what is the song zoot suit riot about
Zoot Suit Riot (song) "Zoot Suit Riot" is written in the musical style of 1940s jump blues. Lyrically, the song's narrative revolves around the Los Angeles Zoot Suit riots of the 1940s, though Perry has stated the song makes no overt political or social commentary regarding the events. In a 2009 interview, he elaborated on its significance as an intended "anthem" for the swing scene, saying "I guess it seemed like a Pachuco rallying cry that could double as a dance anthem for those of us interested in swing music and culture at a time when nobody else was. It was an expression of a proud marginalism. That's not that deep, but there you go."[3] In discussing the appropriation of the actual Zoot Suit riots, he wrote "To me, the simplified duality I used as I wrote the song was: we swingers were in solidarity with our counter cultural ancestors the 'Zoot Suiters' and we were opposed to the 'sailors' who represented the squares who werenâ€™t yet hip to our growing communal jive".[4]