Favorite Protest Songs.

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Favorite Protest Songs.

Postby EstebanColberto » Thu Feb 18, 2016 6:05 am

This thread is for, "What do you think are the best protest songs?" My favorite protest band is Rage Against the Machine, but my favorite protest song is "Ohio," by Neil Young.

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Re: Favorite Protest Songs.

Postby Piter Lauchy » Thu Feb 18, 2016 10:43 pm

My favourite protest song is a German one by Die Ärzte, Grotesksong. It's a protest song against protest songs.

translated lyrics
This is a protest song
against protest songs – I can't hear it anymore
Permanently this howling
only because some guys
are destroying the jungle.
I don't give a shit about the hole in the ozone layer
but everywhere I'm haunted by your hippie fuss.
My poor ears,
they can't defend themselves.
I haven't been listening to the radio anymore and
also haven't been watching TV.
But as rescuers of the world you're totally trendy,
You're maltreating your instrument and you're weeping.

This is a protest song
against protest songs – I am so fed up with this
Real men catch some whales,
and you are rioting,
flipping out.
And you aren't writing songs,
no, you write a poem,
400 stanzas already, but no end in sight.
Yeah, you denounce and you sing about problems,
I'm sure that all bad people are ashamed now,
And whenever a nuclear plant is burning
You are totally in your element
And you're standing in front of the parliament wailing loudly
and behind you your banner is flapping and you're weeping.

This is a protest song
against protest songs – I've had it up to here with it.
I cannot comprehend you,
You despair,
just because some children are croaking.
And now you're singing again of the end of the world,
just because somewhere a sack of rice is falling over.
Stop finally bothering me with your moaning,
if I feel like it, I will shit all over the North Sea,
afterwards I will guzzle down a seal steak,
on a plate made of ivory
Then I will fuck the Greenpeace bitches,
one after another
the whole night long
And I'll be laughing – and I'll be laughing!
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Re: Favorite Protest Songs.

Postby Aquila89 » Fri Feb 19, 2016 12:43 am

"I don't give a shit about the hole in the ozone layer
but everywhere I'm haunted by your hippie fuss."

"Real men catch some whales,
and you are rioting"

"You despair,
just because some children are croaking."

By God, this annoys me. Reminds me of South Park. Everybody who cares about anything is a whiny, pretentious asshole. We are better than them because we proudly don't give a shit about anything.

If you want a good song against protest songs, there's the Folk Song Army by Tom Lehrer:

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Re: Favorite Protest Songs.

Postby cmsellers » Fri Feb 19, 2016 12:54 am

Piter, that reminds me of the anti-protest song by the late great Tom Lehrer: "The Folk Song Army."
[edit]Damn, Aquilia already did it.[/edit]

More seriously, I love song by Don McLean in protest of how different the court system is for the rich and poor.


Or less seriously, how about this song by TMBG protesting the inadequacy of secret government agencies?
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Re: Favorite Protest Songs.

Postby NathanLoiselle » Fri Feb 19, 2016 12:58 am

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Re: Favorite Protest Songs.

Postby Piter Lauchy » Fri Feb 19, 2016 1:07 am

Aquila89 wrote:"I don't give a shit about the hole in the ozone layer
but everywhere I'm haunted by your hippie fuss."

"Real men catch some whales,
and you are rioting"

"You despair,
just because some children are croaking."

By God, this annoys me. Reminds me of South Park. Everybody who cares about anything is a whiny, pretentious asshole. We are better than them because we proudly don't give a shit about anything.

I thought it was obvious, but apparently not. These lyrics are not to be taken seriously. You can't know that, but this band does indeed give a shit about those kinds of problems. They're mostly a comedic band, though.
The only real message in that song is "If there's something wrong in the world, don't whine about it; do something about it."
Incidentally, that's also the message of South Park whenever they bash hippies.
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Praise Jesus, especially when it's sunny outside because Jesus would totally be cool with you praising while you get a nice tan.
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Re: Favorite Protest Songs.

Postby Aquila89 » Fri Feb 19, 2016 1:15 am

Well, sorry then. Though I still contend that South Park is hypocritical. They whine about the whiners, but it's not like they are doing anything beyond that either.

I don't think protest songs will convince anyone, but I don't think they're useless either. People who are doing things, who are going to protest marches for instance like to sing them or listen to them. Like how civil rights protesters sang "We Shall Overcome". Even Tom Lehrer wrote songs that could be considered protest songs (about nuclear war, for instance).

Anyway, I like I Aint Marching Anymore from Phil Ochs:

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Re: Favorite Protest Songs.

Postby NathanLoiselle » Fri Feb 19, 2016 1:18 am



Let's remember to use the hidden tag people.
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Re: Favorite Protest Songs.

Postby cmsellers » Fri Feb 19, 2016 1:31 am

Also, here's a protest song by Richard Thompson. It's rather disappointing as Richard Thompson songs go, but it's topical. See if you can identify who "Fergus Laing" really is.


hint
Fergus Laing he builds and builds, yet small is his erection.
Fergus Laing has a fine head of hair, when the wind's in the right direction.


Protest songs are generally a bit disappointing. I mean, here's Merle Haggard protesting the Iraq War. It's a fun song, but "Let the rest of the world help us for a change," is cringe-worthy, as is the title: "America First"


One non-disappointing protest song is CCR's "Fortunate Son."
[edit]Well damn, Nathan beat me to that one and he's not even American.

So in the interest of furthering cultural co-option here's Billy Bragg expressing the opposite sentiment from Merle Haggard.

"Help Save The Youth of America" is so heavy-handed it's kind of hillarious.

[/edit]
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Re: Favorite Protest Songs.

Postby Piter Lauchy » Fri Feb 19, 2016 2:01 am

Aquila89 wrote:Well, sorry then. Though I still contend that South Park is hypocritical. They whine about the whiners, but it's not like they are doing anything beyond that either.

I'm not sure about that. Not every famous person who does good in the world is being a Bono about it (as in, advertise it every chance they get). I'm willing to believe that Stone and Parker are using their money for good things.
Plus, I think you're being a bit hypocritical yourself by saying that protest songs aren't entirely useless, but South Park is. They're doing the exact same thing: spreading awareness.
SP is doing far more than just whine about the whiners; they tackle a lot of issues. No other show has opened my eyes or made me think so much, with one possible exception being Last Week Tonight, but that show hasn't nearly existed as long.

Anyway, back on topic, here's another one by Die Ärzte, Deine Schuld, which is definitely serious. It was also released as a single and a much bigger hit than Grotesksong which wasn't.

translated lyrics
Did you get angry again today, was it horrible again?
Did you ask yourself again, why no-one undertakes anything?
You don't have to accept what rubs you the wrong way
If your head isn't just for wearing a hat

It is not your fault, that the world is how it is
It will only be your fault if it stays like this

Don't believe anyone who says to you that you can't change anything
Those who claim this are just afraid of change
They're the same who tell you that it's fine the way it is
And if you want to change anything, you are automatically a terrorist.

It is not your fault, that the world is how it is
It will only be your fault if it stays like this
Because everyone that doesn't want to change the world signs its death warrant.

"Let us talk, because in our beautiful country
everyone is at least theoretically terribly tolerant
Words don't want to move anything, words don't hurt anyone
Therefore let us talk about it. Discussions are OK."

NO! - Go back on the streets, go demonstrate again
'Cause those who don't try to fight anymore - can only lose
Those who mess with you, you chose them yourself
Therefore let them hear your voice, because every voice counts.

It is not your fault, that the world is how it is.
It will only be your fault, if it stays like this.

Granted, this song doesn't say anything about specifics. That's because they don't want to force their opinion on anyone and encourage thinking for oneself, especially because they have a lot of younger fans.


And now, System Of A Down

Cigaro

Attack
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Praise Jesus, especially when it's sunny outside because Jesus would totally be cool with you praising while you get a nice tan.
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Re: Favorite Protest Songs.

Postby DashaBlade » Fri Feb 19, 2016 10:37 am

My all time favorite anti-war protest song (and most other veterans I know chuckle at it too):



My favorite song about the way kids are treated while growing up:



And finally, this one's gotta be added to the list:

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Re: Favorite Protest Songs.

Postby Aquila89 » Fri Feb 19, 2016 11:15 am

Piter Lauchy wrote:Not every famous person who does good in the world is being a Bono about it (as in, advertise it every chance they get).


No, some just have the nerve to be overweight, like Sally Struthers or Rob Reiner. Anyway, I don't think keeping your donations in secret is necessarily a good thing. If enough people publicize them, it creates an expectation in society, that the rich should give to charity. And it helps to raise awareness to a cause while deflecting the "why don't you do something" criticism.

Piter Lauchy wrote:Plus, I think you're being a bit hypocritical yourself by saying that protest songs aren't entirely useless, but South Park is. They're doing the exact same thing: spreading awareness.


I didn't say protest songs are good for raising awareness. That sounds exactly like something South Park would ridicule endlessly. I said they are good for lifting the spirits of those who already support the cause. But if raising awareness matters, if tackling issues in fiction matters - as you say - then protest singers are not just whiners, and the "why don't you do something" response is invalid.

Well, that was off-topic. But if we're talking about supporting the cause with words but not acts, here's another good one from Phil Ochs: "Love Me, I'm a Liberal".

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Re: Favorite Protest Songs.

Postby EstebanColberto » Mon Feb 22, 2016 6:16 pm

Wow. I like how my "Favorite Protest Songs" is half taken over by people that hate protest songs. I specifically like "Ohio" by Neil Young and "Fortunate Son" because they are good protest songs. They have good lyrics, they have good sounds. They are good songs that happen to be protesting a current event.

There are protest songs I hate as well. For example, I really hated this turd when it was bandied about by all my college liberal friends. I hated George W. Bush so much, I dedicated a significant portion of my youth creating batshit crazy conspiracy theories about him, but even I hated Bright Eyes and their only memorable song.



This song is so terrible, it motivates me to vote for Trump.
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Re: Favorite Protest Songs.

Postby Dr. Ambiguous » Tue Feb 23, 2016 11:19 am

Remember to use the youtube=hidden tag in music threads, everyone. Thanks.
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Re: Favorite Protest Songs.

Postby 52xMax » Mon Aug 15, 2016 1:20 am



What? I thought Chumbawamba was a protest band.

Actually, according to their own page, they were "a collective dedicated to the destruction of the government of the United Kingdom"... I wonder what their take on Brexit is.


Ok, so I guess much of the early Dylan is seminal protest music, but I don't really feel like putting here "blowin in the wind" or "a hard rain's a-gonna fall", or even "times they are a-changin" because it would be too obvious. I'd rather play something a bit more recent.



This is probably the best lyrics that Axl ever wrote. Like many of the traditional songs of the 1960s,it's about the futility of war, and how it's poor people dying so the rich can keep their comfortable lifestyles.


The Offspring - The Kids Aren't Alright


The Offspring - Come Out And Play (Keep 'Em Separated)

Many people don't think of the Offspring as the kind of band that would write protest songs, or even a "true" punk band (they're actually considered hardcore,but I don't pay much attention to genre labels). And while none of these songs are exactly protesting anything, they do offer some biting social critique about living in bad neighborhoods and gang culture. They have a few more songs about related topics, but these are the two that came to mind just now.

When it comes to "real" punk, everyone thinks of "God Save The Queen" or "Anarchy in the UK" as the genre anthems for that sort of thing, but I don't think that a band hand-picked in a boutique is that good an example of protest music. Instead I'll give you The Clash.


Spanish Bombs


London Calling

These are far from their more political songs, but they're definitely among their catchiest.


Bob Marley - Redemption Song

Another one too on the nose, but it is one of the staples of the genre for a very good reason.

None of these songs, however, hold a candle to the all time, definitive, best protest song of all time. Ever.


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