Songs As Political Protest

Lex

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We are in a time where we have not seen this high an amount of musicians using their artistic talents to spread and incite political debate and protest. The only recent time I can think of would have been the 60s and 70s. Iraq is clearly the Vietnam of my lifetime.

DC DEEP, Bubba and I talked about this over breakfast a few weeks ago. We all wondered if (a) the artists spoke to the younger members of our generation and (b) If the current generation of music listeners realizes what the songs are supposed to inspire them to do?

Here are some lyrical and musical examples:

Linkin Park: "Hands Held High"

Sick of the dark ways we march to the drum and

Jump when they tell us that they wanna see jumping
Fuck that I wanna see some fists pumping

Risk something, take back what's yours
Say something that you know they might attack you for

Cause I'm sick of being treated like I have before
Like it's stupid standing for what I'm standing for

Like this war's really just a different brand of war
Like it doesn't cater the rich and abandon poor

Like they understand you in the back of the jet
When you can't put gas in your tank

These fuckers are laughing their way to the bank and cashing the check
Asking you to have compassion and have some respect

For a leader so nervous in an obvious way
Stuttering and mumbling for nightly news to replay

And the rest of the world watching at the end of the day
In their living room laughing like "what did he say?"


Amen
Amen
Amen
Amen
Amen


In my living room watching but I am not laughing
Cause when it gets tense I know what might happen

World is cold the bold men take action
Have to react or get blown into fractions

Ten years old it's something to see
Another kid my age drug under a jeep

Taken and bound and found later under a tree
I wonder if he had thought the next one could be me

Do you see the soldiers they're out today
They brush the dust from bullet proof vests away

It's ironic at times like this you pray
But a bomb blew the mosque up yesterday

There's bombs in the buses, bikes, roads
Inside your market, your shops, your clothes

My dad he's got a lot of fear I know
But enough pride inside not to let that show

My brother had a book he would hold with pride
A little red cover with a broken spine

On the back, he hand-wrote a quote inside
When the rich wage war it's the poor who die

Meanwhile, the leader just talks away
Stuttering and mumbling for nightly news to replay

And the rest of the world watching at the end of the day
both scared and angry like "what did he say?"

Amen
Amen
Amen
Amen
Amen

With hands held high into a sky so blue
As the ocean opens up to swallow you



P!nk: "Dear Mr. President"

Dear Mr. President,
Come take a walk with me.
Let's pretend we're just two people and
You're not better than me.
I'd like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestly.

What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street?
Who do you pray for at night before you go to sleep?
What do you feel when you look in the mirror?
Are you proud?

How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Can you even look me in the eye
And tell me why?

Dear Mr. President,
Were you a lonely boy?
Are you a lonely boy?
Are you a lonely boy?
How can you say
No child is left behind?
We're not dumb and we're not blind.
They're all sitting in your cells
While you pave the road to hell.

What kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away?
And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay?
I can only imagine what the first lady has to say
You've come a long way from whiskey and cocaine.

How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Can you even look me in the eye?

Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Minimum wage with a baby on the way
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Rebuilding your house after the bombs took them away
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Building a bed out of a cardboard box
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
You don't know nothing 'bout hard work



Green Day: "American Idiot"

Don't want to be an American idiot.
Don't want a nation under the new media
And can you hear the sound of hysteria?
The subliminal mind fuck America.

Welcome to a new kind of tension.
All across the alien nation.
Where everything isn't meant to be okay.
Television dreams of tomorrow.
We're not the ones who're meant to follow.
For that's enough to argue.

Well maybe I'm the faggot America.
I'm not a part of a redneck agenda.
Now everybody do the propaganda.
And sing along to the age of paranoia.

Welcome to a new kind of tension.
All across the alien nation.
Where everything isn't meant to be okay.
Television dreams of tomorrow.
We're not the ones who're meant to follow.
For that's enough to argue.

Don't want to be an American idiot.
One nation controlled by the media.
Information age of hysteria.
It's calling out to idiot America.


I wonder how our parents and grandparents would respond if they were young and had musicians attempting to inspire them to action?
 

b.c.

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...I wonder how our parents and grandparents would respond if they were young and had musicians attempting to inspire them to action?

Great selections, Lex. As for your question, I know how we (your) parents did respond (to the Vietnam and Watergate debacles)...

How our offspring choose to respond (or not to) is pretty much up to them.
 

b.c.

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B.C.-- good to see you as always. I sometimes wonder if people even REALIZE they are listening to songs about protest?!?

That's a good question. I think a factor in whether or not they know (or even care for that matter) is that there are divergent elements to our lives now, too many to allow one to stay focused on any one thing for long.

You have to remember that back during the Vietnam conflict there were only three (major) television networks. If sources of news didn't come from there, they came either in the form of newspapers, radio, or magazines. There were also more limited forms of entertainment and other media. There were no VCR's, CD's, cell phones, internet, home computers, Playstation, XBox, music videos...

With all of these various forms of information and entertainment, one's attention span gets pretty much spread out, the messages from numerous sources (sources sometimes of no repute) quite varied or garbled...

It all can get confusing I guess. And by the time one begins to figure it out, something new takes its place.
 

whatireallywant

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Great selections! I hadn't heard the Linkin Park song before (I'd heard some of their other songs), but I have the Pink and Green Day songs.

Here's my contribution: "BYOB" by System of a Down (I have this one, too)

YouTube - System Of A Down - B.Y.O.B

"B.Y.O.B."

WHY DO THEY ALWAYS SEND THE POOR!
Barbarisms by Barbaras
With pointed heels.
Victorious, victories kneel.
For brand new spankin' deals.
Marching forward hypocritic
And hypnotic computers.
You depend on our protection,

Yet you feed us lies from the table cloth.
La la la la la la la la la,
Everybody’s going to the party have a real good time.
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine.

Kneeling roses disappearing,
Into Moses’ dry mouth,
Breaking into Fort Knox,
Stealing our intentions,
Hangars sitting dripped in oil,
Crying FREEDOM!

Handed to obsoletion,
Still you feed us lies from the table cloth.
La la la la la la la la la,
Everybody’s going to the party have a real good time.
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine.
Everybody’s going to the party have a real good time.
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine.

Blast off, it's party time,
And we don't live in a fascist nation,
Blast off, it's party time,
And where the fuck are you?
Where the fuck are you?
Where the fuck are you?

Why don’t presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why don’t presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor? [X4]

Kneeling roses disappearing,
Into Moses’ dry mouth,
Breaking into Fort Knox,
Stealing our intentions,
Hangars sitting dripped in oil,
Crying FREEDOM!

Handed to obsoletion,
Still you feed us lies from the tablecloth.
La la la la la la la la la,
Everybody’s going to the party have a real good time.
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine.
Everybody’s going to the party have a real good time.
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine

Where the fuck are you!
Where the fuck are you!

Why don’t presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why don’t presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor? [X3]
Why, do, they always send the poor [X3]
They only send the poor [x2]


[Thanks to Farley_ohio@hotmail.com for these lyrics]
[Thanks to turbo_pantz@hotmail.com, canada_snowboarding@hotmail.com, Yankeefan1422@yahoo.com, yinyangray25@hotmail.com for correcting these lyrics]

[
www.azlyrics.com ]
 

snoozan

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What scares me is that for every artist writing intelligent songs, it seems like there are five more Britney Spears out there bringing the collective awareness further towards zero. I just took a look at iTunes and not one of the 10 most downloaded songs today are anywhere near what I'd call socially aware.

I fear that we're in a culture where a song like "For What It's Worth" wouldn't make in into the top 10 as that particular song did in 1967.
 

IntoxicatingToxin

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Here's one of my favorites...

YouTube - When The President Talks To God

"When The President Talks To God"

When the president talks to God
Are the conversations brief or long?
Does he ask to rape our women’s' rights
And send poor farm kids off to die?
Does God suggest an oil hike
When the president talks to God?

When the president talks to God
Are the consonants all hard or soft?
Is he resolute all down the line?
Is every issue black or white?
Does what God say ever change his mind
When the president talks to God?

When the president talks to God
Does he fake that drawl or merely nod?
Agree which convicts should be killed?
Where prisons should be built and filled?
Which voter fraud must be concealed
When the president talks to God?

When the president talks to God
I wonder which one plays the better cop
We should find some jobs. the ghetto's broke
No, they're lazy, George, I say we don't
Just give 'em more liquor stores and dirty coke
That's what God recommends

When the president talks to God
Do they drink near beer and go play golf
While they pick which countries to invade
Which Muslim souls still can be saved?
I guess god just calls a spade a spade
When the president talks to God

When the president talks to God
Does he ever think that maybe he's not?
That that voice is just inside his head
When he kneels next to the presidential bed
Does he ever smell his own bullshit
When the president talks to God?

I doubt it

I doubt it
 

b.c.

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Great selections! I hadn't heard the Linkin Park song before (I'd heard some of their other songs), but I have the Pink and Green Day songs.

Here's my contribution: "BYOB" by System of a Down (I have this one, too)

YouTube - System Of A Down - B.Y.O.B

Another good one. I've heard this numerous times and saw the video before. But I have to confess I had no idea what the lyrics were.

Which brings up, I think, another issue: how are the artists and producers using the VISUAL components of their medium (specifically, music videos)? Are they using them to portray the true meaning of the song... or something more vague? And if the answer is the latter, then the bigger question... WHY?

I ask you. If you didn't know what the lyrics were (they go by kinda fast), if you just saw the video, would you have had even an inkling what it was really about?
 

whatireallywant

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Great selections! I hadn't heard the Linkin Park song before (I'd heard some of their other songs), but I have the Pink and Green Day songs.

Here's my contribution: "BYOB" by System of a Down (I have this one, too)

YouTube - System Of A Down - B.Y.O.B

Another good one. I've heard this numerous times and saw the video before. But I have to confess I had no idea what the lyrics were.

Which brings up, I think, another issue: how are the artists and producers using the VISUAL components of their medium (specifically, music videos)? Are they using them to portray the true meaning of the song... or something more vague? And if the answer is the latter, then the bigger question... WHY?

I ask you. If you didn't know what the lyrics were (they go by kinda fast), if you just saw the video, would you have had even an inkling what it was really about?

I could understand enough of the lyrics to know what the song is about. System of a Down is one of my favorite bands. :smile: I have the CD that BYOB is from (Mesmerized), and I also have the CD Toxicity.
 

nudeyorker

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What scares me is that for every artist writing intelligent songs, it seems like there are five more Britney Spears out there bringing the collective awareness further towards zero. I just took a look at iTunes and not one of the 10 most downloaded songs today are anywhere near what I'd call socially aware.

I fear that we're in a culture where a song like "For What It's Worth" wouldn't make in into the top 10 as that particular song did in 1967.
I have alot of faith, For every Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, John Lennon and Bob Marley, that we had, we have many talented artists today that will be revered and remembered. Brittnay and Paris et al will be forgotten, just like the bubblegum bands of the sixty's and seventies...people will say Oh yeah I remember that, but remember how profouned_______ was during the war!
 

SpeedoGuy

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What scares me is that for every artist writing intelligent songs, it seems like there are five more Britney Spears out there bringing the collective awareness further towards zero.

Collective consciousness? That's for chumps. Consumerism is our primary shared value as you all should well know by now.

I mean, have you see Sony's new models of wide screen TVs?
 

SomeGuyOverThere

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A fav of mine: YouTube - Black Sabbath-War Pigs (set to political footage)

Black Sabbath: War Pigs

Generals gathered in their masses
Just like witches at black masses
Evil minds that plot destruction
Sorcerers of deaths construction
In the fields the bodies burning
As the war machine keeps turning
Death and hatred to mankind
Poisoning their brainwashed minds, oh lord yeah!

Politicians hide themselves away
They only started the war
Why should they go out to fight?
They leave that role to the poor

Time will tell on their power minds
Making war just for fun
Treating people just like pawns in chess
Wait till their judgement day comes, yeah!

Now in darkness, world stops turning
As the war machine keeps burning
No more war pigs of the power
Hand of God has sturck the hour
Day of judgement, God is calling
On their knees, the war pigs crawling
Begging mercy for their sins
Satan, laughing, spreads his wings
 

B_ScaredLittleBoy

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I don't like this new music. It's too loud for me (Green Day, System of A Down etc).

What I will say though is that Fortunate Son by CCR is a good song :smile:
There are no sons of senators that go to war. They are the fortunate sons...

PS I agree there are a lot of shit songs and not so artistic artists out there. Which is why I don't listen to much current stuff...
 

whatireallywant

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I have alot of faith, For every Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, John Lennon and Bob Marley, that we had, we have many talented artists today that will be revered and remembered. Brittnay and Paris et al will be forgotten, just like the bubblegum bands of the sixty's and seventies...people will say Oh yeah I remember that, but remember how profouned_______ was during the war!

I find Pink interesting because she actually started out being "bubblegum" (but good bubblegum, I must admit), but then had some really socially conscious songs like "Dear Mr. President" and "Stupid Girls".
 

whatireallywant

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I don't like this new music. It's too loud for me (Green Day, System of A Down etc).

What I will say though is that Fortunate Son by CCR is a good song :smile:
There are no sons of senators that go to war. They are the fortunate sons...

PS I agree there are a lot of shit songs and not so artistic artists out there. Which is why I don't listen to much current stuff...

I must admit that System of a Down and Green Day are two of my favorite bands. Yeah, I like the loud and heavy stuff, although I am 44 years old and supposedly "too old" for that sort of thing. :biggrin1:

But, I also like CCR! Definitely...love "Fortunate Son" and "Bad Moon Rising"! I also really like Simon & Garfunkel. So go figure...
 

b.c.

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I could understand enough of the lyrics to know what the song is about. System of a Down is one of my favorite bands. :smile: I have the CD that BYOB is from (Mesmerized), and I also have the CD Toxicity.

I must admit that System of a Down and Green Day are two of my favorite bands. Yeah, I like the loud and heavy stuff, although I am 44 years old and supposedly "too old" for that sort of thing. :biggrin1:

But, I also like CCR! Definitely...love "Fortunate Son" and "Bad Moon Rising"! I also really like Simon & Garfunkel. So go figure...

I was going to suggest that maybe you were able to catch those other lyrics because you were a lot younger than I. :wink: All I was able to catch was "everybody's going to have a good time" and "la la la la la".

I'm only suggesting that maybe the opportunity is being missed on the part of some to make the lyrics more meaningful with stronger visual imagery (following that old "a picture is worth a thousand words" concept).
 

Shelby

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from back in the day...

Steppenwolf - Monster

Words and music by John Kay, Jerry Edmonton, Nick St. Nicholas and Larry Byrom

(Monster)
Once the religious, the hunted and weary
Chasing the promise of freedom and hope
Came to this country to build a new vision
Far from the reaches of kingdom and pope
Like good Christians, some would burn the witches
Later some got slaves to gather riches

But still from near and far to seek America
They came by thousands to court the wild
And she just patiently smiled and bore a child
To be their spirit and guiding light

And once the ties with the crown had been broken
Westward in saddle and wagon it went
And 'til the railroad linked ocean to ocean
Many the lives which had come to an end
While we bullied, stole and bought our a homeland
We began the slaughter of the red man

But still from near and far to seek America
They came by thousands to court the wild
And she just patiently smiled and bore a child
To be their spirit and guiding light

The blue and grey they stomped it
They kicked it just like a dog
And when the war over
They stuffed it just like a hog

And though the past has it's share of injustice
Kind was the spirit in many a way
But it's protectors and friends have been sleeping
Now it's a monster and will not obey

<A name=SUIDE>(Suicide)
The spirit was freedom and justice
And it's keepers seem generous and kind
It's leaders were supposed to serve the country
But now they won't pay it no mind
'Cause the people grew fat and got lazy
And now their vote is a meaningless joke
They babble about law and order
But it's all just an echo of what they've been told
Yeah, there's a monster on the loose
It's got our heads into a noose
And it just sits there watchin'

Our cities have turned into jungles
And corruption is stranglin' the land
The police force is watching the people
And the people just can't understand
We don't know how to mind our own business
'Cause the whole worlds got to be just like us
Now we are fighting a war over there
No matter who's the winner
We can't pay the cost
'Cause there's a monster on the loose
It's got our heads into a noose
And it just sits there watching

<A name=AMICA>(America)
America where are you now?
Don't you care about your sons and daughters?
Don't you know we need you now
We can't fight alone against the monster
 

SpeedoGuy

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Change In The Weather


Lyrics: John Dawson
Music: John Dawson



Played by the New Riders of the Purple Sage in the late 1970s.
I used to know the flow of the river
I used to know the shape of the sand
I used to know the face of a winner
I used to trust the shake of a hand

I should have seen the change a-coming
I could have seen the signs in the sky
I should have heard the songs of the women
I could have seen the grown men cry

And there's a change in the weather
Change in the wind
Change in the weather
It's changing again

Now do you remember '63
When Doctor King had that dream
So long ago in Washington
That everyone should be free

Whatever happened to the way we were
And what about the way things should be
What about the times when we were so sure
We could put an end to poverty

And there's a change in the weather
Change in the wind
Change in the weather
It's changing again

Yes now on the horizon
There's a dark cloud rising
It's gathering strength and height
And there's nowhere to ride
So we'll just have to hide it out
When the great storm arrives tonight

And there's a change in the weather
Change in the wind
Change in the weather
It's changing again

Now do you remember '63
When Doctor King had that dream
So long ago in Washington
That everyone should be free

Whatever happened to the way we were
And what about the way things should be
What about the times when we were so sure
We could put an end to poverty

And there's a change in the weather
Change in the wind
Change in the weather
It's changing again

And there's a change in the weather
Change in the wind
Change in the weather
It's changing again

Oh Lord, it changing again
I said it's changing again
 

Shelby

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In college I ate this stuff up.

Gil Scott Heron

I was hoping to put up 'A Poem for Jose Campos Torres' (my favorite of his) but couldn't find it. If anyone out there has it it would be a great favor to me if you youtubed it or something.