Content starts here
CLOSE ×

Search

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

Reply
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
122,885 Views
1019
Report
Honored Social Butterfly

The MTA: Kingston Trio (a humorous song protesting a Boston subway fare increase).

2,731 Views
0
Report
Honored Social Butterfly

Town Without Pity: Gene Pitney (more of a lament than a protest, I guess, about the narrow-minded, self-righteous and judgemental thinking of adults at that time).

2,709 Views
1
Report
Conversationalist

Another one like Town Without Pity was Harper Valley PTA by Jeannie C. Riley.

2,719 Views
0
Report
Recognized Social Butterfly

"You Dropped A Bomb On Me" *  Gap Band

Nuclear bombs on civilians

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm9pqKyWhN8

2,772 Views
1
Report
Social Butterfly

"ORANGE CRUSH"-R.E.M.
SUPERGIRL, NO REALLY I MEAN IT! HER REAL NAME & MINE ARE THE SAME( FIRST 2 NAMES ARE)
2,699 Views
0
Report
Regular Social Butterfly

Protesting in the personal sense.... I think Smiley LOL

 

Carrie Underwood - Wasted

 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7GCFxJKc874" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

0
Kudos
1988
Views
2,763 Views
0
Report
Silver Conversationalist

"Prisoners" John Denver. Written about P.O.W.s. This clip includes John talking about song writing, and this song, with Johnny Carson.

 

https://youtu.be/mhCdzpkFsYI

2,763 Views
0
Report
Silver Conversationalist

"Readjustment Blues" - Tom Paxton. Also sung by John Denver, among others. War veteran comes home to a war protest. He looks around. The guns he had used against the enemy were now turned on the protesters. And him.

2,781 Views
0
Report
Honored Social Butterfly

Talk Talk: The Music Machine (teenage despair, angst, paranoia, etc. pretty much rebelling against life in general).

2,766 Views
0
Report
Recognized Social Butterfly

"Johnny Get Angry" * Joanie Summers

Teenage Angst

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zm1cMRR-7k

2,783 Views
0
Report
Honored Social Butterfly

James (Hold The Ladder Steady): Sue Thompson (Though certainly not in the same category as previously posted songs of protest and rebellion, I suppose eloping is an act of rebellion). Sue Thompson is no Joan Baez, but she had her share of cutesy hits.

2,721 Views
0
Report
Recognized Social Butterfly

"Punk Parade" * Alex Gibson

Suburbia - penelope sphears- 1983

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8Rj2k34UpY

2,836 Views
0
Report
Silver Conversationalist

"On The Turning Away" - Pink Floyd. And kudos to David Gilmour for auctioning off his guitar collection and donating the proceeds - $ 21 Million Dollars - to climate research. Talking the talk and walking the walk.

 

https://youtu.be/5413ws7HxN8

 

 

2,827 Views
0
Report
Regular Social Butterfly

Not sure if this is a repeat or even qualifies....

 

Rush - "Subdivisions"

 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EYYdQB0mkEU" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

2,781 Views
1
Report
Silver Conversationalist

Laurie42010 "Subdivisions" is a great add.
0 Kudos
2,867 Views
0
Report
Recognized Social Butterfly

"One" * Metalllica

Johnny Got His Gun - Dalton Trumbo

I watched this movie that was my first and last. Great film, but truly disturbing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paoJ1s7yg_0

 

2,818 Views
3
Report
Social Butterfly

IT WAS A VERY DISTURBING FILM, BUT EFFECTIVE.(1972 OR SO?). A STORY WE NEEDED TO HEAR.
SUPERGIRL, NO REALLY I MEAN IT! HER REAL NAME & MINE ARE THE SAME( FIRST 2 NAMES ARE)
0
Kudos
2015
Views
2,741 Views
2
Report
Conversationalist

Let My People Go - Paul Robeson

2,736 Views
1
Report
Conversationalist

Don't Fence Me In - Roy Rogers

2,794 Views
0
Report
Honored Social Butterfly

Indian Reservation: Paul Revere And The Raiders (exploitation of the Cherokee).

2,893 Views
0
Report
Recognized Social Butterfly

"Why Don't You Get A Job?" * Offspring

Huntington Beach group

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH-i8IvYIcg

2,843 Views
2
Report
Social Butterfly


@ripvanwinkle96 wrote:

"Why Don't You Get A Job?" * Offspring

Huntington Beach group

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH-i8IvYIcg


OMG I remember them, are they still singing?  My kids used to go see them....'keep 'em separated'.  And the one I should know by heart is "Self Esteem".

2,836 Views
1
Report
Recognized Social Butterfly

I think so, I heard something on 106.7 about them playing somewhere with a new record.

 

"Mr. Rebel" * Eddie & the Showmen

Early 60's So. Cal. surf group, Eddie Bertrand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rYF_QGYegQ

2,864 Views
0
Report
Honored Social Butterfly

Who'll Stop The Rain

Bad Moon Rising

(Can't really explain how or why, but both of these CCR songs seem to be, at some level, protest songs).

 

 

2,884 Views
3
Report
Honored Social Butterfly


@1968Hoya46 wrote:

Who'll Stop The Rain

Bad Moon Rising

(Can't really explain how or why, but both of these CCR songs seem to be, at some level, protest songs).

 

 


I've always thought the same, and I like to explore song meanings. Sure enough, I googled it and this is what I found.

 

Who'll Stop the Rain: 

 Interpreting the song in its time period (1970), and the resigned but somewhat angry feeling of the song, many see "Who'll Stop the Rain" as a thinly veiled protest against the Vietnam War, with the final verse lyrics and its references to music, large crowds, rain, and crowds trying to keep warm being about the band's experience at the Woodstock Festival in August 1969.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who%27ll_Stop_the_Rain_(song)#History

 

Bad Moon Rising:  Fogerty explains - "I wasn't just writing about the weather."

The Story Behind the Song: Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival

https://www.loudersound.com/features/story-behind-the-song-bad-moon-rising-by-creedence

 

 

 

โ€œWhen the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.โ€ - Jimi Hendrix
2,896 Views
2
Report
Honored Social Butterfly

Greenback Dollar - The Kingston Trio

โ€œWhen the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.โ€ - Jimi Hendrix
2,904 Views
1
Report
Social Butterfly

MY OLDEST SISTER HAD THEIR ALBUM- GREW UP ON THEIR SONGS! GREAT CHOICE FOR PROTEST SONG ABOUT GREED. HERE'S ANOTHER:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40JmEj0_aVM CCR'S - "FORTUNATE SON".
SUPERGIRL, NO REALLY I MEAN IT! HER REAL NAME & MINE ARE THE SAME( FIRST 2 NAMES ARE)
2,849 Views
0
Report
Trusted Contributor

If we're looking at "Hair", there were a number, but perhaps the most anti-war song in it was "3500" (three five zero zero)

(was that included in the filmed remake of "Hair"?)

2,856 Views
0
Report
Recognized Social Butterfly

"Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance" * Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention

we're only in it for the money......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tlLI8XQyBM

2,748 Views
0
Report
Recognized Social Butterfly

"We Just Disagree" * Dave Mason

good 70's song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8_FOQ7-P30

2,801 Views
0
Report
cancel
Showing results forย 
Showย ย onlyย  | Search instead forย 
Did you mean:ย 
Users
Need to Know

NEW: AARP Games Tournament Tuesdays! This week, achieve a top score in Atari Centipedeยฎ and you could win $100! Learn More.

AARP Games Tournament Tuesdays

More From AARP