About this episode In this evocative folk ballad, the storyteller weaves today's top U.S. headlines into timeless verses, transforming current events into stories as old as time. Through heartfelt melodies and vivid imagery, listeners gain a fresh perspective on the news, emphasizing its human impact and recurring themes. This musical retelling reminds us that beneath the headlines lie stories of hope, struggle, and resilience that connect us all across generations.
0:00 The autumn air is turning thin0:03 Another news cycle starts to spin0:06 Down in Detroit, the engines are cold0:09 A story of the brave and the bold0:12 The UAW stands on the line0:15 Says the fruit of the labor should be mine0:19 Against the giants, the Big Three0:22 For a piece of the coming century0:25 Oh, the television flickers bright0:28 Selling the darkness, selling the light0:31 But it's the same old song, a different day0:34 Who has to work, and who gets to play0:38 The wheels of power grind and groan0:41 On muscle, and on blood and bone0:44 In Washington, the halls are loud0:47 A well-dressed and anxious crowd0:50 They're drawing lines down in the dust0:53 In promises you cannot trust0:57 The government clock is ticking down1:00 The talk of the whole entire town1:03 Is who will blink and who will bend1:06 And if the paychecks have an end1:09 Oh, the television flickers bright1:12 Selling the darkness, selling the light1:16 But it's the same old song, a different day1:19 Who has to work, and who gets to play1:22 The wheels of power grind and groan1:25 On muscle, and on blood and bone1:28 The man at the Fed says 'hold on tight'1:31 He's trying to make the numbers right1:35 But a gallon of gas and a loaf of bread1:38 Don't care what the morning papers said1:41 From the factory floor to the office chair1:44 There's a whisper of worry on the air1:47 So here I stand with my guitar1:50 Beneath a cold and distant star1:54 Singing of the picket sign1:57 And the Speaker walking a fragile line2:00 It's all one story, you see2:03 About what it costs a man to be free2:06 And I'll be back when the sun is new2:09 To sing another verse for you2:13 Oh, the television flickers bright2:16 Selling the darkness, selling the light2:19 But it's the same old song, a different day2:22 Who has to work, and who gets to play2:25 The wheels of power grind and groan2:28 On muscle, and on blood and bone
