Favourite song of a society/social awareness perspective.

[AndrewP6]

Re: Favourite song of a society/social awareness perspective.

Apparently there's no like button on this thread but that is an elite level choice sir

Billie's version, there's a live one on YT. Gives me chills.

[Happy Days]

Re: Favourite song of a society/social awareness perspective.

That last line is pretty patronising. To say that there aren't any political songwriters or artists in music currently probably says more about your tastes than current music trends. Radio or chart music may not feature much in the way of political music but that's more about the corporate culture that controls these things created by previous generations. One of the strongest aspects of 80's and 90's pop was it's willingness to sell out to corporate money at the drop of a hat. This continues to a large degree.

It basically writes off Hip Hop which may be the most political art form left, particularly, in a class and race sense. Acts like Run The Jewels & Kendrick Lamar are overtly political and hugely popular. There's plenty of bands playing a form of political music around if you look for it. Local bands like The Drones have a strong societal aspect to their music, not to mention the Smith St Band's Tony Abbott ode "Wipe That Shit Eating Grin Off Your Punchable Face"

On a personal level I've both been incredibly affected by political music over the years and been aware of much of the empty sloganeering that it can produce (especially punk songs) and it's ability to lend succour to the chattering class so they can sing along, punch the air and then ignore the issues in their favourite song while they go about daily life (guilty your honour).

However I've always loved clever and passionate political music leading me to bands and artists like Dead Kennedy's, Black Flag, Bad Religion in their hey day, Fugazi, Kinks (whose mid 60's work was so heavily based around class), Billy Bragg, The Roots, Staples Singers, Marvin Gaye, Aretha, Nina Simone and Todd Snider among many others.
The band who've had the greatest impact on my life are the Canadian punk/thrash band Propagandhi, who've changed my eating habits and given me an awareness of societal issues that goes far beyond any other politics lesson I could have had. Their singer Chris Hannah is unquestionably one of the great lyricists I've ever come across. They also live their message.

However I'll shut this thread down here.
The greatest political song of all time is Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come"

Great post.

[Twodogs]

Re: Favourite song of a society/social awareness perspective.

I saw Fugazi at Storey Hall at Melbourne Uni, must have been 1990. I think Vicious Circle supported. It turned into a big few days.

[Twodogs]

Re: Favourite song of a society/social awareness perspective.

And Dead Kennedys for mine. Great songs songs stinging with political and cultural satire.

Loved DKs.

Thinking of getting a DK tattoo.

[Murphy'sLore]

Re: Favourite song of a society/social awareness perspective.

An early favourite of mine was Shipbuilding, written by Elvis Costello and sung by Robert Wyatt. Quiet but powerful Falklands War protest song, still brings a lump to my throat.

[Scraggers]

Re: Favourite song of a society/social awareness perspective.

No mention of U2 ??

[EasternWest]

Re: Favourite song of a society/social awareness perspective.

No mention of U2 ??

Discotheque was truly a hard hitting tune.

[Daughter of the West]

Re: Favourite song of a society/social awareness perspective.

My People by the Presets. Written about locking up asylum seekers in detention centres, but I think at one point it was used to promote Big Brother

[Scraggers]

Re: Favourite song of a society/social awareness perspective.

Discotheque was truly a hard hitting tune.

It covers all social issues in the one song

[LostDoggy]

Re: Favourite song of a society/social awareness perspective.

I'll take Neil Young's-"Keep on Rocking in th Free World" and a great Aussie band
V.Spy vs Spy's-"Hardtimes" and "Credit Cards" as powerful social economic songs.

[Twodogs]

Re: Favourite song of a society/social awareness perspective.

I'll take Neil Young's-"Keep on Rocking in th Free World" and a great Aussie band
V.Spy vs Spy's-"Hardtimes" and "Credit Cards" as powerful social economic songs.

Add Cosmic Psycho's Custom Credit to that list.

[FrediKanoute]

Re: Favourite song of a society/social awareness perspective.

Discotheque was truly a hard hitting tune.

To be fair their stuff before Achtung Baby was pretty social and political - The Joshua Tree; Rattle & Hum, War, The Unforgettable Fire, Boy etc were all very, very political.

Since then they have embraced Pop.

[EasternWest]

Re: Favourite song of a society/social awareness perspective.

To be fair their stuff before Achtung Baby was pretty social and political - The Joshua Tree; Rattle & Hum, War, The Unforgettable Fire, Boy etc were all very, very political.

Since then they have embraced Pop.

Of course. I was teasing my pal Scraggers

[Twodogs]

Re: Favourite song of a society/social awareness perspective.

While we are on the topic of U2 something I have wondered for a while is the topic/subject matter of New Years Day. I have a friend who insists its about the IRA but I can't see how.

[AndrewP6]

Re: Favourite song of a society/social awareness perspective.

While we are on the topic of U2 something I have wondered for a while is the topic/subject matter of New Years Day. I have a friend who insists its about the IRA but I can't see how.

According to my Googlising, it is about the Polish Solidarity (trade unionism) movement. It began as a song from Bono to his wife, and later morphed into one about Lech Walesa and Solidarity.