The Santa Fe Raging Grannies Give ‘Hit the Road, Jack’ a Protest Chorus
The Santa Fe Raging Grannies use the tune made famous by Ray Charles in 1961. Change the name in its refrain to ‘ICE,’ and a familiar song becomes their direct protest against U.S. immigration enforcement.
The Raging Grannies movement dates to 1987. Songs like this one draw on its history of using parody and melodies people already know in nonviolent demonstrations.
‘Hit the Road, ICE!’ keeps the exchange between the lead and answering voices. The new words turn that exchange into a demand the whole group can repeat.
People at demonstrations have joined the refrain. Knowing the tune in advance makes it possible to take part even when the new verses are unfamiliar.
By September, the performance had recorded more than 1.1 million YouTube views. Sharing the video also took the song beyond the people who heard it in person.
Watch the performance
The group credits Granny Marcy with writing the new verses. Those lines supply the more serious argument around the quick, recognizable hook.
The arrangement lets a listener enter through the chorus and then pay attention to the verses. Much of the effect comes from hearing those two tones side by side.
A repeating chord pattern keeps the song easy to follow. The group can maintain the same pace while new voices join the refrain.
The structure gives the audience a clear place in the performance. A response arrives at an expected point, and anyone who knows the melody can find it.
That use of borrowed music has a long place in protest song. A tune people have heard elsewhere can carry new words directly into a public gathering.
The performers’ hats and aprons contribute another kind of familiarity. The image can bring in a viewer who would then hear the group’s more pointed argument.
Online video extends that exchange to a much wider audience. People who did not attend a demonstration can see how the music is used and share it with others.
The Grannies make lyrics and chords available so other activists can adapt their music. The song’s simple framework makes it possible to pass along without needing the original group present.
In that way, the performance can have a life beyond its first setting. The same refrain can be taken up by a different collection of voices at another event.
The public response has brought the singers attention online and in other media. Much of what audiences recognize immediately is still the shape of the old tune.
The companion songs show how the group approaches different topics with the same ear for a memorable line. Each leaves people room to listen or join in.
Two more performances to explore
We Gotta Stop the Raids
‘We Gotta Stop the Raids’ makes its subject clear in the title. The Santa Fe singers turn criticism of immigration enforcement raids into another short, repeatable protest song.
When We Make Peace Instead of War
‘When We Make Peace Instead of War’ brings the group’s attention to peace and justice. It gives a second example of how they fit public concerns into a form people can sing together.
