Some Great Political Pop Songs
By Emma.
Having just posted about the difficult relationship between the idealism of art and the reality of government, I thought I would show the joy of that idealism with some of my favourite “political” songs. They aren’t all as overt as each other, but they are all songs that make me want to change the world – what could be more political than that? I suspect yours are missing – please post them in the comments. Mine reflect my own passions. If the personal is political, when it comes to music, I suspect the political is personal.
So here they are – in no particular order:
Saturday, March 30th 2013 at 21:19
Ace list Emma, inspired me to dig this out, in case anyone’s interested – my top 50 (vaguely chronological) protest songs to accompany a seminar on protest lyric writing. Hope you like it: http://christt.com/songwriting/50-protest-songs-2/
xx
Saturday, March 30th 2013 at 21:20
Brings back memories of the first concert I attended when 16 which featured The Specials, Selector and The Beat who sang ‘Stand Down Margaret’ – they set me on my way and gave a lot of us hope and the feeling that we had a voice after all – and yet here we are today with the latest present day version of Margaret but no songs? I do worry though that there seems to be nothing along those lines happening with the young today but looking who controls much of the music industry now maybe not suprising – but maybe there is a sort of underground murmering/scene – hope so.
Saturday, March 30th 2013 at 21:51
There has to be some Nina Simone! Here she is with a couple – “An artist’s duty is to affect the times” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7sBojD-cfs The great Hazel Dickens with The Rebel Girl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR7fBCENkN0 & They’ll Never Keep Us Down https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7nclwcsXmg&playnext=1&list=PLE3268260F453D696&feature=results_video and, a very burning Bedroom Tax one that I’m sure you’ve already heard – Oh ye canna have a spare room in a pokey cooncil flat https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Bik9299kA0c
Tuesday, April 2nd 2013 at 21:17
Okay, here’s a few.
God Save The Queen – Sex Pistols. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtUH2YSFlVU
Strange Fruit – Billie Holiday. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4ZyuULy9zs
4 songs from one superb album, What’s Going On (1971) by Marvin Gaye:
What’s Going On – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f39Zs0gB87c
What’s Happening Brother – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8pm8rEGQIk
Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMuWmU1iNJo
Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57Ykv1D0qEE
Working Class Hero – John Lennon – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njG7p6CSbCU
Imagine – not one of my favourite Lennon songs, but it’s a brilliant sell of a hard to sell political idea.”Sugar coated Communism” as John Lennon called it.
Promentalshitbackwashpsychosis Enema Squad (The Doo-Doo Chasers) – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-l_io0fU7w Fried ice cream IS a reality!
That’s All Right – Elvis. Elvis Presley, the white boy singing black music, was all by himself a great argument for integration. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWgprZu4Hk4
Thursday, April 4th 2013 at 17:54
This song (Michael P – WMD) discusses the current issues in US government. The point of the song is that the system is the root cause of the issues. Key lyric: “Most them weren’t bad, they were just drawn that way” (full lyrics in YouTube description):
Sunday, April 7th 2013 at 15:15
Very good list here. I like´d a lot. Thanks=)
Wednesday, May 15th 2013 at 20:58
Music can change the world, change laws and confront or promote any social movement. You can see the Top 10 Songs about Breaking the Law at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2013/05/top-10-songs-about-breaking-law.html