In each episode of our podcast “Life in Seven Songs,” we ask the world’s brightest minds and leaders: What songs tell the story of your life?
A giant in the field of politics, UC Berkeley professor and former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, who stands just under 5 feet tall, has spent a lifetime fighting for, yes, the little guys.
His tenure in the Clinton administration saw him pushing for fair wages, paid family leave, and a robust middle class. Further, he has authored 19 books on the dynamics of power in America and has become one of the country’s foremost voices on wealth inequality and influence.
In this episode of “Life in Seven Songs,” Reich gets personal, sharing that he was mercilessly teased in grade school over his height — an experience that prepared him for a career fighting off society’s bullies. Many of his song choices reflect what he has learned about workers’ struggles, including Sam Cooke’s prisoner elegy “Chain Gang” and the Beatles’ “Lady Madonna,” which follows a worn-out mother scrambling to “make ends meet.”
Reich also shares a story about his one and only date with Hillary Rodham, in college (“Little did I know that had I pursued her, I might have been president!”) and recounts memories of being seasick when meeting Bill Clinton, who brought him chicken soup.
Here’s his full playlist:
- Hoagy Carmichael, “Stardust”
- The Righteous Brothers, “Unchained Melody”
- Sam Cooke, “Chain Gang”
- The Four Tops, “Baby I Need Your Loving”
- The Beatles, “Lady Madonna”
- The Fantasticks, “Metaphor”
- Judy Collins, “Suzanne”