The video is a no holds barred view of the Black Lives Matter protests, and ironically reminded me of The Police’s controversial video for “Invisible Sun” in 1981. These are the reasons as to why we thought “The Birth of a Nation” was the perfect title for the track.” There’s the obvious flipping the title on its head in the same way Director Nate Parker did for his 2016 role-reversal take on the original, where a literate slave and preacher in the South orchestrates an uprising. “To put it into perspective, over 100 years ago when the film debuted they had a private screening in the White House for the president, and just a few months ago the then American president Trump, told right-wing groups to “stand down and stand by” when asked to denounce them. “Some of those that work forces are the same that burn crosses”. The plot of the film relied on this false narrative that black people were the antithesis of the American way, while the Ku Klux Klan were the saviours.” “DW Griffith used media in the form of his film The Birth of a Nation to spread hate, fear and lies. Enola Gay express hope as we work together to create positive change and the passion in this track builds to a powerful crescendo.īand member Joe McVeigh explained the source of the title of the song.
There is defiance as they sing “You’ll never kill our will to be free, cause in our minds we hold the key” and “Burn the house, rebuild the home”.
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“Tear gas to the face cause his skin face was brown” “Knee to the neck from those who serve ‘n’ protect”
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There are many lines I could quote from this song, as it is full of attitude, driving home the message: Such statements fed into systematic racism and Enola Gay have turned this around. “More blacks, more dogs, more Irish” cleverly reclaims the statement “No blacks, no dogs, no Irish” that was believed to have been used post World War Two in the UK. Its constant accompanying drum beat paired with depth and intelligent lyrics make you catch your breath. It makes you want to sit up and take notice. There is a driving bassline underlying this track which provides a foreboding and dark backdrop, combined with a punk aesthetic which creates an urgent and forceful track. “The Birth of a Nation”, the debut single by Belfast’s Enola Gay was released in October which confronts head-on various movements including most notably Black Lives Matter. The list of subjects in our turbulent world right now seems endless, from COVID-19 to the behaviour of politicians, to social justice, the environment and attitudes on climate change to name just a few. Bands currently find themselves with a mountain of possibilities if they want to express the current state of affairs through their music.