Protest Songs WHERE ARE THEY?

[sleepingbag]

Definitely heard more in the W days.




A little more current (not on youtube so I can't embed it but WATCH THIS PLEASE):
MIA Bornfree OFFICIAL on Vimeo

[Reptil]

Originally Posted by Howie J

....Just throwing random thoughts,

Throw, the issue (topic) remains "the absence of protest songs".

Originally Posted by Howie J

but maybe because protests before were more "directed"? People knew what they were protesting. Vietnam, civil rights, etc. They had ONE specific goal as a group.

Disagree 100%. There are several very specific changes in our societies and environment, as well as recent developments, here and elsewhere in the world.

Originally Posted by Howie J

It's not really a good protest when you ask a gathering of 100 people what they are protesting against and they all give you a different answer.

People on different geographical locations around the world, and within different levels in society are inside "information bubbles". This is not just in western countries. Only the elite part of any society has access to the internet, like we "free" people have. (See for a blatant example N-Korea) Things have changed, also in the "western world" as well.
Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore.

Many don't realise this, and are looking at the inside of their bubble, in which a reflection can be seen and heard, that is predetermined, and controlled. What I mean is that there's only the idea of a free flow of information. This remains untested for most. For obvious reasons. Some may be accurate. Some not. We're in one too. How big is it?
This is (only) one example of a bubble: this one by design.

Originally Posted by Howie J

Half the protests (in the US at least) seem like a group of kindergarteners making up a new game...

Howie J

Pwoah... that's just one POV regarding the #OWS protests. I'll tell you my POV FWIW. I'm not buying that is the whole story of this changing development. Also there are factors that are influencing this whole process, like law enforcement, and government and media coverage. This is a spontaneus movement of ordinairy people, of all strada of society, but partially influenced. It's not the only popular movement like this in the last 4 years since the 2008 crisis, there have been and are several across the world.
Indeed there are a LOT of confused people out there. What the protesters all have in common is that they have a will to go out in the street and protest, because they disagree with something. This is not a new phenomenon, still it's treated as such. It's not homogenous, while it's regarded as such.

There are several things radically changing all at once. Some obviously directed, some not.
That creates a very complex picture.
No wonder there's confusion, everywhere.
You'd have to have formal training, time and resources to deal with such a complex world of information.
Some of us intarwebbing professionals have.

Anyway... I'm on the side of the Human Beings of planet Earth.
Music is still a human trait, it's imprinted in our DNA (while that still is in one piece ).

What I WOULD like to know is why there are no more protest songs in our society? Or please post some?
Oh and please post a link to that Pensado's place video? I'm sorry to say I didn't see them all. But some are really great and packed with useful information.
thanks!

[Uncle Bob]

[Kaoz]

Originally Posted by Howie J

....Just throwing random thoughts, but maybe because protests before were more "directed"?

I'll take this and twist it a little - maybe there are easier ways to protest now than writing a song?

With the (current) open slate nature of the Internet and free media, maybe more people are choosing to go these routes rather than using music as a vehicle to bring social change?

There are so many options for people to get their thoughts out there these days, compared to way back when, maybe music isn't the necessary tool that it used to be?

Or maybe western society as a generic whole is just too apathetic to care.

[Happy Musicfan]

Originally Posted by Kaoz

I'll take this and twist it a little - maybe there are easier ways to protest now than writing a song?

With the (current) open slate nature of the Internet and free media, maybe more people are choosing to go these routes rather than using music as a vehicle to bring social change?

There are so many options for people to get their thoughts out there these days, compared to way back when, maybe music isn't the necessary tool that it used to be?

Or maybe western society as a generic whole is just too apathetic to care.

Or maybe the major label CEO has made it known to his minions that he doesn't want any polarizing or provocative acts with serious social messages to put out any songs under his watch.

[Kaoz]

Originally Posted by Happy Musicfan

Or maybe the major label CEO has made it known to his minions that he doesn't want any polarizing or provocative acts with serious social messages to put out any songs under his watch.

"The only social change I'll allow to be made through music is lowering the age if sexual awakening in women and more revealing clothes on schoolgirls!"

Yep, that's a definite possibility.

[tonemaker]

Reptil, thanks so much for this video you posted.

Eli Pariser: Beware online "filter bubbles" - YouTube

That video highlights part of what I've been noticing over the recent years but didn't have confirmation of until you posted it.

I noticed years ago that UK's Google results were more complete than USA's Google results. This was before the location-analysis algorithms were really running. So the difference was the actual URLs: google.co.uk instead of google.com It all started going downhill with all the location analysis and so-called personalization of results and stuff. But for about a year or two I changed all my google USA links to google UK links because it gave more results about the exact same entries. And for some topics that are hard to research, this was helpful.

But I was alarmed just a few months ago when I tried to look up some common stuff in the middle of the night on Google and got almost zero results. I knew this made almost no sense. So I was confused.

And now I am remembering how years back, it used to be much easier to find international information online through search engines. You could find information that wasn't all in English. Sometimes the results were not in English and yet they were much higher quality results nevertheless. all you had to do then was translate the page. But now, in USA, where I live, when I look up a topic, I almost never get any resulting sites outside of the USA!!! This is totaly nonsense???!!?! What kind of world wide web only gives you results for continental USA?

I think there is de facto censorship going on. And your video helps explain some of it. I think some of it happens with search engines, and some with ISP servers. But it sucks big donkey d**k.

I hope people will wake up to this problem before it is too late! Keep spreading the word!

[Happy Musicfan]

With the 21st century consolidation of corporate power, denying it's accompanying gatekeeperism is entirely repressive (just like the gatekeeperism itself).

[KT1]

Ok ill make a protest song. We have plenty to protest about. Yall just need to make it mainstream. All proceeds to this thread.

Sent from my HTC Desire S using Gearslutz.com

[verve92]

Great question, Reptil.
I often wonder the same thing. Not sure where you live, but here in the US there is no excuse for not having protest songs when:
1) We have politicians focusing on issues like abortion when it was dealt with decades ago.
2) Allow a news organization like FOX news to spread outright lies and propaganda when there are 10 websites dedicated to showing it's lies.
3) A racist political subculture who calls the President Obama a Muslim, accuses him of not being a US Citizen (where was this argument during his campaign?) when nobody has proof.
4) Corporations who give NO worker's rights despite making record profits. Pensions stolen by Wall Street. I have not had a raise in pay 5 years.
5) The only democracy in the world who doesn't give free healthcare.
6) Banks and lobbyists run the Government: the textbook definition of an Oligarchy or Plutocracy.
7) Not allowing Gays to marry. Regardless of what one thinks of Gays, it is saying a certain group of people can't do what the rest of us can. Pure discrimination and civil rights violation.
8) False Separation of Church and State.
9) Attacking countries who did not attack us. Example: Iraq, a horrible place yes, but US leaders seen shaking hands and having dinner with Sadam. Most 9/11 terrorists from Saudi Arabia. Because we can't get off oil we will never be safe.
10) Government (Bush Administration CIA) Ignoring warnings an Al Queda attack was imminent weeks before 9/11
11) Inability (Clinton [at least tried] Bush Administration) to get Bin Laden, Bush on TV saying he's not concerned with Bin Laden, while Obama sends a few guys in to shoot him in the face and throw him in the ocean. Couldn't we have done this without 2 wars?
12) Allowing practically any idiot to buy a machine gun. I can see having a rifle for hunting....just not people. Example: Canada has as many guns per 1000 citizens but only small amount of gun deaths. US many times more.
13) Banks cam't find people original mortgages, but want to throw people out of their houses.
14) Credit default loans that help ruin the Greek economy.
15) Setting a horrible example for Europe. US has a big stake in their problems.
16) Greedy assholes unwilling to pay an extra 3% in taxes while I pay 30%.
17) Dead last in Education. 1000's of teacher lay-offs in last 5 years and the elimination of arts programs.
18) College unaffordable. Average student debt $30k a great way to start life.
19) Food is poison
20) The Drug War is ineffective. Pharmecudicals kill more people than "illegal" drugs many times over.

I am sure I left a lot out. Lots to protest about. Sounds like censorship to me.

[HiFi Yeah]

Originally Posted by verve92

Not sure where you live, but here in the US there is no excuse for not having protest songs when...

[great list was here]

Lots to protest about.

There is indeed! Yet the last screams were heard 20yrs ago with Cobain calling "bullshit!" and RATM shouting "wake up!!".

When people feel free on the inside, yet meet with obstacles on the outside, they stand up and fight. When people are already beat on the inside, they don't see what the point would be.

Sorry if that's dark...but it explains the silence.

[verve92]

Originally Posted by HiFi Yeah

There is indeed! Yet the last screams were heard 20yrs ago with Cobain calling "bullshit!" and RATM shouting "wake up!!".

When people feel free on the inside, yet meet with obstacles on the outside, they stand up and fight. When people are already beat on the inside, they don't see what the point would be.

Sorry if that's dark...but it explains the silence.

Great point. We live in dark times. Half the problem is ignoring it and thinking it will get better on it's own. Like feeling a lump on your body and not going tot the doctor.
The last great protest band to me was Rage Against the Machine.
Recently Tom Morello (guitarist) has been at OWS protests that will resurface as the election draws near. I live in New Jersey and would go there frequently and the media paints a whole different picture. The people I talk to are educated kids in their 20's who have no job and a bunch of debt as well as all other types of people.

[verve92]

Playing wild, the dying children
From the gutter they spawn
A life created of indignation
Pride and seeker pause
Pig city, oil creation
Over sex-dosed the junk machine crawls
Missing is the laughter, from the death bus
While the eternal human war rages on

Can you believe how little you care?
The friendly face of the empire leader
Conquest of style, ego hate
Walk amongst the dogs
While the violence kills the declined state

Have you eaten today?
Iam glad
Your digestion is the sorrow of the hungry
So tired of rejection and stupidity

Cut away to Grey man
Isolation room, a crowd gathers
Fade to riot, As the furor screams deliverance
The claws of the predatory corporation dig deep
Into the niave religion culture
Acceptance, blind virtue
Their reason taunts the absurd
The beggar, he feeds the anger
As you burn sorrow's last word
Pain create the answer holy
Learn the lesson passion learned
Hate the teachers, oh so saintly
I kiss the pyre as it burned

Our need flows on, but we feel nothing
While emotion kills with no remorseful deathblow from Jesus
Only you can turn the key
To unlock the tortured riches inside your soul
And find the reason we live

Like some sort of God rejection
Place the blame on heads that turn
You watch the dagger rip through masses
As wheat and grain and corn
Dry into a hatred reality,
Screaming into a vengeful pit
Pitiful scream!!

The heart goes forward hating
Wanting life that cannot be attained
Justice seeker, pray for vengeance
The purist life is marred and stained

I want the World to feel
I want the world to heal
But it cannot
Without a will
To love

[sandersd]

Originally Posted by verve92

Great question, Reptil.
I often wonder the same thing. Not sure where you live, but here in the US there is no excuse for not having protest songs when:
1) We have politicians focusing on issues like abortion when it was dealt with decades ago.
2) Allow a news organization like FOX news to spread outright lies and propaganda when there are 10 websites dedicated to showing it's lies.
3) A racist political subculture who calls the President Obama a Muslim, accuses him of not being a US Citizen (where was this argument during his campaign?) when nobody has proof.
4) Corporations who give NO worker's rights despite making record profits. Pensions stolen by Wall Street. I have not had a raise in pay 5 years.
5) The only democracy in the world who doesn't give free healthcare.
6) Banks and lobbyists run the Government: the textbook definition of an Oligarchy or Plutocracy.
7) Not allowing Gays to marry. Regardless of what one thinks of Gays, it is saying a certain group of people can't do what the rest of us can. Pure discrimination and civil rights violation.
8) False Separation of Church and State.
9) Attacking countries who did not attack us. Example: Iraq, a horrible place yes, but US leaders seen shaking hands and having dinner with Sadam. Most 9/11 terrorists from Saudi Arabia. Because we can't get off oil we will never be safe.
10) Government (Bush Administration CIA) Ignoring warnings an Al Queda attack was imminent weeks before 9/11
11) Inability (Clinton [at least tried] Bush Administration) to get Bin Laden, Bush on TV saying he's not concerned with Bin Laden, while Obama sends a few guys in to shoot him in the face and throw him in the ocean. Couldn't we have done this without 2 wars?
12) Allowing practically any idiot to buy a machine gun. I can see having a rifle for hunting....just not people. Example: Canada has as many guns per 1000 citizens but only small amount of gun deaths. US many times more.
13) Banks cam't find people original mortgages, but want to throw people out of their houses.
14) Credit default loans that help ruin the Greek economy.
15) Setting a horrible example for Europe. US has a big stake in their problems.
16) Greedy assholes unwilling to pay an extra 3% in taxes while I pay 30%.
17) Dead last in Education. 1000's of teacher lay-offs in last 5 years and the elimination of arts programs.
18) College unaffordable. Average student debt $30k a great way to start life.
19) Food is poison
20) The Drug War is ineffective. Pharmecudicals kill more people than "illegal" drugs many times over.

I am sure I left a lot out. Lots to protest about. Sounds like censorship to me.

Anyone can sing about whatever they want. It sounds like some are upset that others do not care as much about some "issues" (real or imagined) as others would like them to.

There is a reason most people will not spend their money on music protesting any of the above and it has nothing to do with a coporate conspiracy, racism, healthcare, drugs, aliens (earthly or otherwise), etc. All individuals decide what is important to themselves and one's opinion is not more valid than another's, even though that rubs some the wrong way.

Besides, music will never change the world, nor will a song ever feed the hungry, heal the sick, raise the dead, balance one's checkbook, or anything else noble or righteous. Only individuals can do that.

Like a book or a movie, music is just entertainment, no matter how it make one feel inside. If one perceives no value they will probably not spend their money or time on the product. Likewise if one disagrees with what is being said or portrayed it it doubtful they will spend their time or money (really time and money are two different forms of the same thing).

That's life. Economics 101. The way it is. For some it's a bummer while others are relieved they don't have to listen to it. It's life's natural filter. People resist being forced to listen, to watch, to read something they don't want to, for whatever reason that are their own.

There will always be a faction that celebrates the protest song. Good luck with that.

[initialsBB]

Protest Songs WHERE ARE THEY?

Young girls picked them every one

[Zooey]

nsfw-language

[unitymusic]

There's an occupy album coming out, ironically called 'occupy this album'. A friend of mine is on it, check him out, he's got good lyrics about the world we live in:

Matt Pless - Home

[Happy Musicfan]

Yeah, and I'd be happily shocked if the mainstram media let the example in the above post anywhere near the minds and ears of the masses.

From 1965-1985, the songs WERE allowed and even PROMOTED by the corporate suits of the time.

Were they *all* stoned, tripping or drunk or something ?

[unitymusic]

I think maybe you give the "mainstream media" a little too much credit; they will sell what the average person wants to buy. That's not to say they wont try to sell you what they want you to buy, but I doubt even they are naive enough to think that they can censor global consciousness. Besides, we are on the new mainstream media, it's called the internet.

[Kwochis]

Some good ones have already been listed in this thread: Rage Against the Machine, System of a Down, etc. Here are a few more. Not all are that "popular", but very political nonetheless:

Skinny Puppy
Front Line Assembly
KMFDM
Ministry

These guys have had great political and protest stuff for years. For newer stuff, I'd check out Opir. Very harsh political stuff.

[famousbass]

"No pain, no gain."
That used to be a motivational slogan, now it's the inverted goal of Western Society.
If you want protest songs, learn another language.
Its the English speaking world that doesn't listen to protest music anymore.
Because they're not really in a shared political pain anymore. And because the classic enemies are either broke or elusive. The West is currently busy embracing a spiritual vacuum more than testing it's governments these days.
How do you write protest songs that'll sell? You'd have to be a genius. No one person can lay claim to know what's wrong with the West but everyone is unsettled in it.
IMO Gospel has generally always been uncompromising and of sufficient quality to be played on the radio but it generally can't be relied on to sell toothpaste so we don't get it playlisted that much.
Was Devo's "Freedom of Choice" the last top selling protest song or was it World Party's "Ship of Fools"?

[Mylesh]

Mega has been doing a lot of protesting recently. Check out United Abominations.

[faramita]

[famousbass]

I rest my case...