Conservative Politics & Rock Music


The National Review has published a list of the 50 all time top conservative rock 'n' roll songs. #1 is The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again". Other artist on the list include Beatles, Stones, U2, Rush, Aerosmith, Creed, Metallica, Beach Boys, Dylan and the Kinks.

Here's a link to the list.

I'm not familiar with every song on the list, but I do have a few observations. I find it incredible that only a single non-white artist made the list. A number of the songs have a very cynical bent ("Revolution", "Sympathy For the Devil", "Won't Get Fooled Again", etc.). Is cynicism a purely conservative trait? "Wouldn't It Be Nice" - I always thought it was a spoof of the Ossie & Harriet lifestyle. "I Fought the Law" - the fact that the law won doesn't make this song politically conservative. It's the verbal equivalent of a Born To Lose tattoo. It's giving the system the finger. Also, there are a number of songs that are about abortion, but only one is by a woman. Maybe the slogan should be changed to "Sex, Drugs, Rock 'n' Roll & Birth Control".

Rock music encompasses a vast number of musical styles and it only stands to reason that it would also include a wide spectrum of political beliefs. Rather than actually debating politics per se, I'm interested in responses to particularly songs being on the list and whether you see them a political or apolitical.
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Showing 2 responses by dan_ed

You almost have me pegged, Boa2. :) Given a choice I will by-pass Cracker Barrel for any place that has real farm fresh breakfast food. I used to listen to Rush but stopped after the entertainment value of it wained. He did help me to realize I'm not nearly as conservative as I once thought.

Back OT, I do wince from time to time over the lyrics of some songs and the political ramblings of some artists. However, if I enjoy the music they still get played at my house.
This is pretty much all bullshit. Rock and roll first was used by the black community as a phrase for what many of us white folk have come to know as the horizontal bop. So, I say the best rock is that which appeals to our basic human drive for sex. Last time I checked, communist, facist, martian, etc. where all looking for sex. Therefore, the attempt to claim rock and roll for ANY political agenda is very much disenginuous, IMO.

For the record, I'm somewhat fiscally conservative, social moderate, and almost as sexually active as I was 30 years ago. :)