I’m a sucker for a good power pop song. The best of ’em pull you in with catchy melodies even as/when the lyrics are less than uplifting. Such is the case with Pete Mancini’s new single “American Equator”. The song finds Mancini contemplating the political dissonance of the past several years, lamenting its continued escalation. “The fire’s been ignited, it’s live free to die, kid,” he sings, “you can’t get off of this ride, so hold on tight, hold on tight.”
The lyrics are set against slashing guitar that give some edge to Mancini’s otherwise foot-tapping melody. More electric guitars join in mid-song to give the song added intensity, creating a wash of intertwined solos that calls to mind Drive By Truckers.
Says Mancini about the song:
I wrote this song while I was on tour down south. A friend of mine mistakenly referred to the Mason Dixon line as the Equator, and I commented that it was the American Equator. That phrase stuck with me. Eventually I started thinking that if the political divide in this country was a physical place you could actually visit, it would look like a warzone. We have all seen the vitriol in comment sections, I know I am guilty of wading into those waters myself. This song is about the ideological fault line and being awake on the table these last few years. You can’t get off of this ride, so hold on tight.
Twangville is honored to premiere “American Equator” by Pete Mancini.
About the author: Mild-mannered corporate executive by day, excitable Twangville denizen by night.