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

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Recognized Social Butterfly

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 ๐Ÿ™‚ ]

 

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

 

 


Merely OneTokeOTL
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Regular Contributor

Eve of Destruction, sung by Barry McGuire

 

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Regular Social Butterfly

Glory Days - Bruce Springsteen '85

In The Ghetto - Elvis '69

We Are The World - USA For Africa '85

American Trilogy - Elvis '72

Battle Hymn Of The Republic - Lee Greenwood '89

Battle Of New Orleans - Johnny Horton '59

Blowin' In The Wind - Bob Dylan '63

Cats In the Cradle - Harry Chapin '74

End Of The World - Skeeter Davis '62 & Brenda Lee '68

This Land Is Your Land - Bruce Springsteen '89

God Bless The USA - Lee Greenwood '84

Harper Valley PTA - Jeannie C. Riley  '68

I Fought The Law - Bobby Fuller Four '65  

If I Had A Hammer - Peter, Paul & Mary '62

Lay Down Your Arms - Chordettes '56

Make The world Go Away - Eddy Arnold '65 & Ray Price '89

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Periodic Contributor

Day is Done        by Peter, Paul and Mary

 

Tell me why you're crying my son

I know you're frightened, like everyone

Is it the thunder in the distance you fear?

Will it help if I stay very near?

I am here

 

And if you take my hand my son

All will be well when the day is done

And if you take my hand my son

All will be well when the day is done

Day is done, day is done, day is done, day is done

 

Do you ask why I'm sighing, my son?

You shall inherit what mankind has done

In a world filled with sorrow and woe

If you ask me why this is so, I really don'r know

 

And if you take my hand my son

All will be well when the day is done

And if you take my hand my son All will be well when the day is done

Day is done, day is done, day is done, day is done

 

Tell me why you're smiling my son

Is there a secret you can tell everyone?

Do you know more than men that are wise?

Can you see what we all must disguise

Through your loving eyes

 

And if you take my hand my son

All will be well when the day is done

And if you take my hand my son

All will be well when the day is done

Day is done, day is done, day is done, day is done

The day is done, day is done,day is done, all of you singing

And if you take my hand my son

All will be well my son oh

If you take my hand my son

All will be well

 

 

In 1969, this song spoke to those of us who felt war was wrong on many levels.  Today, it also rings true for Climate Change, Domestic Violence and the overall level of violence perpetrated within our country on a daily basis.  Kindly forgive any/all typos as these old hands aren't as limber as they once were.  

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Periodic Contributor

My favorite protest and rebellion songs are Fly Away  and The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.

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Trusted Contributor

Not quite like the ones we've seen so far, but Rogers and Hammerstein, from South Pacific - "You've Got to be Carefully Taught" (consider that it was performed in 1949...)

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Social Butterfly

NO WE DIDN'T LEARN-" FEEL LIKE I'M FIXIN' TO DIE RAG"- COUNTRY JOE & THE FISH(WOODSTOCK); "FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH"- BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD
SUPERGIRL, NO REALLY I MEAN IT! HER REAL NAME & MINE ARE THE SAME( FIRST 2 NAMES ARE)
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Mitchel Trio (w/ John Denver) - "Business goes on as Usual"

 

"business goes on as usual,

Execpt that my brither is dead;

He was 25, and very much alive,

but his brains have all been blasted from his head.

In a far off land, with a gun in his hand;

He died in a war he did not understand.

 

And business goes on as usual
There's plenty to choose from the rack
And the rumor goes, the latest thing in clothes
Will be black"

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The song by Pete Seeger which was not kind to a certain tall president...: "Big Muddy" - Pete Seeger

 

"Waist deep, neck deep - soon even a tall man'll be over his head;

We're waist deep in the Big Muddy, and the Big Fool says to push on!"

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"Union Maid" - Woody Guthrie

"Wasn't That a Time? - Pete Seeger (and I think Lee Hayes added a verse or two)

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"Ohio" - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

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Honored Social Butterfly

  

 

Give Ireland Back To the Irish -- Wings

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Contributor

Since you're talking Irish here: How about U2 "War" or "One"

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Social Butterfly

"FIVE TO ONE "- THE DOORS; "HELL BROKE LUCE"- TOM WAITS;
SUPERGIRL, NO REALLY I MEAN IT! HER REAL NAME & MINE ARE THE SAME( FIRST 2 NAMES ARE)
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The Town I Loved So Well -- Phil Coulter

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"Eve of Destruction" - Barry McGuire

"Blowin' in the Wind" and "Times They are A'Changin' (Bob Dylan and sung by Peter, Paul and Mary

"I Ain't Marchin' Any More" - Phil Ochs (also "Here;s to the State of Mississippi")

"Great Mandala" - Peter Yarrow (& sung by Peter, Paul and Mary)

"'I was not a Nazi' Polka" - Mitchell Trio (after John Denver joined)

"Last Night I had the Strangest Dream" - Ed McCurdy

"Days of Decision" - Phil Ochs

(almost anything, except, maybe "Goodnight Irene" by the Weavers)

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Periodic Contributor

Many,many songs from the 60's and 70's-


Crosby,Stills and Nash "Ohio"

Creedance Clearwater Revival -"Fortunate Son"

Buffy St.Marie-"Universal Soldier"

Peter,Paul and Mary- "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?"

      so many..........

 

 

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Periodic Contributor

Ohio - CSNY

 

Tin soldiers and Nixon coming,
We're finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drumming,
Four dead in Ohio

 

If you've not been to Kent State to see where the students have been memorialized, I recommend.

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Sorry. Didn't see yours before posting about CSNY. ๐Ÿ˜ž

 

"For What it's Worth - Buffalo Springfield

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Here's one I forgot - for all you Rolling Stone Fans!

 

We Gotta Get Out of This Place!

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Social Butterfly

ALSO COVERED BY THE ANIMALS;
SUPERGIRL, NO REALLY I MEAN IT! HER REAL NAME & MINE ARE THE SAME( FIRST 2 NAMES ARE)
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Recognized Social Butterfly

Sweet Cherry Wine     Tommy James & The Shondells   #7 1969


Merely OneTokeOTL
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Good One, I had forgotten about that song by the Animals
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OHIO     Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young      I knew her...RIP Allison


Merely OneTokeOTL
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Sunday Bloody Sunday -- U2

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Contributor

Also U2: One, Under a Blood Red Sky, Where the Streets Have No Name
Marvin Gaye: What's Going On
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Honored Social Butterfly

More Irish

 

Rising Of the Moon -- The Clancy Brothers

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Social Butterfly

"FORTUNATE SON"- CCR
SUPERGIRL, NO REALLY I MEAN IT! HER REAL NAME & MINE ARE THE SAME( FIRST 2 NAMES ARE)
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Not sure this one counts as a protest song, but

 

Mo Ghile Mear  by The Chieftains, with Sting.  Also by Celtic Thunder. 

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Social Butterfly

WHAT DOES "MO GHILE MEAR" MEAN?
SUPERGIRL, NO REALLY I MEAN IT! HER REAL NAME & MINE ARE THE SAME( FIRST 2 NAMES ARE)
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Recognized Social Butterfly

"Mo Ghile Mear" (My Gallant Darling) is an Irish song, written in the Irish language by Seรกn Clรกrach Mac Domhnaill in the 18th century. Composed in the convention of Aisling poetry, it is a lament by the Gaelic goddess ร‰ire for Bonnie Prince Charlie, who was then in exile.

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