Protest Songs

[Squall]

Rage Against The Machine - Killing In The Name

 

[Power21]

System of a down have a few songs that are pretty political etc. B.Y.O.B off th current album has a similar theme.

 

[Jumpin' Jimmy]

Johnny Rotten & the Sex Pistols...... Anarchy in the UK

right now ! ha ha ha ha ha !

I am an antichrist
I am an anarchist
don't know what I want but
I know how to get it
I wanna destroy the passer by cos I

I wanna be anarchy !
No dog's body

Anarchy for the UK it's coming sometime and maybe
I give a wrong time stop a traffic line
your future dream is the shopping scheme cos I

I wanna be anarchy !
In the city

How many ways to get what you want
I use the best I use the rest
I use the enemy I use anarchy cos I

I wanna be anarchy !
The only way to be !

Is this the M.P.L.A:
Or is this the U.D.A.
or is this the I.R.A
I thought it was the UK or just
another country
another council tenancy

I wanna be an anarchist
oh what a name
get P1SSED DESTROY !!!!!

 

[Jumpin' Jimmy]

Barry McGuire - Eve of Destruction

The eastern world, it is explodin’.
Violence flarin’, bullets loadin’
You’re old enough to kill, but not for votin’
You don’t believe in war, but what’s that gun you’re totin’
And even the Jordan River has bodies floatin’

But you tell me
Over and over and over again, my friend
Ah, you don’t believe
We’re on the eve
of destruction.

Don’t you understand what I’m tryin’ to say
Can’t you feel the fears I’m feelin’ today?
If the button is pushed, there’s no runnin’ away
There’ll be no one to save, with the world in a grave
Take a look around you boy
It’s bound to scare you boy

And you tell me
Over and over and over again, my friend
Ah, you don’t believe
We’re on the eve
of destruction.

Yeah, my blood’s so mad feels like coagulatin’
I’m sitting here just contemplatin’
I can’t twist the truth, it knows no regulation.
Handful of senators don’t pass legislation
And marches alone can’t bring integration
When human respect is disintegratin’
This whole crazy world is just too frustratin’

And you tell me
Over and over and over again, my friend
Ah, you don’t believe
We’re on the eve
of destruction.

Think of all the hate there is in Red China
Then take a look around to Selma, Alabama
You may leave here for 4 days in space
But when you return, it’s the same old place
The poundin’ of the drums, the pride and disgrace
You can bury your dead, but don’t leave a trace
Hate your next-door neighbor, but don’t forget to say grace
And… tell me over and over and over and over again, my friend
You don’t believe
We’re on the eve
Of destruction
Mm, no no, you don’t believe
We’re on the eve
of destruction.

 

[Jumpin' Jimmy]

Bob Dylan - Political World

We live in a political world
Love don't have any place
We're living in times
Where men commit crimes
And crime don't have any face.

We live in a political world
Icicles hanging down
Wedding bells ring
And angels sing
Clouds cover up the ground.

We live in a political world
Wisdom is thrown in jail
It rots in a cell
Is misguided as hell
Leaving no one to pick up a trail.

We live in a political world
Where mercy walks the plank
Life is in mirrors
Death disappears
Up the steps into the nearest bank.

We live in a political world
Where courage is a thing of the past
Houses are haunted
Children unwanted
The next day could be your last.

We live in a political world
The one we can see and feel
But there's no one to check
It's all a stacked deck
We all know for sure that it's real.

We live in a political world
In the cities of lonesome fear
Little by little
You turn in the middle
But you're never sure why you're here.

We live in a political world
Under the microscope
You can travel anywhere
And hang yourself there
You always got more than enough rope.

We live in a political world
Turning and trashing about
As soon as you're awake
You're trained to take
What looks like the easy way out.

We live in a political world
Where peace is not welcome at all
It's turned away from the door
To wonder some more
Or put up against the wall.

We live in a political world
Everything is hers and his
Climb into the frame
And shout God's name
But you're never sure what it is.

 

[Jumpin' Jimmy]

Bob Dylan - When You Gonna Wake Up?

God don't make promises that He don't keep
You got some big dreams baby, but in order to dream you gotta still be asleep.

When you gonna wake up, when you gonna wake up
When you gonna wake up strengthen the things that remain ?

Counterfeited philosophies have polluted all of your thoughts
Karl Marx has got ya by the throat, Henry Kissinger's got you tied up in knots.

When you gonna wake up, when you gonna wake up
When you gonna wake up strengthen the things that remain ?

You got innocent men in jail, your insane asylums are filled
You got unrighteous doctors dealing drugs that'll never cure your ills.

When you gonna wake up, when you gonna wake up
When you gonna wake up strengthen the things that remain ?

You got men who can't hold their peace and woman who can't control their tongues
The rich seduce the poor and the old are seduced by the young.

When you gonna wake up, when you gonna wake up
When you gonna wake up strengthen the things that remain ?

Adulterers in churches and pornography in the schools
You got gangsters in power and lawbreakers making rules.

When you gonna wake up, when you gonna wake up
When you gonna wake up strengthen the things that remain ?

Spiritual advisors and gurus to guide your every move
Instant inner peace and every step you take has got to be approved.

When you gonna wake up, when you gonna wake up
When you gonna wake up strengthen the things that remain ?

Do you ever wonder just what God requires ?
You think He's just an errand boy to satisfy your wandering desires.

When you gonna wake up, when you gonna wake up
When you gonna wake up and strengthen the things that remain ?

You can't take it with you and you know that it's too worthless to be sold
They tell you, 'Time is money' as if your life was worth its weight in gold.

When you gonna wake up, when you gonna wake up
When you gonna wake up and strengthen the things that remain ?

There's a man up on a cross and He's been crucified for you
Believe in His power that's about all you got to do.

When you gonna wake up, when you gonna wake up
When you gonna wake up and strengthen the things that remain ?

 

[Jumpin' Jimmy]

Rolling Stones - Sweet Neo Con

You call yourself a Christian
I think that you're a hypocrite
You say you are a patriot
I think that you're a crock of sh1t

And listen, I love gasoline
I drink it every day
But it's getting very pricey
And who is going to pay

How come you're so wrong
My sweet neo con.... Yeah

It's liberty for all
'Cause democracy's our style
Unless you are against us
Then it's prison without trial

But one thing that is certain
Life is good at Haliburton
If you're really so astute
You should invest at Brown & Root.... Yeah

How come you're so wrong
My sweet neo con
If you turn out right
I'll eat my hat tonight

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah....

It's getting very scary
Yes, I'm frightened out of my wits
There's bombers in my bedroom
Yeah and it's giving me the sh1ts

We must have loads more bases
To protect us from our foes
Who needs these foolish friendships
We're going it alone

How come you're so wrong
My sweet neo con
Where's the money gone
In the Pentagon

Yeah ha ha ha
Yeah, well, well

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah...
Neo con

 

[bmwofoz]

My Favorite Protest Song would be anything from American Idiot GreenDay.

 

[whythelongface]

NatWest, NatWest-Barclays-Midlands-Lloyds

Economic forecasts soothe our dereliction
Words of euthanasia, apathy of sick routine
Carried away with useless advertising dreams
Blinding children, life as autonotomes

NatWest, NatWest-Barclays-Midlands-Lloyds
Blackhorse apocalypse
Death sanitised through credit
NatWest, NatWest-Barclays-Midlands-Lloyds
Blackhorse apocalypse
Death sanitised through credit

Barclays iron eagle, "33 injection"
Sold to advertiser, computer execution line
They give then take away, repossess and crucify
The more you own the more you are, lonelier with cheap desire

NatWest, NatWest-Barclays-Midlands-Lloyds
Blackhorse apocalypse
Death sanitised through credit

Prosperity - exports for Pol Pot
Prosperity - Mein Kampf for beginners

NatWest, NatWest-Barclays-Midlands-Lloyds
Blackhorse apocalypse
Death sanitised through credit
NatWest, NatWest-Barclays-Midlands-Lloyds
Blackhorse Apocalypse
Death sanitised through credit

 

[- PC -]

Great song and film clip.

What about that Aussie song 'I was only 19'. The principal of my school played that at one assembly and it was very emotional. That guys vocal delivery and lyrics are sensational.

Who sings it?

As Posted Redgum fronted by John Schumann who went on to become ?Haines or Lees research assistant then unsuccesfully run against Downer in the seat of Mayo for the Democrats.

 

[meh]

System of a down have a few songs that are pretty political etc. B.Y.O.B off th current album has a similar theme.

all songs from them have a special meaning, whether its politics, war, the armenian genocide, realtionships.

they also have great music

 

[Vandal]

Try looking for some songs by Anti-Flag, Propagandhi, Rise Against, NOFX, The Unseen, etc.

 

[hotpie]

Four Dead In Ohio - Crosby Stills Nash and Young - about four uni students murdered by the cops at an anti war rally

Tin soldiers and Nixon's comin'.
We're finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drummin'.
Four dead in Ohio.

Gotta get down to it.
Soldiers are gunning us down.
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her and
Found her dead on the ground?
How can you run when you know?

Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na.

Gotta get down to it.
Soldiers are cutting us down.
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her and
Found her dead on the ground?
How can you run when you know?

Tin soldiers and Nixon's comin'.
We're finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drummin'.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.

Its a great song for an assignment because its about an actual event with tons of research material

http://www.thrasherswheat.org/fot/ohio.htm

 

[hotpie]

The ultimate protest song, and one which would provide ample fodder for analysis is, 'Fixin' to Die Rag', by Country Joe (McDonald) and the Fish. It appears on the 'Woodstock' soundtrack, and elsewhere.

Its a classic

Come on all of you big strong men
Uncle Sam needs your help again
he's got himself in a terrible jam
way down yonder in Viet Nam so
put down your books and pick up a gun we're
gonna have a whole lotta fun

(CHORUS)
And it's one, two, three, what are we fighting for
don't ask me I don't give a damn, next stop is Viet Nam
And it's five, six, seven, open up the pearly gates
ain't no time to wonder why, whoopee we're all gonna die

Come on generals, let's move fast
your big chance has come at last
now you can go out and get those reds
cos the only good commie is the one that's dead and
you know that peace can only be won when we've
blown 'em all to kingdom come

Come on wall street don't be slow
why man this war is a go-go
there's plenty good money to be made by
supplying the army with the tools of its trade
let's hope and pray that if they drop the bomb,
they drop it on the Viet Cong

Come on mothers throughout the land
pack your boys off to Viet Nam
come on fathers don't hesitate
send your sons off before it's too late
and you can be the first ones on your block
to have your boy come home in a box

 

[-VC-]

Try looking for some songs by Anti-Flag, Propagandhi, Rise Against, NOFX, The Unseen, etc.

Good call. Try 'The Decline' by NOFX on for size. It goes for 17mins or so from memory.
I was listening to Siren Songs For A Counter Culture by Rise Against the other day and it opens with State of the Union. If you're looking for a subtle protest song this probably isn't the one, but it's very good all the same.

Rise Against - State of the Union

If we're the flagship of peace and prosperity
we're taking on water and about to ********ing sink
no one seems to notice, no one even blinks
the crew all left the passengers to die under the sea

countdown
to the very end
equality
an invitation that we won't extend
ready, aim
pull the trigger now
in time you
firmly secure your place in hell

state of the union address
reads war torn country still a mess
the words: power, death and distorted truth
are read between the lines of the red, white and blue

countdown
to the very end
equality
an invitation that we won't extend

ready, aim
pull the trigger now
in time you
firmly secure your place in hell

guilty is what our graves will read
no years, no family
we did nothing to stop the murder of
a people just like us

 

[dees_best]

Anything by Rage Against the Machine.

Exactly what I was going to say!

 

[Vandal]

Against Me! - From Her Lips To God's Ears (The Energizer)

Regime change under a Bush doctrine of democratic installations.
Constant war for constant soldiers.
What are we gonna do now?
De-escalation, through military force.
Increase the pressure, Oh Condoleeza
What should we do about the situation in Iran and North Korea?

Condoleeza.

Democratic election under Marshall law.
An Iraqi president out of control of our choices.
After all this death and destruction
Do you really think your actions advocate freedom?
The presidents giving a speech in Georgetown
To remember the voice of a slain civil rights leader,
Do you understand what the martyrs stood for?
Oh Condoleeza do you get the ********ing joke?

Condoleeza
Condoleeza
Condoleeza
What are we gonna do now?
Condoleeza
Condoleeza
Condoleeza
What are we gonna do now?

 

[Boozecoaster]

I was listening to this today and just realised how much i liked it.

Offspring off of their Smash album

Not The One
I‘m not the one who made the world what it is today
I‘m not the one who caused the problems started long ago
But now I deal with all the consequence that troubles our times
I carry on and never once have even questioned why

I‘m innocent
But the weight of the world is on my shoulders
I‘m innocent
But the battles started are far from over

We‘re not the ones who leave the homeless in the streets at night
We‘re not the ones who‘ve kept minorities and women down
Still we grow and then the problems they become our own
We carry on without even realizing why

We‘re innocent
But the weight of the world is on our shoulders
We‘re innocent
But the battles left us are far from over

We‘re not the ones whose pollution blackened our skies
And ruined our streams
We‘re not the ones who made the nuclear bombs
That threaten our lives
We‘re not the ones who let the children starve in faraway lands
We‘re not the ones who made the streets unsafe to walk at night

And even if we try and not become so overwhelmed
And if we make some contribution to the plight we see
Still our descendents will inherit our mistakes of today
They‘ll suffer just the same as we and never wonder why

 

[materamagic]

That's not a protest song. Bono told me so on Rattle and Hum.

ps How many George Harrison and Tom Petty protest songs did you dig because you can just bet he's going to want to analyse a song that no one gives a Tom Petty f*** about.

ps2 What about My Sweet Lord? I'm sure you can figure out some way to construe it as a protest song?

it was a protest song not to be confused with the U2 classic

SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY (Paul McCartney)

Well it was [Am] Sunday Bloody Sunday
When they shot the people [C] there
The [Am] cries of 14 martyrs
Filled the Free Derry [Em] air
Is there [Am] anyone amongst you
Dare to blame it on the [C] kids?
Not a [Am] soldier lad was bleeding
When they nailed the coffin lids!

[chorus]
[C] Sunday Bloody [G] Sunday
Bloody [Am] Sunday´s the [E] day!

You claim to be majority
Well you know that it´s a lie
You´re really a minority
On the sweet Emerald Isle
When Stormont bans our marches
They´ve got a lot to learn
Internment is no answer
It´s those mothers turn to burn

You Anglo pigs and Scotties
Sent to colonise the North
You wave your ********ing Union Jacks
And you know what it´s worth
How dare you hold to ransom
A people proud and free
Keep Ireland for the Irish
Put the English back to sea

Yes it´s always bloody Sunday
In the concentration camps
Keep the Falls Road free forever
From the bloody English hands
Repatriate to Britain
All of you who call it home
Leave Ireland to the Irish
Not for London or for Rome

 

[bradrowe#32]

Anyone listen to JJJ? They have a thing called Like A Version where bands cover songs. The other day they had hip-hop band The Herd covering Redgum's I Was Only 19. It sounded pretty good.

 

[- PC -]

Has anyone mentioned Eric Bogle ''And the Band played Waltzing Matilda''

 

[krisholio14]

Has anyone mentioned Eric Bogle ''And the Band played Waltzing Matilda''

no, but its a great song, and the pogues version is even better

 

[Fossie 32]

Why would U2's Sunday Bloody Sunday not be a protest song?

I can’t believe the news today
Oh, I can’t close my eyes and make it go away
How long...
How long must we sing this song?
How long? how long...

’cause tonight...we can be as one
Tonight...

Broken bottles under children’s feet
Bodies strewn across the dead end street
But I won’t heed the battle call
It puts my back up
Puts my back up against the wall

Sunday, bloody sunday
Sunday, bloody sunday
Sunday, bloody sunday (sunday bloody sunday...)
(allright lets go!)

And the battle’s just begun
There’s many lost, but tell me who has won
The trench is dug within our hearts
And mothers, children, brothers, sisters torn apart

Sunday, bloody sunday
Sunday, bloody sunday

How long...
How long must we sing this song?
How long? how long...

’cause tonight...we can be as one
Tonight...
Tonight...

Sunday, bloody sunday (tonight)
Tonight
Sunday, bloody sunday (tonight)
(come get some!)

Wipe the tears from your eyes
Wipe your tears away
Wipe your tears away
I wipe your tears away
(sunday, bloody sunday)
I wipe your blood shot eyes
(sunday, bloody sunday)

Sunday, bloody sunday (sunday, bloody sunday)
Sunday, bloody sunday (sunday, bloody sunday)
(here I come!)

And it’s true we are immune
When fact is fiction and tv reality
And today the millions cry
We eat and drink while tomorrow they die

The real battle yet begun (sunday, bloody sunday)
To claim the victory jesus won (sunday, bloody sunday)
On...

Sunday bloody sunday
Sunday bloody sunday...

 

[billybrownless16]

Anyone listen to JJJ? They have a thing called Like A Version where bands cover songs. The other day they had hip-hop band The Herd covering Redgum's I Was Only 19. It sounded pretty good.

Yeah I've heard that a few times, its a good cover.

Also by The Herd, 77% is a good protest song
And Prisoner of Society by The Living End
F*** Authority by Pennywise
Punch in the Face by Frenzal Rhomb

 

[- PC -]

War ( what is it good for) Absolutely nothing!