Protest songs that still hold up years later

[tinyd]

5 hours ago, scalpy said:

Can of worms time, I thought it was Jerry Jemmott.

I'm pretty sure it's Ron - Wikipedia says so as well, but both Wikipedia and my memory are not flawless so I'm prepared to be corrected....

[Guest]

Fortunate Sun, Creedence Clearwater revival.

 

In fact, everything CCR did was blummen brilliant.

[dmccombe7]

After watching @Bassfinger post above it brought back memories of this one from Stones.

 

[Frank Blank]

 

[skankdelvar]

Mr Charles Drake's heartfelt protest against the cruel exclusion of those members of a community who are scorned by the socio-normative hegemony.

 

[Islander]

Elvis Costello's Shipbuilding.

[paul_5]

A couple from the first Jamiroquai album:

 

 

 

[Guest]

And who can forget the classic antipodean anti war anthem?

 

[NickD]

40 minutes ago, Islander said:

Elvis Costello's Shipbuilding.

Ditto Tramp the Dirt Down. The object may be dead, but the subject remains 

[NickD]

3 minutes ago, Bassfinger said:

And who can forget the classic antipodean anti war anthem?

 

You mean it's not about his plans for the weekend? 🤐

Honestly, I hate that I love that tune.

[ead]

Here's few that jumped into my head:

What's Going On?  (Surely one of the best)

Zombie (not sure if this is actually a protest song or just a strong lyric)

Sunday Bloody Sunday

Two Tribes

Glad To Be Gay

[blisters on my fingers]

'I know what they're doing but I don't want to look'

[Bilbo]

Lots of Jazz protest material which, because it has no lyrics, works on a different level. This one references the Killing of young children following the racist bombing of an Alabama Church by White Supremacists. 

 

 

[scalpy]

4 hours ago, tinyd said:

I'm pretty sure it's Ron - Wikipedia says so as well, but both Wikipedia and my memory are not flawless so I'm prepared to be corrected....

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bassplayer.com/.amp/lessons/blues-you-can-use-jerry-jemmott-the-groovemaster

[Mykesbass]

On 13/12/2019 at 10:08, chris_b said:

Anything Bob Dylan wrote.

 

 

This ^

My old band used to do this - heartbreaking how relevant it still is.

 

[ezbass]

Nothing Ever Happens - Del Amitri. Seems terribly appropriate these days.

 

[bearhart74]

+1 for whats going on.

[tinyd]

18 hours ago, scalpy said:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bassplayer.com/.amp/lessons/blues-you-can-use-jerry-jemmott-the-groovemaster

Interesting. I'd always had it as Ron Carter because he's officially credited on the album sleeve, but it looks like there's disagreement...

http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php?/topic/35065-albums-with-ron-carter-on-electric-bass/&page=2

[TheGreek]

Anybody mention "War Pigs"??

What about "War" by Edwin Starr??? There is also the lesser known sequel "Stop the War".

 

Edited December 14, 2019 by TheGreek

[Fozza]

This from the Spitting Image Election Special 1987. Only the faces need change.

 

[ead]

How could I have forgotten Neil Young's Rocking in the Free World

[Roger2611]

This one still works for me, what doesn't work for me is that the generation that wrote and lived this originally are now the ones in power...wrote great protest songs...yes......learnt anything from them....sadly no!

[Little Dragon]

Spoiler

 

Armageddon Days Are Here Again, by The The. A terrifying prediction of our present.

[Graham56]

Or this superb version:

 

And I still think this one has a lot to say:

 

[TheGreek]

Redskins - keep on...

 

Billy Bragg, here doing New England