The Best Political Song

[SKS-Hyper]

Okay, the whole purpose of having this board is so that you can express your views and opinions on certain issues and I have absolutely no problem with you doing so. However, please please please if you do post something on this topic remember to follow these simple guidelines:

1) At the very beginning of your post, give us the name of the artist, the name of the song, and the album it appears on (you will see why later). If you want, also include the style/genre.

2) Only cite one song at a time. I realize it is hard for many of us to have only 1 favorite song, but don't give us multiple songs. It is okay to give us another song on a different post, but just give one song per post and state why it is a good song politically.

3) Do not post an entire copy of the lyrics. Please, don't make us read through 90 lines of lyrics. Just give a statement about it, see the bold part of #2, and quote a portion of it and I highly encourage you to make several statements and quotes. It is also okay to give an entire verse, but don't go over that. If you convince us of its greatness in terms of its political standpoint or views, then we will look up the lyrics, which is why I asked for the names of the artists, songs, and albums.

4) Don't get into an fool argument (i.e. "That song sucks. No it doesn't" at least explain from a practical standpoint). "Don't argue with fools because from a distance people can't tell who is who."

Thank you in advance. I will post my favorite song at a later time, because I think you have read enough for now and I hate to be the first one to post anyway.

[blueloa13]

i dont have the lyrics to it but,

anti-flag - turncoat

[SKS-Hyper]

Artist: Nas
Album: The Lost Tapes
Song: Black Zombie

This song in itself is probably one of the best songs that Nas has ever made. The minute that you here the chorus "Walkin talkin dead, though we think we’re livin (black zombies)/We just copy-cat, followin the system (black zombies)" you know that he talking about something important. Although it is obvious from the first lines that he's talking about African-Americans. "you believe when they say we ain’t s***, we can’t grow?/All we are is dope dealers, and gangstas and hoes?/And you believe when they be tellin you lies, all on the media?/They make the world look crazy to keep you inside?"
And, even though I'm a white person, I can understand what he's saying and I can apply what he's saying to other things.

Unlike most of the rappers out there, Nas is making coherent statements on an intellectual level. On one verse he says "What do we own? the skin on our backs, we run and we ask/For reperations, then they hit us with tax/And insurance if we live to be old, what about now?/So stop bein controlled, we black zombies"

One of the things I like best about Nas's statements is that he is one of the first rappers (right behind 2pac in "White Man's World") that doesn't blame white people for their problems. Following what 2pac said, "It's not them thats killin' us/it's us thats killin' us/It's not them who ain't gon' change it/it's us that ain't gon' change it" Nas takes it one step further: "we trapped in our own brain, fuck behind bars/
We’ve already gone insane/They’ve already gave up, cut our own heads offs/Stab our own backs and dream too much"

At the end of his second verse, Nas said some really intellectual lines that just stand out because of how much it reflects the world as it is, "Victims walkin ’round with down’s syndrome, all stuck/Faintin, shoutin, catchin holy ghost in church/Scared to do it for ourselves ’less we see somebody else doin it first/We begged, we prayed, petitioned and demostrated/Just to make another generation of black zombies" It is this kind of song that to me takes the problems closer to home. (In another song Nas asked "How can the president fix all the problems when he ain't fixed home yet?")

Even better, Nas says some more things that stood-out because of how much unlike the rapper stereotype makes them out to be. He confronts religious choices by saying "So what’s the black man’s true religion, who should we follow?/Use your own intuition, you are tommorrow"

Finally, near the end of the song, Nas tells us about the point of the song and how even he was a zombie, "I’m a columbia record slave, so get paid/Control your own destiny, you are a genius/Don’t let it happen to you like it did to me, I was a black zombie.

The most important part of the song however was when Nas just simply said "Why listen to somebody else tell you how to do it/When you can do it yourself; it’s all in you, do it, do it"

I don't know if you agree, but I think that this song is definitely up there with "Changes" and "That's just the way it is..."

[Gaeasoldier]

Artist: NOFX
Song: Franco Unamerican
Album: ?

Don't know the album because I downloaded the song but this is my vote.

Can't really say much except that you should listen to it. Pretty much reflects attitudes in America today and the need to change them. I am not good at interpreting songs but I think it is good because its message is to get up off your ass and give a damn.

Peace and great idea for a discussion

[D2Kvirus]

Artist: Soundgarden
Title: All Your Lies
Album: N/A

All your fears are lies
All your fears are lies
All your fears are lies

Clipless, falling, limping, crawling, biting, fighting
Back from dying
Endless ending
And comprehending
Nothing
of the scent she’s sending

Loosely buying the TV lie
And the maggot man will never cry
Corralled like a cat
With my head hit the sack
And I feel like I’m tied to the railroad track

It just reminds me of the current political landscape.

Artist: Pitchshifter
Title: Forget The Facts
Album: Deviant

Forget the fact that you don't know me.
Cause there's nothing that you wanna know.
Forget the fact that you won't show me.
Cause there's nothing that you wanna show.
Forget the fact that I don't look like you.
You keep singing "we don't change".
Forget the fact that this is nothing new.

Forget the violence forget the pain.
Our happy meals will taste the same.
Forget the scandal forget the sleaze.
We'll drag the real thing to it's knees. [x2]

Forget the fact that I don't know you.
When there's nothing that I wanna know.
Forget the fact that I won't go too.
Cause there's nothing if I wanna go.
Forget the fact that this is nothing new.

Forget the violence forget the pain.
Our happy meals will taste the same.
Forget the scandal forget the sleaze.
We'll drag the real thing to it's knees. [x2]

And then we'll smile as we devise a brand new peace prize.
Cash Back' euthanasia schemes, GM children low fat dreams.
Jerry Springer crack cocaine, another black box another plane.
Instant access to friendly fire, plastic bullets, green barbed wire.

Forget the violence forget the pain.
Our happy meals will taste the same.
Forget the scandal forget the sleaze.
We'll drag the real thing to it's knees. [x2]

Which reminds me of...well, take a wild guess.

[NEMESiSZ]

I like the George W. Bush spoof version of Liam Lynch's online-hit "Whatever." I don't know who made the GWB version.

[OpIvy420]

At 12/17/03 01:16 AM, Gaeasoldier wrote: Artist: NOFX
Song: Franco Unamerican
Album: ?

Don't know the album because I downloaded the song but this is my vote.

Can't really say much except that you should listen to it. Pretty much reflects attitudes in America today and the need to change them. I am not good at interpreting songs but I think it is good because its message is to get up off your ass and give a damn.

Peace and great idea for a discussion

It's from NOFX's 2003 album "War on Errorism". I love that song, especially those lines:

Still can't believe what an absolute failure
The president's laughing cause we voted for Nader

"Showdown (G.E./P.)" by Propagandhi, which can be found on their debut album "How to clean everything".

Welcome to this world impuded identity.
Born, tagged, tattoed, pacified.
Generously bestowed my rights and privileges replete. Arbitrary values ascribed.
There's nothing I can tell you. There's nothing I can say.
Stunted conversation, censored thought.
I'm completely free at liberty guaranteed. Unless, of course, you decide I'm not.

The whole essence of that song can be found in those 10 sentences. (if you ignore the emo part of the song) You'll see that the whole song deals with what a world without government would offer. Does government five you rights or does it control your rights and then decide to give you only certain rights?
http://www.punkbands.com/lyrics/bands/propagandhi/clean.htm#4

[D2Kvirus]

At 12/17/03 11:55 AM, NEMESiSZ wrote: I like the George W. Bush spoof version of Liam Lynch's online-hit "Whatever." I don't know who made the GWB version.

One version was done on the (allegedly funny) show Dead Ringers...although that probably ripped off the song, and forgot to mention it.

[FUNKbrs]

Hmm.... Cheese....

This one's political, if you think about it. I wrote it, did lead vocals, and *gasp* mandolin.

[OpIvy420]

Dead Kennedys - "Stars and Stripes of Corruption"

The Reagan-era political protest band Dead Kennedys have a number of excellent political songs. "California Uber Alles", "Holiday in Cambodia", "Kill the Poor", all classics of hardcore punk, as well as classic protest anthems. But the six-minute, multi-layered "Stars and Stripes of Corruption" is probably the strongest and clearest political statement in American history.

With the repeated refrain of "Let's bring it all down!", lead singer Jello Biafra brings a revolutionary fervor to the song, while the intelligent lyrics ("Real freedom scares you/Cause it means responsibility/So you chicken out/And threaten me") throughout the song make the band's political positions very clear, outlining serious ways to improve society.

[OpIvy420]

Here's the lyrics:
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics...arsandstripesofcorruption.html

At 12/18/03 09:03 PM, OpIvy420 wrote: Dead Kennedys - "Stars and Stripes of Corruption"

You can't have a politcal song thread without involving the Dead Kennedys.

Or Crass

The following song by Crass "Have A Nice Day" can be found on the "Christ, the album". While the popular punk rock of the 70s was somewhat light-hearted and humorous, Crass was bitter, cynical and agressive. Especially towards popular punk rock bands such as The Clash, which is obvious on songs like "Punk Is Dead" and the beginning of "White Punks On Hope".

Anyways "have a nice day" is a song that deals with the impatience and frustration that comes with being a politcal activist or even remotely politically aware. I think anyone can relate to this song.

same old stuff, you've heard it all before
crass being crass about the system, or is it war?
we ain't got no humour, we don't know how to laugh
if you don't fucking like it - fucking tough!

cos I'm the same old monkey in the same old zoo
same old message trying to get through
screaming from the platform when the train ain't even there
I've got a one way ticket, but i don't fucking care

if what I've got to say is always much the same
it's cos the game the system plays is still the same old game
senile idiots in their seats of power
ancient rotting corpses breathing horror by the hour
they're lovers of death the fucking creeps
screwing our earth, as our earth weeps
iron ladies, steel men
waiting for their fucking war to start again

[FUNKbrs]

Motorhead
"Brave New World"

Look up your own damn lyrics, I'm too busy rocking.

[anti-flag-punk]

At 12/16/03 11:23 PM, blueloa13 wrote: i dont have the lyrics to it but,

anti-flag - turncoat

that song rules

lyrics:TURNCOAT! KILLER! LIAR! THEIF!
Criminal with protection of the law!

Go!

States lies dressed up as evening news
We're tired of lies we want the truth
Brodcast by corpses courting you
We're tired of lies we want the truth
Most people they will never know
We're tired of lies we want the truth
With your or against you?
Then I am against you because you're a...

TURNCOAT! KILLER! LIAR! THEIF!
Criminal with protection of the law

TURNCOAT! KILLER! LIAR! THEIF!
Criminal with protection of the law

In your corner
Makes me wanna
Douse myself in gasoline!
Civil servants fall in line for you
Too brainwashed to see the truth
You use anyone you can!

TURNCOAT! KILLER! LIAR! THEIF!
Criminal with protection of the law

TURNCOAT! KILLER! LIAR! THEIF!
Criminal with protection of the

KILLER!

LIAR!

A TURNCOAT! and a THEIF!

Criminal with protection of the law! The law!
Crimnial with protection of the law!

or the protest
song

lyrics:and so the time has finally come
the bourgeosie has signed the war decree with proletarat blood
and that blood which flows from their pen
is the closest that they've ever been to the people
you've been to our shows
you've sung our songs
now we're asking you to add to each chorus you've sung and
protest, against, injustice, state terror
on the streets of the world
for the disempowered
you've sung at our shows
cheered right over wrong
now it's time to hit the streets
back up those words you've sung
because our voices alone this time will not get it done
looking to stop a rogue regime?
well the first ones that we must confront is WASHINGTON, DC!
the bush "terror war", UNCONSTITUTIONAL, UNCONSCIENABLE
we refuse to let him kill, in our name for oil
we know their game
know they're corrupt
it's up to us to hit the streets,time to take our rights back!
protest, against, injustice, state terror
on the streets of the world
for the disempowered
you've sung at our shows
cheer ed right over wrong
now it's time to hit the streets
back up those words you've sung
because our voices alone this time will not get it done
because the people, united will get it done
protest, against injustice, state terror
on the streets of the world for the disempowered [x4]

[OpIvy420]

Ah, Anti-Flag. I agree with their overall message, but their music leaves a lot to be desired. If you're writing a song, it's best to set your lyrics to the music you're playing. Otherwise, it's like reading an op-ed piece with drums and guitars in the background.

[D2Kvirus]

Band: Pitchshifter
Title: Un-United Kingdom
Album: Un:UK EP

Rule Britannia
The bitch’s scammed us
No smiling union jacks
My friends, I want my money back
And I said, what about the system?
I think no one will miss them
Brain dead corpses in the House of Lords
And we can all learn a thing or two from Guy Fawkes

Cos this is not the United Kingdom
This is not the United Kingdom
This is not the United Kingdom
This is not the UK

Cos this is not the United Kingdom
This is not the United Kingdom
This is not the United Kingdom
This is not the UK

Rule Britannia
What she ever done for me?
Stuck a nail in the coffin of my national pride
And made the tourists hate me
I said this, this green and emerald isle
It’s just 800 miles of bile
High rise car parks, ash tray dirt?
And we can still learn a thing or two from Guy Fawkes

Cos this is not the United Kingdom
This is not the United Kingdom
This is not the United Kingdom
This is not the UK

Cos this is not the United Kingdom
This is not the United Kingdom
This is not the United Kingdom
This is not the UK

Rule Britannia
Cos England never never will be saved

Rule Britannia
Our first national scam
Watching starving children on her TV screen
While she’s shacking up with her Uncle Sam

Cos this is not the United Kingdom
This is not the United Kingdom
This is not the United Kingdom
This is not the UK

Cos this is not the United Kingdom
This is not the United Kingdom
This is not the United Kingdom
This is not the UK

The only song to ever combine Blairism and life in Croydon...