On singer-songwriter and guitarist Bonnie Raitt’s latest album, there is a foot-stomping tune, which takes aim at the influence of money on politics and the politicians and media pundits, who defend a system rigged against the people.

As Raitt told the San Diego Union Tribune, “I had the idea for this song quite a while ago, before the (current) election cycle, or the ‘auction cycle,’ as I call it. It’s about the absolute hijacking of the election process, starting with (the Supreme Court’s) Citizens United (ruling in 2010).”

“You’ve got a way of running your mouth. You rant and you rave and you let it all out,” Raitt sings. “Nothing about it, little that you say is true. Why bother checking? The facts have been doubted. It’s how you spin it as I’m crawling up there. Well, I’m here to tell you, honey, that I’m sick of always coming to you.”

In the chorus, she sings, “Only so long you can keep the charade until they wake up and see their new play. Too many people with a living at stake ain’t going to take it. The comin’ round is going through.”

The blue rock arrangement was intentionally pieced together to give the protest song what Raitt refers to as a “cathartic” feeling. It also intentionally leaves out specifics, which is part of what gives it the potential to be an enduring protest song.

The lyrics include some nice plays on words, like, “You say it’s working.It’s trickling down. Yeah, there’s a trick cause the jobs ain’t around.”

Raitt contends, “If you were to talk to the opposite side of the political spectrum of myself, nearly everyone on both sides agrees the system is broken. And I don’t think anyone likes the millions of dollars going into campaigns, the lack of transparency, and the fact legislators are virtually bought off by taking contributions.”

At its core, “Comin’ Round” is a message from the 99 percent to the one percent that the tide is turning. Their days running the country are numbered. The super-rich can only keep the system setup so brazenly in their favor for so long before the people fight back. And when they finally are overpowered by the people, what goes around will have come around, especially because they had it coming.

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