Nick Noon’s “Don’t Let The Papers Get You Down” is a song for the times. The Alabama-born singer-songwriter released this psychedelic-rock song this April (2021) yet it blends in perfectly with Woodstock-era music. The song is relatable to the times today and also to times of the hippie era. If someone would have told me that this song was written in the 1960’s or 1970’s I would have believed them. It has a timeless feel to it.
Things in America are currently very tense; mass-shootings, racist police, and injustice everywhere including in our governments legislature. The news is a depressing place to look, and although many people don’t read a physical paper anymore, I believe Nick Noon is suggesting to not let the news as a whole let us down completely. Although, it is hard to not let the news depress us, and turning our heads would make us guilty bystanders to the injustices happening all around us. I say Don’t Let The Papers Get You Down enough that you won’t take action and get involved. Let the news ignite you, and inspire you to stand up for systemic change and justice. The revolution is now.
When asking about the songs subject Nick says: “It is meant as a tap on the shoulder – a subtle cautioning that the downfalls of man are ageless. I believe ultimately though, the listener adopts their own meaning to any song or piece of art. So in the end, it’s the individual listening who decides what a song is about.”
Personally, the song serves as a reminder that if the news is depressing me, I am not alone in that. There are things to be done and we all play a part.
More on Nick Noon: https://www.nicknoon.net
