Spirit Family Reunion Covers Barbara Dane & The Chambers Brothers

We're always happy to bring you any new music from Spirit Family Reunion, and we're especially happy when it's a particularly great song, and a cover! "It Isn't Nice" was originally written by Malvina Reynolds ("Little Boxes") in 1963 and arranged by Barbara Dane & The Chambers Brothers in 1966. In 2018 it's been updated by Spirit Family Reunion. It's a song extolling the virtues of protest, saying that while most forms of protest may not be considered "nice," sometimes you need to not be nice. The updated portion is very obvious with lyrics that include "They separate children at the Mexican border / And shoot our good neighbors for driving while black." I don't think there is any current band that is more perfectly suited to updating a classic folk protest song like this than Spirit Family Reunion are.

The band says about the song:

Dear Friends,
Much of the misery, suffering and exploitation that is so palpable to so many right now, relies on deception, despair and complacency in order to maintain power. Only with hearts, minds and eyes wide open can we really find our way forward. Music helps us open, and we hope this song can help you as we find our collective way forward.

This song came to us by way of two brave women: #MalvinaReynoldswho wrote it, and Barbara Dane who made this arrangement. As they demonstrated on the front lines of freedom struggles, working for freedom is not always seen as nice, convenient or even legal. But we need to embrace it, otherwise we are working against our own humanity.

If freedom means the absence of subjugation to domination, we have a lot of work to do before we all truly have access to this fundamental ideal. And there are so many courageous examples of this work. This song means to move you into rebellion. To embrace your power to disrupt the viciousness that is permitted by complacency.

You can watch the lyric video for "It Isn't Nice" below. For more on Spirit Family Reunion, check out their website.