Lippy's Plate Watching

Lippy's Plate Watching

Bruce Von Stiers

Tod Lippy is a man of many talents. He is an artist, a graphic designer, writer, editor, publisher and musician. It is the latter of his talents, musician, that I am writing about today.

Lippy has recorded a few albums and several singles. One of his latest singles is a song titled Florida Plates.

Lippy has made a music video for Florida Plates. It details how cars with Florida license plates have popped up all over the country. The video shows cars with Florida plates in various locations across the U.S.

But that is just the top layer of the song. Underneath, the song is really about how ultra conservative values have pushed their way into our everyday lives. That those folks from Florida seem to be wanting to tell you how to think, how to live and who to love. One particular scene deals with the banning and burning of books. That is, how the conservative movement is now trying to get books banned that they feel are offensive or don't align with their rhetoric.

The song is kind of a folk tune. And as such, treats the frustration and angst that are in the song's lyrics with a style reminiscent of activist folk icons such as Pete Seeger.

Florida Plates was directed and edited by Kyle Garrett, the co-founder of the production company Seven Summits. Bryce Goggin, who has worked with artists such as Herbie Hancock produced the video.

Florida Plates is an interesting and thought-provoking song and music video. You might not agree with the views expressed in the song, but it was well written and sung. And the music video was very professional and emulated films that were used for training in businesses and schools.

Florida Plates won the Jury Prize for Best Film at the 2024 Chabot Locals Only Short Film Festival. And it is a finalist in the 2024 Santa Clarita International Film Festival.

Florida Plates is available for viewing on YouTube. The link to the video is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE_pVhIY1HY

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