“When pop music meets politics, the results are often thrilling, sometimes life-changing and never simple,” writes Dorian Lynskey, a music writer for the Guardian. His book, 33 Revolutions Per Minute: A History of Protest Songs, tracks “33 songs that span seven decades and four continents.”
Lynskey begins with Billy Holiday (Strange Fruit, 1939) and ends with Green Day (American Idiot, 2008). Although he features 33 songs, in the appendix he recommends an additional 100 protest songs. You can see the list of 33 (table of contents) and 100 (appendix) at 33 Revolutions per Minute on Amazon.
Here are some of my favorites from his lists (a clue to my age) and and a few that he ignored. What are your favorite protest songs (whether or not they are featured in the book)?
From The 33
This Land Is Your Land – Woodie Guthrie – 1944
Give Peace A Chance – Plastic Ono Band (John Lennon) – 1969
Ohio – Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young – 1970
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised – Gil Scott Heron – 1970
From the Appendix
Edited – changed some embeds to links to facilitate page download
Big Yellow Taxi – Joni Mitchell – 1970
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIytTS1FXUcWalk A Mile In My Shoes – Joe South – 1970
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoznjbKVnmwSam Stone – John Prine – 1971
youtube.com/watch?v=Sl9ZkYViEIs
Hercules – Aaron Neville – 1973
youtube.com/watch?v=DuPBYkfjWRc
Lives In the Balance – Jackson Browne – 1986
youtube.com/watch?v=jFowNFvmUxw
The End Of The Innocence – Don Henley – 1989
Not Listed
Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye (Clancy Brothers) Early 19th century Irish anti-war song
youtube.com/watch?v=EcJR9y4bLHA
Ain’t Gonna Study War No More (Lead Belly) Traditional gospel song first published in 1927
[youtube.com/watch?v=4EIzKAGwJ-0
When The Levee Breaks – Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie – 1929
youtube.com/watch?v=i6C_5wxkuAQ
One Tin Soldier – Original Caste – 1969
youtube.com/watch?v=cTBx-hHf4BE
One Tin Soldier – Jinx Dawson (Coven) – 1971/1973
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qswm7lHp7oYTravelin’ Soldier – Dixie Chicks – 2003
Deja Vu All Over Again – John Fogerty – 2004
Let’s Impeach the President – Neil Young – 2006
Living With War – Neil Young – 2006
Dear Mr President – Pink – 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eRApNHSRRk:: WiredPen Permalink : Follow Me On Twitter!
Known for gnawing at complex questions like a terrier with a bone. Digital evangelist, writer, teacher. Transplanted Southerner; teach newbies to ride motorcycles. @kegill (Twitter and Mastodon.social); wiredpen.com