• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Favorite political songs?

Status
Not open for further replies.
D

Diablos

Member
As we sit back and listen to the same Bruce Springsteen and U2 songs, and not to mention your generic family-safe played out songs like "Celebrate", what are YOUR favorite political songs?

Pardon the french, but I love "Peace the Fuck Out" by Travis. Sounds like The Beatles or something, but has the lyrics and attitude of a anti-corporate/government punk band. Quite powerful, had it not been so strongly laced with profanity in the chorus I think it would have been a big hit here in the states... of course, nothing says "Peace the Fuck Out" as profoundly as... "Peace the Fuck Out." :D :D :D I mean, come on lad! Peace the bloody fuck OUT! :lol

It's quite an obvious attack on the Bush administration and their intentions. I love it. "In ten years time, the gun will say that this was the moment when you threw it away." Brilliant really. Too bad we have lame censorship laws, this song would've moved people! "Please don't give up, you have a voice, don't lose it. You have a choice, so choose it. You have a brain, so use it. The time has come to peace the fuck out." :rock
 
E

Error Macro

Member
Hey, I'm conservative, and even I love "Peace The Fuck Out." Probably because of the music, however. I was listening to 12 Memories just now too. Weird.
 
D

Diablos

Member
Error Macro said:
Hey, I'm conservative, and even I love "Peace The Fuck Out." Probably because of the music, however. I was listening to 12 Memories just now too. Weird.
Click to expand...
Error Macro, you are the west coast, right-wing version of myself at times it seems.
 
D

Diablos

Member
YO WHERE'S TEH LOVE AT
I DON'T KNOW...

YO WHERE'S THE PEACE AT
I DON'T KNOW...

YO WHERE THE KIDS AT
I DON'T KNOW...

YO WHERE YOUR BRAIN AT
I DON'T KNOW...

WTF do they know??
 
DCharlie

DCharlie

And even i am moderately surprised
Typical American / do the digs dug - The Goats
Man don't give a fuck - Super furry animals
Dogtribe - fundamental (okay, more about racism)
Generation - Black Rebel Motor Cycle club (at least i think of the US when i hear it)
 
N

Ninja Scooter

Member
bushleaguer.jpg
 
L

Lambtron

Unconfirmed Member
Sonic Youth - "Youth Against Fascism"
Atari Teenage Riot - "Deustchland Has Gotta Die!"
The Robot Ate Me - "Oh Me! Oh My! (1994)"
Mr. Lif - "Earthcrusher"
 
Late Stage Marxist

Late Stage Marxist

Member
Propagandhi are the kings of political punk

Today's Empires, Tomorrow's Ashes

The tangled webs they weave span from Pine to Ruby Ridge, way back from Shay's defeat on up to Gustafsen (now cue the ass parade of ditto-heads and commissars and pricks to drown out this faintest threat of commie faggot heretics).

Conclusion: the nail that sticks up gets hammered down and the master's finest tools are found slack-jawed and placid amidst the cacophony of screaming billboards and Disney-fied history.

Sometimes the ties that bind are strange: no justice shines upon the cemetery plots marked Hampton, Weaver or Anna-Mae where Federal Bureaus and Fraternal Orders have cast their shadows; permanent features built into these borders.

But undercover of the customary gap we find between History and Truth, the Founding Fathers bask in the rocket's blinding red glare. The bombs bursting in air. One nation. Indivisible?

The truth is when the back-country learned of ratification the People had a coffin painted black and solemnly borne in funeral procession, they buried it deep in the earth as an emblem of the dissolution and internment of their Public Liberty.

Someday, somewhere, today's empires are tomorrow's ashes.
 
F

FnordChan

Member
If ya'll want political songs, do it right:

B00000IWN9.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg


From Washington to Clinton, Oscar Brand performs a campaign of each and every president...except for Chester Arthur, who took office after James Garfield was assassinated and only served one turn.

Basically, if you can remember their campaign slogan from a US history class, the song is probably pretty good: "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too!", "I Like Ike", and, of course, the immortal "Get On A Raft With Taft". It's also vastly amusing to hear campaign songs about how, say, Warren Harding is such a terrific president. Finally, all you TMBG fans out there should really hear "Jimmie Polk of Tennessee", which is a tune the Johns would have been proud to write.

Oh, and my personal favorite? "Union Wagon", which features the chorus "Wait for the Wagon/The Millard Fillmore wagon!/Wait for the wagon and we'll all take a ride."

Rum a dum dum, vote for FnordChan
 
K

Killkernal

Member
Jello Biafra w/ D.O.A - Full Metal Jack-Off

It's a little outdated, but can still be applied to the current administration.

I'm also in agreement that 'Masters of War' is a great one.
 
F

FnordChan

Member
Kindbudmaster said:
I always liked I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixing-To-Die-Rag by Country Joe McDonald.
Click to expand...

WHAT'S THAT SPELL?
WHAT'S THAT SPELL?
WHAT'S THAT SPELL?

A few non-sanctioned political songs while we're at it:

"19" by Paul Hardcastle - "In World War II the average age of the combat soldier was 26...
In Vietnam he was 19. In inininininin Vietnam he was 19."

"Bonzo Goes to Bitburg" by the Ramones - This is about as close to a political song as the Ramones ever got, with the possible exception of "Censorshit".

The Complete Works of the Dead Kennedys, with "California Uber Alles" being the obvious choice.

The Complete Works of the Disposable Heroes of Hiphopracy, with their remake of "California Uber Alles" being the obvious choice.

"Reagan Knew" by Mucky Pup - Not exactly a great song, but definately a fun one and still memorable for the line "Let's take that shredder and...THROW RONNIE'S ASS THROUGH!"

Finally, in a particularly oblique way, my favorite commentary on society has always been Laurie Anderson's "O Superman".

FnordChan
 
D

Dilbert

Member
Randy Newman has done a shitload of political songs, the best of which is called (unsurprisingly) "Political Science." It's so essential that I put it on the first GA mix CD I sent out, and it's from his classic Sail Away, which is worth owning in any context.

Bob Dylan has a bunch, but a personal favorite not mentioned yet is "It's Alright Ma, I'm Only Bleeding" from Bringing It All Back Home.

Of course, I haven't seen "Rockin' In The Free World" by Neil Young mentioned yet, and that saddens me. Freedom was a great record, but that first track simply burns brighter than all the rest.

A recent kick-ass track addressing some contemporary politics is "Bush Boys" by Danger Mouse + Gemini, off the wonderful Ghetto Pop Life.

The best Rage Against The Machine political rant that I've heard is actually not even by RATM. For a while, they were doing a version of the poem "Hadda Be Playing On The Jukebox" by Allen Ginsberg. If you can track down a copy, it's must-listen material for any Rage fan. Fucking EXPLOSIVE. (If you're a young'un, you'll probably have to look up some of the politics, though.)

Finally, a left field choice familiar to anyone who has the 70 Minutes Of Madness mix by Coldcut: "Message From Our Sponsor" by Jello Biafra.
 
M

MrPing1000

Member
Sheila: Time's have changed
Our kids are kids are getting worse
They wont obey their parents
They just want to fart and curse!
Sharon: Should we blame the government?
Liane: Or blame society?
Dads: Or should we blame the images on TV?
Sheila: No, blame Canada
Everyone: Blame Canada
Sheila: With all their beady little eyes
And flappin heads so full of lies
Everyone: Blame Canada
Blame Canada
Sheila: We need to form a full assault
Everyone: It's Canadas fault!
Sharon: Don't blame me
For my son Stan
He saw the darn cartoon
And now he's off to join the Klan!
Liane: And my boy Eric once
Had my picture on his shelf
But now when I see him he tells me to fuck myself!
Sheila: Well, blame Canada
Everyone: Blame Canada
It seems that everythings gone wrong
Since Canada came along
Everyone: Blame Canada
Blame Canada
Some Guy: There not even a real country anyway
Ms. McCormick: My son could've been a doctor or a lawyer it's true
Instead he burned up like a piggy on a barbecue
Everyone: Should we blame the matches?
Should we blame the fire?
Or the doctors who allowed him to expire?
Sheila: Heck no!
Everyone: Blame Canada
Blame Canada
Sheila: With all their hockey hubbabaloo
Liane: And that bitch Anne Murray too
Everyone: Blame Canada
Shame on Canada
The smut we must stop
The trash we must smash
Laughter and fun
must all be undone
We must blame them and cause a fuss
Before someone thinks of blaming uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuus
 
D

Diablos

Member
The Bookerman said:
Rage Against the machine:

Killing in the name of.
Click to expand...

Yes.

The only thing that bothers me about RATM is that, as we all know, they are very vocal about turning away from the evils of capitalism. Yet they were one of the first bands to bitch and moan (but it wasn't well documented) when the original Napster became popular. To that I say, WTF?
 
I

Izzy

Banned
I love that RATM video where they perform on the street, in the quiz, and spew anti-capitialistic propaganda......while being the Sony slaves they really were. Quite ironic.....those fools.
 
R

reggieandTFE

Member
Bob Dylan, "With God on Our Side" and "Only a Pawn in Their Game"

It's rather sad that since these songs were first written the religious right has even less interest in peace and liberty and that working class people across the country are more than ever at the front lines smashing dissent.

With God on Our Side

Oh my name it is nothin'
My age it means less
The country I come from
Is called the Midwest
I's taught and brought up there
The laws to abide
And that land that I live in
Has God on its side.

Oh the history books tell it
They tell it so well
The cavalries charged
The Indians fell
The cavalries charged
The Indians died
Oh the country was young
With God on its side.

Oh the Spanish-American
War had its day
And the Civil War too
Was soon laid away
And the names of the heroes
I's made to memorize
With guns in their hands
And God on their side.

Oh the First World War, boys
It closed out its fate
The reason for fighting
I never got straight
But I learned to accept it
Accept it with pride
For you don't count the dead
When God's on your side.

When the Second World War
Came to an end
We forgave the Germans
And we were friends
Though they murdered six million
In the ovens they fried
The Germans now too
Have God on their side.

I've learned to hate Russians
All through my whole life
If another war starts
It's them we must fight
To hate them and fear them
To run and to hide
And accept it all bravely
With God on my side.

But now we got weapons
Of the chemical dust
If fire them we're forced to
Then fire them we must
One push of the button
And a shot the world wide
And you never ask questions
When God's on your side.

In a many dark hour
I've been thinkin' about this
That Jesus Christ
Was betrayed by a kiss
But I can't think for you
You'll have to decide
Whether Judas Iscariot
Had God on his side.

So now as I'm leavin'
I'm weary as Hell
The confusion I'm feelin'
Ain't no tongue can tell
The words fill my head
And fall to the floor
If God's on our side
He'll stop the next war

Only a Pawn in Their Game

A bullet from the back of a bush took Medgar Evers' blood.
A finger fired the trigger to his name.
A handle hid out in the dark
A hand set the spark
Two eyes took the aim
Behind a man's brain
But he can't be blamed
He's only a pawn in their game.

A South politician preaches to the poor white man,
"You got more than the blacks, don't complain.
You're better than them, you been born with white skin," they explain.
And the Negro's name
Is used it is plain
For the politician's gain
As he rises to fame
And the poor white remains
On the caboose of the train
But it ain't him to blame
He's only a pawn in their game.

The deputy sheriffs, the soldiers, the governors get paid,
And the marshals and cops get the same,
But the poor white man's used in the hands of them all like a tool.
He's taught in his school
From the start by the rule
That the laws are with him
To protect his white skin
To keep up his hate
So he never thinks straight
'Bout the shape that he's in
But it ain't him to blame
He's only a pawn in their game.

From the poverty shacks, he looks from the cracks to the tracks,
And the hoof beats pound in his brain.
And he's taught how to walk in a pack
Shoot in the back
With his fist in a clinch
To hang and to lynch
To hide 'neath the hood
To kill with no pain
Like a dog on a chain
He ain't got no name
But it ain't him to blame
He's only a pawn in their game.

Today, Medgar Evers was buried from the bullet he caught.
They lowered him down as a king.
But when the shadowy sun sets on the one
That fired the gun
He'll see by his grave
On the stone that remains
Carved next to his name
His epitaph plain:
Only a pawn in their game.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

  • Locked
Politics... be always careful what you wish for.
4
683
TehDark replied
What is the WORST song from a Band you love?
Community 2
84
6K
Thaedolus replied
I've completed my 20th re-reading of The Lord of the Rings.
2
60
5K
NecrosaroIII replied
reminiscing over our favorite arcade machines.
Retro Hardware 2 3
104
3K
Yerd replied
007: License To Chill - The Best James Bond Theme Song
Social Opinion 2
58
4K
Champomade replied
Top Bottom