Aloha, I gave it a couple days for nominations and now it's time for a poll. I nominated John Lennon's "Give Me Some Truth", another suggestion was anything by Pete Seeger so I choose two Seeger songs, "Turn, Turn, Turn" and "Guantanamera" one written by Seeger and one performed by him, also Steve Earle's "The Revolution Starts Now" was nominated and I added Peter Tosh's "Get Up, Stand Up" as well. Check it out below the fold....
My vote is still for John Lennon's "Give Me Some Truth" although each of the songs below have merit. My choice is based on the general good will that is affored John Lennon as well as his association with peace and controversy all things wellcomed by the netroots. The only con I can see is that the far right radicals don't like Lennon and I think that works in the netroots favor.
"Give Me Some Truth" Lyrics by John Lennon
"
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
No short-haired, yellow-bellied, son of tricky Dick
Is gonna mother hubbard soft soap me
With just a pocketful of hope
Money for dope
Money for rope
No short-haired, yellow-bellied, son of tricky Dick
Is gonna mother hubbard soft soap me
With just a pocketful of soap
Money for dope
Money for rope
I'm sick to death of seeing things
From tight-lipped, condescending, mama's little chauvinists
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth now
I've had enough of watching scenes
Of schizophrenic, ego-centric, paranoiac, prima-donnas
All I want is the truth now
Just gimme some truth
No short-haired, yellow-bellied, son of tricky Dick
Is gonna mother hubbard soft soap me
With just a pocketful of soap
It's money for dope
Money for rope
Ah, I'm sick to death of hearing things
from uptight, short-sighted, narrow-minded hypocrites
All I want is the truth now
Just gimme some truth now
I've had enough of reading things
by neurotic, psychotic, pig-headed politicians
All I want is the truth now
Just gimme some truth now
All I want is the truth now
Just gimme some truth now
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth
"
Peter Tosh "Get Up, Stand Up"
Pro - Get's to the point the netroots movement needs
from its supporters and all 'mericans
Con - Association with Ganja Smoking Hippies.
"
Get Up, Stand Up, stand up for your right (3 times)
Get Up, Stand Up, don't give up the fight
Preacher man don't tell me heaven is under the earth
I know you don't know what life is really worth
Is not all that glitters in gold and
Half the story has never been told
So now you see the light, aay
Stand up for your right. Come on
Get Up, Stand Up, stand up for your right
Get Up, Stand Up, don't give up the fight
(Repeat)
Most people think great God will come from the sky
Take away ev'rything, and make ev'rybody feel high
But if you know what life is worth
You would look for yours on earth
And now you see the light
You stand up for your right, yeah!
Get Up, Stand Up, stand up for your right
Get Up, Stand Up, don't give up the fight
Get Up, Stand Up. Life is your right
So we can't give up the fight
Stand up for your right, Lord, Lord
Get Up, Stand Up. Keep on struggling on
Don't give up the fight
We're sick and tired of your ism and skism game
Die and go to heaven in 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
We gonna stand up for our right
So you'd better get up, stand up, stand up for your right
Get Up, Stand Up, don't give up the fight
Get Up, Stand Up, stand up for your right
Get Up, Stand Up, don't give up the fight.
"
"Turn, Turn, Turn"
Recorded by "The Byrds"
Written by "Pete Seeger"
Album: "Turn, Turn, Turn" - 1966
Pro - The time is here for Peace
Con - There is time for war
"
To every thing, turn, turn, turn
There is a season, turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven
A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep
To everything, turn, turn, turn
There is a season, turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven
A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones
A time to gather stones together
To everything, turn, turn, turn
There is a season, turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven
A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace
A time to refrain from embracing
To everything, turn, turn, turn
There is a season, turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven
A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time to love, a time to hate
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late
"
Pete Seeger rendition of...
"Guantanamera" ("girl from Guantánamo") is perhaps the best
known Cuban song and that country's most noted patriotic song.
The lyrics are based on the first poem in the collection
Simple Verses by Cuban nationalist poet José Martí, adapted
by Julián Orbón.
Pro - Relates to the have not's and the earth.
Con - Cuban, too many strings attached.
Spanish language
English language
"
Yo soy un hombre sincero
De donde crece la palma
Y antes de morirme quiero
Echar mis versos del alma
Guantanamera, guajira Guantanamera
I am a truthful man
From where the palm tree grows
And before dying I want
To let out the verses of my soul
Mi verso es de un verde claro
Y de un carmín encendido
Mi verso es un ciervo herido
Que busca en el monte amparo
Guantanamera, guajira Guantanamera
My verse is light green
And it is flaming red
My verse is a wounded stag
Who seeks refuge on the mountain
Cultivo una rosa blanca
En julio como en enero
Para el amigo sincero
Que me da su mano franca
Guantanamera, guajira Guantanamera
I grow a white rose
In July just as in January
For the honest friend
Who gives me his open hand
Con los pobres de la tierra
Quiero yo mi suerte echar
El arroyo de la sierra
Me complace más que el mar
Guantanamera, guajira Guantanamera
With the poor people of the earth
I want to share my luck
The stream of the mountains
Gives me more pleasure than the sea
"
Steve Earle
"The Revolution Starts Now"
Pro - Gets to the point of the movement
Con - Perhaps I show my ignorance, but never heard it before. Is this a con? I was hoping for more of a common artist/song the general public can has heard of and is simple to understand.
"
I was walkin' down the street
In the town where I was born
I was movin' to a beat
That I'd never felt before
So I opened up my eyes
And I took a look around
I saw it written `cross the sky
The revolution starts now
Yeah, the revolution starts now
The revolution starts now
When you rise above your fear
And tear the walls around you down
The revolution starts here
Where you work and where you play
Where you lay your money down
What you do and what you say
The revolution starts now
Yeah the revolution starts now
Yeah the revolution starts now
In your own backyard
In your own hometown
So what you doin' standin' around?
Just follow your heart
The revolution starts now
Last night I had a dream
That the world had turned around
And all our hopes had come to be
And the people gathered `round
They all brought what they could bring
And nobody went without
And I learned a song to sing
The revolution starts now
"
Now let's VOTE!