Back in the 1950s and 60s, New York’s Greenwich Village played a role in establishing the counterculture with its vibrant scene of anti-establishment beat poetry and folk music. That renegade spirit is still very much alive among a new generation of New York base protest singers and poets. This is the premise of a new documentary by acclaimed documentarian Karen […]
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 […]
Learn more →“We shall live in peaceWe shall live in peaceWe shall live in peace, some day Oh, […]
Learn more →80 Years of Protest Songs Part 1: 1939-1958 80 Years of Protest Songs Part 3: 1979-1998 80 Years of Protest Songs Part 4: 1999-2018 The 1960s ushered in what is often considered the golden age of protest tunes. Civil rights and the Vietnam War were hot button topics. Many of these issues spilled over into the 70s. Along with folk […]
Learn more →80 Years of Protest Songs Part 2: 1959-1978 80 Years of Protest Songs Part 3: 1979-1998 80 Years of Protest Songs Part 4: 1999-2018 Music is the ultimate time capsule. You can learn a lot about a time period based on the music that it produced. Art is often a reflection of political realities. In connection with this I decided […]
Learn more →Music has long been a powerful medium to protest the social injustices faced by humankind. For example, many of the anthems of the civil rights movement of the 50s and 60s found their roots in the “negro spirituals” of the 1800s and early 1900s. Right now we will consider a list of 10 civil right protest songs recorded during the […]
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