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Benjamin Tod Shines A Light On The Unspoken Pressures Of Manhood In New Song “Privilege Of A Man”
Giving us one final song to close out the year.
Benjamin Tod has been going non-stop this year. From the release of The Lost Dog Street Band's record Survived, the release of his personal record Shooting Star, to his collaboration with Jesse Daniel, we have gotten a whole lot of new music from the Sumner County, Tennessee, native this year.
And while he's already been far too generous with releases this year, he is gifting us with one more.
Today, Benjamin Tod released his final single of 2024, "Privilege Of A Man."
https://www.instagram.com/p/DDw94BmuTej/
Tod closes out the year, reflecting on what it means to be a man in today's world. He describes the song:
"‘Privilege of a Man’ is about the desperation of the masculine spirit in the modern world.”
In the lyrics, Tod discusses what it's like to feel the need to provide for a family as the man of a household. It encapsulates the pressure that a number of men feel, especially in the blue collar world, to essentially work thankless jobs until they die, doing everything they can just to put food on the table. Meanwhile, society will tell you that we live in a patriarchal world, where all men are inherently "privileged." But for the man digging in the ground 10 hours a day, slowly killing himself,, it certainly doesn't feel like there's any "privilege" in that. And of course, throughout all of it, a man is expected to be "tough" and unshakeable.
The final lines of the chorus illustrate the irony of situation, "Some things are out of our hands, it's just the privilege of a man."
Of course, it's a rather contentious topic, one that is often debated, and while Tod does not explicitly specify what it's pointing to, there's no mistake that this song offers a compelling message. Take from it what you will:
"Wake before the sun
Get home with the moon
Wield a loaded gun
Lowered in the tomb
Lay the crooked rail
To move the coal you mine
Be sure he doesn't fail
To work until he dies
Some things are out of our hands
It's just the privilege of a man..."
It's slightly reminiscent of the hopelessness you find in the Chris Knight classic, "Enough Rope." and vocally, this is patented Benjamin Tod. The simple and scaled-back melody is the track's focal point as Tod sings each line with intention. It allows the listener to take in each word and sit on them in real time.
Benjamin Tod has had a standout 2024, and the release of this single is the perfect curtain call. Every piece of music this man releases is well thought out and intentional and leaves a mark on his fans. If 2025 is half of what 2024 had in store, we are in for another year filled with stellar music from Tod and The Lost Dog Street Band.
Check it out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gsxEKkJCv0