T.A.C.O.

Parody, Satire, Tariffs, and Trump

Several weeks ago Noel posted “T.A.C.O.,” a musical video cartoon created with an AI app, on his Facebook page, and at this posting, it has received over eight thousand views. It’s both a parody of Roger Miller’s 1965 hit, “King of the Road” and a satire on the Trump administration.

Literary scholar William Holman writes, “The parody is in literature what the caricature and the cartoon are in art.” Not all parodies are satire and not all satire is parody. Both satire and parody may come in the form of a story, a poem, a lyric, a play, a cartoon, or some other work of art. Satire is usually comical, but its larger purpose is social criticism or reform. In his book God Mocks: A History of Religious Satire from the Hebrew Prophets to Steven Colbert, Terry Linvall argues that “the heart of true satire is recognition of a moral discrepancy between what is proclaimed and what is practiced, often with an attempt to remedy it. It ranges from moral outrage to mischievous exposing of the Emperor’s new clothes.”.

As a former college English teacher, I view parody and satire as overlapping literary genres. A parody is an imitation that may simply be entertainment, but it can have a social message. Often it’s written to ridicule the original or the author’s style, but sometimes it’s an appreciative tribute.

Noel’s published list of musical satire started with “Please Porridge Peace”, a musical review of Nixon’s presidency. “Virtual Party” poked fun at life on the Internet and at the surprises of domestic relationships. When Noel created “Impeachable” a month into Trump’s first term, he may have been right that the 45th president was impeachable, but was wrong about Trump’s “going away” any time soon. Set to the tune of “Unforgettable” by Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole, Noel’s rendition sounded as sweet as any love song can, but when you pay attention to the lyrics, you know it’s hardly a love song and the sweetness juxtaposed with the lyrics is part of what makes it satire.

“T.A.C.O.,” is an acronym for the phrase “Trump always chickens out,” which Financial Times columnist Robert Armstrong created to critique Trump’s tariffs and trade policies. He repeatedly announces stiff tariff’s and reduces them just before they supposedly will go into effect. Maybe he doesn’t chicken out. Maybe it’s all for the gaming of Wall Street. On Sunday, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, stated that the EU had agreed to a 15% tariff on its imports to the U.S. However, as Robert Hubbell points out in his July 29 newsletter, her statement included “soft qualifiers” that intentionally did not reveal details. In other words, the deal was not done. Maybe the acronym really means Trump always creates obfuscation—that is, he obscures on purpose.

For folks who notice how much the Trump administration and 2025 have already done long-lasting damage to democracy both in the U.S. and beyond, these are trying times. We are sad, angry, filled with grief, overwhelmed, and tired. Hapefully, Noel’s “T.A.C.O.” provides us with comic relief and a sense of solidarity with a larger community of resistance, and you can play it again and again.

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Connections:

Charlie Angus—a Canadian journalist, musician and former member of the Canadian Parliament—writes the Substack “The Resistance.” In “Explaining Egg Prices to a Gangster,” Angus urges Prime Minister Mark Carney to hold the line in trade negotiations with Trump. This July 3rd post provides citizens of the U.S. a look at how Canadians view Trump’s policies. For a more recent view, check out “Canada’s Boycott Is Freaking MAGA Out.”

Vibrations: “T.A.C.O: Felon for Sale or Rent

“Impeachable” (Feb. 14, 2017)

Resonance:

Think of songs that are parody or satire. How does the musical setting work with or emphasize their effect or message?