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abqtommy

(14,118 posts)
Tue Apr 13, 2021, 06:04 PM Apr 2021

From The Guardian: Rockin' in the free world? Inside the rightwing takeover of protest music

'It’s easy to laugh at hardcore patriots misunderstanding Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA, but such appropriation is increasingly widespread – and dangerously twisting the truth.'

'Did you know that Born in the USA is actually an anti-Vietnam war anthem? Since Donald Trump embraced the 1984 Bruce Springsteen song during rallies, the lyrics have prompted so much explanation it now borders on cliche. Yet it’s no less unsettling for it, becoming a prime example of a startlingly widespread trend for the right wing to co-opt music about struggle and progress.

President Ronald Reagan made the first attempt to gloss over the context of the song’s ironically upbeat chorus after the release of the Born in the USA album. Reagan name-checked Springsteen during a New Jersey rally in an attempt to connect the musician to a “message of hope” for America. Springsteen’s opposition to its use didn’t affect the fervour for the song from Trump and his supporters. As Barack Obama noted in an episode of his podcast series with Springsteen this month: “It ended up being appropriated as this iconic, patriotic song. Even though that was not necessarily your intention.

Neither has the Clash’s status as leftist punk icons been a sticking point for Boris Johnson, who named the band one of his favourites in 2019; nor has Rage Against the Machine’s socialism and anti-police stance been a problem for anti-mask truthers and Trump diehards, who last year blasted the band’s Killing in the Name at a Trump rally.'

much more text and photos at link:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/apr/13/right-wing-take-over-protest-music-bruce-springsteen-born-in-the-usa-american-politics

Damn reTHUG fascist insurrectionists are the reason why we can't have nice things!

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From The Guardian: Rockin' in the free world? Inside the rightwing takeover of protest music (Original Post) abqtommy Apr 2021 OP
Lyrics matter, dopes JenniferJuniper Apr 2021 #1
. Carlitos Brigante Apr 2021 #5
They can try to take over those songs, but they just look stupid doing it. Caliman73 Apr 2021 #2
I remember Bushco trying to steal Imagine malaise Apr 2021 #3
K&R abqtommy Apr 2021 #4

Caliman73

(11,693 posts)
2. They can try to take over those songs, but they just look stupid doing it.
Tue Apr 13, 2021, 06:45 PM
Apr 2021

That shouldn't stop people who actually know the intention of those songs from using them appropriately. We lose when we cede that ground to right wingers.

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