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BootinUp

(46,928 posts)
Sun Dec 25, 2011, 06:23 PM Dec 2011

For politically aware songs, the '00s were all for naught|LAT

By Reed Johnson and Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times

December 25, 2011
The '60s gave us "Blowin' in the Wind," folk-poet Bob Dylan's challenge to the brutal status quo. The '70s served up Neil Young's "Ohio," an anthem of generational rage against the military-industrial machine. The '80s laid down "The Message," Grandmaster Flash's hip-hop jeremiad about the vicious cycle of race-based poverty. The '90s broke loose with Rage Against the Machine's "Bulls on Parade," a rap-rock rant targeting corporate greed and cultural imperialism.

And the '00s? It's produced some memorably sardonic screeds (Green Day's "American Idiot&quot , patriotic hell-yeah's out of Nashville like Toby Keith's "Courtesy of the Red, White & Blue (The Angry American)," and dirges of quiet desperation emanating from "The Suburbs," courtesy of Arcade Fire.

But much of the music that has topped the Billboard charts in the new millennium — Britney, Lil Wayne, Lady Gaga — might suggest that America has been one big party since 2001, despite the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, two major wars, a wobbly economy and a bitterly divided government. Likewise, the recent popular manifestations of that unrest, the tea party and Occupy Wall Street movements, so far seem to have been largely lost on popular music.

snip

Crosby says there are talented young musicians articulating today's political issues in an entertaining way, and ticks off the names of Tom Morello, Zack de la Rocha and Death Cab for Cutie. "You know the one who shocked me was Pink," he added, referring to the pop singer's 2006 reproach to George W. Bush, "Dear Mr. President." "This is a politically astute and absolutely fearless song," Crosby said. "I wish I had written it."

snip

full article
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/music/la-et-1225-music-politics-20111225,0,4472445.story

16 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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For politically aware songs, the '00s were all for naught|LAT (Original Post) BootinUp Dec 2011 OP
There is a LOT more now Bennyboy Dec 2011 #1
I thought Eminem did some anti-Bush material. Hardrada Dec 2011 #2
Yes. He did, in fact, his albums are generally political - just not how David Crosby would like... ellisonz Dec 2011 #8
Thanks for song clips! Hardrada Dec 2011 #10
Don't really care about the radio. ForgoTheConsequence Dec 2011 #3
Reed and Deborah weren't paying attention Warpy Dec 2011 #4
I like that you mentioned my favorite band...Arcade Fire. Webster Green Dec 2011 #5
For all those who feel like they're stuck. ForgoTheConsequence Dec 2011 #6
John Vanderslice "Exodus Damage," Dar Williams "Empire," and Son Volt "Endless War"... WorseBeforeBetter Dec 2011 #7
Rubbish. ellisonz Dec 2011 #9
Where Is The Love - Black Eye Peas wyldwolf Dec 2011 #11
cool. BootinUp Dec 2011 #12
"Those damn kids don't listen to good political music like I did!" boppers Dec 2011 #13
The criteria used by the authors was the Billboard hit list. nt BootinUp Dec 2011 #14
And this matters, how? boppers Dec 2011 #15
Seems you had missed that. BootinUp Dec 2011 #16
 

Bennyboy

(10,440 posts)
1. There is a LOT more now
Sun Dec 25, 2011, 06:32 PM
Dec 2011

SPEARHEAD, Reggae, the jambands all play socially conscious music.

Listen to Dr John's last album. So political it is not even funny. Ry Cooder with "John lee Hooker for President?


The radio is a dead format, for brain dead morons who are clueless anyway. It may not be top forty but people are still listening to music in greater numbers that have socially conscious words.

ellisonz

(27,709 posts)
8. Yes. He did, in fact, his albums are generally political - just not how David Crosby would like...
Mon Dec 26, 2011, 06:40 AM
Dec 2011

Eminem also does way more than that these days. Frankly, he's the voice of young White America - anger, disillusionment, motivation, indignation - you'd have difficulty finding a person under 30 who hasn't listened an to Eminem song. Lady Gaga is pretty much political these days too - she's a symbol for sexual freedom and we all know how much the right hates that message.


EminemVEVO on Jun 4, 2010
301,218,735 views.

I'm not afraid (I'm not afraid)
To take a stand (to take a stand)
Everybody (everybody)
Come take my hand (come take my hand)
We'll walk this road together, through the storm
Whatever weather, cold or warm
Just lettin you know that, you're not alone
Holla if you feel like you've been down the same road (same road)



113,503,971 views
Uploaded by EminemVEVO on Nov 25, 2009

I'm just so fuckin' depressed
I just can seem to get out this slump
If I could just get over this hump
But I need something to pull me out this dump
I took my bruises, took my lumps
Fell down and I got right back up
But I need that spark to get psyched back up
In order for me to pick that mic back up
I don't know how I pry away
And I ended up in this position I'm in
I starting to feel distant again

ForgoTheConsequence

(4,846 posts)
3. Don't really care about the radio.
Sun Dec 25, 2011, 06:43 PM
Dec 2011

But I could give hundreds of alt country and punk rock political songs from the 2000's. Turn off the radio, it'll rot your brain.

Webster Green

(13,905 posts)
5. I like that you mentioned my favorite band...Arcade Fire.
Sun Dec 25, 2011, 08:26 PM
Dec 2011

They did a great anti-war song on their second album...'Neon Bible'.

'Intervention'..by Arcade Fire (live at The Reading Festival in England, last year).



ForgoTheConsequence

(4,846 posts)
6. For all those who feel like they're stuck.
Sun Dec 25, 2011, 09:39 PM
Dec 2011


Tradition tells use home own
But the time card's saying no go
Now the suits are talking foreclose
From sea to shining sea
Time was a war time economy
Was a silver lining to tragedy
But even those with homes
Are now those alone
In the land of the free
I asked for nothing
And I got it in spades
Worked for a living and I earned a cage
They say I look old for my age

WorseBeforeBetter

(11,441 posts)
7. John Vanderslice "Exodus Damage," Dar Williams "Empire," and Son Volt "Endless War"...
Mon Dec 26, 2011, 01:30 AM
Dec 2011

just three that come to mind. The music is out there, but you won't hear it on crappy Corporate Media radio stations.

ellisonz

(27,709 posts)
9. Rubbish.
Mon Dec 26, 2011, 08:14 AM
Dec 2011

They just don't know where to look or what they should be looking for. Young Americans by the tens of million are embracing music with a political message - it's just not your classic baby boomer protest song. It is much deeper, much darker, and much more disappointed in a society that is failing to take care of its obligations under the social contract that is America. I think it's important to realize that music has come a long ways since the heady days of 1968.

These days there are far more popular genres and an artist is much more likely to engage in subliminal messaging; the message today is far more fundamentally about economics, rather than foreign policy, although that remains an issue, although generally only within the concept of the decaying urban core, bored suburbia, and despondent rural ares. Across hip-hop/rap, metal, reggae, electronica, rock, and pop there is a bubble of discontent over the lack of opportunity that has been bubbling and is now bursting with the election of Barack Obama and the Occupy Wall Street movement. Young people are wide and awake, they're just not mimicking their parents protest music.

Here are 10 representative songs by artists that the authors of this story should have paid attention to otherwise they're just preaching to the baby boomer choir. I apologize for the lengthy response but the last time an article like this was published the discussion would have benefited from something like this. I have excluded the wildly successful Eminem and Lady Gaga who are discussed in a post above. Enjoy the political music, trust me, it's in there:

2000:



2001 (This song was banned from radio by Clear Channel after 9/11:



2002:


2003 (Off of Hail to the Thief):



2004 (German, but very popular in Amerika):



2005 (Jamaican, Bob Marley's Son - popular in the US):



2006:



2007: Remember when John McCain said Nine Inch Nails was his favorite band?



2008: There's about 3-4 minutes of a Malcom X interview at the beginning.



2009:



2010:

wyldwolf

(43,865 posts)
11. Where Is The Love - Black Eye Peas
Mon Dec 26, 2011, 10:33 PM
Dec 2011


What's wrong with the world, mama
People livin' like they ain't got no mamas
I think the whole world addicted to the drama
Only attracted to things that'll bring you trauma
Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism
But we still got terrorists here livin'
In the USA, the big CIA fightin'
The Bloods and The Crips and the KKK
But if you only have love for your own race
Then you only leave space to discriminate
And to discriminate only generates hate
And when you hate then you're bound to get irate, yeah
Madness is what you demonstrate
And that's exactly how anger works and operates
Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate to the love, y'all, y'all

People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek

Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love (Love)

boppers

(16,588 posts)
13. "Those damn kids don't listen to good political music like I did!"
Tue Dec 27, 2011, 01:33 AM
Dec 2011

It's amusing how one can guess the age of the author by when they think the political music "started" and when it "stopped".

(I've seen this story every 5-10 years, for the last 30 years. All that really changes are song and band names.)

boppers

(16,588 posts)
15. And this matters, how?
Tue Dec 27, 2011, 07:13 AM
Dec 2011

What do you think were the top GLBT songs of the last year?

What do you think were the top anti-war songs of the last year?

Why would Billboard factor into either?

Centralized music is dead, and they're whining about genres not generating revenue.

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