ontd_political: New Statesman's Top 20 Political Songs

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ontd_political,
@ 2010-03-28 22:58:00

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New Statesman's Top 20 Political Songs
(Yes, this is an article about music. But seeing as we're all politics fans here, and a lot of us are also huge music fans, I figure this could lead to some really fascinating conversation and debate.)

Source: http://www.newstatesman.com/music/2010/03/top-20-political-songs

The 20 songs below were voted for by New Statesman readers and members of the Politcal Studies Association.

The list, published in this week's magazine, features spoken word, punk nihilism and folk protest. To listen to the songs, together with a commentary by Jonathan Derbyshire and Professor John Street, go to newstatesman.com/podcasts.

Meanwhile, we take you through the top 20 political songs, looking at the ideas that gave rise to them and the reasons for their success. Please feel free to comment on our inclusions, and to point to anything or any songs that we might have missed.

1. Woody Guthrie - This Land Is Your Land
2. The Special AKA - Free Nelson Mandela
3. Bob Dylan - The Times They are a-Changin'
4. Billie Holiday - Strange Fruit
5. Claude de Lisle - La Marseillaise
6. U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday
7. Eugene Pottier - The Internationale
8. Robert Wyatt/Elvis Costello - Shipbuilding
9. Sex Pistols - God Save the Queen
10. William Blake - Jerusalem
11. The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again
12. Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the Name
13. Tracy Chapman - Talkin' 'bout a Revolution
14. Nina Simone - Mississippi Goddam
15. Marvin Gaye - What's Going On?
16. Gil Scott-Heron - The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
17. Bob Marley - Redemption Song
18. John Lennon - Imagine
19. Pete Seeger - Where Have All the Flowers Gone?
20. Tom Robinson - Glad to Be Gay

My personal top five political songs:

1. "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag" by Country Joe and the Fish
2. "Rockin' in the Free World" by Neil Young (But pretty much the majority of Neil Young's catalog, honestly).
3. "Eve of Destruction" by Barry McGuire
4. "White Riot" by The Clash
5. "American Jesus" by Bad Religion

What does your personal list look like, ontd_p?

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(301 comments) - (Post a new comment)

	klutzy_girl 2010-03-29 03:04 am UTC (link)
	This is pretty interesting. I love "Rockin' in The Free World". (Also love most of Neil Young's songs.) - Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival. I can't think of anything else right now, though. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	crazyace86 2010-03-29 06:09 am UTC (link)
	Agreed with both. It never failed to amuse (and confuse) me when they used "Fortunate Son" to sell jeans, and make it look all patriotic. Way to miss the point by a couple of miles. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	kerrence 2010-03-29 03:06 am UTC (link)
	the fact that people think "This Land is Your Land" is some sort of patriotic mantra never ceases to make me laugh my ass off right now, aside from "American Jesus," Pennywise's "Society" is getting some heavy play on my list. (Reply to this) (Thread)(Expand)

	squid_ink 2010-03-29 03:09 am UTC (link)
	the fact that people think "This Land is Your Land" is some sort of patriotic mantra OMG the nuns in our grammar school taught us the 'missing verse' and we sang it in assembly (it was 2nd? 3rd grade?) you should have seen the jaws dropping in the audience too funny (Reply to this) (Parent)

	missmary 2010-03-29 03:07 am UTC (link)
	This list is useless without Phil Ochs. (And Manic Street Preachers, but that's just the 13 year old Manics obsessed me coming out.) (Reply to this) (Thread)(Expand)

	_meathook 2010-03-29 03:23 am UTC (link)
	Phil Ochs has wayyy too many great political songs to list, but Draft Dodger Rag has always been my favorite. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

	squid_ink 2010-03-29 03:08 am UTC (link)
	You Haven't Done Nothin, Stevie Wonder it came out during the time of the Watergate Scandal brilliant stuff, he's a great songwriter (Reply to this) (Thread)(Expand)

	lavenderfrost 2010-03-29 03:14 am UTC (link)
	Ooh! Ooh! Don't forget Living For The City! :D (Reply to this) (Parent)

	girlthatyoufear 2010-03-29 03:08 am UTC (link)
	I like that "Strange Fruit" is on this list. The song sounds so beautiful yet haunting. Currently, my personal list consists of "American Terrorist" by Lupe Fiasco, "Brothaz" by Mr. Lif, "20 Dollar" by M.I.A., and "Pal Norte" by Calle 13. Basically, a lot of hip hop or hip hop inspired music. (Reply to this) (Thread)(Expand)

	girlthatyoufear 2010-03-29 03:12 am UTC (link)
	Oh, and "Strange Ways" by Madvillain. feels bad for leaving it out (Reply to this) (Parent)

	analogpixels 2010-03-29 03:09 am UTC (link)
	Where is the hip-hop?! (Reply to this) (Thread)(Expand)

	girlthatyoufear 2010-03-29 03:10 am UTC (link)
	IKR? Not talking about political hip hop songs in a list of political songs is like not including peanut butter and jelly in a list of sandwiches. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

	sitakhet 2010-03-29 03:09 am UTC (link)
	Lonely Soldier - Damien Rice (Reply to this)

	squid_ink 2010-03-29 03:10 am UTC (link)
	WHATS GOIN' ON (Reply to this) (Thread)

Mar	APR	May
	01
2009	2010	2011

	squid_ink 2010-03-29 03:11 am UTC (link)
	oops its on there great song (Reply to this) (Parent)

	thelilyqueen 2010-03-29 03:11 am UTC (link)
	I see No Doubt's 'Just A Girl' as having something of a political message, even if it's framed in a more personal way than in the songs listed. (Reply to this) (Thread)(Expand)

	randomneses 2010-03-29 03:35 am UTC (link)
	Lolz yes, it was before her I WANT A BABY OH GOD MARRIAGE AHHH SOCIETAL EXPECTATIONS phase in Return of Saturn...which I still loved but yeah XP (Reply to this) (Parent)

	devil_ad_vocate 2010-03-29 03:12 am UTC (link)
	Number one... (Reply to this)

	popehippo 2010-03-29 03:13 am UTC (link)
	9. Sex Pistols - God Save the Queen As a roommate of someone with a vehement anti-monarchy belief, if this song dropped out of existence in this reality, I would not mourn it. @-@ Um, favorite political songs? Fuck You by Lily Allen? XD (Reply to this) (Thread)(Expand)

	myniamh 2010-03-29 06:05 am UTC (link)
	I was just about to add Fuck You. I love it's jaunty little tune. :) (Reply to this) (Parent)

	kevin devine love stylistixs 2010-03-29 03:13 am UTC (link)
	another bag of bones - kevin devine brothers/demo 3 - brand new no time flat - kevin devine this burning city smoking - kevin devine ballgame - kevin devine (Reply to this) (Thread)(Expand)

	Re: kevin devine love tinypianos 2010-03-29 03:27 am UTC (link)
	omg yes yes yes. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

	potatoboat 2010-03-29 03:17 am UTC (link)
	Erykah Badu's "Twinkle" is probably one of my favorite contemporary political songs. and Tori Amos' "Father's Son" (Reply to this) (Thread)

	birdscollide 2010-03-29 03:20 am UTC (link)
	OMG the end of Twinkle (the homage to "Network" always freaks me the fuck out when I'm alone. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

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	sterling_sky 2010-03-29 03:38 am UTC (link)
	I was JUST gonna list Kingdom of Heaven because I hadn't seen it yet. Although most of The Awakening, really, could qualify. :D (Reply to this) (Parent)

	squid_ink 2010-03-29 03:20 am UTC (link)
	Sandinista! washington bullets again /never gets old, sadly :( (Reply to this)

	agentsculder 2010-03-29 03:21 am UTC (link)
	Although they didn't write it, this is my favorite political song: (Reply to this) (Thread)

	agentsculder 2010-03-29 03:28 am UTC (link)
	I'm also really surprised that "Blowin' In the Wind" didn't make the list either. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	mors_amor 2010-03-29 03:25 am UTC (link)
	My #1 is there... Redemption Song (Reply to this)

	Having a total brain fart but I love these birdscollide 2010-03-29 03:25 am UTC (link)
	(Reply to this) (Thread)(Expand)

	Re: Having a total brain fart but I love these girlthatyoufear 2010-03-29 03:27 am UTC (link)
	Hooray for the M.I.A.! :D (Reply to this) (Parent)

	blindreaper469 2010-03-29 03:26 am UTC (link)
	No one's mentioned Mos Def yet? You guys make me sad. D: "Bin Laden" is a good song that he's done, and "Katrina Clap" is definitely more infamous because of his arrest following his performance of the song outside of the VMA's in... uh... 06 was it? (Reply to this) (Thread)

	"Bin Laden" mswyrr 2010-03-29 03:59 am UTC (link)
	WHOA. You're right; this song is amazing. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

	My Contributions bmh4d0k3n 2010-03-29 03:26 am UTC (link)
	Regina Spektor - Après Moi Rufus Wainwright - Going to a Town (Reply to this) (Thread)