Favorite political songs

[Marka Ragnos]

2 hours ago, El Zen said:

That’s funny, I only know the story superficially, but from what I’ve read, The Undertones (who I like) were criticised by contemporary Northern Irish bands like Stiff Little Fingers (who I like more) for being apolitical. 

Now I need to look into Stiff Little Fingers. I ran into the Undertones first in the early 1980s through this compilation I bought randomly from a record store in Ohio. From my perspective back then, the Undertones song was merely about how if you keep ****-ing with people, eventually they're going to push back. Fit in well with my teenage mindset in 1982. But I love it still today. Love the Undertones. This was the track listing: 

Quote

 

A01	The Clash–	London Calling	3:16
A02	The Jam–	Little Boy Soldiers	3:08
A03	The Beat (2)–	I Am Your Flag	2:51
A04	The Specials–	Man At C & A	2:55
A05	XTC–	Living Through Another Cuba	4:35
A06	Peter Gabriel–	I Don't Remember	4:32
B01	The Doors–	Peace Frog	2:52
B02	Madness–	Grey Day	3:36
B03	Bad Manners–	Psychedelic Eric	3:37
B04	The Stranglers–	Nuclear Device	3:30
B05	The Undertones–	It's Going To Happen	3:27
B06	Echo & The Bunnymen–	All That Jazz	2:43
B07	Au Pairs–	Diet	4:15

 

 

Edited April 6, 2023 by Marka Ragnos

[Marka Ragnos]

3 hours ago, mjmooney said:

Wow, really? Love it or hate it, I'd have thought it was one of the most famous songs in world history. 

We miss a lot in the States! And you ought to know me well enough by now to know that my ignorance, sometimes, knows no bounds.

 

[bickster]

2 hours ago, Marka Ragnos said:

Now I need to look into Stiff Little Fingers. I ran into the Undertones first in the early 1980s through this compilation I bought randomly from a record store in Ohio. From my perspective back then, the Undertones song was merely about how if you keep ****-ing with people, eventually they're going to push back. Fit in well with my teenage mindset in 1982. But I love it still today. Love the Undertones. This was the track listing: 

 

What a strange compilation, what on earth is Peace Frog doing on there?

[Marka Ragnos]

1 hour ago, bickster said:

What a strange compilation, what on earth is Peace Frog doing on there?

I know. It was a UK project to raise money for anti-nuke activists. Perhaps Ray Manzarek liked the ideals of the effort and contributed a song? Pre-social media kind of activism you don’t see much anymore. 

Edited April 6, 2023 by Marka Ragnos

[Seat68]

Where to start, love a political song. The first I really liked was Eve of Destruction by Barry Maguire. Old enough to kill but not for voting.

Through my teens I was that lefty word removed, as my wife is prone to reminding me, she now leaves off lefty. I was listening to Billy Bragg, SLF, a lot of political punk at this time, but an album that broke through for me was She was only a grocers daughter by The Blow Monkeys

Billy Bragg, if you think of political songs and Billy Bragg isnt listed, then you are just being contrary. Live, the great leap forwards was my favourite, lyrically great but all over the place politically.

I still love this and have the title nearly tattooed on my arm, I was drunk and mangled the wording

 

[Seat68]

Then there is Cash, he covered many political angles, this is a favourite as is the ballad of Ira Hayes

Of course The Man In Black

 

[Seat68]

A big fan of Darren Haymans Little Democracies, not overtly political but harks back to things can only get better in 1997

Where as this track by his former band is overtly political

 

[blandy]

It’s not my favourite, but it’s the most powerful by an absolute mile.

 

[Seat68]

One of my favourite political hip hop bands, Disposable heroes of hiphoprisy, this live recording from 92 is fantastic. Michael Franti hasnt set my world on fire since these disbanded, but at the time, excellent.

 

[blandy]

 

[MakemineVanilla]

Only A Pawn In The Game - Bob Dylan

Shipbuilding - Elvis Costello

Between The Wars - Billy Bragg

Bullet In The Head - RATM

Edited April 6, 2023 by MakemineVanilla

[mjmooney]

1 hour ago, Seat68 said:

Where to start, love a political song. The first I really liked was Eve of Destruction by Barry Maguire. Old enough to kill but not for voting.

Widely lampooned as an embarrassing pastiche, and the record that attempted to commercialise the 'protest song' genre, but effectively killed it. 

That said, I kinda like it, too. 

[Seat68]

27 minutes ago, mjmooney said:

Widely lampooned as an embarrassing pastiche, and the record that attempted to commercialise the 'protest song' genre, but effectively killed it. 

That said, I kinda like it, too. 

It was on one of my fathers tapes and when you are very young you play things over and over and over, that was one of the first that I did that too. I liked the rhythm of the delivery, I hadn't really listened to it for the past 20 years so it was enjoyable to hear it again today.

[Seat68]

Lets have a bit of a theme

 

 

 

[Seat68]

Two from releatively recent country music releases, I say that, one is from early 2000s. One I hate and the other I love, you are likely to hate them both.

 

[KentVillan]

Overplayed, but it’s a great song

[Designer1]

 

[Seat68]

Love Leon Rosselson, introduced to him via Billy Bragg.

[Wainy316]

 

[Wainy316]