events had anything to do with that. There is something on Rumble, but I’m not giving any extra clicks to that Steven Crowder-hosting bullshit nonsense site. So, I’ll just say that if you want to find it, it’s available. So, let’s get chatting about this song.
I said in the opening that this is not a good song, and that’s 100% accurate. However, it’s also not a horrible song. There are elements of this that are the very definition of the word “adequate”. The other musicians on this track clearly earned their checks and are both playing and singing competently. They’re laying down what you would hear if you were about to sing a karaoke version of this song. It’s fine. So that leaves Lara.
Is Lara Trump’s voice good? I mean, it’s meh. She does some runs and tries some things, but is also relying on a lot of production help. You can hear the computers helping her voice around through every note. Because of this, this version of “Won’t Back Down” sounds like something you would hear if Kesha made a country album. And while that thought sounds excellent (and I have no doubt it would be), what we’re left with here is just kind of a bland whatever mush of a song. And when you consider how powerful and wonderful the original is, that is what makes this cover a disappointment.
I first learned about this song when there was coverage of Eric Trump tweets complaining that Apple was trying to bury the song in search results. That’s when I knew that this song wasn’t about capturing a musical moment; it was about trying to get some sweet, sweet press about cancel culture.
It was a smart move for Mrs. Trump to make this song country-themed, as many country singers have risen to prominence amongst the MAGA dipshits who want to stand by people who come under public scrutiny. They rush to defend people like Morgan Wallen (caught using racial slurs) and Jason Aldean (shot a music video at a locale that was the sight of a lynching) or Oliver Anthony (doesn’t understand the correlation between poor nutrition and low income). They want to stand by the people who are a little racist and/or ignorant. To the Trump GOP, these aren’t just their people, they’re the common man. And who can be more common than Lara Trump, shown here on her album cover riding a diamond-wearing horse?
Celebrity singers… they’re just like us!
I can envision hearing Lara sing this song at rallies (and, assumably, the RNC convention). I can even see this song selling a few copies, because if something has the Trump name behind it, it’s gonna be part of the grift. But, whenever I hear this song, it will be hard to hear Trump’s voice. Or the music. Because it will be hard to hear anything but Tom Petty rolling in his grave.
Fancy Boys Club 