With all of the excitement surrounding the news of a presidential debate to be held here at Washington University next year, it seems fitting to know a little more about the potential candidates that may set foot on our Brookings Quadrangle.

But I bet you wouldn’t expect an article such as this to appear in Cadenza, would you? We were surprised, too. However, while reading up on Bernie Sanders, former mayor of Burlington, Vt., prior congressman in the House of Representatives, current senator and now-Democratic candidate for the president, we uncovered that this man of politics might also have a musical side.

Well, musical in a sense. Back in 1987, when presented with the whimsical opportunity to record an album with then-Burlington resident and musician Todd Lockwood, Sanders did not hesitate to take a chance—and a stance—in the music industry. For what reason this idea arose has no true background other than a surge of Lockwood’s imagination.

While the plan initially entailed Sanders recording his own renditions of songs originally recorded by musicians and social activists, including Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie, it was quickly realized that the suavity of Senator Sanders’ public oration skills ceased when it came to carrying a tune. Thankfully, this did not stop Sanders from partaking in the album, nor did it stop him from channeling folk singers and activists from the past by standing up and singing out for social justice.

Throughout his album, “We Shall Overcome,” Sanders speaks the lyrics of each song with the accompaniment of 30 other Vermont artists. Although brief, these five songs capture major issues in social justice that remain prominent to this day.

Within the first song, “Oh Freedom,” an African-American song that’s often associated with the Civil Rights movement, Sanders calls for the end of discrimination and inequality, encouraging kinship, independent of race, socioeconomic and cultural differences.

This contemporarily applicable call for equality precedes a song composed by farmer Les Rice and made famous by notable folk singer and activist Pete Seeger. This song, “The Banks of Marble,” calls for the coming together of farmers, miners and workers of the world in order to see and pursue individualistic potential in making positive social change.

Peter, Paul and Mary’s “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” takes spot number three, metaphorically highlighting the consequences of war through the gradual loss of a flower garden. Sanders also includes Woody Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land,” which captures the essence of a land we share and are responsible to maintain for future generations.

Closing with the album’s namesake, “We Shall Overcome,” Sanders reminds society of the song’s resounding message that one day still to come, “We shall live in peace.”

Whether or not Sanders foresaw his run in the 2016 presidential campaign, this album certainly captures his current socialist, progressive, middle class-supportive stance. And regardless of whether you support the same views, it cannot be denied that Sanders exudes passion for his beliefs and is bold enough to make it known in the most harmonious of ways. By calling for peace and justice through music in a world where headphones and earpieces are evolving into the next human extremity, Sanders demonstrates a passion for political activism and an appreciation for the power of song.

Only time will tell who will walk through the Brookings Arch in a few short months and win the presidential nomination in the coming year. While electoral forerunners may vary and public opinions sway, there is one thing of which we can be sure: Music will not cease to be an inspiration for positive social change.