Spizzwinks promote trade treaty in four-part harmony

Europe’s trade with the US

Is already one of the best

But we think we can do even more.

It’s a love song, in case you can’t tell—a paean to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), a proposed trade agreement between the US and the European Union.

Promoting rules-based investment is great.

It’s easy to cooperate.

So here’s what we have in store

To increase our exports.

Cue the soaring harmonies of the Spizzwinks, Yale’s second-oldest tuxedo-clad all-male a cappella singing group. When they toured Ireland last year, the US Embassy asked the ’Winks to record a video promoting TTIP.

“There was some hesitancy about supporting the TTIP,” which is controversial in Europe and among some in the US, Spizzwinks business manager Nick Agar-Johnson ’16 says by e-mail. “But we as a whole weren't opposed to it and very much enjoyed writing our lyrics to the song and performing it at the embassy.”

Set to the tune of Plain White T's “Rhythm of Love,” the song features lyrics by Ben Paltiel ’16 and the snappy title of ”Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (In Song).”

Asked how the Spizzwinks might evaluate future requests for public-policy-oriented songs—promoting same-sex marriage, say, or the repeal of Obamacare—Agar-Johnson responds: “In general, we don't really have a process for deciding on these requests—so far, the Dublin embassy was somewhat of an exception (given that we've never done such a thing before), but it's something we might consider doing in the future.”

Oh, the romance:

Eliminating tariffs on tra-aade

Facilitating transactions ma-aade

Across the sea

Transatlantic Traaade and Investment Partnership.

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The Yale Alumni Magazine is published by Yale Alumni Publications Inc., an alumni-based nonprofit that is not run by Yale University. Its content does not necessarily reflect the views of the university administration.