Protest music

[Frank Newgent]

Listening (again) to Steve Earle's CD Jerusalem
(http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/e/earlesteve-jerusalem.shtml) today I wondered: Where's the rest of the protest music?

Recommendations anyone? I have a lot of driving to do...

[epepke]

Tom Lehrer, "The Folk Song Army." Lyrics at http://wiw.org/~drz/tom.lehrer/the_year.html#army

[ASRomatifoso]

I love Steve Earle. Own most of his stuff. However, I do find that he proselytizes a bit much sometimes. Nothing wrong with protest, lots wrong with ranting. Transcendental Blues, Train a' Comin, Guitar Town, et al are great albums. A pretty neat album you should check out is Live at the Bluebird Cafe, a night with Steve Earle, Townes Van Zandt, and Guy Clark. It's really good. As far as protest music, I would say Billy Bragg, a little Michelle Shocked, and of course, Bruce Springsteen, who I believe has written more intelligent, moving, and lyrical "protest" songs than almost anyone.

[thrombus29]

As unpalatable as it might be sonicly, the later Dead Kennedies albums (Frankenchrist, Bedtime for democracy) are mostly protest or social satire songs.

A lot of hardcore from the 83-88 (Untill the Metal Crossover happened) was socialy and politicaly aware.

There was no Joe Hill or This Land is Your Land to move the country though.

[Ursa Major]

I'm in the process of rediscovering Woody Guthrie for about the fourth time. It's a sad commentary on our times that many of his songs are still so relevant.

The crops are all in and the peaches are rott'ning,
The oranges piled in their creosote dumps;
They're flying 'em back to the Mexican border
To pay all their money to wade back again

Goodbye to my Juan, goodbye, Rosalita,
Adios mis amigos, Jesus y Maria;
You won't have your names when you ride the big airplane,
All they will call you will be "deportees"

[Frank Newgent]

Originally posted by epepke

Tom Lehrer, "The Folk Song Army." Lyrics at http://wiw.org/~drz/tom.lehrer/the_year.html#army
Nah, thanks. Looking more for a contemporary version of this (http://www.elyrics4u.com/f/fortunate_son_creedence_clearwater_revival.htm)


Originally posted by thrombus29

As unpalatable as it might be sonicly, the later Dead Kennedies albums (Frankenchrist, Bedtime for democracy) are mostly protest or social satire songs.

A lot of hardcore from the 83-88 (Untill the Metal Crossover happened) was socialy and politicaly aware.

There was no Joe Hill or This Land is Your Land to move the country though.
The only Jello Biafra I still have is Prairie Home Invasion (http://www.punkfix.net/reviews/prairiehomeinvasion.html) with Mojo Nixon. Funnier than hell. Couple of protest songs...


Originally posted by Ursa Major

I'm in the process of rediscovering Woody Guthrie for about the fourth time. It's a sad commentary on our times that many of his songs are still so relevant.
It's christmastime in washington
The democrats rehearsed
Gettin' into gear for four more years
Things not gettin' worse
The republicans drink whiskey neat
And thanked their lucky stars
They said, 'he cannot seek another term
They'll be no more fdrs'

I sat home in tennessee
Staring at the screen
With an uneasy feeling in my chest
And i'm wonderin' what it means

Chorus:
So come back woody guthrie
Come back to us now
Tear your eyes from paradise
And rise again somehow
If you run into jesus
Maybe he can help you out
Come back woody guthrie to us now

I followed in your footsteps once
Back in my travelin' days
Somewhere i failed to find your trail
Now i'm stumblin' through the haze
But there's killers on the highway now
And a man can't get around
So i sold my soul for wheels that roll
Now i'm stuck here in this town

Chorus

There's foxes in the hen house
Cows out in the corn
The unions have been busted
Their proud red banners torn
To listen to the radio
You'd think that all was well
But you and me and cisco know
It's going straight to hell

So come back, emma goldman
Rise up, old joe hill
The barracades are goin' up
They cannot break our will
Come back to us, malcolm x
And martin luther king
We're marching into selma
As the bells of freedom ring

Steve Earle
Christmas in Washington


Originally posted by ASRomatifoso

I love Steve Earle. Own most of his stuff. However, I do find that he proselytizes a bit much sometimes. Nothing wrong with protest, lots wrong with ranting. Transcendental Blues, Train a' Comin, Guitar Town, et al are great albums. A pretty neat album you should check out is Live at the Bluebird Cafe, a night with Steve Earle, Townes Van Zandt, and Guy Clark. It's really good. As far as protest music, I would say Billy Bragg, a little Michelle Shocked, and of course, Bruce Springsteen, who I believe has written more intelligent, moving, and lyrical "protest" songs than almost anyone.
Trying to find a link toTownes Van Zandt's Interfaith Dental Clinic monologue (unconventional!) from the Bluebird Cafe when I found this (http://www.steveearle.net/discography/americanreview.php)

Yeah, just went out and bought this brand new live set. Saw him last January in Tucson and still feel bad about all that beer I threw. :roll:

Hey, you didn't mention I Feel Alright, El Corazón or The Mountain...

[jj]

Originally posted by epepke
Tom Lehrer, "The Folk Song Army." Lyrics at http://wiw.org/~drz/tom.lehrer/the_year.html#army


Hey! I was about to say that!

...
We hate poverty, war and injustice
Not like the rest of those squares ...
...

Tom Lehrer, the country needs you!

[Nasarius]

Bad Religion. They're a bit more subtle than bands like Dead Kennedys or Minor Threat, and their music is more, well, melodic.

And a random one: "To Washington", as John Cougar Mellencamp did it on his latest album.

[Nova Land]

I assume you're already familiar with the classics by Pete Seeger, Phil Ochs, Tom Paxton, The (Chad) Mitchell Trio, Judy Collins, Malvina Reynolds, Peter Paul & Mary, Holly Near, Willie Tyson, Judy Reagan, The Bottom Line, etc., and are looking for more recent protest songs.

In looking up Peggy Seeger and Judy Small (both of whom have produced music in recent years -- but I wasn't sure if either had produced any protest songs since 9/11) -- I came across the following sites that might be of interest.

1. http://www.lacarte.org/songs/anti-war/updates.html#summary says it has "522 new and classic anti-war songs" (and I'll take their word since I don't have time to count them all, let alone try to download any)

That's just the anti-war section of a larger site with several different categories of protest songs. Here's where to find the other categories:
http://www.lacarte.org/index.html#summary

2. Another place you can download lots of anti-war songs (or so the site says) is http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gmarchive/000628.html

3. There are MP3 downloads of protest songs at
http://www.protest-records.com/mp3/index.html

4, More political songs here: http://polsong.gcal.ac.uk/songs.html

5. Judy Small has her own web site, with some of her recent songs listed. Samples of a few songs are available for free download, but these don't appear to be as political as some of her songs from the 1980s. www.judysmall.net/ Check out "Silo" on her album Home Front for a great anti-war song, and "Golden Arches" (same album) for a great anti-McDonalds song.

6. Peggy Seeger has her own web site: http://www.pegseeger.com/

In addition, she is listed at the artists-direct website (and a lot of other producers of good protest music can probably be found there too). (There's a CD listed here for $7 that I may splurge on myself, as it has "The Engineer Song", "Carry Greenham Home", and lots of other good stuff.)

http://www.artistdirect.com/music/artist/card/0,,491094,00.html

7. Yep. The artists-direct site is well-worth browsing some day. Here's their listing for Alix Dobkin:

http://www.artistdirect.com/music/artist/card/0,,423991,00.html

8. Do the Capital Steps count as protest music?Capitol Steps (http://www.capsteps.com/radio)

[Boo]

Not very recent, but still relevant try Utah Phillips. More of the folk story teller tradition with music added by Ani DiFranco.


Boo

[Mr Manifesto]

Just about anything by Billy Bragg.

[American]

Hard to believe Barry McGuire's "Eve of Destruction" was number 1 in 1965. Nobody mentioned it.

[Ravenwood]

Don't Forget "Sky Pilot" by the Animals, "Jimmy Newman" by Tom Paxton & "The Ballad of Penny Evans" by Steve Goodman

[Frostbite]

Rage Against the Machine
The Tossers
Bad Religion

Good old fashion anti-capitalism angst. :)

[Skeptic]

Originally posted by epepke
Tom Lehrer, "The Folk Song Army." Lyrics at http://wiw.org/~drz/tom.lehrer/the_year.html#army

... beat me to it.

[Skeptic]

[i]Originally posted by Frostbite
Good old fashion anti-capitalism angst. :)

...yours for just $19.95.

[Cleopatra]

Frank

have you ever heard of Mikis Theodorakis? Maybe all I have to say to attract your attention is that since the day Che Guevara heard his music in Cuba, Theodorakis receives every year to his birthday a chest of cuban cigars as present. Fidel kept that tradition and he keeps sending this birthday present. He is a great fan of Theorodakis music too :)

But don't ask me if I like his music. Please :)

[Frank Newgent]

Originally posted by Cleopatra
Frank

have you ever heard of Mikis Theodorakis? Maybe all I have to say to attract your attention is that since the day Che Guevara heard his music in Cuba, Theodorakis receives every year to his birthday a chest of cuban cigars as present. Fidel kept that tradition and he keeps sending this birthday present. He is a great fan of Theorodakis music too :)

But don't ask me if I like his music. Please :)
http://www.classical-composers.org/cgi-bin/ccd.cgi?comp=theodora

Mikis Theodorakis is undoubtedly Greece's greatest living composer.
Never heard of him.

[Cleopatra]

Mikis Theodorakis is undoubtedly Greece's greatest living composer.


Of course I disagree but when it comes to protest music he is one of the most well known, especially among European Communists.

[Frank Newgent]

Originally posted by Cleopatra

Of course I disagree but when it comes to protest music he is one of the most well known, especially among European Communists.
http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/articles/2002/13_Oct---Film_Score_Friday.asp

The music -- the first score for an American picture by Mikis Theodorakis -- is incongruous and is used disastrously; the tunes may be Italian, but the instrumentation sounds Greek, and why this metallic-sounding folksy music is rattling on while Serpico is testifying before the Knapp Commission I can't imagine -- unless it's insultingly assumed that no one is interested in what he's saying.
I meant protest music in the sense of music having a certain critical social or political content; not the idea that one ought to cry out and object to the science and art of musical sounds.

[Tony]

Originally posted by Frostbite
Rage Against the Machine
The Tossers
Bad Religion

Good old fashion hypocrisy. :)


I took the liberty to correct your post.:)

[Cleopatra]

Originally posted by Frank Newgent

I meant protest music in the sense of music having a certain critical social or political content; not the idea that one ought to cry out and object to the science and art of musical sounds.

:D

Seriously ,Theodorakis music is protest music. He protested against the Status Quo. Of course he grew-up only to become the worse version of the Status-Quo. He wore an Armani as his friend Fidel did...

[Evolver]

Try listening to The Foremen, or their songwriter who has since gone solo, Roy Zimmerman.