From 80 Million to 120 Million People
When I look at this cover, I feel two things at the same time: sadness — and brutal clarity.
I like it because it doesn’t pretend to be polite.
Back in 2022, “80 Million People” was written in a moment when the world suddenly experienced fear, restrictions, and loss of control through the pandemic. For many, it was the first time borders closed, futures paused, and uncertainty became part of daily life. The song asked listeners to compare that temporary discomfort with the permanent reality of refugees.
At the time, 80 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide.
That number was already unbearable.
Three Years Later: The Number Grew
Today, the number is no longer 80 million.
It is over 120 million people.
Not because humanity didn’t know. Not because there was no data. Not because there were no warnings.
But because knowing is not the same as acting.
Wars multiplied. Conflicts were renamed. Crises were managed with words instead of solutions. While displacement numbers kept rising, those in power kept meeting.
And meeting.
And meeting.
From Pandemic Comparison to Political Satire
If 80 Million People held up a mirror — “now you know how it feels” — then “120 Million People” removes the mirror and points directly at responsibility.
This time, the comparison is no longer the pandemic.
It is the spectacle.
Red carpets. Meaningless summits. Handshakes. Cheek kisses. Photo ops. Cocktails of society.
While the world burns, the performance continues.
The Cover Says What Words Often Can’t
The cover for “120 Million People” shows Humpty Dumpty–like figures in suits, drunk on power, hanging like puppets above the globe. Briefcases in hand. Glasses raised. Strings attached.
They look ridiculous — and that’s the point.
Satire has always been a tool to tell the truth when polite language fails. These figures are not meant to represent individuals as much as a system: fragile, self-important, and detached from the consequences of its own decisions.
The globe beneath them carries the weight.
Same Chorus, Louder Truth
The chorus remains intentionally simple and unchanged — because repetition is memory:
The words don’t need decoration. The number is already an accusation.
Why This Song Exists
This song exists because 80 million became 120 million.
It exists because awareness alone was never enough. It exists because meetings replaced action. It exists because displacement became background noise.
And it exists because silence would be easier — but wrong.
A Continuation, Not a Sequel
“120 Million People” is not a sequel meant to update a statistic.
It is a continuation of a record.
From memoir to petition, from 80 Million People to Blood Is Always Red, from Red Carpet to Generation After Generation — this song stands in the same line:
Documenting what was known. Documenting what was ignored. Documenting what keeps happening.
If numbers continue to rise, this song will age. If justice finally arrives, it will become a reminder.
Either way, it exists so no one can say: We didn’t know!
No comments:
Post a Comment