As you’re surely aware, today’s Presidents Day. And what better way to celebrate than with a mixtape? We scoured the Internet for a song about each president—44 in all, provided you count Grover Cleveland twice. The result is an odd mix, probably inappropriate for your next house party, but redeeming in its own way: Come for the Blind Willie Johnson, stick around for the straight-to-YouTube ballad performed by a Martin Van Buren impersonator (it’s a niche market). In a neat twist, the most difficult president to find a song for, Chester A. Arthur, was also the one with the richest musical legacy: Chester Arthur Burnett, whom you know as Howlin’ Wolf (Warren G., alas, is not short for Warren Gamaliel).
Anyways, check out the playlist here. And in the meantime, here’s my all-time favorite: “No More Kings,” by Schoolhouse Rock, via Pavement:
