Justin Vernon has been active this election cycle with his For Wisconsin initiative, for which he has given performances and hosted conversations in an effort to get residents of his home state to vote. Yesterday, he, Big Red Machine partner Aaron Dessner, and other collaborators shared one more pre-election song, a cover of Aimee Mann’s “Wise Up.”
Dessner takes the lead on the track (which originally appeared in Jerry Macguire) while Vernon provides backing vocals. The video features a mix of the artists performing the track and Wisconsin B-roll. Joining Vernon and Dessner on the song are Mina Tindle, Jon Low, and Ben Lanz, as well as all of Dessner’s The National bandmates who aren’t Matt Berninger: Bryce Dessner, Bryan Devendorf, and Scott Devendorf.
Dessner shared a message alongside the video, writing, “We recorded this cover of Wise Up, one of my very favorite Aimee Mann songs, for beautiful Wisconsin. Her lyrics keep coming into my brain these days. The stakes couldn’t be any higher in this election and it may come down to a handful of votes. Text 56005 to VOTE.Thanks so much to Ben, Bryan, Bryce, Mina, Jon, Scott and Justin for joining me.”
Watch the Big Red Machine cover of “Wise Up” above.