The fact that this song, written four years ago about a tragic state of affairs, has become more relevant, more poignant, more necessary, only reminds us that we, as humans, as communities, and as governments, never learn from the lessons of the past.
As the title suggests, “Borderline: Chaos at the Border” tackles the issue of immigration and how dehumanising the process of merely trying to find a haven for families and children is. Taking a particular example, the unrest and resulting migration of those from Honduras, the chaos caused, and the complicity of the US government’s involvement, the song stands for all those uprooted from their lives and thrown into the turmoil of finding a new home, one where they are treated humanely.
“Borderline: Chaos at the Border” runs on Latin grooves and Mariachi-infused horns, a sleek and supple blend of roots and dance. It is also a song of two distinct halves, towards the end reinventing itself as a more anthemic hyper-waltz, bigger, brasher, and full of squalling guitars and howling trumpets to help drive the point home.
You might ask, with so many songs written about the issue of race and rights and immigration and citizenship, not just on the US border but across the globe, why Patrick Costello has returned to the subject. A better question would be: why does he feel he has no choice but to continue to raise awareness and add his support to those caught in the political crossfire?
