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PROTEST & REBELLION SONGS.."get it off your chest"

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PROTEST & REBELLION SONGS.."get it off your chest"

The only stipulation here is that the song should be commentary,  controversial, expressing a rebellious, protesting "frame of mind"; generally, or speciffically, about society, culture, economics, wealth, poverty, politics, war, peace, relationships, etc, etc, etc.

 

How about some songs which, when you heard them, you thought, "Yeh, those lyrics tell it like it is!" or maybe you were offended by the controversial lyrics.

 

Your song selection may be from any time period in history and about any topic you choose, old songs and new songs.

 

Please be free to post protest & rebellion songs which either you agreed with or which "honked" you off.

 

Here is an opportunity to "Get it off your chest!" Go ahead and briefly include memorable lyrics of the song if you like [ if you remember 🙂 ]

 

To begin.....here's a protest song:     Subterranean Homesick Blues     Bob Dylan

 

 


Merely OneTokeOTL
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Dear  Gent2U

 

I have always liked Peter, Paul and Mary..   I never heard this song before.

I finally went onto "You Tube", (The best way to find vintage stuff). (Also as

you suggested)

 

That song is not only beautiful, but it could be appropriate for any time era.

I really enjoyed listening to such a great trio performing as usually, at their best.

 

Thank you for sharing this with me.   Everyone should listening to this and just

"Light One Candle" also.

 

Please make a post if you happen to stumble onto this.

 

Thank you again Gent2U

Peace

 

 

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Now to continue with the song list..

 

Give Peace A Chance   by  John Lennon (with the "Plastic Ono Band")

 

This was recorded in May , 1969 at his "Bed In" at a Montreal Hotel in Canada

(Queen Elizabeth Hotel)  (How Brittish) 🙂

The song became an athem for the anti-war movement in Vietnam.

About 30 years later,  he was quoted as saying, "I think we made a point there".

You really think so !!!!!!!

We are still singing, Give Peace A Chance"-   Hopefully someday................

 

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Another Peter, Paul and Mary song that's appropriate here:

 

Down By The Riverside

 

"I ain't gonna study war no more"

"I'm gonna lay down that atom bomb, down by the riverside"

 


Merely OneTokeOTL
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Masters of War    by      Bob Dylan

 

Leon Russel did a version of this around 1970.  He used Bob's words.  but the medley is

"The Star Spangled Banner"   Very interesting.........

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Eddie Vedder also did a really good version. His voice registers the appropriate anger better than other versions I've heard.

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Pray for PEACE    by   Reba McEntire

 

This is not a dramatic march on Washington Song.

It is relevant to the meaning of a "peacefull protest song"

It just shows that not all protest songs are about

breaking down the doors  (even thou that's  what we think at times. 

Also might  sell more records)

Sometimes you get more with sugar than vinegar....

 

Thanks for listening

PEACE

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Aerosmith  Janie's Got A Gun

 

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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@rc8149 Amen.

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Only a Pawn in their Game   Bob Dylan

 

https://youtu.be/KY2lQV3ADfc

 

 

Life's a Journey, not a Destination" Aerosmith
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    Fortunate Son     BY      C C R

 

The song spoke out against the Vietnam War-  BUT  was very supportive of the soldiers

fighting there.    As we all know most of the soldiers came from the working class (like

many of the CCR fans).  They did not have the connections that others in the Nixon circle

had, per John Forgety. The song was sung from a soldier's point of view, who had to fight

 because he had no connections.    Thus the lyric,  "i'm not a Senators Son"

 

This song was performed by the group or the Ed Sullivan Show.    The show's producers

didn't catch it , like others that they made change lyrics.         Awesome......

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To rc8149 (happy belated birthday?) :

Right On!

 

I add this.....these lyrics effectively point out the traitorous hypocricy of America's oligarchy as well. They wave the flag as they hire lawyers to hide their sickeningly glutonous wealth from the taxation which finances the war efforts which they capitalize upon and from which their military-aged progeny are protected.

Yeh, America's proletariat die fighting wars from which America's oligarchy profit while their own family members stay home safe.

It ain't right. On the face of it.

Fortuate Son shines a bright light on these inequities, from a soldier's point of view.

 

The Lyrics of Fortunate Son

 

Some folks are born, made to wave the flag
Ooh, they're red, white and blue
And when the band plays, 'Hail to the chief'
Ooh, they point the cannon at you, Lord

But it ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no senator's son, son
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one, no

Some folks are born with silver spoon in hand
Lord, don't they help themselves? Oh
But when the taxman come to the door
Lord, the house look like a rummage sale, yes

It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no millionaire's son, no, no
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one, no

Yeah, yeah, some folks inherit star spangled eyes
Ooh, they send you down to war, Lord
And when you ask them, how much should we give
Ooh, they only answer, more, more, more, yo

It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no military son, son, no
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one, no, no

It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one, no, no, no
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate son, son


Merely OneTokeOTL
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@LookOverYonder @rc8149 In re "Fortunate Son" - hence the term Chicken Hawk. All for the fighting and gung ho - as long as someone else does the actual fighting.

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This might be a long one.

 

First to 'Look Over Yonder" 

If you were wishing me a belated birthday, that was  back on 02/29/16

The next on will be on 02/29/20-   But thank you any way-   That made

my day  🙂

 I can't help but to notice that your name is part of a song by Tommy

James and the shondells.   That was Crystal Blue Persuation.

Starts out

"Look over yonder

What do you see.

The sun is a'rising

most definitely....

 

And so on

Just thinking.........

 

I appreciate your import on the "Fortunate Son".  WOW.....

 

And to Gent2U..... Also awesum input about  'Chicken Hawk" and your

thought about who  'HAD' to do the fighting.  I Still miss people.

 

I believe that I have  "ALWAYS"  lived in a "Great America"

I do my best to support our "Commander in Chief"  and other

Law Makers.   But sometimes they are not right ! ! ! !

No matter what party they belong to

But I will always support those who protect us.

Police, Fire Dept. and those who have to rescue us.

And those who shall never be forgotten.  The men and

woman who served in the armed services to protect us.

And also the support for the familes of those who lost

a loved one in all the agencies.

 

Bless this country and all those who bellieve we are great

 

PEACE

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To rc8149

 

LOL! OMG, my father, may his soul rest in peace, was also born on leap day. Consequently, there came a day when we laughed together about how I had celebrated more birthdays than he had celebrated, and yet he's my father. Funny....it's just one of things, you know? Man Happy

 

And yeh, good pickup on the "Crystal Blue Persuation" by Tommy James and the Shondells. You might notice that I usually emphasize the associated word in BLUE. Kinda quirky, but that's just me.


Merely OneTokeOTL
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I once tried to get into a movie theater by asking if someone

had less then 12 real birthdays, are they considered at a

childs price ?? (They had no idea what I was going for).

They said yes. I tried to explain that I only had 10 real

birthdays and I could get into the theater at a childs price. 

THEY SAID NO..

Even after I explained the Leap Day theory.  I think they

thought I was crazy-  (They were right ..)

I paid the regular 'adult' price

So your father was right about you celebrating more

birthdays..

I tell everyone carefull what you say or do to me,  I'm

still a minor (under 18)

 

 

I have seen Tommy James in concert twice. and once I

got to shake his hand and say hello.  Tommy and the

Shondell's , to me-  is the BEST ever.. I have all of the

albums, CD's and most of all of the 45's.

(huh-what are 45's )

My answer to that is what Homer Simpson would say,

(Duh)   .

Keep Smiling   🙂

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@rc8149 I have my 45's - and some of my Dad's. His 78's have vanished. I still have some classical works on RCA Red Seal - red vinyl - in box sets. I wonder how many people remember that 45s and 78s originally came collected in albums, like what were used for photograph albums. The name stuck, so LP (Long Play) records were called albums, too.  As Paul Harvey used to to say, "And now...you know...the rest of the story."

Or should I explain who Paul Harvey was? 😉

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Deat    TheGent2U

 

Thanks for the stroll down  'album lane'..

It's nice to hears things that will jar your memory.

(Or the wake of a few of the memory brain cells)

 And who is Paul Harvey ???     I loved that one...

I do remember his departing line.  

 

And to change the wording, not the format.

"That's all Folks"   from the Looney Tunes ending.

I happen to be doing the end theme in my head

right now.

Hopefully, neither of us will have to explain this one

lol          🙂 

 

 

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DISCLAIMER --   Not responsible for typo's     But sorry anyway    LOL    🙂

 

Back to the protest songs.    How about.....

 

 

(4 dead in) -------->   O  H  I  O      By   Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

 

What vocal harmony when all 4 of them are together.    WOW and AWESOME

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I just wrote a post on 'Song title word association"

It was     C H I N A     A song by Joan Baez...

Lets all take a trip back about 3 decades ago.

 

There is this one student,  who is totally unarmed,

and staring down a 'tank' that looks llike it is ready

to fire.  When the tank moved in one direction, the

student moved with it to keep staring down the tank.

And again, and again.

 

If this strong mesage doesn't make you think,  WOW,

then you need to be in his shoes.  This is one of the

most iconic photo and video clips ever..  It just

like after World War II was anounced it was over,

you seen this armed service person kissing a nurse

in NYC..   Long live the photos that make us think..

 

PS.  This was on my mind and need a posting quickly.

 

Whoes next ?????

 

PEACE   🙂

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Phil Ochs:Power And Glory

 

https://youtu.be/UYRBHpW2GBA

 

 

Life's a Journey, not a Destination" Aerosmith
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Ball Of Confusion          By    The Temptaions

 

.

............................................................................................................................

Eve of destruction, tax deduction, city inspectors, tax collectors.

Mod clothes in demand, population out of hand, sucide, to many bills

Hippies moving to the hills, people all over the world is shouting , end the war.

 

And the band played on.

.........................................................................................................................

 

 

Great song for whatever makes you mad.....

 

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TheGent2U  Well said, well stated TheGent2U 

 

Chicken Hawks............man, it's been a long time since I heard that, THANKS for the reminder! 

 

 


Merely OneTokeOTL
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl89g2SwMh4

 

White Rabbit, Live from Woodstock 1969 [HD]

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The Fish Cheer/I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag

 

Country Joe McDonald at Woodstock 1969


Merely OneTokeOTL
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Simon and Garfunkel's haunting rendition of Silent Night. Their song is backed by a newscast. It is a grim reminder that  bad things, such as war, disease, natural disaster, and death do not take a day off for Christmas.

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More from the Eagles - on their last album, Long Road Out Of Eden, 2007:

 

Long Road Out of Eden - Frey, Henly, Schmidt

Weavin' down the American highway
Through the litter and the wreckage and the cultural junk
Bloated with entitlement, loaded on propaganda
Now we're drivin' dazed and drunk

Been down the road to Damascus, the road to Mandalay
Met the ghost of Caesar on the Appian way
He said, "It's hard to stop this bingein' once you get a taste
But the road to empire is a bloody stupid waste"

Behold the bitten apple, the power of the tools
But all the knowledge in the world is of no use to fools
And it's a long road out of Eden

 

No More Walks in the Woods

I Dreamed There Was No War

Fail Grasp on the Big Picture

Business as Usual

Hole in the World

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.” - Jimi Hendrix
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Subterranean Homesick Blues -- Bob Dylan

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The Spirit Trail     Dan Fogelberg

 

This is a song written to acknowledge that the native nations of North America must continue struggling to survive the terror of the horrors of genocide inflicted upon them since 1492 by European invaders and the ongoing genocides which are continually being inflicted upon them at the hands of the merciless American land-grabbing conquerors.

 

They took the land. They took control.
They robbed my father of his very soul.....
To be like one of them.....to be like one of them.


But I was born a native son.
And I will never be another one.....
To give it all away.

I've got to walk the spirit trail


Let every creature I see

be a brother and a friend to me.
Let every step that I take

Leave the footprints of a warrior.....
Along the spirit trail.


Merely OneTokeOTL
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To Dragons3.......

 

Wow!  "Subterranean Homesick Blues" from you was a really great post. As for myself, I really dig that song, as I do many many Dylan ballads. But did you know this?.....during the sixties and seventies there was an organization comprised of thousands of university students and community activists all across the country known as SDS (Students for a Democratic Society) which fractured into two factions......RYM 1 and RYM 2 (Revolutionary Youth Movement). RYM 2 also took on the name of "The Weathermen". This seemingly illogical nickname was actually derived from "Subterranean Homesick Blues". A particularly declaritive verse states: "You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows". Eventually they were referred to as "The Weather Underground". So if you are already aware of this background, I conjecture you were closer to the "movement" than most people became. I'm enjoying your posts very much, as I am many others as well. Thank you


Merely OneTokeOTL
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LookOverYonder -- Thanks for that information.`I wasn't aware of The Weathermen's connection to the song.  I'm almost embarrassed to confess I remember it from an episode of "Murphy Brown".   I was in college during those times, so I heard of SDS and The Weathermen and also SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee), but I was too busy studying and working my butt off to protest much of anything -- except for the lousy food in the cafeteria.  I'm glad you enjoy my posts.  I keep surprising myself with how many songs I can remember.  I've always been involved with music, but mostly Sacred and Show music.  This is fun. I love seeing what other posters come up with.  

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