def METHOD_NAME(self, widgets):
    ## ensure that deadbeef is actually running
    ## easiest way to do this is to check --nowplaying for
    ##  the string 'nothing'
    if util.cli.execute(self.now_playing) == "nothing":
        self._song = ""
        return
    ## perform the actual query -- these can be much more sophisticated
    data = util.cli.execute(self.now_playing_tf + '"'+self._tf_format+'"')
    self._song = data