politics in music

[bumms4life1234]

where's the love? I walked into the cd store and saw 3 compilation albums bashing bush... so I came home and got out my pen and paper and wrote a pro bush song... GO GWB!!!!!

[robmix]

It's a strange by-product of a disliked president. I didn't vote for the guy but I choose to put my energies towards positive movements for change. During the election I was asked to participate in an anti-Bush rally. I said no unless they changed it to a pro-Kerry rally. Same results but a much more positive atmosphere.

[I I mjrn]

Generally it's better to be positive than negative.

One reason is that it can be easy to attack without offering an alternative & keeping to the positive forces one to espress some good idea.

However mere positivity in itself doesn't necessarily do that---it can become what's called "Pollyanna syndrome".

[dohhhhh6]

Well, I think I can say with some truth that the people who voted for Kerry WERE Anti-Bush, not Pro-Kerry... Sorry for the little political bit...

 

That's cool that you did a pro bush song, with all the bad, angry music, people need choices.

[songrytr]

Who knew, though, it would be Green Day to bring both the protest *and* concept album into the new century?

 

American Idiot is this decade's Born In The USA.

 

[jabney]

I keep hearing on talk radio that the problems facing the nation are due mainly to the liberal elite culture. But the only examples given seem to be movies. Can a song be liberal and elite?

 

If so, what are some examples of 'liberal elite' songs? I write lyrics. How would I know if my lyrics were elite?

[Shoes]

Liberal Elite culture is a brand name used to categorize those with power, money or position who support any anti Republican notions.

 

"Liberal" in the U.S.A. has now successfully replaced what was once referred to as Communism.

 

 

If you want to write a politically charged song you must instill anger in those who you are taking aim at.

 

Use those that are on your side as the fuel but make the fire on the other side.

 

If your target audience can ignore you and followers are the only ones listening you've basically done nothing at all.

[songrytr]

Originally posted by jabney:

I keep hearing on talk radio that the problems facing the nation are due mainly to the liberal elite culture.

You might want to start tuning in to some different talkers. Personally, I enjoy listening to both sides of the spectrum just to stay on top of the differences (which generally break down to "appeal to emotion" vs."appeal to reason").

 

But the only examples given seem to be movies. Can a song be liberal and elite?

A few folks around here might consider Steve Earle to fit that bill. I know the new Green Day album has got quite a few "rednecks" in a hissy fit (I don't doubt the souther rock contingent at the Grammys wanted to kick Billie Jo's ass).

 

But really, as far as music goes, anything too liberal is immediatly and effectively canceled out by the Nashville GOP contingent. Those folks sure know how to make a buck on a war.

 

Tell us more about your lyrics, Mr. J...

[jabney]

When Nelson Rockefeller Ran For President

 

© John Abney and Ian McCarthy - 2004

 

v1:

When Nelson Rockefeller ran for president

I was a New York resident

I was a New York resident

Nel' fashioned his appeal to the right of the new deal

But left

Of the exteme element

 

v2:

When Nelson Rockefeller ran for president

He told us drugs were decadant

They told him to be definite

So a mandatory clause injected in the law

A gift

To the extreme element

 

Bridge:

I had some friends

And we had some drugs and we really didn't think much about it

In came the fuzz

And once we were charged there was no point in having a judge

 

v3:

If you think about it, whisper to the President

I'm still a long term resident

I'm still a long term resident

Like a hook into the jaw

There's evil in the law

Don't yield it all

To the extreme element

Don't yield it all

[DC]

How can you write a positive Bush song? I mean there's absolutely no positive ammunition unless you're one of those poor multi-millionares that have been taken advantage of during the Clinton years of balanced budgets. Guess I don't get it.

[doug osborne]

Woody Guthrie's guitar had written on it "this machine kills facists".

 

http://www.smithsonianmag.si.edu/smithsonian/issues00/may00/images/woody3.jpg

 

We will always find musicians writing about things that arouse their passions. Political passions, such as those expressed by Woody, have always been and will always be expressed in song, whether through subtle alegory or agitprop. In feudal societies, you could lose your head if you sang out against the king - these days, you just might find yourself banned from radio.

 

IMO musicians tend to be people who examine more deeply and intimately their own emotions and the emotions of others. They tend to have explored and experienced the outside world more than your average citizen - the act of creating art tends to put you out in the world more than simply sitting on your couch and experiencing it. With this examination and experience, musicians tend to sympathize more with the needs of the many than the needs of the privileged few - this should surprise no one. In these times of political code-speak in a divided society, no wonder that many are writing songs to acheive a little clarity and communicate their passion to others.

 

Everyone, write a song today about what's on your mind!

[whitefang]

Good idea, Doug. The trick is to find topic and approach that's specifically non specific. In other words, you can write lyrics that address certain issues or "wrongs" that don't single out any particular group of people. You can question social situations and/or the course of society without banal insults to either the right or the left. Dylan was deft at this method, as one of his most famous "protest songs", "Blowin' In The Wind", doesn't actually PROTEST anything. And he's written many other tunes that skewer social norms without skewering anyone in particular. Gets no more specific than the words "some" or "others". As in "It's All Right Ma(I'm Only Bleeding)".

 

Whitefang