“Don’t waste time mourning, organize!” Joe Hill was born Joel Hägglund in Sweden, before immigrating to America in 1902. He changed his name to Joseph Hillstrom, which was shortened to Joe Hill. He joined the Industrial Workers of the World, commonly referred to as the Wobblies. The Wobblies strived to organize the workers ignored by mainstream unions, such as the […]
Learn more →“This machine kills fascists” It would be impossible to overestimate the impact that Woody Guthrie continues to have on American folk music. His contributions to the canon of protest songs are undeniable. His music rallies against fascism, racism and other injustices. Even though Guthrie initial attempts at a music career began in the early 1930s, he started to gain a […]
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“Some of those that work forces are the same that burn crosses” Often the most effective protest songs are the most direct. That is the case with “Killing in the Name” off Rage Against The Machine‘s 1992 self-titled album. In the face of injustice sometimes the most appropriate response is a defiant “fuck you.” This anthem of disenfranchisement attacks systemic […]
Learn more →Music videos are a powerful medium in conveying powerful messages. Here is a sampling of 15 videos which are effective visual aids in complementing the lyrics of socially conscious tunes. 77 – Alice Bag This music video parodies the 1980 film 9 to 5, which is well suited to the song’s message of pay equality. Riot grrrl pioneers Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill, […]
Learn more →Instead of posting a formal best of 2018 list, I created a playlist of 150 songs. 129 of them were featured as a Daily Dose of Protest. The other 21 tunes are socially conscious tunes that are worth listening to. This isn’t an exhaustive listing, but it is a small sampling of the abundance of protest music that was released throughout […]
Learn more →2018 was a good year for protest music. The downside is that you can’t have a good year for protest music without political upheaval. But at least music played an important role in promoting social awareness and providing a soundtrack for resistance. Many of the albums on this list were previously featured on the 30 Best Albums of 2018 (So Far). The […]
Learn more →“You will not be able to stay home, brotherYou will not be able to plug in, turn on and drop outYou will not be able to lose yourself on skag and skipSkip out for beer during commercialsBecause the revolution will not be televised” This proto-rap classic was influential in the development of socially conscious hip-hop. Jazz poet Scott-Heron originally recorded […]
Learn more →“I go to the movie and I go downtownSomebody keep tellin’ me don’t hang aroundIt’s been a long, a long time comingBut I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will” Sam Cooke is responsible for composing and performing one of the most essential tunes of the civil rights era, “A Change Is Gonna Come”, from his 1964 album Ain’t […]
Learn more →“We shall live in peaceWe shall live in peaceWe shall live in peace, some day Oh, […]
Learn more →The history of protest music is filled with tunes that are often misinterpreted. One example is Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land”. Originally composed as “God Blessed America for Me”, instead of being a patriotic tune, it was meant as a caustic critique of Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America”. The tune’s most potent lyrics often get excluded: “There was a […]
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