Music as Protest
Everybody has a voice, everybody has the ability to express oneself and
everybody has something really powerful to say.
The connection between music and politics, particularly political
expression in music, has been seen in many cultures.
Although music influences political movements, it is not clear how or
even if, general audiences relate music on a political level.
Time has shown how music can be used in protest themes, including antiwar songs, domestic violence, the labor movement, civil rights, the
feminist movement, animal rights movement, vegetarianism and
environmentalism. Many of these types of songs could be described as
topical songs.
Unlike many other types of music, protest music is used to portray a
specific political message. Even in the case of political pop acts like U2,
Bob Dylan, or John Lennon, while political message in their music is
apparent, it is usually in the political context of the time it was made.
This makes understanding the historical events and time that inspired the
music essential to fully understanding the message in the music. Political
music is meant to be heard by the people, it is also meant to be popular.
Furthermore it is extremely difficult to predict how audiences will
respond this kind of music, sounds, or even visual cues.
At their best, protest songs have the power to inspire, inform and unite.
They have shaped movements and changed history, from the struggles of
the slaves in America to the recent uprisings in the Middle East.
That’s what makes protest songs such a powerful tool to help young
people explore some of the most iconic and evocative moments in recent
history. They bring to life the issues of human rights and dignity and can
awaken our curiosity and empathy.
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Examples
Civil Rights Songs
These songs were often sung during protests or marches related to the
movement. Participants in the Civil Rights Movement referred to these
songs as "Freedom Songs".
In several cases these songs began as gospel or spiritual.
Martin Luther King knew that the Civil Rights movement needed a
soundtrack and that every hero needed theme music. The Civil Rights
movement incorporated jazz, folk, R&B and gospel to use music that
everybody could relate to and be inspired by to help change America in
the 1950s and 1960s.
Billie Holiday: Strange Fruit (1939)
This song captured the ugly essence of lynching, racism and the
opposition to the Civil Rights movement.
Sam Cooke: Change Gonna Come (1963)
This song captured the struggles and hopes for change that Martin Luther
King and the Civil Rights movement brought.
Vietnam War
Bruce Springsteen: Born in the USA (1984)
This song was written to be a song about the troubles of a working class
man forced into the Vietnam War but was largely considered to be a
patriotic song. It was so popular that the Reagan administration asked to
use it as part of the reelection campaign but Springsteen, a strong liberal,
nixed the idea.
Jedi Mind Tricks featuring RA the Rugged Man: Uncommon Valor
(2006)
The purpose of the song is pretty much to teach people of the horrors of
war and Agent Orange. Agent Orange, was a herbicide used by the U.S.
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forces during the Vietnam War to expose enemy guerilla forces in
forested areas. Those who had come in contact with it developed lethal
side affects. Over 4 million people came into contact with Agent Orange.
Uncommon Valor is one of their stories.
Edwin Starr: War (1969)
This intense Vietnam protest song "War" describes Edwin Starr views on
war, as the song's title clearly states.
Peace
John Lennon: Imagine (1971)
This song was an emphasis for world peace to “imagine all people living
life in peace” in a world without religion, countries, possessions, greed or
hunger. The song is generally regarded as one of the greatest songs of all
time
Domestic Violence
Stevie Wonder and Babyface: How Come, How Long (1997)
Delicately crafted song about domestic violence. The lyrics deal with
physical abuse, regarding a woman killed by her lover
War on Terror
Green Day: American Idiot (2004)
This song was strongly opposed by some people in the US because of its
controversial lyrics that express the author's attitude towards the George
W. Bush administration, as well as certain relevant political and social
issues. Some people believe that this song is anti-American, because of
its title and harsh sarcastic comments. However, if you pay attention to
the lyrics you may see that in many ways the song is highly patriotic.
Pink: Dear Mr. President (2007)
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Pink is questioning President Bush and about the decisions he made
during his term. She is also trying to put across that there are less
fortunate people out there and different people but overall, they are all
people who need the same level of respect as others.
Discrimination and Racism
Michael Jackson: They don’t care about us (1996)
This song is about racism, discrimination, the police and the destructive
media
2Pac: Changes (1998)
Sampling Bruce Hornsby’s The Way It Is, 2Pac’s powerful song differs
from most gangsta rap records in that it doesn’t just talk about the reality
of life in America’s inner city ghettos, and points the finger of blame.
“Instead of war on poverty they got a war on drugs so the police can
bother me”
Ireland Conflict
U2: Sunday bloody Sunday (1983)
One of U2's most overtly political songs, its lyrics describe the horror felt
by an observer of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, mainly focusing on
the Bloody Sunday incident in Derry where British troops shot and killed
unarmed civil rights protesters and bystanders.
The Cranberries: Zombie (1994)
This song was inspired by the IRA bombing in Warrington, Cheshire in
1993. Two children, Jonathan Ball and Tim Parry, were killed. The IRA
(The Irish Republican Army) is a militant group determined to remove
British troops from Northern Ireland.
The lyrics even say, "It's the same old theme since 1916." The Ester
Rising by Irish republicans in 1916 with the aims of ending British rule in
Ireland
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Environment
Michael Jackson: Earth Song (1995)
This song is about the destruction of earth and Jackson issues a plea to
God about problems ranging from war to endangered animals.
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