Words are powerful. Ask the Framers of the Constitution. Ask Lincoln. Ask FDR.
Ask Moses, Jesus, Mohammed, and Buddha.
When I post, it’s usually about words: messaging, framing, claiming and capturing the terms.
Because words are powerful.
But today, as I listen to Joe Strummer and Johnny Cash, I think it’s important to remember that music is pretty powerful too. Words have the power of the press, like Clark Kent as his Pulitzer best. Add a good tune though, and you suddenly those words are super-powered.
We’re fighting a war of ideas and ideals. We spend a lot of time getting our words through in any media we find: face to face conversation, grass-roots campaigns, social networking, and more. I think we should try to do the same with music that can power our message. All movements in history have done this.
Every battle has hymns, and we need to sing ours.
Let’s search for songs that stir us up, and sing them to the world
1. Recommend them throughout our networks
2. Call DJ’s and request them
3. Make them the soundtrack to images of stuggle, and move them up the ranks on Youtube, Digg, the Metafilter, and anywhere else we can
4. Anything else that I, unwilling Luddite that I am, have missed.
5. Most important, let’s write some of our own.
Let me share my own top ten list right now in no particular order of prefernce. A lot of space, I know, but hey, words are powerful.
Some caveats:
1. I know a lot more about rock and roll than I know about other genres. Some of the most powerful political songs are rap and folk, and I leave it to those who know the best to contribute their choices.
2. I believe in change: sweeping, effective non-violent change. It works. Ask Gandhi: he beat the British Empire without throwing a punch. Non violence is not lack of power. See Wisconsin. See Egypt.
3. I respect songwriters and their copyrights, so if I need to take the lyrics down I will. Artists need to make a living.
With that, rock on:
Fortunate Son: Creedence Clearwater Revival
(Every word true for today)
Some folks are born made to wave the flag
Ooh, they're red, white and blue
And when the band plays "Hail to the chief"
Ooh, they point the cannon at you, Lord
It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no senator's son, son
It ain't me, it ain't me; I ain't no fortunate one, no
The Call Up: The Clash
(Maybe the best political band of all freaking time)
It's up to you not to heed the call-up
'N' you must not act the way you were brought up
Who knows the reasons why you have grown up?
Who knows the plans or why they were drawn up?
It's up to you not to heed the call-up
I don't wanna die!
It's up to you not to hear the call-up
I don't wanna kill!
Working for the Clampdown: The Clash
(Hard Rocking and Right On!)
What are we gonna do now?
They put up a poster saying we earn more than you!
When we're working for the clampdown
We will teach our twisted speech
To the young believers
We will train our blue-eyed men
To be young believers
Gimmie Some Truth: John Lennon
(Every verse is a battle cry)
I'm sick and tired of hearing things
From uptight, short-sighted, narrow-minded hypocrites
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth
I've had enough of reading things
By neurotic, psychotic, pig-headed politicians
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth
Power to the People: John Lennon
(In Your Face and Easy to Sing)
A million workers working for nothing
You better give 'em what they really own
We got to put you down
When we come into town
Singing power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people, right on
Get Up Stand Up: Bob Marley
(Nothing I say can add to this)
We sick an' tired of-a your ism-skism game -
Dyin' 'n' goin' to heaven in-a Jesus' name, Lord.
We know when we understand:
Almighty God is a living man.
You can fool some people sometimes,
But you can't fool all the people all the time.
So now we see the light (What you gonna do?),
We gonna stand up for our rights! (Yeah, yeah, yeah!)
KILLING IN THE NAME: Rage Against the Machine
(Refreshingly Up Front)
Killing in the name of!
Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses
We Can Be Together: Jefferson Airplane
(This Ain’t White Rabbit This is the Airplane at their hard, political best)
We are forces of chaos and anarchy
Everything they say we are we are
And we are very
Proud of ourselves
Wow
What’s so Funny Bout Peace Love and Understanding?: Nick Lowe
“Covered by others, most notably Elvis Costello”
As I walk through
This wicked world
Searchin for light in the darkness of insanity.
I ask myself
Is all hope lost?
Is there only pain and hatred, and misery?
And each time I feel like this inside,
There's one thing I wanna know:
What's so funny bout peace love & understanding? ohhhh
What's so funny bout peace love & understanding?
Last, but by no means least:
Man in Black: Johnny Cash
(I’d love to see a video of hundreds of protesters singing this one)
Well, we're doin' mighty fine, I do suppose,
In our streak of lightnin' cars and fancy clothes,
But just so we're reminded of the ones who are held back,
Up front there ought 'a be a Man In Black.