Favorite political songs

[Seat68]

11 minutes ago, Only2McInallys said:

I remember going to a miners strike benefit concert in 1984 at Brixton Academy which I think included Billy Bragg but the last group to appear were Aztec Camera.

For the last song of the evening Frame announced he was going to play a cover of a song which he felt had done more for women’s movement than any other song.

He proceeded to play a cover version of Jump by Van Halen.

Their version of Jump is potentially my favourite ever cover. 

[bickster]

2 minutes ago, Seat68 said:

Their version of Jump is potentially my favourite ever cover. 

it is a great cover

[Anthony]

 

[El Zen]

3 hours ago, sne said:

There is a whole world (well...) of really, really good Swedish political songs. From prog to punk to hardcore to pop-punk (and the odd rap ones) . I'd say it's the main type of music I listen to but most of it is in Swedish so will be lost on most on here sadly.

Posted this in another music thread. 

It’s a very good tune and the message is very much still relevant.

[VILLAMARV]

 

[il_serpente]

Perhaps not really a political song, but a "raising consciousness and advocating for a change in public policy" song from 1971.  This is the ultimate example of a fantastic, grooving track being saddled with lyrics that don't match the music and nearly ruin the experience even though the message is a good one.   If you could strip out the vocals this would make for great listening, but then it wouldn't be a "political" song, would it.

 

Edited April 8, 2023 by il_serpente
clarity

[maqroll]

 

[maqroll]

When I was in high school I thought Bob Marley was the guy who smoked tons of pot and sang the bouncy tunes on the "Legend" compilation. I didn't really think about him. 

Then one sunny spring day me and some buddies ate some mushrooms. We eventually ended up back at one of their houses and my buddy had Rastaman Vibration on vinyl that he'd taken out of the library. 

Listening to this song was an earth shaking moment for me. I locked right in on the militancy and strength of the music. I ended up devouring all kinds of reggae music and then branched out to other types of Caribbean, African and Latin music, all thanks to "War".

 

[blandy]

9 hours ago, il_serpente said:

Perhaps not really a political song, but a "raising consciousness and advocating for a change in public policy" song

Of course! I should have thought of this earlier

 

[bickster]

Well in a similar vein as above, I'm currently listening to this compilation CD (contains Marvin Gaye, Dionne Warwick, Chairman of the Board and 20 more)

Say A Little Prayer, political? You betcha, Hal David was really pleased to get that one past the radio station censors twice within a year

Discogs for Tracklist

[chrisp65]

I’ll have a proper think later, but a few years ago there was a really good CD freebie on the cover of… I’m gonna say Mojo, but it could have been something else like Q. Anyhoo, it was a CD of protest songs, or political songs, or stuff that had been banned at some point. It was packed with decent stuff, I’ll have to do better than that vaguery.

It had Boot Leg on there, with a little explanation around how an instrumental by Booker T managed to get on the CD.

It was recorded just after the Watts Riots, and somebody shouts ‘Burn!’ And it was felt that was a bit too close to the mark so close to such destruction. As a complete side, I think it also didn’t have Booker T playing the organ, I think it had Isaac Hayes doing a little stand in.

So yeah, can’t be too many instrumental political songs. 

 

 

[bickster]

48 minutes ago, chrisp65 said:

So yeah, can’t be too many instrumental political songs. 

 

You think? Here's a whole double album of them from my collection. Its a great compilation, good jumping off point

What's that saying about jazz being the teacher and funk being the preacher?

Discogs

[Straggler]

NWA - Fuk da police

Sam Cooke - A change is gonna come.

 

[VILLAMARV]

 

[delboy54]

While all the above are valid songs, there is really only one that stands above all....

"Biko" by Peter Gabriel 

[blandy]

 

[chrisp65]

 

This caught me off guard the first time it was aired. By chance, I also had some grit in my eye and a slight tickly cough.

 

[mjmooney]

17 minutes ago, chrisp65 said:

 

This caught me off guard the first time it was aired. By chance, I also had some grit in my eye and a slight tickly cough.

 

Even I found that pretty stirring, and I didn't have a **** ing clue what they were singing. 

[Kuwabatake Sanjuro]

A rare political song from a political man in Dave Van Ronk, may well have been drunk for this version.

 

[El Zen]

On 06/04/2023 at 03:12, Marka Ragnos said:

Now I need to look into Stiff Little Fingers. 

Yes, do that! Check out Alternative Ulster.