Great Political Songs.

[Tippaporn]

The Great War.

The Men They Couldn't Hang with Green Fields Of France off of their '85 Night Of A Thousand Candles LP.

 

[Grumpish]

On 10/31/2023 at 7:50 PM, Thaidup said:

It's people that vote for the same over and over, are they fools? No, just useful idiots. give them some money and they will vote the same over and over.

"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss"

[Tippaporn]

"Which Side Are You On?" is a song written in 1931 by activist Florence Reece, who was the wife of Sam Reece, a union organizer for the United Mine Workers in Harlan County, Kentucky.

In 1931, the miners and the mine owners in southeastern Kentucky were locked in a bitter and violent struggle called the Harlan County War. In an attempt to intimidate the family of union leader Sam Reece, Sheriff J. H. Blair and his men, hired by the mining company, illegally entered their home in search of Reece. Reece had been warned and escaped but his wife, Florence, and their children were terrorized. That night, after the men had gone, Florence wrote the lyrics to "Which Side Are You On?" on a calendar that hung in their kitchen. She took the melody from a traditional Baptist hymn, "Lay the Lily Low", or the traditional ballad "Jack Munro".

Pete Seeger's live version of was released on his '67 Pete Seeger's Greatest Hits album.

 

[Tippaporn]

Billy Bragg with his rendition of Which Side Are You On? off of his '85 Between The Wars EP, fitted to the '84~'85 UK Miners' strike.

The 1984–1985 United Kingdom miners' strike was a major industrial action within the British coal industry in an attempt to prevent colliery closures. It was led by Arthur Scargill of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) against the National Coal Board (NCB), a government agency. Opposition to the strike was led by the Conservative government of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who wanted to reduce the power of the trade unions.

 

[Tippaporn]

On 10/30/2023 at 6:31 AM, Thaidup said:

A political outlook that we should all aim for.

Geez, could do a thread covering Lennon protest songs alone.

John Lennon standing up for the Working Class Hero off of his '70 debut studio album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band.

 

[Tippaporn]

On 10/30/2023 at 7:16 AM, Thaidup said:

You guys wont know it, but I do, was a pretty good song back then. A black fella from Aus made a song about the current political situation at the time. this was after getting ownership of Ayers Rock, and the latest was a referendum that had no actual explanation of what it was for(lost) by 60-40. still a great song from my Aussie brothers.

Never heard it before, Thaidup.  If it was a good song then it has certainly aged well.  Thanks for offering.

[Tippaporn]

The Tuareg people are a large Berber ethnic group that principally inhabit the Sahara in a vast area stretching from far southwestern Libya to southern Algeria, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. Traditionally nomadic pastoralists, small groups of Tuareg are also found in northern Nigeria.

 

The sounds of the Sahara seem to be at their loudest in the Western, popular music-sphere at current. The startling ‘Tichumaren’ blues-rock of Tuareg bands such as Tinariwen is now a commonplace feature on festival bills, whilst Damon Albarn’s favourite Malians Songhoy Blues have just finished a packed US tour and were a key feature in Johanna Schwartz’ recent documentary They Will Have to Kill Us First.
But as Schwartz’ powerful film shows, this crossover of music cultures is not simply a pleasing result of our hyper-globalised society, but because these North Africans have a solemn story to tell.

For decades a heady cocktail of political rebellions, uranium and land disputes, and Jihadist uprisings have forced many to flee their homes and find exile in neighbouring lands and deserts. In 2007 after the execution of two prominent Tuareg musicians, Omara Moctar, a talented young guitarist, fled his native Agadez, Niger with friends and family and sought refuge in Burkina Fasso. Moctar had earned the nickname Bombino whilst playing temporarily with the revered Tuareg guitarist Haja Bebe, and it was under this name that the ‘little one’ would prick ears worldwide.

Bombino’s time in exile was the subject of Agadez, the Music and the Rebellion, a 2010 documentary by filmmaker Ron Wyman, who would help bring the artist into the limelight; a year later Bombino had released his first-full length, Agadez, which would top the iTunes World Chart and inspire The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach to work with Bombino for his 2013 follow up, Nomad.

 

So basically the mere act of playing a guitar is an act of rebellion and protest.

 

Bombino with Imuhar (Freemen) off of his 2013 Nomad release.

 

Freemen

What good is it to have

Freemen who sleep in this world of suffering

 

Wake up, my people

Straighten up, my people

Confront the difficulties of your current situation

A long road awaits you

 

What good is it to have

Freemen who sleep in this world of suffering

Freemen suffering shows us that times have changed

 

 

[Tippaporn]

Bombino with Amidinine (My Friend), also off of his exceptional 2013 Nomad effort.

 

Edited December 3, 2023 by Tippaporn

[Tippaporn]

Just to highlight some of this wonderful Saharan nomadic music I'll introduce Tinariwen; plural of ténéré meaning "desert," a collective of Tuareg musicians from the Sahara region of northern Mali. Considered pioneers of desert blues, the group's guitar-driven style combines traditional Tuareg and African music with Western rock music. They have released nine albums since their formation and have toured internationally.

Tinariwen with Iswegh Attay (I Drank Some Tea) off of their 2011 Tassili release.
 

 

[Tippaporn]

 

Civil rights.

Nina Simone performing Mississippi Goddam live at Mickery Theatre in Loenersloot, which is just outside of Amsterdam, and recorded on December 25, '65.

 

[Ikariotiko]

Keeping it simple and non-partisan, from the man who penned the immortal line "De Americans have dem nootron bomb, de Arabs have dem oil weapon", De System is a Fraud (Frard?)

 

[Tippaporn]

Vietnam.

Bill Withers performing I Can't Write Left Handed recorded on Oct. 6, '72 at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY and off of his '73 Bill Withers Live At Carnegie Hall album.

 

[Thaidup]

Self explains.

 

[Thaidup]

Money, its a hit, don't give me that do goody good bullshit.

All the do gooders want us to pay for their goody good crap from our taxes. I say let them pay for it out their own money.

[Thaidup]

Nothing changes, I see Ireland is in turmoil again?

 

[Thaidup]

Best part of this song is that any generation can sing along.

 

[Thaidup]

Getting close again?

 

[Thaidup]

My interpretation of the song was about how workers are used to try and compete globally.

 

[oldschooler]

“ Tub Thumping” Chumbawamba ( UK Socialist / Union Anthem) 

” I Get Knocked Down but I get up Again….. you’re never gonna keep me Down”.

[Thaidup]

On 12/19/2023 at 5:33 AM, oldschooler said:

“ Tub Thumping” Chumbawamba ( UK Socialist / Union Anthem) 

” I Get Knocked Down but I get up Again….. you’re never gonna keep me Down”.

 

[Thaidup]

Simple Minds,

The American 1981 ? about rolling over to US power.?(was my interpretation as a teen)

 

Lyrics

 

[Thaidup]

On 12/19/2023 at 5:33 AM, oldschooler said:

“ Tub Thumping” Chumbawamba ( UK Socialist / Union Anthem) 

” I Get Knocked Down but I get up Again….. you’re never gonna keep me Down”.

A Canadian trucker song

[Thaidup]

Tears to the eyes.

LOL.

[Thaidup]

Getting close to what all politics is not, its not about you and me, its about how much money the politician can make for themselves and family and friends.

 

[Thaidup]

Ben Shapiro, Gets number 1 on I-Tunes, lol. for a rap song.of all songs a rap song.