Music and Politics

I have read the rules regarding politics on these forums. I am not sure if I am allowed to post this thread. @Moderator1 @The Big Ragu @MileHigh - you can delete if you wish.

Music and politics are old friends. From national anthems to protest songs, music has been used to invoke everything from jingoistic fervor to anti-establishment rage. What do you think of this business? Do you see such music as propaganda or self-expression? Are there any political sentiments that are off limits (e.g. racist views)? What political songs do you like and which do you dislike?

 

First, this is one of the great political music interviews I've ever seen:

Second ...

Third ... I fucking loved, and still do, this one ...

 

I’ll add something that drives me nuts. The right-wing radio nuts who spend segment after segment damning “the left,” and then their bumper music is from bands that were hugely from the left.

 

They say The Fixx sucked in concert but their songs and videos stand the test of time.

 

Men at Work's It's a Mistake. Well-done song and video.

 

On the very, very short list of the worst bands I've seen live. They were awful.

Only semi-major band that was worse was Counting Crows.

 

This is the gold standard. Terrified the country.

I seem to remember this was the beginning of the end for P.E.

 

David Allan Coe released a couple of albums early in his career that are full of racist and sexist songs. I'm not even gonna list any of the titles. Use the Googles at your own risk for that.

 

Except for "Eve of Destruction," or "Ohio" and "Chicago" by CSNY and Country Joe McDonald's "Gimmie an F" song, I can't really think of any other protest songs by mainstream bands that really received widespread play and were heard by mainstream America.

I'm sure there are a few I missed, but most of the songs linked on this thread received little exposure.

Almost the entire "John Prine" album is against the Vietnam War. But it had no single, and never charted very high.

 

Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” isn’t the Yea, ‘Merica! anthem that some folks crank it up to be.

 

That and Rockin’ In the Free World have to be the most misunderstood songs going. I was about 13 when Born in the USA and out and when I listened to the words even I clued in.

 

Bruce has a great story from his first acoustic tour introducing BITUSA where he talks about how there is a long history of misunderstood songs in rock. He then says if it was misunderstood, it was only misunderstood by Republicans. He closes by saying “if there are any misunderstanders out there tonight, my children thank you”.