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Edward Sharpe & Friends ‘Feel the Bern’

New music video from band's singer and award-winning filmmaker steps up celeb endorsement game.

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It’s no secret that presidential wannabes play fast and loose with their theme songs, from a copyright standpoint. And some even make the effort to get the official OK, leading to almost-endorsements, such as the mutually irrelevant high-five between cock-rock relics Twisted Sister and fellow Aqua Net aficionado Donald Trump this past weekend.

Very rarely, however, a candidate actually captures the imagination of an artist, and they write a song especially targeted at rallying support. Martin O’Malley had such luck, with Irish band the Corrigan Brothers. And now Bernie Sanders can add his name to the list, with this tune from Golden Globe-winning rockers Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros’ frontman Alex Ebert.

Teaming up with Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning filmmaker Josh Fox (Gaslands), Ebert wrote a new piece of music, which is set to a documentary-style video full of factoids, sound bites, and cheering supporters.

“I felt like Bernie presented the first opportunity for me to feel honest in writing a sing-along in the simple tradition of social movements focused on a presidential candidate,” said Ebert in a statement. “The intention is for the verses to be improvised and changed as circumstances dictate, with only the choruses are the consistent refrain.”

What’s next? Perhaps a mashup from Hillary supporters Lena Dunham and Ariana Grande will surface in the coming weeks? We can only hope.

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James Joiner

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