Why this tune?
On this Election Day Tuesday in the USA, I added a new introduction to an old song, hoping to share something we can all agree on. I wrote “Stand Right” soon after returning to Washington, DC in 2010, when I learned about the etiquette expectations on the local subway system. The DC Metro has many long escalators, and many riders don’t always want to stand for the whole ride down (or up). As a result they developed an expectation that others would kindly stand to the right to let them walk on the left. It’s not official policy, but an important part of the local culture.
I recorded the song with Aaron Myers in 2015, and was honored to receive some coverage in the local press and on NPR. I added the bridge a bit later on, and have continued to perform the song with Aaron and others. I hope it’s a useful local guide to anyone coming to DC next year as a result of the election.
Tunes On Tuesday Reel
Check it out!
Complete track
Aaron Myers, 2015
Oren Levine, jazz pianist and songwriter 