1933

Album: Be More Kind (2018)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This jangling, state-of-the-nation anthem was the first track to be released from Be More Kind. The song was inspired by articles Frank Turner saw that suggested the alt-right was punk rock.

    "That filled me with a mixture of incredulity and anger," said the singer. "The idea that Breitbart or Steve Bannon think they have anything to do with punk rock makes me extremely angry. These ideas are surfacing again that collectively as a species we've already shot down."
  • Turner explained the song's title to NME:

    "1933 was the year that the Nazis took power in Germany. Obviously I’m quite consciously aware of Godwin’s Law and the idea that mentioning the Nazis gets pretty tired in principled debate pretty quickly. But it still, nevertheless, seemed like it was a turning point which in and of itself didn’t necessarily seem apocalyptic at the time – in 1933 I’m not sure that anybody in Germany was thinking of 1945 and yet they were inextricably linked.

    The year 2016 in particular felt quite momentous to me, it was a threatening year, and it’s a song that was written when we were touring in the USA in the summer of 2016 while the election campaign was ongoing."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

The Untold Story Of Fiona Apple's Extraordinary Machine

The Untold Story Of Fiona Apple's Extraordinary MachineSong Writing

Fiona's highly-anticipated third album almost didn't make it. Here's how it finally came together after two years and a leak.

JJ Burnel of The Stranglers

JJ Burnel of The StranglersSongwriter Interviews

JJ talks about The Stranglers' signature sound - keyboard and bass - which isn't your typical strain of punk rock.

Sub Pop Founder Bruce Pavitt On How To Create A Music Scene

Sub Pop Founder Bruce Pavitt On How To Create A Music SceneSong Writing

With $50 and a glue stick, Bruce Pavitt created Sub Pop, a fanzine-turned-label that gave the world Nirvana and grunge. He explains how motivated individuals can shift culture.

Judas Priest

Judas PriestSongwriter Interviews

Rob Halford, Richie Faulkner and Glenn Tipton talk twin guitar harmonies and explain how they create songs in Judas Priest.

Todd Rundgren

Todd RundgrenSongwriter Interviews

Todd Rundgren explains why he avoids "Hello It's Me," and what it was like producing Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell album.

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' Albums

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' AlbumsSong Writing

With the rise of Kindie rock, more musicians are embracing their inner child with tunes for tots - here, we look at pop stars who recorded kids' albums.