Protest Music Hall of Fame – Page 2 – The Ongoing History of Protest Music

Protest Music Hall of Fame: Four Women – Nina Simone

Photo Credit: Nijs, Jac. de / Anefo - Dutch National Archives "My skin is blackMy arms are longMy hair is woollyMy back is strongStrong enough to take the paininflicted again and again"…

CJ Baker March 31, 2025

Protest Music Hall of Fame

Protest Music Hall of Fame: Mississippi Goddam — Nina Simone

Photo of civil rights activist Medgar Evers (via teachingforchange, Flickr). His June 12, 1963, assassination inspired Nina Simone to write "Mississippi Goddam”. "Picket linesSchool boycottsThey try to say it's a…

CJ Baker March 31, 2025

Protest Music Hall of Fame

Protest Music Hall of Fame: Oh Bondage Up Yours! – X-Ray Spex

X-Ray Spex at Rock-Against-Racism march/concert in London, April 1978. Via Andy Wilson, Flickr "Some people think little girls should be seen and not heardBut I think"Oh bondage, up yours"One, two, three,…

CJ Baker March 27, 2025

Protest Music Hall of Fame

Protest Music Hall of Fame: A Change Is Gonna Come – Sam Cooke

Photo Credit: RCA Victor Records "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…

CJ Baker March 26, 2025

Protest Music Hall of Fame

Protest Music Hall of Fame: Respect – Aretha Franklin

1967 Atlantic Records Promo Photo When determining whether or not a song meets the definition of a protest tune, an important factor is intent. Often, it is the intent of…

CJ Baker March 25, 2025

Protest Music Hall of Fame

Protest Music Hall of Fame: Working Class Hero – John Lennon

Source: St Boniface's Catholic College, Plymouth, via Flickr John Lennon was no stranger to socially conscious music, contributing many notable tunes to the canon of protest songs. One of his…

CJ Baker March 24, 2025

Protest Music Hall of Fame

Protest Music Hall of Fame: Killing In The Name – Rage Against The Machine

Band performing "Killing In The Name of" at Woodstock 99, while the American flag burns. "Some of those that work forces are the same that burn crosses” Often the most…

CJ Baker March 22, 2025

Protest Music Hall of Fame

Protest Music Hall of Fame: Redemption Song – Bob Marley and the Wailers

Photo Credit: Eddie Mallin "Emancipate yourselves from mental slaveryNone but ourselves can free our mindsHave no fear for atomic energy'Cause none of them can stop the timeHow long shall they…

CJ Baker March 21, 2025

Protest Music Hall of Fame

Protest Music Hall of Fame: What’s Going On (Song) – Marvin Gaye

Publicity photo, photographer Jim Britt, Public Domain One of the most important protest tunes of all time, the genesis of "What Going On" happened when Four Tops vocalist Renaldo “Obie”…

CJ Baker March 19, 2025

Protest Music Hall of Fame

Protest Music of Hall of Fame: Rebel Girl – Bikini Kill

From the artist's Bandcamp "When she walks, the revolution's comin'In her hips, there's revolutionWhen she talks, I hear the revolutionIn her kiss, I taste the revolution" These are lyrics to…

CJ Baker March 17, 2025