The good people at Merge Records have released Going to Georgia, a compilation of Merge Records artists performing Georgia-centric music to support the state’s Democratic candidates in their upcoming Senate runoff election.
There’s a lot of great music here including two R.E.M. tracks: Will Butler’s take on “Electrolite” and The Orbiting Human Circus’s twist on “The Flowers of Guatemala called “The Flowers of Jeremy Ayers’ Garden.”
Going to Georgia is available for $10 or more beginning tonight at midnight ET through January 5 exclusively via Bandcamp and Merge, with 100% of proceeds going towards Fair Fight and Mijente, two organizations fighting for voting rights in Georgia and beyond. Titus Andronicus’ fantastic version of Indigo Girls’ “Closer to Fine” is available for preview now:
Purchase the Merge Records compilation Going to Georgia now
Merge Records and Superchunk co-founder Mac McCaughan on the initiative:
We live in North Carolina, where a racist Republican legislature has worked for a generation to undermine democracy through unprecedented voter suppression. Our neighbors in Georgia have successfully fought back, through the efforts of Fair Fight and other organizations. The voters who turned Georgia blue in November can now elect Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, take back power in the Senate, and make true progress possible in this country.
The Merge artists on this comp came together quickly, recording in various quarantine situations, to pay tribute to their favorite artists from Georgia, or maybe just record their favorite songs with “Georgia” in the title, and to support those working hard in Georgia to make sure everyone’s voice is heard.
Voter registration in Georgia ends Dec. 7!
Early voting period starts December 14!
Election day is January 5!
Going to Georgia tracklist:
01 Will Butler – Electrolite [R.E.M.]
02 Fruit Bats – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long [Otis Redding]
03 Superchunk (feat. William Tyler) – When I Laugh [The Glands]
04 Eric Bachmann – The Truth [Precious Bryant]
05 H.C. McEntire (feat. Amy Ray & Angel Olsen) – Georgia Rain [Trisha Yearwood]
06 Ayes of Love – You’re Just About to Lose Your Clown [Ray Charles]
07 The Rock*A*Teens – The End of the World [Brenda Lee]
08 William Tyler – Little Martha [The Allman Brothers Band]
09 Wye Oak – Crazy [Pylon]
10 Ibibio Sound Machine – Save Their Souls [Bohannon]
11 Hiss Golden Messenger – The Greatest [Cat Power]
12 TORRES – Topaz [The B-52’s]
13 Ross Flournoy (of Apex Manor) – Rainy Night in Georgia [Brook Benton]
14 Titus Andronicus – Closer to Fine [Indigo Girls]
15 The Orbiting Human Circus – The Flowers of Jeremy Ayers’ Garden [R.E.M.]
16 Gauche – Song for a Future Generation [The B-52’s]
17 Lambchop (feat. David Kilgour) – Georgia Considers the Two Blue Ones (Thursday) [Yo La Tengo]