Politics and Music


The Trumpets of Jericho

Beethoven and Napoleon 

Wagner and the Nazis

"Ohio" and the Vietnam War

"Imagine" and consumerism 

The Dixie Chicks 

Countless examples illustrate the intersection of Music and Politics. Jerry Garcia referenced his group as "just a dance band." Always pondered how we react to our choices of music. Divorce it entirely from the controversies of the day and merely enjoy the artistry or allow it to change the way in which we view the world. Transformative, escapism, nostalgia, intellectual profundity, cultural discovery. Large questions. Your thoughts?

jpwarren58

@onhwy61 - Good choices! But the main point of The Clash, Bob Dylan, and Gang of Four was political, as were many of these songs listed by other artists.

These songs didn't need to be 'politicized' - they pretty blatantly were to begin with. 

@uncledemp

I just don’t consider him or most musicians, actors, talk show hosts, and audio enthusiasts a reliable source of information to base my views upon.

 

Well said.

Here in the UK the early 80s were a time when quite a few UK artists got political (the Clash, the Specials, the Jam etc, and this seemed to culminate in the Live Aid fiasco of 1985.

 

After that, music became gradually less overtly politicised.

By then even the Red Wedge founder himself, Billy Bragg, realised the naivety of trying to mix it with the political big boys of the world.

 

 

Potential combative thread and I commend the fellow members on this forum for keeping the exchange civil and informative

On a humorous note I recall a televised Garth Brooks concert from DC and the audience was mostly elected officials for the senate and congress, the last song was Friends In Low Places and on your feet sing along audience participation was in full bloom

Found it amusing that most all were singing with all their heart, I've Got Friends In Low Places, fascinating irony

United we stand, divided we fall - lyrics by John Dickenson circa 1865 and Roger Waters circa 1990

**** I just don’t consider him or most musicians, actors, talk show hosts, and audio enthusiasts a reliable source of information to base my views upon.****
 

Bingo!

If it's gonna be good you gotta write/compose from the heart & gut. In any case, I might as well admit it now. I have a strange fixation on rhymes that involve Moon and June.