10. "Give Peace a Chance" - John Lennon
I was going to put "Imagine" on here, but I look at that song as more of a commentary on humanity as a whole, rather than the political side of the matter. I feel that this song gets its message across straightforward. Whatever your view on the world around you, let it be peaceful. It's a simple song, but sometimes simplicity is the route to go when writing a politically oriented song. Give peace a chance! Simple message, simple rule. He doesn't even suggest that you SHOULD follow it, he just suggests to give it a chance. A peaceful suggestion for a peaceful song. Imagine that.
9. "Down By the Riverside"
You'll notice that there's no artist listed for this one. This is because "Down By the Riverside" is one of those songs that dates way back to gospel songbooks. That means it's been covered by a lot of artists, many recordings appearing before World War II. "Down By the Riverside" is an anti-war song, so maybe people should have taken its advice to not study war no more.
8. "Ohio" - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
"Ohio" was written in response to the Kent State Shootings of 1970. It's the best-known response song to the shootings, and as such it's the one to end up on this list, as it has made the biggest impact. It was also very controversial, getting banned from many AM stations at the time due to its direct mention of Richard Nixon in the lyrics. Today, Neil Young is still known for his political activism concerning Albertan tar sands earlier in the year, but he's always been an outstanding force in speaking up for what is right. Rock on, Neil.
7. "Gimme Shelter" - The Rolling Stones
The late 60's were probably some of the craziest times, politically speaking. The war in Vietnam, Charles Manson, race relations. Mick Jagger felt as though he needed shelter from the storm. And so "Gimme Shelter" was written to provide that shelter, if metaphorically. The refrain about war just being "a shot away" was very real in 1969, and it was a scary time. This song perfectly summed up those times.
6. "Killing in the Name" - Rage Against the Machine
Can't have a political Top 10 without at least one Rage Against the Machine song. They're like the Michael Moore of music. This is the first song I ever heard by Rage Against the Machine, and I still love it to this day. It's just a pounding, unforgettable political song, with its guitar riffs helping you to remember the song, and its lyrics helping you to remember the problems in the world. Yeah, it's repetitive, but the song sinks in for that very reason, ending with one of the most straightforward anti-establishment messages ever. Fuck you, they won't do what you tell them.
5. "Say it Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud" - James Brown
When one of the most prolific black artists in the 60's releases a song like this, it's time to listen. James Brown's song became an anthem of the Black Power movement, and it's easy to see why right from the title. The song inspired confidence in many black people during rough times, and his since been sampled in many different hip hop songs, from Eric B. and Rakim to LL Cool J to 2 Live Crew. With this song, James Brown helped to lead the world to racial equality. And that feels good. And that was a stupid pun.
4. "Blowin' in the Wind" - Bob Dylan
I have a ton of songs from the 60's on this list, and it's probably because it was the most politically radical decade of recent history ("recent" being a loose term, I guess). Bob Dylan chimes in early with "Blowin' in the Wind", a song meant to be an ambiguous answer to a series of hard questions. "Blowin' in the wind" could mean that the answer is right in front of you in the air, or that it's hard to grasp, like a leaf blowing in the wind. And that's kinda how people felt; one way or the other, sometimes wavering between certainty and uncertainty. And Dylan knew how to sum it up with his masterful storytelling.
3. "God Save the Queen" - Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols are back! And why shouldn't they be? If I make a list of controversy and change, then the Sex Pistols are bound to show up. This song most likely pushed the already ostracized Sex Pistols into full hatred by the monarchy. And I can't really blame them. Comparing the Queen's reign to a fascist regime is most likely going to boil the blood. The song was written to sympathize with the working class in England, and the monarchy screwing them over. The Sex Pistols might have been screwed over, too, as this song only made it to #2 on the "Official" British chart, but reached #1 on the British NME singles chart. A little bit of chart-fixing? Maybe. But the song became iconic of the punk rock movement, and has cemented the Sex Pistols as important political figures in music.
2. "Born in the USA" - Bruce Springsteen
This is probably the winner of the song that is misunderstood most often on the Fourth of July.
Man, this song is a lot of things, but patriotic it is not. Despite the title, the song calls out the mistreatment of Vietnam War veterans by Americans. The war was a loss for the U.S., so many Vietnam veterans were ignored or even shunned by American people. born in the USA indeed. Unfortunately, the song is widely misinterpreted as a patriotic anthem by people who don't actually listen to the lyrics, something that constantly bothers Springsteen. Oh well. At least people enjoy the song on the most basic level.
1. "My Generation" - The Who
Of all the politically oriented songs that came out in the 60's, this is the one song that I feel summed up the attitudes of many people most succinctly; it was a new generation, and new ideals were taking the places of the old ones. This song was especially written for that Mod generation that I talked about earlier in the Beatles overview. A specific subset of that new generation that felt that older folks just didn't get it. It's the basis of change, and the opposition to the prevention of change. It's essentially the attitude of any other politically oriented song. There's a new generation, new rules, and if you don't like it, fuck off. The Who couldn't have put it any better.
Boy, all these politically oriented songs make me want to do something to change the world! But first I need to beat my high score on Candy Crush. Later!
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