Not-Uncommon.mp3
Not-Uncommon.mp4
Not-Uncommon-Unplugged-Underground-XXI.mp3
Not-Uncommon-Unplugged-Underground-XXI.mp4
Not-Uncommon-intro.mp3
[Verse 1]
The unusual
Has become usual
The not so average…
Average
[Bridge]
The age (of not uncommon)
Come on!
[Instrumental, Electric Piano Solo]
[Chorus]
Are you indifferent
To what’s different
And, do you mind
What you’ve come to find?
[Bridge]
The age (of not uncommon)
Come on!
[Instrumental, Saxophone Solo, Bass, Drum Fills]
[Verse 2]
What once was whack
Is now the knack
Oh no the irony
Of hypocrisy
[Bridge]
The age (of not uncommon)
Come on!
[Instrumental, Electric Piano Solo]
[Chorus]
Are you indifferent
To what’s different
And, do you mind
What you’ve come to find?
[Bridge]
The age (of uncommon)
Come on!
[Instrumental, Saxophone Solo, Bass, Drum Fills]
[Chorus]
Are you indifferent
To what’s different
And, do you mind
What you’ve come to find?
[Outro]
Uncommon is common
(It’s not uncommon any more)
… for sure
(It’s not uncommon any more)
ABOUT THE SONG
The song “Not Uncommon” is a sharp, satirical meditation on how once-shocking behaviors and crises—particularly those tied to authoritarianism and climate collapse—have been normalized. It critiques a society numbed by repetition and denial, where democratic decay and environmental devastation no longer provoke outrage, but resignation. By blending minimalist verses, recurring instrumental breaks, and a hauntingly ironic chorus, the piece captures the emotional flatness that defines our “age of not uncommon.”
Interpretation of “Not Uncommon”
Verse 1:
“The unusual / Has become usual / The not so average… Average”
This verse sets the thematic tone: what was once outrageous or implausible is now routine. It points to the way Trump’s anti-democratic policies—like undermining elections, embracing white nationalism, and inciting insurrection—have ceased to shock many Americans. Similarly, it alludes to the climate crisis: 100° Arctic temps, orange skies from wildfires, and mass extinctions have become background noise.
Bridge (Electric Piano Solo):
“The age (of not uncommon) / Come on!”
This refrain is both exasperated and sardonic. “Come on!” could be a protest or a plea—an urging for people to snap out of apathy. The electric piano solo that follows creates an ironic pause, a moment of reflection or numb disbelief, much like our reaction to headlines we no longer read in full.
Chorus:
“Are you indifferent / To what’s different / And, do you mind / What you’ve come to find?”
These lines question collective desensitization. It challenges the listener: Have you stopped caring? Do you notice how far we’ve drifted? It also plays on the dual meaning of “different”: the changes we’ve accepted and the consequences we’re facing—political violence, censorship, rising seas, burning forests.
Verse 2:
“What once was whack / Is now the knack / Oh no the irony / Of hypocrisy”
A clever play on cultural reversal. What was once absurd (“whack”) is now skillful manipulation (“knack”). This is a direct jab at how Trumpism turned lies into strategy, rage into branding. The final line—“Oh no the irony / Of hypocrisy”—is a summation of the times: climate deniers buying beachfront property, corrupt officials demanding loyalty oaths, fossil fuel executives sponsoring climate summits.
Bridge (Sax Solo):
A melancholic sax solo underscores the mood: we are in a tragic jazz improvisation of history, where no one quite knows the score anymore, but the dissonance is intentional.
Final Chorus and Outro:
“Are you indifferent / To what’s different / And, do you mind / What you’ve come to find?” is repeated for emphasis, forcing listeners to sit with the discomfort of their own complicity or fatigue.
“Uncommon is common / (It’s not uncommon anymore)… for sure”
The outro drives home the central idea: normalization has won—for now. The phrase “for sure” lands like a sigh of bitter acceptance or reluctant acknowledgement.
Summary:
“Not Uncommon” is a poetic, almost jazzy lament for a world that no longer blinks at fascism or firestorms. It’s a protest song for the age of numbness, where what should horrify us merely scrolls by. Whether referencing Trump’s assault on democratic institutions or the climate crisis playing out in real time, the song mourns the loss of outrage—and warns that normalization is itself a form of surrender.