By FAYETTE (152.163.189.235) on Monday, March 24, 2003 - 06:21 pm:

I WAS JUST JUST THINKING AND THIS CAME TO MIND.
THERE HAVE BEEN QUITE A FEW ARTIST,THAT HAVE MADE POLITICAL STATEMENTS THROUGH THEIR MUSIC.
CAN YOU NAME SOME OF THOSE ARTISTS,PAST AND
PRESENT.(MARVIN GAYE,CURTIS MAYFIELD)

By wiz (68.43.16.115) on Monday, March 24, 2003 - 06:44 pm:

war what is it good for

By douglasm (68.113.15.28) on Monday, March 24, 2003 - 07:04 pm:

Bout half (maybe more?) of Sly Stone's catalogue comes to mind, as does the overtly political Crosby Stills and Nash (and Young) stuff.
"Movin' On Up" sticks solidly, as do the more subtle--because although they're not political they really are--"Friendship Train" and "Love Train". "People Got To Be Free" strikes a strong chord with me also. There was an integrated folk act in Detroit, "The Minority Group", that did an admirable job of it, and brought more feeling and meaning than Eddie or Felix probably ever thought possible.
Good question, Fayette.

By Mark Speck (65.56.216.94) on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 12:20 am:

Lately, it's the country folks who've been doing this, ever since 9/11: Toby Keith, Aaron Tippin, Alan Jackson, to name a few.

Best,

Mark

By STUBASS (152.163.189.235) on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 01:44 am:

HEY FAYETTE: GOT MY LAPTOP TODAY...AND SHOULD BE SET UP BY THE END OF THE WEEK!!!...NICE TOPIC...PARTICULARLY DURING THESE EMOTIONALLY CHARGED TIMES!!!...MY PERSONAL CHOICE OF THE WRITER/ARTIST WHO CONSISTANTLY FOUND A HOME IN WRITING AND PERFORMING SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS MATERIAL WAS THE INCOMPARABLE CURTIS MAYFIELD!!!...SOME ARTISTS UNDOUBTABLY DID SONGS WITH SOCIALLY BASED ROOTS ...BECAUSE AFTER CROONING...IT BECAME HIP OR PROFITABLE TO DO SO...AND THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES OF THIS!!!...BUT CURTIS MAYFIELD ALWAYS FELL BACK ON THOUGHTFUL AND RELEVANT MATERIAL THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER...WITH A SPRINKLING IN OF BALLADS AND LOVE SONGS...BUT ALWAYS GOING BACK!!!...CURTIS MAYFIELD WAS THE QUINTESSENTIAL SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS PERSONALITY TO EMERGE FROM THE SOUL MUSIC SCENE...AT LEAST FOR ME!!!...STU

By Jim Feliciano in Detroit. (64.12.97.7) on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 04:35 am:

Take this (very) poignant recited song verse... taken from a 'protest' song, from 1965:


Look at all the hate
there is in Red China,
then take a look around
down Selma, Alabama.

You may leave here
for four days in space,
but when you return
it's the same old place.

The poundin' of the drums
the pride and disgrace,
you can bury your dead
and don't leave a trace.

Hate your next door neighbor,
but don't forget to say grace, and
tell me, over and over, and over
and over, again--

Aw, you don't believe,
we're on the eve of destruction,
oh no, you don't believe,
we're on the eve of destruction....


"EVE OF DESTRUCTION"
-Barry McGuire
-DUNHILL Records
(Peaked at #1 on September 25, 1965; according to BILLBOARD)

By fayette (64.12.97.7) on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 08:22 am:

stubass i lub you laptop or not.

i think freda payne's bring the boys home
and marvin gaye's what's going on
was the most political songs i heard

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 09:48 am:

Temptations - "Ball Of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today)" and the original version of "War".

Chi-lites - "(For God's Sake) Give More Power To The People" and "There Will Never Be Peace (Until God Is Seated At The Conference Table)"

Sly & The Family Stone - "Stand", "Thank You (Falettin Me Be Mice Elf Agin)" and a list of others too numerous to mention

Marvin Gaye - the entire What's Going On album

Crosby Stills Nash & Young - "Ohio" (later covered by the Isley Brothers)

Curtis Mayfield - "Keep On Pushing", "We're A Winner", "Choice Of Colors", "Move On Up", "Freddie's Dead", "Future Shock"

Gil-Scott Heron - "The Bottle", "Winter In America", "This Revolution Will Not Be Televised", "Johannesburg".

Artists United Against Apartheid - "(I Ain't Gonna Play) Sun City" (featured David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Hall & Oates, Kashif, Nona Hendryx, Bobby Womack, Bruce Springsteen, Bono, Ruben Blades, Pat Benatar and many others)

Freda Payne - "Bring The Boys Home" (which was banned from the Armed Forces Radio Network when it was released in 1971).

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By FUN E. BONE (151.197.5.225) on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 10:04 am:

These two little old Jewish ladies were sitting at the table having tea.
So Yetta says to Goldie: "So Goldie, what do you think of Red China"? and Goldie answers in a rather observant manner:
"You know Yetta, it doesn't look too good on a yellow tablecloth"!

By douglasm (68.113.15.28) on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 05:14 pm:

Someone at work joked (i think it was a joke) that the current war should be titled "The Lee Greenwood Full Employment Act of 2003".

Country has a long history of overtly political songs. I used to back announce the Merle Haggard song something like "...If you don't love it, leave it, 'cuz you're walkin' on the fightin' side of Doug Morgan on WBBC-FM..." then promptly throw up in the wastebasket.

By Nish (216.148.246.70) on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 05:55 pm:

And what about songs that don't seem to be politically related, but yet become political anthems like "Dancin' In The Street," "Respect," (Aretha's version) and "Only The Strong Survive." I frequently hear these 3 songs being mentioned as inspired by the emboldened Black spirit of the late 60s, but I seriously doubt the respective writers of these songs ever really intended to create a political statement with these songs.

By Dick Gamble (216.93.77.73) on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 06:27 pm:

Of all the protest songs and songs of political statements,only one comes to mind.

"Strange Fruit" Written by Lewis Anderson and recorded by Billy Holiday has to be the strongest call for social change. Addressing the lynching in the south.

Poignant lyrics and the voice of Billy holiday makes this a classic song calling for change..

Recorded around 1939.

Dick

By Michael/Cleoharvey (160.79.83.208) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 10:15 am:

KevGo

I think they should start playing Freda Payne's Bring the Boys Home on the airwaves right now, it is highly appropriate and would give the Payne killer some attention.

Two other great anti-war songs are the Bacharach/David/Warwick "Windows of the World" It is a great song lyrically and musically with steel drums providing the underpinnings of the song. It was the first "pop" anti-war song I had heard at the time.

Another is Martha Reeves and the Vandella's "I Should Be Proud." This caused such a stir that Motown pulled it after releasing it. Martha's vocals are stunning and is a powerful song, especially when Martha sings "He wasn't fighting for me, my Johnny didn't have to die for me. He was fighting for the evils of society. And they say I should be proud." Great song, take a listen.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 11:22 am:

Cleo/Michael:
Right on about Freda. Her song would be appropriate at this time.

"Windows Of The World" was fully intended to be an anti-war song from the git-go. Dionne's is a classic but the version that brings tears to my eyes was Isaac Hayes' rendition of "Windows" that is on his "Live At The Sahara Tahoe" CD (released in 1972-73). I'll bet money there wasn't a dry eye in that Las Vegas desert when he sang "Windows".

When did Motown release Martha's "I Should Be Proud"? I don't even remember that song (Harry Weinger, help me!)so thanks for bringing it up. If you still have that record let me know - maybe we could set up a listening party among the Soulful Detroiters here in NYC!

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By R&B (138.238.41.118) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 11:33 am:

RIGHT ON CLEO,GREAT SONG BY MARTHA,I HEARD THAT THING ON RADIO MAYBE TWICE AND THEN MOTOWN PULLED IT,LUCKY FOR ME MY WIFE HAS IT ON AN ALBUM.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 12:18 pm:

R&B:
Which album did "I Should Be Proud" come from? Was it the "Black Magic" LP?
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By TonyRussi (68.18.49.228) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 12:19 pm:

Kevin, "I Should Be Proud" was the only 45 release from the "Natural Resources" LP.It is a dynamic performance from Martha.I certainly don't think "Bring the Boys Home" would be appropriate for a 1 week old war of liberation-It was for the Vietnam War which drug on & on for years while our politicians would not listen to the military & made them play by rules that Communist do not adhere to."I Should be Proud" got quite a bit of airplay down here...I think it was about 2 years before "Bring the Boys Home".

By Michael/Cleoharvey (160.79.83.208) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 12:30 pm:

KevGo:

If I am not mistaken it was put on the Natural Resources album. I bought it as a single when it was released because I heard it on WMCA in New York, but it was pulled and never had more than a couple of weeks airing. There is a CD reissue with Black Magic and Natural Resources put together on the same CD that includes I Should Be Proud. Martha gives one of her most impassioned vocals on this cut (and that is saying something!!. If you don't have it, I could try to send it to you. Some of the lyrics:

I was under the dryer
when the telegram came
Private John C. Miller
had been shot down in Viet Nam
Through my tears there was no more
information I could find
He's missing in action somewhere
on the Delta line
and they say that I Should Be Proud
He was fighting for me
They say that I Should Be Proud
Those to blind to see
But he didn't have to fight for me
My Johnny didn't have to die for me
He was fighting for the evils of society

The lyrics are from my memory but I believe they are very close. Great song!!!!!

By Pogo (208.153.181.24) on Friday, April 04, 2003 - 12:00 pm:

Bob Seger's "2+2".

By medusa9e (66.73.12.6) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 08:47 pm:

The Isley Brothers-Fight The Power

By David Meikle (62.252.128.6) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 08:53 pm:

Thanks Michael

Sorry i never saw these lyrics earlier.

So, so powerful.

David

By GrahamD (62.254.0.9) on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 11:15 am:

Bobby Womacks, I dont know what the world is coming to, and John Lennons, Give peace a chance.
Peace to everyone!!!! GrahamD

By JoeR (170.148.10.42) on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 11:47 am:

Has anyone mentioned Earth Wind & Fire's remake of 'Where Have All The Flowers Gone?'

I can't remember The Monitors' song, was it 'Greetings, This Is Uncle Sam?'

JoeR - http://mypages.netopia.com/channels