Comments on: Culture Bully Asks: What Are Your Favorite “Political” Songs?

By: Jon Behm

Jon Behm — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:23:00 +0000

Gotta agree with Ryan on this one. Two of the most political musical genres, rap and punk, have been all but ignored. OH, except *Green Day* who are TOTALLY punk (meh) and TOTALLY deserve a spot on the list instead of, say Sex Pistols or Public fucking Enemy

Why the old fogey musical establishment has taken a shine to Green Day of all bands is beyond me.

By: Chris DeLine

Chris DeLine — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:41:00 +0000

“Don’t Wanna Be An American Idiot” is not a song by Green Day. “Why I’ll Always Be The Man In Black” is not a song by Johnny Cash. “Southern Man” by Neil Young is not about politricks.

By: ryan

ryan — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:09:21 +0000

well, erik, my personal opinion is that it just means that that horrible list was put together by a bunch of old fogies who stopped listening to anything but radio rock when the clock struck 1980. that list is FAIL.

By: Erik T.

Erik T. — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:48:01 +0000

Associated Content just put together a list of their “50 Greatest Political Protests Songs” of All-Time. Not a bad list, can’t really argue with Billie Holliday’s “Strange Fruit” as #1. But the list leans heavily on older songs, with very few tracks in the Top 50 being released in the last 20 years (although I do enjoy the inclusion of “Any song by Rage Against The Machine” at the #27 spot).

Does that mean that we’ve grown tired of being “preached to” by our artists, or are the modern day political songs just not that good? It’s an interesting argument-I feel it’s a combination of both, combined with a more pronounced subtlety by modern artists, to the point where most listeners might not even realize the song is political at all.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/386276/the_50_greatest_political_protest_songs.html?cat=33

By: Chris DeLine

Chris DeLine — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:53:06 +0000

(cough)Leno(cough)

How this conversation has gone without someone naming Pink’s “Dear Mr. President,” I’ll never know.

Also – she’s hot. In the same way Fergie’s hot. Not pee-pants Fergie though – that’s hot in a totally different way.

By: Erik T.

Erik T. — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:31:57 +0000

I think one of my favorite recent political songs has been Conor Oberst’s “When The President Talks To God.” The recorded version, which he gave away as a free download, is quite good, but the version he played on Letterman, alone and acoustic, knowing full well what playing that song might potentially cost him, is incredible. It’s quite a stirring and raw performance. Here’s video proof-

By: Jay

Jay — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:14:11 +0000

Not to mention being beautiful and sad, Rufus Wainwright’s “Going To A Town” has some of the most powerful political imagery I’ve heard in a while. It summed up the “If this happens again, I’m moving to Canada” feeling a lot of people had from 2004-08.

By: Direc & RTystic

Direc & RTystic — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:42:19 +0000

Nas- My Country

Anything by Immortal Technique lol

Wyclef Jean- If I Was President

By: Egypto Knuckles

Egypto Knuckles — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:11:48 +0000

Mine:

N.W.A. “Fuck The Police”
Ice Cube “A Bird In The Hand”
Brother Ali “Uncle Sam Goddamn” & “Mr. President (You’re the Man)”
Anything from Rage, PE, or Downset.
Mr. Lif “Home of the Brave”
El-P “Dear Sirs”
P.O.S “Stand Up (Let’s Get Murdered)”
Toki Wright “State of Emergency” (or the Title Track as most said)
Saul Williams “Not In My Name”
Pearl Jam “Bushleague”
Bob Dylan “Masters of War”

By: Jon Behm

Jon Behm — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:17:34 +0000

John Ashcroft – “Where Eagles Soar”

Haha, just kidding

I agree with the love Immortal Technique is getting – my personal fave would be “The 3rd World”

Also gotta mention Gil Scott Heron’s “The Revolution will not be Televised” as a classic.

My favorite political songs are mostly the Clash though – tracks like “London Calling” and “Spanish Bombs”