Protest Songs

[Huskee11]

I don`t think this theme has been the subject of a thread before.

My choice is Zombie by the Irish rock group The Cranberries, a protest song written about a 1993 IRA bombing and in memory of its two young victims.

Also in honor of Dolores O`Riordan, the lead singer who died suddenly in January of this year.

 

[toadfoot]

 

[dogged1]

I like this one for its message and its musicality.

 

[Bama fan]

Richie Havens at Woodstock with Handsome Johnny.

 

[Bama fan]

Buffalo Springfield with For What It's Worth

 

[JordyG]

Nothing much else to say.



Here's a companion video where they quote Ben Franklin: "A lynch mob is a beast with many hands and no brains".

Strange Fruit

 

[JordyG]

And this.

 

[meyers7]

Good idea for a thread. Well done.

And yes, though often miss used. It is a protest song.

Born In the USA - Bruce Springsteen

 

[Bama fan]

A song heard in our home when I was a child. So many Irish families mourned the fate of their "wildgeese", as the Irishmen who left Ireland to fight the wars of the British Empire were known.

 

[meyers7]

I know a couple of us who'll have to bring us out of the 60's.

Bulls On Parade - Rage Against the Machine

 

[diggerfoot]

Unfortunate life circumstances put an end, or at least a long pause, to this recording group. I hear the songwriter/guitarist is a real cool guy.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Asks a lot of hard questions and is beautiful at the same time:

 

[meyers7]

Yes, a Black Sabbath song, but I really like this version.

War Pigs - Cake

 

[Bama fan]

A young woman who lived a few miles from my home and went to a local Pittsburgh high school was shot and killed at that tragic event. Such a sad and demoralizing day. I will remember it forever. Great choice.

 

[Bama fan]

Asks a lot of hard questions and is beautiful at the same time:

Really great song, written by Dylan, but performed so beautifully by P,P, and M. Listen also to Great Mandala, which was written by Peter Yarrow and was quite controversial at the time.

 

[bantamlaker]

 

[dogged1]

I had to come back when I had free time to listen to the selections, the ones I knew and remembered and the ones that were new to me. As always worthwhile and educational. Great thread Huskee11, thanks.

I haven't heard Phil Ochs in ages. I will never forget "Pleasures of the Harbor", the guitar version is one of my favorites from that era.

 

[toadfoot]

 

[CL82]

Possibly the best song line of all time:
"My blood's so mad it feels like coagulating."

 

[CL82]

 

[Horatio]

 

[Bigboote]

 

[Bigboote]

 

[nwhoopfan]

I thought of GNR's cover of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" but wasn't quite sure if it's a protest song or not. More sure this one is. Not the official video but fitting.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Lyrics are maybe ambiguous but the video definitely isn't.

WARNING: some disturbing imagery