Every war since WWII has inspired some sort of a cultural backlash against the powers that be. Sometimes it’s a movie like W. but more often than not, these artistic expressions are protest songs. We take a look at the best protest songs of the 21st century:
10. “Let’s Impeach the President†– Neil Young (April 28, 2006)
This is the seventh track on Young’s 2006 studio album Living with War. It starts off with a trumpet playing the first six notes of Taps, then having a chorus sing about various reasons to impeach the current president of the United States George W. Bush. The song is sung to the tune of Steve Goodman’s song “The City of New Orleans,†probably a reference to 2005’s Hurricane Katrina, another area of critical views. The “Godfather of Grundge†makes clear that he has no love for President Bush.
9. “Final Strawâ€- R.E.M. ( Oct. 4, 2004)
This is a politically-charged song, reminiscent in tone of “World Leader Pretend†on Green. The version on the album is a remix of the original version. “Final Straw†was released the week the U.S. invaded Iraq. Michael Stipe is not willing to let Bush invade Iraq without a clear reason, so he keeps asking “Why?†Well, most of us still still don’t have a clue (maybe oil).
8. â€The Day After Tomorrowâ€- Tom Waits (Oct. 3, 2004)
Tom Waits covered increasingly political subject matter since the advent of the Iraq war, with “The Day After Tomorrowâ€. In this song Waits adopts the persona of a soldier writing home that he is disillusioned with war and is thankful to be leaving. The song does not mention the Iraq war specifically, and, as Tom Moon writes, “it could be the voice of a Civil War soldier singing a lonesome late-night dirge.†Waits himself does describe the song as something of an “elliptical†protest song about the Iraqi invasion, however. Thom Jurek describes “The Day After Tomorrow†as “one of the most insightful and understated anti-war songs to have been written in decades. It contains not a hint of banality or sentiment in its folksy articulation.†Waits’ recent output has not only addressed the Iraqi war, as his Road To Peace deals explicitly with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Middle East in general.
7. “When the President Talks to God†– Bright Eyes (March 21, 2005)
This is a protest song by Bright Eyes, with a very pointed political message directed towards George W. Bush and his policies. Even the Greeks claimed that the Olympian Gods were on their side, when they tried to muster political fervor. It’s good to see that Bush’s is taking cues from ancient Greek warlords. â€When the President Talks to God,†was originally released as a free download on iTunes but has since been released as a promotional 7″ vinyl and as a B-side to “First Day of My Life.†Right away Conor Oberst stuffs the President’s “bullshit,†right back down his throat.
6. “Heard Somebody Say†– Devendra Banhart (December 20, 2005)
This soft and mellow ballad sounds sweet and calming for the average listener. However, if you stop and listen closely to the lyrics, you’ll here the resignation of a sincere and kindhearted war protester. Banhart sings “that the war ended today/ but everyone knows it’s goin’ still†This is a reference to George W. Bush’s premature declaration of victory in Iraq on June 5, 2003. Since then, more U.S. troops died than during the official “war.†Banhart succinctly sums up his message: “oh, it’s simple/ we don’t want to kill.â€
5-1 Best Protest Songs Of The 21st Century after the jump Continue reading →
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