Let’s sing it! Songs for ‘ordinary’ people
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11:55 am, October 19th, 2012 - 109 comments
Categories: activism, class war, democratic participation, history, music, Revolution, video, workers' rights -
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Revolutions, political movements and protests are fueled by songs. They bring people together in common cause, draw attention to devastating conditions, tell stories of unbearable hardship, reassure the oppressed that they are not alone, and inspire people to take political action.
Nina Simone sings ‘Pirate Jenny’ Lyrics
I woke up the other morning with this Pulp song in my head. It’s catchy and very much naff 90s fashion in style and clothes – the days when consumer society was dominant and unavoidable. However, in it’s time it was a great pop song attack on wealthy pseuds who want to ease their conscience by slumming it with the “common” folk – without understand the daily struggles of people on low and mediocre incomes. Common People
This thread is for sharing your favourite songs that tell of the struggles of ordinary people: of social issues, community solidarity, protests, political movements and revolution. It’s also for you to comment on, and tell stories of, and about such songs.
Hope you get to spend Labour Weekend the way you want to! And take a moment to ponder on its significance.
Update: From Rosie comes the topical video of the day so far Home Brew ‘Listen to Us’.
109 comments on “Let’s sing it! Songs for ‘ordinary’ people ”
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heres my two to kick it off, Gil Scott-Heron, Woody Guthrie
the revolution will be live!
The revolution will not be televised. Hold on to that hope. RIP Gil Scott Heron
Pete Segar’s version of which side are you on. The song was written by Florence Reece, the wife of Sam Reece who was a union leader of the coal miners in Kentucky in 1931. The miners and management were involved at the time in a bloody, violent struggle. The song is particularly relevant for some supposedly lefty politicians …
My pick too mickysavage. A haunting and beautiful version.
My politcal anthems are;
Shoplifters of the World Unite – The Smiths
Freeedom isn’t free (theres a heafty fuck’n fee) – Team America World Police
Jake the peg – Rolf Harris
Why am I not surprised that a RWNJ celebrates songs that deal with theft, the loss of freedom and the making fun of someone with a disability …
The same reason I am not suprised by the total sense of humour failure by a bleeding heart lefty.
But KK this is meant to be a celebratory discussion of passionate activist songs and you turn up and do the equivalent of farting in church …
Which is really funny…unless you are some kind of pious dork.
You miss the point KK. Song and music are extraordinarily important parts of the class struggle. They transmit really important ideas like solidarity and pride and resistance and justice.
And you show up during a discussion about their importance and come out with some really naif stuff like an idiot song that an Australian celebrity put out 40 years ago.
It is really naff. It is an insult to a really important discussion.
And instead of poking fun how about you acknowledge that you have no understanding of what is being discussed.
Pious dork.
Bloody hell KK. We agree on something – The Smiths, Shoplifters of the world Unite.
… you do realise that the TAWP song is taking the piss, right?
Way beyond KK’s understanding …
I struggle to think what that movie looks like to someone who thinks Trey Parker and Matt Stone are traditional rightwing conservatives …
Crass -Systematic Death
http://youtu.be/os8Pg4VQajI
A look at modern day life in its very depressing reality
Too many songs to mention.
However, the two I’ve found myself humming today are:
Joseph Arthur – We travel as equals or not at all….*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSWir4yxDyU
…..and Making Plans for Nigel -XTC (because of the title of a recent blogpost at BR).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0X4Czq1c1E&feature=related
And while we’re on the subject of the fabulous Nina Simone – Four Women:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRmzQ39sXTQ&feature=related
*also posted today in a comment lost in moderation
Two songs from two eras: Joshua Gone Barbados
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x46d0240kSw
and
Navigator by the Pogues:
Bless ya Karol ….
“Top rankin” – Bob Marley and the Wailers
“Run to the hills” – Iron Maiden
“War Pigs” – Black Sabbath
“Killing yourself to live” – Black Sabbath
“Animals” – Pink Floyd
“You keep on moving” – Deep Purple
“It serves me right to suffer” – John Lee Hooker
“Strange Fruit” – Billie Holiday
“Mayland Blues” – Mahatma Blues (Cheers bbf)
“Toughman Blues” – Mahatma Blues
“I’ve got the Blues” – Mahatma Blues
Anything by Chris Cornell
Have a great Weekend everyone 🙂
PS So many more, couldn’t put them all in Sorry M8’s
Too easy Planet Orphan, you’ve got to go and get them for us!
That will require breaking into the Holden of some Upper Hutt bogan and stealing them off his stereo.
KK is a wellingtonian huh, Just ask them to turn it up M8!
According to the US legal system , all u have too do is ask Kim Dotcom M8! 😉
Animals is one of Pink Floyd’s most underrated albums – along with Obscured by the Clouds.
So true, they all stand the test of time.
Though I don’t like The Wall and everything else after Richard Wright left.
Or some decent bands
Fat Freddies Drop
Pitch Black
Muse
Jethro Tull
King Crimson
White Zombie
Enough for a good Weekend there..
What? No Sex Pistols? no Clash?
How about Ted Nugent? Heh.
Tracy Chapman ” Talkin about a Revolution”
Never learned to link sorry!
This song is for all wannabe politicians everywhere …
Why not this.
the times they are a-changin’– the byrds.
where have all the flowers gone–pete seeger.
little boxes.
powderfinger–neil young.
hey hey my my–neil young.
and once you’re gone then you cant come back.
when you’re out of the blue and into the black.
MY GENERATION—-THE WHO.
Did you hear the Pete Townshend interview with Kim Hill this morning?
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/2536140/pete-townsend-the-who.asx
And as for tunes. how about some Roy Harper
Pink, and the song’s author from Four Non-Blondes, (now oddly blonde) along with an auditorium of back-up singers, belt out the anthem “What’s Going On”
Slick http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gWtNbHBNqM
The list would feel incomplete without Sound of da Police:
+1 KRS-1
And the later day reply from Dizzee Rascal. Same deal
“We may rise and fall, but in the end
We meet our fate together”
~Creed ‘One’ (lyrics only)
~Muse ‘Uprising’ (lyrics only)
Strawbs – Part of the union 1973
Now I’m a union man
Amazed at what I am
I say what I think
That the company stinks
Yes I’m a union man.
When we meet in the local hall
I’ll be voting with them all
With a hell of a shout
It’s out brothers out
And the rise of the factory’s fall.
Oh you don’t get me I’m part of the union
You don’t get me I’m part of the union
You don’t get me I’m part of the union
Till the day I die, till the day I die.
I loved this song then and I still do!
+1 there are lots from when I was very young – almost all my politics was learned through music, but the Thatcher years brought many more. Standing the test of time for me is almost
everything from Big Country’s Steeltown.
Especially Steeltown,
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=e3Veko70OfQ&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3De3Veko70OfQ&gl=GB
and
Where the rose is sown,
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=-pBfIMLzDfE&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D-pBfIMLzDfE&gl=GB
Need to interpret the Scottish accents, but.
Notable mention from this era is the Modfather… Paul Weller and the much maligned Style Council
[karol: I couldn’t get the videos at your link to work. They seem to be on mobile. I think I found the right ones and added them to your comment. Hope that’s OK?]
Ah, I use to have that Big Country album on vinyl, rosy. They satrted about the same time as U2, but didn’t seem to last as long in the mainstream.
Stuart Adamson of Big Country suicided in his early (or was it mid?) forties. He was a recovering alcoholic and had been sober for upwards of ten years until something triggered him to drink again. He quickly became unwell and suicided a few months after taking up the drink. RIP. Stuart Adamson. He was a man with such potential.
That’s really sad, Rosie. I just listened to those 2 songs again. Brought back memories. I had that LP when I was living in London. My grandparents were rom working class Scottish families, so I feel some connection with that country, and those songs – albeit a distant connection.
Thanks for fixing the links Karol. I was logging in on a tablet so must remember to check for problems next time I do that. I was in Scotland, so couldn’t resist posting. Ditto re Scottish working class roots.
Yes, Rosie – terribly sad about Stuart. Self-medicating with alcohol for depression never ends well, i guess. Apparently the song ‘east of eden’ is the personal description of his depression. I managed to see him perform live a few times. An extremely talented man who spoke for a lot of people, including me.
What no ‘Hurricane’ by Bob Dylan?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdOCWUgwiWs – Nah just this lol
Great song. And based on fact.
One of my favourite musicians.
All have a great Labour Weekend.
I am reading the biography of Michael Joseph Savage ‘From the Cradle to the Grave’ by Barry Gustafson.
At this torrid time in our history I think this ought to be a compulsory read.
It is very very good.
It’s a bit camp but Dire Straits Industrial Disease is pretty relevant.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_Disease_(song)
A liilte cliche perhaps but for mine you cant go past Rage Against The Machine – all of it.
Try this one, “Wake Up”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1T8xgHdMEM
The Clash -” Know Your Rights”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL0CCphgmZ8
“White Riot”
you can always throw all your machinery away!
Of course Clashman. Big Ups.
Billy Bragg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bKMei-tcg4&feature=related
Youngstown. – The Boss at his best
“Well my daddy come on the Ohio works
When he come home from World War Two
Now the yard’s just scrap and rubble
He said “Them big boys did what Hitler couldn’t do.
“These mills they built the tanks and bombs
That won this country’s wars
We sent our sons to Korea and Vietnam
Now we’re wondering what they were dyin’ for”
“From the Monongahela valley
To the Mesabi iron range
To the coal mines of Appalachia
The story’s always the same
700 tons of metal a day
Now sir you tell me the world’s changed
Once I made you rich enough
Rich enough to forget my name”
…I dedicate these following lyrics to DunnoKeyO Ltd & Co because I tracked them down after having started recalling the main chorus after spending a lot of time thinking about DKO ltd co’s activities. (no guesses why).
We’re setting sail to the place on the map
from which no one has ever returned
Drawn by the promise of the joker and the fool
by the light of the crosses that burned.
…
It’s the place where they keep all the darkness you need.
You sail away from the light of the world on this trip, baby.
Avarice and greed are gonna drive you over the endless sea
They will leave you drifting in the shallows
or drowning in the oceans of history
Traveling the world, you’re in search of no good
but I’m sure you’ll build your Sodom like you knew you would
Using all the good people for your galley slaves
as you’re little boat struggles through the warning waves, but you don’t pay
You will pay tomorrow
You’re gonna pay tomorrow
You will pay tomorrow
Save me. Save me from tomorrow
I don’t want to sail with this ship of fools. No, no
Oh, save me. Save me from tomorrow
I don’t want to sail with this ship of fools
~World Party Ship of Fools (lyrics only)
N.b. Interesting that this song was created at a time when the neo con was taking hold worldwide…
Excellent
Cash rules everything around me, C.R.E.A.M get the money, dollar dollar bill yo…
Good on you Karol. We all have our own soundtracks to our personal views and experiences of social and political change – with old faves and new ones. It’s quite funny because as I hopped on to this article this was playing on Radio Active:
Homebrew (NZ): :Listen to us
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AjgWyxJAGQ
Heres some others:
Tom Waits: Hell broke Luce from last years album “Bad as me”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Fju9o8BVJ8
The Hot Grits (NZ) with the Ballad of Joe Stalin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox4DRiCj9qM
80’s classic from Patti Smith: People have the power
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zva9mnZCrWU
Gary Clail:Privatise the air (suck in in like a millionaire)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08ClpJrNdqI&feature=related
Finally, but only because I’ll run out room heres Clanadonia. Why? because they are crazy neo pagan Scots dudes and theres nothing like drums and pipes to stir the blood
Ah so many good songs from commenters here. Some of my old favourites – Billy Bragg, Woody, the Boss, Tracey Chapman, Nina Simone, Patti Smith, Dylan, Seeger, Gil Scott Heron …. and many more plus some I’ve enjoyed seeing for the first time.
But, Rosie that Homebrew Video must be the topical choice of the day. I want to see if I can add the link to it to an update to my post. Having a bit of a problem because I’m not getting a “visual” view of my editable post, only the html view – will see if I can get it to work.
Hi Karol. Sorry can’t make any suggestions re computer sorcery with that link….thats not my area of expertise unfortunately. The Homebrew song was released prior to the election last year. And does any one remember Upper Hutt Posse? Well they’re back with an album they bought out last year. It is excellent political and social commentary. Have heard songs from the album and listened to interviews but haven’t got a copy as yet. I still say “album”. LOL.
Ah, yes,. I remember the Hombrew song last election. It highlights Keys conveniently faulty memory, his dishonesty and his slipperiness, as well as some issues that are even more crucial now. Why didn’t more people pay attention?
Still brings tears and rage.
Damn the Tories no matter which country they call “home”.
http://youtu.be/9t4-zDem1Sk
Oh, and before the Nationalists start yelling Pom!
http://youtu.be/xz4D5JlHoQQ
Epic Phil. Loved the comments. I have a friend from Liverpool who is saving a bottle of “special” for when the day comes.
Richard Thompson’s Time to Ring Some Changes.
This old house is a tumbling down
The walls are gone but the roof is sound
The landlord’s deaf, he can never be found
It’s time to ring some changes
They’ll arrest you son if you just stand still
They’ll ask you to pose with your hand in the till
They’ll ask you to die when you’ve written your will
It’s time to ring some changes
Time to ring some changes
Time to ring some changes
Time to ring some changes
Time to ring some changes
You earn your money for your daily bread
But the bread’s gone up so you need more money
But the money’s gone down, better borrow instead
It’s time to ring some changes
Now the politicians, they look so smug
They say tell the truth, then they give you a shrug
You might find the truth swept under the rug
It’s time to ring some changes
Time to ring some changes
Time to ring some changes
Time to ring some changes
Time to ring some changes
Now listen here to the self-made man
He says why can’t you if I can
Can’t you push buttons, can’t you make plans
It’s time to ring some changes
I’m going to tear this mansion down
Get my feet back on the ground
Penny for penny and pound for pound
It’s time to ring some changes
Time to ring some changes
Time to ring some changes
Time to ring some changes
Time to ring some changes
Time to ring some changes
Time to ring some changes
Time to ring some changes
Time to ring some changes
Covers by various artists on YouTube, plus one of the man himself.
Clash–“Washington Bullets”
“it’s up to you not need to hear The Call Up..”
A lovely line from a Wellington boy, Samuel Flynn Scott , in his ‘Union Man”
“Cut off the hands of old John Key, I’m a union man and I’ll never believe that you’re working for me”.
Perfect then , perfect now.
“Get up, stand up”, little wonder that Bob Marley was targeted for assassination and any by Rage Against the Machine especially “Know your enemy”
Inspired by todays struggle for justice in the Middle East, From Mangere East our own Roger Fowler gives us his contribution to the genre of “Songs for ‘ordinary people’. Though written for the Palestinians the haunting chorus has a message for all of us.
Since the fatal Marvie Marmara attacks Roger Fowler twice entered the Palestinian territory of Gaza in defiance of the brutal and illegal Israeli siege at the head of the Kiaora Gaza delegation part of two recent successful international siege busting convoys into Gaza where from first hand experience he was inspired to write this song.
Queens Service medal winner, and Mangere East Learning Centre founding manager, Roger Fowler sings his own tribute to the struggles of the Palestinians. Accompaniment by Tigi Ness.
http://kiaoragaza.wordpress.com/2011/12/02/kia-ora-gazas-new-song-we-are-all-palestinians/
With two successful aid missions under his belt, next month Roger Fowler is going to attempt to enter Gaza for a third time. This time for an extended journalistic fact finding mission to explore and report back on the weakening of the siege of Gaza in the wake of the Arab Spring.
In the tradition of Woody Guthrie Roger Fowler is a version of political activist, balladeer and true working class hero.
+1.
“But don’t kid yourself that none of us know
That when money disappears, where it all goes
You want our work ethic and you want us to strive
To fund gold-plated piss-pots on Paratai Drive”
– Verlaines, “Paratai Drive (a musical Ponzi scheme in one act)”
“Gladiators” by the Irish folksing Andy Irvine.
An inspiring song about the IWW activist the UK-born Tom Barker, who was in NZ during the 1912 Waihi strike and then moved to Australia where he fought conscription during WWI. He was deported and eventually ended back in the UK, where he became mayor of St Pancras, London, and famously raised the red flag on the town hall!
Lyrics here: http://www.andyirvine.com/lyrics/gladiators.html
Sound file (WMA) here: http://www.freightandsalvage.org/gladiators-andy-irvine
Thanks for that uke. I listened to it 2 or 3 times while I was doing some chores. It is a powerful song.
And as Jenny says below of balladeers, folk singers have been the traditional story tellers of ordinary people. I’m a bit of a history buff. Also the Gladiators song reminded me of the times in my youth that I hung out in folk clubs in Auckland, and occasionally in Sydney.
Irish folk songs have a long tradition of telling stories of working people (very apt for Labour Weekend). The bit in the song about working men fighting imperialist wars, reminded me of the Aussie singer Judy Small’s moving ballad about women’s experiewnce during the main imperialist wars: ‘Mothers, Daughters, Wives.
The best version of her singing it that I could find on yt, was this one – pity about the US-based images in the video (especially the flag waving at the end – wasn’t the intention of the song originally).
And while on yt I remembered this old ballad about Joe Hill – Joan Baez.
In ancient times balladeers played the role that the media now play. Setting stories and struggles and sagas to music and rhyme, spreading the news through songs and stories from town to town throughout the land.
Someone should write a song about Sam Kuha.
This got very little reporting, but I heard the news of Sam kuha’s victory over WINZ today on Radio NZ.
After being turned down for a food grant. And after a marathon electric scooter ride to his home and back to get a hammer. And after smashing the Windows at Work and Income to get attention to his plight. And after going on hunger strike. Sam Kuha has gained an extra $100 dollars a week in his benefit and a promise of an audience with the minister.
So far Paula Bennet hasn’t followed through on that promise.
But Sam is receiving the promised extra $100 per week. He says he can now afford luxuriess like an occasional cup of coffee.
Jenny have you listened to the radio lately.
its all whining gamines and jibber jibber crap music or all about me me me me me.
nobody thinks about anybody else but themselves these days.
its their choice.
But congrats to Sam Kuha.
I hear what you say.
You had to break the law to make the bastards pay.
only a hundred bucks for a little bit of gravy.
pull yourself together boy and go an join the navy.
Make up your mind dude and you could be an all black.
its al in th emind if you a job seeker.
dont talk back.
the futures looking bleaker.
Sam you are a hero.
you took it on the chin.
even for the people who said you couldnt win.
What, no Bad Religion yet?
Punk Rock Song
Let Them Eat War
Midnight Oil – Blue Sky Mine
The Living End – Roll On
Rage Against the Machine – Killing in the Name Of
Bruce Springsteen – Born in the USA
.
Cool thread – thanks all. My two cents: http://youtu.be/monyiOsoKxg
Dick Gaughan for me. “A World Turned Upside Down” about the 17th century Diggers which has huge parallels today; and also his song “Jamie Foyers” about a young Scotsman going off to “fight by the side of the people of Spain.”
Woody Guthrie’s “Deportees”, of course, Bob Dylan’s “With God on Their Side” and Pete Seeger’s “The Banks are made of Marble” which I once sang as a young man with Prof Jim Flynn. “I Don’t Want Your Millions, Mister” and “Which Side Are You On” which I sang with Kerry Burke who knew the good songs.
But the most powerful of all is “Hard Time Killing Floor Blues” by Skip James.
They say that the Left have the good songs (who knows of a good right wing song?) but that we lose the battles. Though I’m a performer of these good songs, I know I’d much prefer to win the battles…….
me and my guitar–Freddie King (Texas Cannonball)
*****
Prefer this version of common people, Joe Jackson complements Capt. Kirk
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5m76m_william-shatner-sings-pulp-common-p_music
Then we have these, one from a sometime local resident from SOTD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUzd9KyIDrM
and a song warning of doing nothing
from one manic street preacher to another 😉
John Lennon – Working Class Hero
Lots to be sad and glad about too.
Mississippi John Hurt – Coffee Blues
Bessie Jones & The Georgia Sea Island Singers – Daniel in the Lion’s Den
Sippie Wallace – Women Be Wise
I was waiting for someone to put this one forward.
The Skids – Working For The Yankee Dollar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCiWXktdyTQ
Never more than now do I feel this.
Proclaimers – Cap In Hand
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcWSpPkf78s&feature=BFa&list=PL16C6C523893D793F
Sentiments spoken clearly and articulately – and in our country we see it being sold and our citizens cold, hungry and homeless right here right now.
The Clash – Career Opportunities
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIuS2LCWNh8
170,000 jobs x 2 not coming to you soon
And of course the jobs they want you to have:
The Clash – Clampdown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ82BX0hGBM&feature=BFa&list=AL94UKMTqg-9AUJdqfLbbKKTPskvU2_GNq
Lastly two New Zealand classics. One for the ignoring of current day poverty and the other about the shitty attitude to the enviornment and the controlling of water by private interests.
Blam Blam Blam – There is no depression in NZ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HVogejKx_c&feature=related
John Hanlon – Damn The Dam
eve of destruction–barry maguire
from the left-threaded nut job 😉
(big ups to DLT and Che Fu)
Are you Lost in The Supermarket? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWtylSdKSfA
Dylan-Infidels
Third Day-“I will always be true”
Fleetwood Mac- “and I Go Insane, without our Silver Springs”
Icehouse- “Can’t help Myself”
Tull- Pibroch-Cap In Hand
Bob Segar-Turn The Page (or Metallica)
Pearl Jam
Kate Bush-“Man with the Child in His Eyes”
Byrds sing Dylan
Emmy-Lou “All My Tears”
Heart-Magic Man
Concrete Blonde-Scene of a Perfect Crime; Ship Song; It’s A Mans World (James Brown)
God Is A Bullet
Bob Marley-Buffalo Soldiers
Glen Campbell-Try A Little Kindness
Dolly Parton-Silver Dagger (trad.)
Van Halen-Human Beings
Florence and The Machine, well that’s What The Water Gave Me
Cranberries
Plant and Krauss-Raising Sand-“Please Read The Letter…Through The Morning, Through The Night.”
Neil Young-Cortez The Killer
Cash-“if I were a carpenter…”
Cat Stevens-Into White
Gillian Welch “I Want To Sing That Rock and Roll”
Deep Purple-“When A Blind Man Cries”
Jimmy Lafave- “Shelter From The Storm”
Portishead-‘It’s A Fire”
Unbelievable Truth- “Settle Down” to a steady state economy
Who-Love’s Not For Keeping
Happy Mondays- Hallelujah
ELP- Lucky Man
Blondie-Union City Blue
Steppenwolf-The Pusher and the SnowBlind Friend
Floyd-Us and Them
Pixies-This Monkey’s Gone To Heaven
Now!, for the last freakin time (before I get arrested)
Thought that given the current position of NZ that someone would cover and update the lyrics or sample this to a current setting ??
The Blams and Muldoon !!!!!
Here it is: “We Have No Ambition For New Zealand” – Don McBrashen And The NACT Party Chorus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEg357pGTvI
and/or
http://thestandard.org.nz/without-ambition/
“We have no ambition for New Zealand
We’re just making money for our friends
We have no ambition for New Zealand
We’ll be gone when it comes to an end
Oh, and everybody’s talkin’ about John Key’s smile
Everybody’s talkin’ about John Key’s smile
But don’t you look into his eyes
You’ll see what made Bill English cry
We’ll sell your Health System
We’ll sell your Kiwibank
We’ll sell your ACC
Look that way >>>>>>
You won’t see, you won’t see
No, no,
We have no compassion for New Zealand
Food parcels are all for lazy bums
We have no compassion for New Zealand
Even if welfare helped Key’s mum
Oh, while everybody’s talkin’ about plastic boats
We’re handing out your money to the Old School Coats
You see, it’s not just cream that floats
We’re hoping you won’t care or notice
We’ll gut your Kindy schools
We’ll drill some oil wells
We’ll kill your workplace rights
Can’t you see?
Something smells, something smells
Oh, oh,
We have no ambition for New Zealand
One more term we’ll get the things we want
We have no ambition for New Zealand
Hide the money in Dunne’s bouffant
DUNNE’S BOUFFANT!”
A round of applause to you Adders! Choice.
an update of the blamers classic:
There is no depression in New Zealand;
there are no sales of our farms,
There is no depression in New Zealand;
we can all keep perfectly calm,
Everybody’s talking about poverty;
everybody’s talking about poverty,
But we’re as comfortable as can be,
there’s no hungry kids in this country
We have no dole queues, we have no Kiwi rail,
we have no asset sales, we have no private jails, private jails, no, no
There is no depression in New Zealand;
There are no bribes to Hollywood
There is no depression in New Zealand;
we sleep in a well made bed
O Everybody’s talking about poverty;
everybody’s talking about poverty,
But we’re as comfortable as can be,
there’s no unrest in this country
We have no John Banks, we have no John Key,
we have no secrets; we have no GCSB, GCSB,
There is no depression in New Zealand;
there are no sales of our farms,
There is no depression in New Zealand;
oh we can all keep perfectly calm,
perfectly calm, perfectly calm, perfectly calm, perfectly calm…
I love this! “An Anthem of Denial”. A request that it be our National Anthem…very fitting.
Neil Young ” Rockin in the free world”
Doobie Bros. “Taking it to the Street”
the band–aint no more cane on the brazos.
Mr President…Pink
The Times They are a Changing…..Dylan
Ballad Of The Working Man – Saxon
Chillies’ “give it away give it away give it away now”
(the witches get their “power” from the “world”; The White Wizard from Above)
-Sir Ian (Gods and Monsters)
“What’s The Story, Morning Glory?”-Oasis
Last Chance Texaco-Joni
Even Better Than The “real thing”- U2
(Nobody’s Fault But Mine)-Lead
White Magic For Lovers-“El President”
The Verve-Urban Hymns
-Space and Time
-Weeping Willow
Mazzy Star-Amen
(No Talking Just Head)
WPA Blues–Sonny Terry
One of the most powerful political songs of the 21st Century must surely be Ibrahim Qashoush’s famous song;
“It’s time for you to go Bashar!”
Sung before a vast crowd in Hama and posted on the internet Qashoush’s song half rap half traditional raga went viral, inspiring ordinary Syrian people to take up arms to depose the regime, especially after Qashoush was cruelly murdered, his throat cut. The words of Qashoush’s song are spray painted on walls and chanted in pro-democracy protests across the country, recordings even played in armed clashes with the army.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkFgzF6-gxs&feature=related
Very late in the piece I know, but no-one else has posted the powerful, sad, chilling, ‘Maralinga’ – by Paul Kelly.
Based on testimony from the Aboriginal victims of the Maralinga atomic tests.
This one is huge: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AjgWyxJAGQ
Home Brew – Listen to us
Salt of the Earth–The Rolling Stones.
Some of my fav protest songs over the years:
Of course, NZ fav, French Letter by Herbs. Defined a significant period in my development & it has a cool laid back vibe. Still listen to it and feel the strong message it contains.
“Look our any window”, Bruce Hornsby. One of the first enviro songs I heard growing up, be aware of whats going on around you. Like above helped define some of my thinking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOoq1-ib2vg&feature=related
“Way it is”, same artist. Issues of poverty and race in the US. Some impact on my political views.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlRQjzltaMQ
Living Colour – social issues in the US 1980s/90s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xxgRUyzgs0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V5VkMqM07s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2nnfonratU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7FX6sAL0Zw
Razorlight “America”. Whether or not about the issue, captured the mood of the GFC & the Bush years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPrqhPqLNcw
Jeff Simmonds – Let’s Shut Down Waihopai. Very contemporary NZ protest song. esp with Key & GCSB. A good song as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tygCA75r30k
Rain coming down and the roof won’t hold’a
I lost my job and I feel a little olda
Car won’t run and our love’s grown colder
Work your fingers to the bone
Wadda y’ got…..?
Boney fingers, boney fingers
Grass won’t grow and the sun’s too hot
The whole damned world is just about shot
You might as well like it cos’ it’s all that we’ve got
Work your fingers to the bone
Wadda y’ got…..?
Boney fingers, boney fingers