Protest music

cydonia

Reading a book called 33 revolutions per minute, a history of protest songs by Dorian Lynskey. From Pete seegers 'we shall overcome' to Nina Simones, Mississippi goddam it's a brave stance some artists take particularly during the civil rights movement of the 60's, only a quarter of the way through and has introduced me to a whole plethora of songs. Nina Simones 'Mississippi goddam' sticks out and was a reaction to the disgusting bombing of a baptist church in Birmingham Alabama where four black children were killed by a member of the klu klux klan. She then wrote Mississippi goddam ' Alabamas got me so upset/Tennessee made me lose my rest/and everybody knows about Mississippi goddam' she sang. It became one of the most defining black protest songs of 1964 along with Sam cookes ' a change is gonna come'. As you can see its a really interesting read and highlights the struggle some people have had and how music became a vehicle to express their anger. When Eddie vedder sang' war, what is it good for, absolutely nothing' at Milton Keynes few would know it was sang by Edwin Starr in 1970 who was handed the song by Motown artist Whitfield, reflecting the political climate of the time with the Vietnam war, where are the songs now?