Saying ‘Bye Bye' to Trump's Least Favorite Words

Last year, a lot of indie-music fans—including myself—got someone else's packing list stuck in their head. I'd walk around muttering 'Milk thistle, calcium, high-rise, boot cut / Advil, black jeans, blue jeans'—lyrics hissed out by the art-punk legend Kim Gordon on a song called 'Bye Bye.' The track led off her album The Collective, one of the most acclaimed releases of 2024. Over hard hip-hop beats and snarling guitar distortion, Gordon stammered about daily banalities, reframing modern life as a psychological war zone.
Now the 72-year-old co-founder of Sonic Youth has released a new version of the song, called 'Bye Bye 25.' The music is largely the same, but the lyrics are new, and they start like this:
mental health
electric vehicle
Gulf of Mexico
energy conversion
gay
bird flu
These are among the terms that the Trump administration has tried to minimize from public life. PEN America has assembled a list of at least 350 phrases that federal authorities have, this year, scrubbed from government websites and materials (including school curricula), flagged as necessitating extra review in official documents and proposals, or discouraged the use of among staffers. The attention paid to these words reflects Trump's crusade against diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as his team's stances on policy issues such as energy and vaccines. Gordon picked some of these words to rework 'Bye Bye'—making her, somewhat curiously, one of the few established musicians to release music directly inspired by Trump's second term.
For all the chaos and consternation caused by the president this year, the entertainment world's response has been relatively muted. Bruce Springsteen, that liberal stalwart, kicked off his tour with an anti-Trump sermon; stars such as Doechii and Lady Gaga have made awards-show speeches in support of immigrants, trans people, and protesters. But outright protest music responding to recent events has been rare. 'I think people are kind of mostly just still stunned and don't know what to do,' Gordon told me in a video chat earlier this week.
The memory of what happened the last time around might be contributing to the hesitation. Trump's rise to power in 2016 spurred a quick response from popular culture, resulting in diss tracks (Nipsey Hussle and YG's 'FDT') and provocations from luminaries (remember Madonna wanting to explode the White House?). The indie-rock world united for a compilation called Our First 100 Days: one track released for each of Trump's first 100 days in office. But today, many of those efforts feel like either artifacts of a bygone movement— the pink-hatted #Resistance —or simply inconsequential. When I spoke with Gordon, she said, with a laugh, that she had no memory of contributing to the Our First 100 Days project.
The new version of 'Bye Bye' caught my attention because it's deadpan funny, and because it avoids some of the pitfalls that await many anti-Trump protest efforts. The president and many of his supporters seem to use liberal outrage as fuel, which means strident criticism has a way of backfiring. Steve Bannon's stated strategy to 'flood the zone with shit'—to stoke multiple incendiary media narratives every day—can make knowing what to protest first difficult. The firing of human-rights workers? The extrajudicial deportations? The dehumanization of trans people? The bid to turn Gaza into a resort? How do you pick?
Gordon's song cuts across topic areas by highlighting the dark absurdity of an ascendant political tactic: controlling policy by controlling language. It also doesn't sloganeer; instead, it presents a patently ridiculous jumble of terms for listeners to reflect on. (Theoretically, a MAGA loyalist might even enjoy the sound of diversity-related jargon becoming a heavy-metal hit list). 'I wanted to have some really mundane, weird words in there like allergy or measles or tile drainage,' she told me. 'It's unrealistic to think they could actually ban these words, because everyone uses them every day. But I think if they had their ultimate fantasy, maybe.'
Gordon and her former band, Sonic Youth, emanate the kind of inscrutable hauteur that might seem at odds with outright protest. But this is not her first such effort in this vein. Sonic Youth arose out of the punk-rock underground of the 1980s that was boiling with outrage against Ronald Reagan. In 1992, their song 'Youth Against Fascism' featured Thurston Moore—the band's other singer, and Gordon's now-ex-husband—sneering, 'Yeah, the president sucks / He's a war pig fuck.' That same year, the Gordon-led 'Swimsuit Issue' skewered male chauvinism, a topic she returned to with the hilarious 'I'm a Man' on The Collective.
Talking with her, I remembered that though Gordon is often associated with Gen X disaffection, she's really a Baby Boomer who came of age attending Vietnam War protests and listening to folk music. The video for 'Bye Bye 25' splices images from the recent anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles with shots of her holding cue cards in the style of Bob Dylan's 'Subterranean Homesick Blues' video. She told me her favorite protest song is Neil Young's 'Ohio,' which decried the state violence at Kent State University in 1970. Young, she suspected, didn't intend to write an out-and-out rallying cry. 'Those lyrics were describing a time,' she said. 'That's what I hope I'm doing with my music and my lyrics—really describing what's going on.'

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

New York Post

23 minutes ago

• New York Post

RFK Jr. blasts offshore windmill farms for harming marine life as he tries to save whales and ostriches: ‘Make no economic sense'

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wants to save the whales along with the ostriches. The Secretary of Health & Human Services — who recently went to bat for nearly 400 ostriches threatened by the bird flu in Canada — doubled down Sunday on his contention that offshore windmills need to be banned because they threaten whales and other marine life. The offshore contraptions also are a costly bust as a clean-energy alternative to fossil fuels, Kennedy told WABC 770 AM's the 'Cats Roundtable' program. 7 Secretary of Health & Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. doubled down Sunday on his contention that offshore windmills need to be banned. Getty Images 'We've had 109 whale groundings in the last 22 months. And they're all in the proximity of these new offshore wind farms,' said the Kennedy scion — who once famously cut off a dead whale's head on the beach and strapped it to the roof of the family's car to bring it home to reportedly study it. 'In the 20 years before that, the average whale grounding was 2.6 per year,' he told host John Catsimatidis. 'Many of these [whales] are critically endangered species. … We are going to exterminate these whales,' RFK Jr. said. 'When you put a windmill up, the cod disappear, the groundfish disappear. The fishermen are going out of business.' 7 'In the 20 years before that, the average whale grounding was 2.6 per year,' he told host John Catsimatidis. Lois GoBe – He added that many of the offshore wind companies operating in the US are foreign-owned and partner with American firms to receive massive subsidies under former President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act. 'The energy that they produce is three times the cost of an onshore wind plant. They make no economic sense,' Kennedy said. President Trump has already issued an executive order blocking approval of all new offshore wind projects, which are opposed by residents and elected officials in New York and New Jersey shore communities. 7 Many of the offshore wind companies operating in the US are foreign-owned and partner with American firms to receive massive subsidies. gudkovandrey – The president did allow one controversial offshore wind project off Long Island's coast to proceed, at the behest of Gov. Kathy Hochul and Big Apple Mayor Eric Adams. It had already received all the necessary approvals and promised an estimated 1,000 local jobs. The project, known as Empire Wind 1, is just one cog in New York's grander push to become fossil fuel-free by 2050 and is set to power 500,000 homes through green energy provided by wind turbines. But it faces steep criticism from Nassau County officials, who agree with Kennedy that the project threatens marine life and the local fishing industry. Kennedy said Sunday that he speaks to Trump 'all the time' about his opposition to offshore windmills. 7 President Trump has already issued an executive order blocking approval of all new offshore wind projects. AP As an environmental lawyer, he helped block a proposed offshore wind farm near his family's compound in Cape Cod. Trump himself is a staunch opponent of offshore wind, too, saying, 'We're not going to do the wind thing. 'Big, ugly windmills, they ruin your neighborhood. 'They destroy everything, they're horrible, the most expensive energy there is,' Trump has said. 'They ruin the environment, they kill the birds, they kill the whales.' 7 Kennedy said Sunday that he speaks to Trump 'all the time' about his opposition to offshore windmills. EcoView – 7 Trump himself is a staunch opponent of offshore wind, too, saying, 'We're not going to do the wind thing.' AP As for Kennedy and the ostriches, he has been appealing to Canadian officials to save the birds as part of a campaign with Catsimatidis. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has said it needs to kill hundreds of ostriches at the Universal Ostrich Farm in British Columbia to curb the spread of the avian flu there. RFK Jr., who owns an emu, stuck his neck out for the birds and is hopeful that doesn't happen. He said the ostriches survived the avian bird flu and they should be studied to determine how they became immune. 7 Kennedy has been appealing to Canadian officials to save the birds as part of a campaign with Catsimatidis. halberg – TV's Dr. Oz, who works closely with RFK as the administrator of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, even offered his Florida ranch as a refuge for the ostriches. 'We want to get antibodies out of them. They survived bird flu. Why did they survive?,' RFK Jr. said. 'We need to know that because there are a lot of other birds that died from it.' He blamed 'bureaucratic corruption' and the lust for power for wanting to cull the ostriches.

Fox News

23 minutes ago

• Fox News

'Squad' erupts in fury as Trump takes bold action against Iranian nuclear threat

Members of the congressional "Squad" unleashed sharp criticism of President Donald Trump after he ordered a barrage of missile and bomb strikes on Iranian nuclear sites late Saturday. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., was the most vocal of all, tweeting several times about the offensive. Responding to cryptocurrency exchange CEO Arjun Sethi's comment about U.S. "elites" being most united by war "especially against Muslims in the Middle East," Tlaib remarked, "Yep and it's so f---ing sick." "President Trump sending US troops to bomb Iran without the consent of Congress is a blatant violation of the Constitution. The American people do not want another forever war," Tlaib added in a separate message. "Instead of listening to the American people, Trump is listening to War Criminal Netanyahu who lied about Iraq and is lying once again about Iran. Congress must act immediately to exert its war powers and stop this unconstitutional war." She also retweeted right-wing Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who had commented "this (strike) is not constitutional." Squad Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., echoed Tlaib's concerns about "endless war," and called Trump and Netanyahu "warmongers." "It is the people who suffer the illegal & irresponsible actions of authoritarian leaders," she said. "Only Congress has the power to declare war. We must act to protect our safety and shared humanity." Rep. Gregorio Casar, D-Texas, a newer member of the far-left congressional group, claimed it is "illegal" for Trump to act as he did. "Congress should immediately pass a War Powers Resolution to block Trump from carrying out an unconstitutional war," the Austin lawmaker said. "My entire adult life, politicians have promised that new wars in the Middle East would be quick and easy. Then they sent other people's children to fight and die endlessly. Enough." The most recognizable Squad member, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., called Trump's decision "disastrous" and said striking Iran without congressional authorization "a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers." "He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations," Ocasio-Cortez went on, adding that Trump has established clear "grounds for impeachment." Though not a member of the Squad, Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., also made an impeachment call Saturday. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., reiterated other Squad members' criticisms, adding Trump "reckless(ly) escalate(ed)" the conflict between Israel and Iran. "Congress must vote immediately on Rep. Thomas Massie and Sen. Tim Kaine's War Powers resolutions when we return to session." Omar also shared a quote from Bill Clinton, saying prior to the strike that Trump should "diffuse" the situation and that Netanyahu has "long wanted to fight Iran." Rep. Ayanna Pressley, the Boston lawmaker who also identifies with the Squad, said Trump violated the Constitution and risking innocent lives. In Pittsburgh, Rep. Summer Lee said Trump is "acting fully outside of his authority and is once again trampling on the Constitution." "This is an illegal and terrifying escalation. Dropping bombs on Iran brings us closer to war, not peace, and he is putting millions of lives at stake. Congress must immediately pass our War Powers Resolution to rein him in." Lee mocked Trump as "your hypocritical 'anti-war' president who just illegally struck Iran and is putting countless lives at risk." Later Saturday, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., said the Squad and others crying out about the War Powers Act, saying that courts have ruled it refers to deploying troops, not what Trump has done. "If we are attacked, the commander-in-chief has the authority and ability to protect Americans at home and abroad if we feel threatened or attacked," Mullin said. "He's keeping America safe," he told "Hannity."

USA Today

24 minutes ago

• USA Today

Protests erupt calling for Trump, U.S. to say out of war in Middle East

Americans are taking to the streets to protest U.S. military involvement in Iran. Protestors expect their numbers to swell this week. WASHINGTON — Protests against the U.S. military involvement in Iran, including some in New York and outside the White House June 22, are expected to continue throughout the week in communities across the country. The protests come on the heels of President Donald Trump ordering attacks on three nuclear facilities in Iran. Demonstrations were underway Sunday, June 22 in Washington, D.C., New York and Boston, according to social media posts. 'The people of the United States don't want another forever war. The people of the United States want money for people's needs!'' the Party for Socialism and Liberation posted on X. The protests, some organized in part by ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) Coalition, an anti-war group, call for Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stop the war on Iran. ANSWER is a left-wing group that has organized protests against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and other U.S. military actions, including some that have drawn hundreds of thousands of participants. Earlier this year, the organization was part of a coalition of groups across the country protesting in the days after Trump's inauguration. Other protests are planned in the coming week, including a national ''Stop the War on Iran'' march slated for June 28 in Washington, D.C. Others protested across the globe, including in Japan and Iran. Trump administration officials defended the attacks Sunday morning, and President Trump threatened possible further actions. "If peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speech and skill," Trump said Saturday at the White House. More: Not what 'MAGA wanted to hear': Tensions within GOP remain about Trump's Iran strike Congress is scheduled to return to Washington this week. Many Republican lawmakers applauded Trump's move. 'President Trump has been consistent and clear that a nuclear-armed Iran will not be tolerated,'' Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, said in a statement. 'That posture has now been enforced with strength, precision, and clarity.'' Some Democrats, however, blasted Trump 'unilateral decision' to attack Iran without Congressional approval, calling it illegal. 'This move, a rash sequel to his withdrawal from the nuclear deal, puts our nation, our troops, and innocents at grave risk,'' Rep. James Clyburn said in a statement. 'Trump promised to be a peacemaker and vowed to avoid plunging the U.S. into more wars in the Middle East. This attack is inconsistent with his promise to the American people.' Contributing: Sarah Wire ###