Political Music

[randyhersom]

Is it possible to debate and enlighten entirely through song choices?  Want To Try?

 

 

[JSngry]

Who is that guy, and what does he know that I don't? And if not, are the songs any good without the words? #thewalruswaspaul

[A Lark Ascending]

I heard an interview on the radio a year or two back with composer Frederic Rzewski who had a bit of a classical hit in 1975 with "The People United Will Never Be Defeated!" He commented how at the time he believed music could change the world (I think Graham Nash sang something similar); but forty years on he'd come to the conclusion that music changed nothing but often reflected the political situations of the time in which it was written. 

I think I'd largely agree; except that political ideas in music, however naive, can often get to people, especially young people, who might not be paying very much attention to politics elsewhere. 

Edited April 7, 2016 by A Lark Ascending

[BillF]

Leaving the debate aside, mention of political music to me - a jazz listener - brings this to mind:

[A Lark Ascending]

Whereas one of the first jazz records I think of is...

And, more subtly, Ellington's 'Black, Brown and Beige. '

Edited April 7, 2016 by A Lark Ascending

[jlhoots]

9 hours ago, JSngry said:

Who is that guy, and what does he know that I don't? And if not, are the songs any good without the words? #thewalruswaspaul

I'm sure you know he's Larry McMurtry's son. He's had a long career in music & the songs are good IMHO.

[JSngry]

31 minutes ago, jlhoots said:

I'm sure you know he's Larry McMurtry's son. He's had a long career in music & the songs are good IMHO.

No, I did not not know that, as this is the type of thing I don't go looking for, nor is it the type of thing that finds me out in the open. The bit of the clip here leaves me with no regrets about any of that.

[jlhoots]

Inspirational lyric - "there's a rattle in the dashboard that's drivin' me crazy".

[JSngry]

Yeah, I've had those rattles...sometimes they can find 'em, sometimes not. Either way, you gotta keep driving.

[Shawn]

Corrosion of Conformity - Vote With A Bullet  

 

[GA Russell]

There were two political songs of my youth that I liked.

 

 

[A Lark Ascending]

On 4/12/2016 at 4:32 AM, GA Russell said:

There were two political songs of my youth that I liked.

 

 

That one is now well institutionalised - regularly used by history teachers covering the impact of the home front on US withdrawal from the Vietnam War. I've seen the lyrics used as a primary source on an exam paper. 

Edited April 14, 2016 by A Lark Ascending