Photo of Thao & The Get Down Stay Down. Photo Credit: Steven Pisano
80 Years of Protest Songs Part 1: 1939-1958
80 Years of Protest Songs Part 2: 1959-1978
80 Years of Protest Songs Part 3: 1979-1998
The aftermath of 9/11 ushered in a new chapter for protest music. The Iraq war and George W. Bush became the Vietnam & the Nixon for the 2000s. The 2010s brought in a renewed emphasis in social activism. Social movements included Occupy Wall Street, Black Lives Matter, #MeToo, March for Our Lives, and several others. The 2016 US presidential election and the ensuring aftermath is making it increasingly difficult for musicians to stay apolitical.
To the Teeth – Ani DiFranco (1999)
“To the Teeth,” is DiFranco’s mournful and indignant response to the Columbine High School shooting massacre which took place on April 20th, 1999.
The lyrics are a pointed rebuke of the gun lobby: “Open fire on the NRA / And all the lies they told us along the way / Open fire on each weapons manufacturer / While he’s giving head to some Republican senator.”
DiFranco clearly highlights that politicians are willing to sacrifice human life in exchange for the gun lobby’s blood money. Sadly, the message still resonates, but the increase of youth activism offers the possibility of hope.
Idioteque – Radiohead (2000)
Lyrically, Thom Yorke often has explored the issue of climate change, both as a solo artist and as a part of Radiohead. His 2006 solo album The Eraser extensively addressed the subject. Another notable example is “Idioteque” from Radiohead’s 2000 album Kid A.
The song includes the chilling lyrics: “Ice age coming/Throw it in the fire” and “We’re not scaremongering/This is really happening”
The tune samples a 1976 computer music composition called “Mild and Leise” by Paul Lansky. This contributes to an ominous feel. It serves as a pointed warning of what might happen if the status quo remains unchanged.
Somos Más Americanos – Los Tigres del Norte (2001)
Los Tigres del Norte is a veteran influential norteño band, whose music often address issues of immigration and discrimination. When translated into English, “Somos Más Americanos” means “We Are More American.” One of the notable lyrics translated into English is “Let me remind the gringo, that I didn’t cross the border, the border crossed me.”
The song highlights that eight of the states use to belong to Mexico. There are several Mexican-Americans that have a longer American lineage than the racists who are trying to get rid of them. The lyrics take on added prevalence considering the hateful anti-immigration rhetoric of the Trump administration.
Boom! – System Of A Down (2002)
System Of A Down’s Serj Tankian is known for his politically charged lyrics. “Boom!” represents the band at their most explosive. The lyrics connect corporate greed with weapon manufacturing: “manufacturing consent is the name of the game/the bottom line is money,” which leads to “4000 hungry children leave us per hour from starvation/while millions are spent on bombs/creating death showers.”
Governments and corporations valuing profits over life continues to be a concern.
War – OutKast (2003)
Essentially a Big Boi solo track, “War,” could very well be the most political song OutKast ever recorded. The verses are an aggressive verbal barrage on the Bush administration and the war in Afghanistan. It also offers insightful observations on the high cost of health care and how big pharma exploits people’s health for profit. Some of the characters may have changed, but the issues are still relevant.
Radio Baghdad – Patti Smith (2004)
“Radio Baghdad” is over 12 minutes of stream of consciousness poetry. It connects the historical significance of Baghdad, with the war-torn strife being experienced. It links Western greed as the perpetrator of war and it concludes with pleads for healing.
Patti Smith has long used her art as a platform for social activism. For over four decades, the punk poetess has used her voice to speak out against injustice.
When the President Talks to God – Bright Eyes (2005)
For those that complain that they don’t write protest songs like they use to, Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes composed a tune which can be considered a throw back to the topical folk songs of the 60s. “When the President Talks to God” is a contemptuous indictment on then President George W. Bush. Oberst is critical of Bush’s policies and his claims that God is directing him.
Thin Blue Flame – Josh Ritter (2006)
“Thin Blue Flame” is a nearly ten-minute epic whose use of vivid poetic imagery could be compared to a modern-day “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall.” The tune powerfully employs Biblical illusions to critique the Bush administration. It also condemns religious hypocrisy with the lyric: “Borders soft with refugees/Streets swimming with amputees/It’s a Bible or a bullet they put over your heart/It’s getting harder and harder to tell them apart.”
“Thin Blue Flame” appears on Ritter’s excellent, but somewhat overlooked 2006 album, The Animal Years. The album also features the poignant “Girl In The War,” which I was also seriously considering for this list.
Paper Planes – M.I.A (2007)
This protest tune decries violence & racial profiling. The song’s genesis was the challenges M.I.A.’s faced in trying to secure an US work Visa. As someone who was British born with Sri Lankan Tamil descent, she viewed her ethnicity as part of the issue. She also faced difficulties because of briefly being on the US Homeland Security Risk List in 2006 for her political lyrics.
The sampling of The Clash’s “Straight To Hell” adds potency to the message. Even though there may be genre differences, M.I.A. did reflect the same punk spirit with her uncompromising political music. The effects of gunshots and cash registers adds potency to the message. The lyrics addresses how many wrongfully view immigrants as criminals. It also addresses the greed of the gun manufactures who get rich off the blood of others.
Nation of Heat – Joe Pug (2008)
“Blocking borders with smiles our immigrant sons
We measure loneliness in miles and misery in tons
There’s a straw hatted man going away from the shore
He said it’s a shame they don’t let you have slaves here anymore”
Even though Joe Pug wrote those lyrics in 2008, they currently reflect attitudes that have been more out in the open since Trump has been elected. The lyrics also make it clear that the problems that the US face are nothing new, and many of the systemic issues stemmed from failure to learn from history: “The spirits pay rent to the basements they haunt.”
Somalia – K’naan (2009)
K’naan is a Somali Canadian rapper, who at 13-years old fled Somalia during the outbreak of the civil war. Tapping into his personal experiences he creates a feeling of realism with his inspiring story of survival. He also addresses immigration, which is also timely considering that Somalia is one of the countries included in the current US travel ban.
Wrote A Song For Everyone – Mavis Staples (2010)
“Wrote A Song For Everyone,” was written by John Fogerty and it originally appeared on Creedence Clearwater Revival’s 1969 classic album Green River. The lyrics deal with the power of music to be able to speak out against social justices. It also makes references to protesters getting arrested during the civil rights era.
As someone who has made socially conscious music for a number of decades (both solo and has a member of the legendary The Staple Singers), it should be no surprised that Mavis Staples chose to cover this poignant tune. The song’s message is well suited to her powerhouse vocals.
The Words That Maketh Murder – PJ Harvey (2011)
Harvey’s 2011 album Let England Shake is an essential masterwork of insightful social commentary on her native England. One of the albums highlights, “The Words That Maketh Murder” is an indictment of the war in Afghanistan and it mourns diplomacy’s failure to bring an end to conflicts.
Reagan – Killer Mike (2012)
This political rap tune is a potent attack on Ronald Reagan’s US presidency. It highlights the damaging effects of Reaganomics and how polices such as the war on drugs contributed to the police violence that primarily targeted black communities.
Killer Mike also makes it clear that he views Reagan as a pawn in a bigger scheme. He cites the US presidents that followed, both Bushes, Clinton and Obama as being pawns of the same game (“Why did Reagan and Obama both go after Qaddafi / We invaded sovereign soil, going after oil / Taking countries is a hobby paid for by the oil lobby/ Same as in Iraq, and Afghanistan’).
We The Common (For Valerie Bolden) – Thao & The Get Down Stay Down (2013)
Valerie Bolden is a prison inmate who was sentenced to life without parole for the self-defense killing of her domestic abuser. Front woman Thao Nguyen met Bolden while she was visiting prisons as part of her outreach work with the California Coalition for Women Prisoners. The song seeks to explore the humanity of the incarcerated. It also examines the attitudes that contribute to mass incarceration and the overly punitive sentencing laws.
Transgender Dysphoria Blues – Against Me! (2014)
Against Me! 2014 album, Transgender Dysphoria Blues tackles the issue of gender dysphoria, which is appropriate considering the coming out of transgendered front woman, Laura Jane Grace. The title track addresses a transgendered woman’s yearning to be viewed as just another woman, but instead people “just see a faggot.” Both the song and album is an important voice in an important dialogue.
Alright – Kendrik Lamar (2015)
Kendrick Lamar’s 2015 album To Pimp a Butterfly isn’t just a socially conscious masterpiece, but it is one of the most essential albums in the history of music. For this list I was seriously considering both “Alright” and “The Blacker the Berry,” but ended up selecting “Alright” because of tunes irrefutable link to the Black Lives Matter movement. The chorus of “We gon’ be alright” is often sung during BLM rallies.
In many ways “Alright” could be considered the logical evolution of the socially conscious soul tunes of the 1960s. The hope for change is balanced with a cautious realism.
We The People – A Tribe Called Quest (2016)
On November 11, 2016, three days after Trump was elected, A Tribe Called Quest released the timely album, We Got It from Here… Thank You 4 Your Service.
“We The People,” off of the album, exposes the bigotry and homophobia promoted by Trump. One of the notable lyrics is “Gentrify here, now it’s not a shit hole.” That line took on greater resonance when Trump decried several prominently black countries as shit holes. In a sense, Trump’s administration is endeavoring to culturally gentrify by the regressive whitewashing of the United States.
Pa’lante – Hurray For The Riff Raff (2017)
“Pa’lante” is from Hurray For The Riff Raff’s exceptional album, The Navigator. Both the album and song were the best protest album and protest song of 2017. Front woman Alynda Segarra is heavily influenced by her Puerto Rican heritage and many of the songs, such as “Pa’lante” deals with issues being faced by the US territory.
Pa’lante is short for para adelante, which translates as forward. This galvanizing anthem poignantly dissects the subject of cultural assimilation and appropriation of Puerto Rico. It also effectively samples Pedro Pietri’s poem, “Puerto Rican Obituary.”
“Pa’lante” was recorded before Hurricane Irma and Maria devastated Puerto Rico. The tune is even more relevant. More than ever the island needs optimistic anthems of resilience. Pa’lante!
This Is America – Childish Gambino (2018)
When Childish Gambino released the provocative single and video for “This Is America” it was a watershed moment in the history of political art. It is difficult to separate the song from the potent imagery of the video, but even without the accompanied visuals, the tune stands alone as a powerful thesis on the Black American experience. The lyrics explore issues such as gun violence and police brutality. It also skillfully juxtaposes joyful choruses with dark lyrics. This juxtaposing makes a powerful statement about the perception of being black compared to the reality.