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Best Political Songs

musicismylife78musicismylife78 Posts: 6,117
edited May 2007 in Other Music
What are some of the best political and socially conscious songs ever written?

one of my favorites:

Masters Of War by Dylan, still holds up 30 years later and it feels like the lyrics could have been written today
Post edited by Unknown User on

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    AbookamongstthemanyAbookamongstthemany Posts: 8,209
    Ani Difranco:
    Serpentine
    Next Bold Move
    Self Evident
    Subdivision
    Decree
    Millenium Theater

    Strokes:
    Ize of the World

    SOAD:
    Deer Dance
    Prison Song
    War
    Suggestions
    Boom
    Needles

    Radiohead:
    2+2=5
    Electioneering
    The Gloaming
    Scatterbrain
    Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin
    Dollars and Cents
    Go to Sleep
    No Surprises
    Stop Whispering
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
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    BlyssBlyss Posts: 166
    i could go on forever because it's what i love to listen to:

    imagine - john lennon
    living with war- neil young
    your next bold move, make them apologise - ani difranco
    yell fire,bomb the world - michael franti
    black rain- ben harper
    home is where the heart is - john butler
    (almost anything by) xavier rudd
    stand up for your rights - bob marley
    welcome to jamrock - damien marley
    state of the union - david ford
    thou shalt not steal - kev carmody
    come and check your head - blue king brown
    learn your routes - dallas frasca
    tapped and wired - ember swift
    chistmas island, roll me out - mia dyson
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    A Surprise LeftA Surprise Left Posts: 743
    when i listen to artists who are very well-known for their political tunes i find it quite easy to become tiresome of their message. i think when bands or artists who do not write political songs do it often carries more impact. audioslave's song about hurricane katrina and "hands held high" by linkin park are a case in point. saying that "imagine" by john lennon would be the best political song in existence. "peace love and understanding" by nick lowe is also another great political tune.
    The wind is blowing cold
    Have we lost our way tonight?
    Have we lost our hope to sorrow?

    Feels like were all alone
    Running further from what’s right
    And there are no more heroes to follow

    So what are we becoming?
    Where did we go wrong?
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    Hitch-HikerHitch-Hiker Posts: 2,873
    A Surprise Left wrote:
    when i listen to artists who are very well-known for their political tunes i find it quite easy to become tiresome of their message. i think when bands or artists who do not write political songs do it often carries more impact. audioslave's song about hurricane katrina and "hands held high" by linkin park are a case in point. saying that "imagine" by john lennon would be the best political song in existence. "peace love and understanding" by nick lowe is also another great political tune.
    Which Audioslave song are you thinking of? I can't think of any off the tpo of my head.

    2 great songs about the Spanish Civil War - Spanish Bombs by The Clash, nad If You Tolerate This by Manic Street Preachers.
    I'll Ride The Wave Where It Takes Me
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    intodeepintodeep Posts: 7,228
    neil young- war of man
    Charlotte 00
    Charlotte 03
    Asheville 04
    Atlanta 12
    Greenville 16, Columbia 16
    Seattle 18 
    Nashville 22
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    mfc22mfc22 Posts: 106
    Bulls on Parade by RATM
    ...if she's gone i can't go on feelin' 2 foot small...
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    YieldedYielded Posts: 839
    Pretty much every song from the first Rage Against The Machine album.
    "We get these pills to swallow... how they stick in your throat... Tastes like gold..."
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    Todd76Todd76 Posts: 1,469
    16 Military Wives - the Decemberists
    In my world everyone is a pony,
    and they all eat rainbows and pooh butterflies!
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    JeanwahJeanwah Posts: 6,363
    Power to the People - John Lennon
    Ohio - C,S,N & Y
    Imagine -Lennon
    Give Peace a Chance - Lennon
    Working Class Hero - Lennon
    War - Edwinn Starr
    Find the Cost of Freedom - Neil Young
    Get up, Stand Up - Bob Marley

    and my fave,

    Mother Earth (natural anthem) - Neil Young

    Oh, Mother Earth,
    With your fields of green
    Once more laid down
    by the hungry hand
    How long can you
    give and not receive
    And feed this world
    ruled by greed
    And feed this world
    ruled by greed.

    Oh, ball of fire
    In the summer sky
    Your healing light,
    your parade of days
    Are they betrayed
    by the men of power
    Who hold this world
    in their changing hands
    They hold the world
    in their changing hands.

    Oh, freedom land
    Can you let this go
    Down to the streets
    where the numbers grow
    Respect Mother Earth
    and her giving ways
    Or trade away
    our children's days
    Or trade away
    our children's days.

    Respect Mother Earth
    and her giving ways
    Or trade away
    our children's days.
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    intodeepintodeep Posts: 7,228
    Jeanwah wrote:
    Power to the People - John Lennon
    Ohio - C,S,N & Y
    Imagine -Lennon
    Give Peace a Chance - Lennon
    Working Class Hero - Lennon
    War - Edwinn Starr
    Find the Cost of Freedom - Neil Young
    Get up, Stand Up - Bob Marley

    and my fave,

    Mother Earth (natural anthem) - Neil Young

    Oh, Mother Earth,
    With your fields of green
    Once more laid down
    by the hungry hand
    How long can you
    give and not receive
    And feed this world
    ruled by greed
    And feed this world
    ruled by greed.

    Oh, ball of fire
    In the summer sky
    Your healing light,
    your parade of days
    Are they betrayed
    by the men of power
    Who hold this world
    in their changing hands
    They hold the world
    in their changing hands.

    Oh, freedom land
    Can you let this go
    Down to the streets
    where the numbers grow
    Respect Mother Earth
    and her giving ways
    Or trade away
    our children's days
    Or trade away
    our children's days.

    Respect Mother Earth
    and her giving ways
    Or trade away
    our children's days.

    I love neil young but god for some reason mother earth has never hit me. The message is wonderful the delivery bores me.

    Love your mention of ohio. I have a boot from the 80's were he changes the words around to fit tianamin (spell?) square in china.
    Charlotte 00
    Charlotte 03
    Asheville 04
    Atlanta 12
    Greenville 16, Columbia 16
    Seattle 18 
    Nashville 22
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    JeanwahJeanwah Posts: 6,363
    intodeep wrote:
    I love neil young but god for some reason mother earth has never hit me. The message is wonderful the delivery bores me.
    ditto, The melody of the song doesn't do much for me. But I just love the words. :)
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    PiCTuReKePTPiCTuReKePT Posts: 311
    gimme some truth_john lennon
    working class hero_john lennon
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    FinsburyParkCarrotsFinsburyParkCarrots Seattle, WA Posts: 12,223
    Midwest Farm Disaster - Bob Martin

    It's rare, but brilliant.
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    DriftingByTheStormDriftingByTheStorm Posts: 8,684
    NOFX - Perfect Government

    Even if it's easy to be free
    What's your definition of freedom?
    And who the fuck are you, anyway?
    Who the fuck are they?
    Who the fuck am I to say?
    What the fuck is really going on?
    How did the cat get so fat?
    Why does the family die?
    Do you care why?
    Cause there hasn't been a sign
    Of anything gettin' better in the ghetto
    People's fed up
    But when they get up
    You point your fuckin' finger
    You racist, you bigot
    But that's not the problem
    Now is it?
    It's all about the money
    Political power is takin
    Protecting the rich, denying the poor
    Yeah, they love to watch the war from the White House
    And I wonder...
    How can they sleep at night?
    How can they sleep at night?
    How did the cat get so fat?
    How did the cat get so fat?
    How did the cat get so fat?
    If I was to smile and I held out my hand
    If I opened it now would you not understand?
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    Coathanger HalosCoathanger Halos Posts: 137
    Pantera- No Good (Attack on the Radical)

    In the states
    There's a problem with race
    Because of ignorant past burned fires
    From evolution
    We've been killing each other
    I figure man should have it down to a science

    No chance
    Not for a minute
    Not for a second
    I won't be defensive
    I'm straight out in my opinion
    You'ld better listen to a man who knows what he is saying
    I've seen your side
    You run and hide for the mere fact that you feel inferior
    Be superior
    And know your interior

    [Pre]
    Race, pride, prejudice
    Black man, white man
    No stand
    Live in the past
    We make it last
    A hated mass
    No solution
    Mind pollution
    For revolution

    [Chorus]
    So low behold my eyes
    This land of fools will rise
    No good
    For no one

    You blame oppression and play the role of criminals
    To rape and burn show progress is minimal
    White hoods and militants you know it's such a pity
    Living, breathing
    Violence in your city

    If one man
    Had one home
    In one world
    Held live alone without variety
    Full of anxiety
    No one to point at, question
    Or even talk to -- in his private grave
    No matter what color
    He wouldn't be saved from hell
    He dwells
    A closed mind playing the part of prison cells
    I'll cut you in.
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    gleemonexgleemonex Posts: 848
    I like Freedom by Rage Against The Machine, Ohio by Neil Young and Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon the best.
    “Hello, babies. Welcome to Earth. It’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It’s round and wet and crowded. At the outside, babies, you’ve got about a hundred years here. There’s only one rule that I know of, babies — ‘God damn it, you’ve got to be kind.’” - Kurt Vonnegut
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    Two BirdsTwo Birds Posts: 256
    Putting the politics of war bluntly - War Pigs by Black Sabbeth and now loving again Cake's version.

    Peace and Cheers,
    Peace,
    ________________________
    Too many shows but never enough!
    These guys are the fruit of the earth...
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    analogueaddict72analogueaddict72 Posts: 307
    Pink Floyd Fletcher Memorial Home, brilliantly sums up the futility of war and Thatchers lust for blood during the Falklands war alongside it's promo it can be an even more powerful experience. I think the Final Cut is probably Rog's water mark on the lyric front.

    Yes it's personal but he produces a very emotional piece of work, in the right moment The Final Cut can be very powerful indeed, it's definitely up with Floyd's best and is one of the most brutally truthful political albums of the last 30 years.
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    seanw1010seanw1010 Posts: 1,213
    american skin(41 shots): bruce springsteen
    twenty:robert cray
    unemployable: PJ
    ohio: neil young
    devils & dust:bruce springsteen
    they call them fingers, but i never see them fing. oh, there they go
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    keeponrockinkeeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    Peace, Love and Understanding
    Blowin' In The Wind
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
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    lampshade27lampshade27 Posts: 35
    Rich Man's War by Steve Earle!
    I love Steve Earle. He is truly amazing.
    Listen to the Sadies.

    "Who's better than Eddie Vedder?" - Oranje by Orson Corson
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    Matty BoyMatty Boy Posts: 421
    Ohio-CSNY
    Civil War-GnR
    Machine Gun-Jimi Hendrix
    War Pigs-Black Sabbath
    The Doors-Unknown Soldier
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