Lucas Brigham 5/3/25 Lucas Brigham 5/3/25

My Favorite Songs: “Little Boxes” by Pete Seeger

Lately I’ve been obsessed with urban planning. To a regular reader of this blog (to the extent that such a person even exists at all), that should come as no surprise. That comprises much of what I’ve written about in recent weeks.

Someone I talk to fairly regularly, whom I’ve come to regard as a friend, suggested that I listen to a classic song from the early 1960s that satirizes suburbia.

Of course, not all the suburbs are the same. There are the lively small towns of many European countries, as well as the few remaining “streetcar suburbs” in North America that comprise locales like Roland Park and Chestnut Hill. I’ve written more about them here. And of course, you have the car-dependent places that are often criticized for being soul-sucking.

Enter the song “Little Boxes.” It was originally composed by activist Malvina Reynolds and later covered by her friend Pete Seeger, whose version is more famous. The song was inspired, according to Wikipedia, by an experience Reynolds and her daughter had driving through tract housing in suburban San Francisco.

Aerial view of suburban tract housing in Daly City, California, which inspired “Little Boxes”. Honestly, if not for the ocean views, this could be many places in America. Image taken from Wikipedia.

The lyrics of “Little Boxes” are presented in a singsong, nursery-rhyme tune, which might make it easy for some to dismiss the song’s point. In my view, however, the lighthearted facade the song puts on makes it more powerful as a sort of ridicule. So let’s look at the lyrics, shall we?

Little boxes on the hillside

Little boxes made of ticky-tacky

Little boxes on the hillside

Little boxes all the same

As seen in the image above, Daly City is set on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. That’s not much of a surprise; some would even call it self-explanatory.

The use of the word “ticky-tacky”, almost as much of an “un-word” as “alternative facts”, serves to emphasize the overall childish tone of the song. It kind of reminds me of other happy-sounding tunes that are actually depressing. While it’s not as dark as a song like “Pumped Up Kicks”, “Little Boxes” isn’t nearly as cheerful as the song’s tone implies.

Additionally, “ticky-tacky” brings to mind materials that aren’t exactly the best for building houses. Given that American infrastructure received a grade of “D+” last I heard, this is again not very surprising. This was a concern even in the 1960s, let alone the 2020s. Perhaps the song criticizes capitalism here when such a system makes it more profitable to build homes out of less durable materials.

In fact, the USA is an anomaly, at least among wealthy nations, in still building homes out of wood. Most European countries use brick and stone for the vast majority of residential construction. That’s one reason why so many homes in Europe are beautiful historic buildings that remain durable for decades, generations, or even centuries.

In America, fifty years is considered old for a house, and it’ll very often be demolished to build something new. That’s if it isn’t destroyed in a tornado, hurricane, or wildfire - pick your poison among the natural hazards that plague this nation. And again, these hazards (which would occur to some extent regardless) are exacerbated by the climate crisis our government refuses to do anything about. I could write a separate article on that, but I think I’ve made my point for now.

As far as the “little boxes” looking “all the same”, I’ll offer up an anecdote.

I live in a relatively historic part of the country, where a significant percentage of homes are “old”...that is, they were built prior to World War II. Winning World War II was the event that made America become too big for its britches and believe it could do anything. If they could defeat the Nazis, they could build a sprawling metropolis in the middle of the desert. There’s one thing some people would do well to remember, though: Just because you can afford to do something, financially speaking, doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.

Anyway, when I went off to college, I would occasionally visit home again. Whenever I returned to my hometown for a visit, it always seemed a few more lots had been sold, torn down, and were to be replaced by bigger houses. The “new generation” of homes tends to look more homogeneous, whereas the houses that were here before all looked different.

And the people in the houses

All went to the university

Where they were put in boxes

And they came out all the same

It’s not just our built environment that feels homogeneous, but also the culture of suburbia. College has been framed as one’s key to the middle class for as long as many people can remember. Leave aside the fact that the country’s average college tuition increases a couple percentage points a year. For all but insane right-wingers, a college education is still seen as desirable.

In general, people live among others of a similar financial status. I can’t speak for anyone in European suburbs, but in the United States, different municipalities are known for being indigent, highly affluent, or somewhere in between. The most desirable towns, often considered as such due to their job opportunities, perceived quality of the schools, or recreational opportunities, tend to be the most expensive. And that’s not a conspiracy - that’s just supply and demand.

American cities are very often segregated. Even if Jim Crow-era racial segregation no longer carries the force of law, economic segregation is very much alive. For instance, in the city of Baltimore, the life expectancy for resisdents of Curtis Bay (one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods) is as much as 17 to 20 years shorter than in Roland Park (one of its wealthiest). I talk more about Baltimore in this article. In many cases, this is a result of redlining, because heaven forbid people of marginally different income levels should live near each other!

And there's doctors and lawyers

And business executives

And they're all made out of ticky-tacky

And they all look just the same

And they all play on the golf course

And drink their martinis dry

And they all have pretty children

And the children go to school

And the children go to summer camp

And then to the university

Where they are put in boxes

And they come out all the same

I tend to think of doctors, lawyers, and business executives as being in an upper income class. At least, upper middle. These people generally aren’t struggling financially, particularly if they can afford to play golf and drink martinis. Summer camp is also pretty expensive - though, of course, it varies according to what sort of summer camp it may be. But that’s a pretty minor nitpick, all things considered.

Overall, “Little Boxes” is an effective satire of how modern life, at least in the United States, has become increasingly conforming. The song is over sixty years old at this point, but I would argue that it’s even more relevant today than it was in the 1960s.

According to Wikipedia, this tune is a protest song. You could argue that it’s a protest song about environmental issues given that suburban areas have higher carbon emissions per capita. And yes, I realize that asking people to please drive less to fight climate change typically goes over like a lead balloon. Some people simply don’t have a choice.

But the environmental impact of suburbanization has gotten plenty of attention among academics. Thinkers from MIT, one of the country’s most prestigious educational institutions, have even written this page about it.

Going back to the example of the desert metropolis that is Phoenix, Arizona, it’s the epitome of a quote my late grandfather frequently used: Just because something is good, doesn’t mean more is better. Indigenous people once lived in that area, but not millions of them, and they didn’t have water-intensive lawns.

Of course, there are ways to make Phoenix more sustainable, even if it’s like going from an F to a D. Try as Trump might to reduce the manufacturing and use of electric vehicles, he won’t be able to arrest it entirely. And even if the decision to build Phoenix where it was ended up being idiotic, those of lower income levels suffer far more from that decision.

But anyway, I’m getting off track. I’d like to thank the person who introduced me to this song. I will not name her here, but she knows who she is. And thank you all for reading.

Lucas Brigham 3/15/25 Lucas Brigham 3/15/25

My Favorite Songs: “Do What Feels Good” by NIIC the Singing Dog

*Cover art for “Unleashed”, the album “Do What Feels Good” comes from. Image taken from Genius.com.*

Let’s do something fun for a change.

If you know anything at all about my taste in music, you’ll know that I tend not to listen to artists. Instead, I listen to songs, regardless of who sings them.

One artist whose music I’ve listened to lately is NIIC the Singing Dog. He’s a furry musician, a green akita husky who often performs at furry conventions or on VRChat. I’ll admit that I’ve never been to either location. (Are they even locations?)

In any case, one of my favorite songs by NIIC is “Do What Feels Good”. It’s a feel-good party anthem; those words are in the title, after all. So let’s break down the lyrics, shall we?

You hear my voice, do you copy?

Tune into my signal, I’ll patch you in.

I hacked this station on the radio.

Fly words of love like jet planes.

In this verse, NIIC claims that he hacked a radio station in order to play a more exciting song. It seems that he’s tired of music as we know it, and that’s understandable. After all, according to the great Bob Dylan, music in general is getting worse and more homogeneous. Dylan argues that when the barrier to entry for being a musician got lower, so did the average quality of what artists put out.

As for words of love flying like “jet planes”, I think that demonstrates NIIC’s desire to stand out. After all, not every musician wears a green singing dog costume. He is going to buck the trend, and he tells you that in the very first verse.

‘Cause I know they leave you doubting but the truth of it is:

Love’s what you make it.

They’ll try and keep you down, but this is your life, not theirs.

Don’t complicate it. Hear what I’m saying: C’mon and

I interpret this line as criticizing homophobic attitudes that are all too common among older generations. That seems like the most literal way to view it. And NIIC is correct - love’s what you make of it. I still remember the 2015 United States Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide, and how many supporters of that decision held signs proclaiming that “LOVE WINS”.

In the second half of this verse, NIIC argues that even if your doubters (be they homophobic parents, people who tell you that you can’t do anything you set your mind to, or hateful politicians) try to depress you, you shouldn’t let them. Honestly, that’s advice I wish I would take to heart more frequently when looking at the news. It’s not that complicated; maybe we should listen to the green singing dog.

Hey oh

Put your hands in the air like a rainbow.

Jump off the walls like a disco.

We’ll shine like a light show.

Hey! We’re taking over.

Drop your moves and show ‘em!

This segment is pretty self-explanatory, is it not? The “wave” is a common gesture at sporting events, as well as dances like NIIC would probably perform at. As for “shining like a light show”, I believe based on later context that it refers to showcasing your individuality; could this be embracing neurodiversity? (Considering the demographics of the furry fandom, most likely yes). And given that many furries also have ADHD, they will tend to jump off the walls like it is a disco. Man, I miss the ‘70s.

Hey oh

This night’s not getting any longer

And we’re not getting any younger

C’mon let’s live it up now

Live life the way we should

Do what feels good

He’s right, you know. There’s one thing we cannot change as citizens of Earth, and that’s the passage of time. As far as we know, we only have a limited amount of time here, so why not make the most of it?

I wouldn’t consider myself a religious man, but we humans were not meant to sit in front of our phones doomscrolling all damn day. We were meant to interact, weren’t we? And if that interaction means partying, then let’s do it. That is the way we should live!

You hear that static on the airwaves?

They’re trying to break the sound we’re making.

But they’re gonna have to try a little harder

To keep us from shaking all their rooftops

The reactionary forces are pushing back. However, they aren’t as effective as they might like to be. I see NIIC’s lyrics here as being applicable to political movements as well, particularly those taking the form of protests. In the words of the great Katy Perry, “they held me down, but I got up.” And unlike Katy Perry, NIIC the Singing Dog has not sold out to the forces of Sameness. The reactionaries aren’t going to achieve more than static.

The chorus repeats here, and it still means the same thing as it did before. So let’s move on to the next proper verse

‘Cause it don’t matter what you are, what I am, or what anyone is

We all lead different lives, and that should be the way it is

Though it doesn’t make sense, the census says we should put our two cents

In on someone else’s business.

This part is sung very quickly, like it’s rap music rather than pop or whatever NIIC’s genre is. This could be seen as attacking heteronormativity, or (again) embracing neurodiversity - “we all lead different lives”, after all. And that should be the way it is. I like feeling special, partly because I am autistic myself. This is a very affirming song indeed. And if someone else wants to live differently, and that doesn’t violate anyone else’s rights, that’s none of our business.

Princess, we all moved ‘way from the monarchs,

‘Cause hearts, all of ours, beat at different rhythms,

Schisms that you try to make between love, religion, lifestyle? Go wild!

There’s too many million, billion people in this world

For you to try and box up, it ain’t gonna work

Technically, this segment is factually inaccurate. Countries like Canada and Australia are generally more progressive than my home country of the United States. Several countries in Europe, like Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, etc. are more progressive still. What else does every country I just named have in common? Believe it or not, they’re all monarchies! And yes, I know the monarchs in these countries generally have only ceremonial power, but my point still stands.

Additionally, a “million billion” is a quadrillion. There are not a quadrillion people in this world. According to this fluctuating population clock, there “only” 8.2 billion people globally, a far cry from a million billion. It’s also estimated that fully 7 percent of humans who have ever lived are currently alive, so there haven’t been a quadrillion people, period.

Okay, for all the playful nitpicks, I love this portion’s message. Diversity is humanity’s greatest asset. My brain works differently from most peoples’, and that’s okay. Wonderful, even. The reactionary forces can’t suppress us all. And that gets to probably my favorite part of the song.

You’re gonna fall from your horse without a parachute

Best contribute to the future ‘cause it’s coming for you.

But what do I care? Stay in place and stare.

My life is my life. Same with you. No one dare.

Flick the switch on this table playing tracks that are able

Keeping beats of love alive. C’mon let me see you try!

From here on out, that’s the euphemism I’ll use for dying. “Falling from your horse without a parachute” is pretty badass. Almost as much so as skiing off a mountain with one.

In all seriousness, he’s got a point. One day in the future, you won’t be able to make your mark on Earth anymore, so you’d better leave your legacy while you can. But if you want to “stay in place and stare” as NIIC puts it, then be his guest. You can live your life how you want to, and so will the singing dog. Let’s keep the beats of love alive!

Some problems in life have complicated solutions. I don’t mean to minimize the pain many people are going through as a result of current events.

But sometimes, you just need to take a singing dog’s advice. Do what feels good!

Lucas Brigham 5/28/19 Lucas Brigham 5/28/19

Blog Post Title One

It all begins with an idea.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.