tall buildings shake.

“…tall buildings shake/voices escape singing sad, sad songs…”

When Jeff Tweedy wrote Wilco’s powerful song “Jesus, Etc.” in early 2001 for his band’s album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (ironically scheduled for release on September 11, 2001) the lyrics were nothing more than poetic. By the time the album was actually released on April 23, 2002, the meaning of Tweedy’s lyrics had drastically changed.

“skyscrapers are scraping together…”

Seven years ago, this image was poetic. Today, it is the haunting reality of the tragedy of 9/11. I remember the first time I listened to the song, being shocked by Tweedy’s blatant reference, especially so soon after the event and not knowing that it was in fact not a reference but a coincidence.

The tragedy of 9/11 has shaped our culture drastically over the past seven years. It has changed our idea of patriotism—if you’re not with us, you’re against us. It has changed our ideas on Arab nations and unfortunately for many, Muslims as a whole. It has changed our perception of war, that maybe we are not safe here on American soil. It has changed our sense of security—which is now based on bringing nothing larger than a three ounce bottle onto an airplane. It has changed our vocabulary. It has changed our politics. It has changed our freedoms. The list goes on, but ultimately, it has changed our lives.

9/11 has united us as a country but divided us at the same time. The idea of “America” is much stronger and we are all, in turn, much more patriotic but our ideas, our politics, our dreams have been separated.
So when it comes down to it, the message of Tweedy’s lyrics, in which he unknowingly foreshadowed a horrific tragedy, is that we all need to come together whether it be in the face of tragedy or in the face of freedom.

“don’t cry/ you can rely on me honey…our love is all we have…”