New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Elliot Schneider is a long-standing rock musician who's been in and out of the entertainment industry for many years. After quitting his music career and becoming a high school teacher, Schneider got and beat breast cancer in 2005. He dove back into his passion again once he got the chance, and he hasn't stopped since (with no desire to, either). In this single, "I Second That Amendment Blues," Schneider puts his opinions on the mass shooting and gun debate to music. A satirical and deeply cutting song, it displays his support for the youth that are working towards gun reform. It was written in response for the school shooting in Parkland, Florida.
Schneider plays with the love of his life, Carmen Castro (keyboard), Mark Banning (guitar), Eric Borst (drums), Tyler Jensen (bass), and
Danny Magalhaes (rhythm guitar and harmony vocals). The group has a bond you can absolutely feel through the music- it's warm and impressive. This track has a deceptively light sound, seemingly fun and playful while having a very serious message. If it wasn't a satirical piece, I don't think this would be as successful. The utter contrast between the brutally honest lyrics is disconcerting in the best way.
It makes perfect sense that Schneider, a former school teacher, would have such a passionate stance on this issue. "I Second That Amendment Blues" calls the NRA and those who support them out, asking very cooly, "How many children will be killed?" It is a brilliantly written song that handles this whole debate really brilliantly, using logic and emotion perfectly. While it isn't uncommon for artists to go to music in order to share their feelings, there's a certain power that music itself has that can make even unwilling parties listen.
With the nostalgic, classic melodies you hear in the music, one probably isn't expecting the lyrics to be quite so cutting. My favorite one is, "God help those who help themselves / Your prayers are falling on dead ears." Upon first listening, I wondered if I'd simply misunderstood, but no- Schneider meant to say "dead". It's a harsh and strong point to make, one that many people are choosing to ignore- false niceties in a time like this isn't enough anymore. Action has to be taken, and anything less than that is a massive failure to the nation's children. This song is a welcome change in the climate, demanding to be listened to and thoughtfully considered.
Elliot Schneider tackled a hard, painful topic and put his own twist on it, developing a fun-to-hear song that has a message that will absolutely suckerpunch you. It's necessary, it's brilliant, it's sad that it even has to exist. "I Second That Amendment Blues" is an incredibly important song that deserves recognition for how clever and ruthless the lyrics are. There's no room for unwarranted sympathy as long as children are in danger, and if you care more about your right to bear arms than protecting them, there is most certainly a problem.
https://elliotschneidermusic.com/
Victoria Patterson
