It has become expected of mainstream artists to take a political stand in either their songs, lives or, in many cases, both. Artists have shaped whole albums around a cause and taken a solid stand against or for something.
These songs span numerous genres and song types, from the 1975’s in your face screaming anti-Trump-era lyrical masterpiece in “Love It If We Made It” to Childish Gambino’s more mellow yet extremely graphic “This is America,” which took home Record of the Year at the 2019 Grammy Awards.
Although protest songs have seemed to re-appear at the forefront of the music industry, these are in no way a new creation. Protest songs rose to prominence in the 1960s during the heat of the Vietnam War.
With the sudden revival of protest songs, I have decided to take a look back to the prominent protest songs from each decade, starting with Bob Dylan’s 1963 hit, “Masters of War.”
1963: Bob Dylan, ‘Masters of War’
Protesting not only the Vietnam War but also war in general, Dylan brings up harrowing topics such as the real nature of war. He asks whether a “world war can be won” when both sides have detrimental losses. He addresses the draft with lyrics such as “You put a gun in my hand/ And you hide from my eyes/ And you turn and run farther/ When the fast bullets fly.” This addresses the people who run the draft, many of whom never have to see the faces of the people they are quite possibly sending off to die. This leads into the main overall subject of the song, which addresses how the orchestrators of the war are in their homes and safe while people die at their expense.
1971: John Lennon, ‘Imagine’
Although in essence this song is not a “protest song,” it is a call to action. Written in the midst of the Vietnam War, Lennon calls everyone to imagine a world of peace and prosperity, instead of a world of death and destruction: “Imagine there’s no countries/ It isn’t hard to do/ Nothing to kill or die for.” These lyrics are asking the world to live as one, not as divided nations but to solely see each other for who they are: human beings.
1984: Bruce Springsteen, ‘Born in the U.S.A’
As patriotic and gung-ho American as the song looks at first glance, “Born in the U.S.A” is the definition of a protest song. Written about the life back home for a troubled Vietnam War veteran, Springsteen addresses the journey from getting drafted all the way to the neglect faced once they return from their tour. “Got in a little hometown jam/ So they put a rifle in my hand/ Sent me off to a foreign land/ To go and kill the yellow man.” The main character of the song got into trouble back home and was then shipped off to Vietnam to fight. When he returns from his tour, he tries to find work only to be turned down, “Come back home to the refinery/ Hiring man says, ‘Son, if it were up to me,’” addressing the struggle veterans have when it comes to finding work.
1992: Rage Against the Machine, ‘Killing in the Name’
Inspired by the beating of Rodney King at the hands of LAPD, which resulted in riots and outrage by the American people, the song is meant to draw attention and start an uprising against police brutality, a subject still prominent in today’s current state. “Killing in the Name” has arguably the most controversial lyrics of all time: “Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses,” comparing police to the white supremacy group, the Ku Klux Klan.
2004: Green Day, ‘American Idiot’
The hit song was inspired by and written in response to President George W. Bush declaring war on Iraq following the 9/11 attacks. Green Day sings about how President Bush, a Republican, riled up his supporters over the war: “I’m not a part of a redneck agenda/ Now everybody do the propaganda/ And sing along to the age of paranoia.” Media also played a huge role in the Bush presidency, with Fox News rising to prominence, causing lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong to sing America is “One nation controlled by the media.”
2018: Childish Gambino, ‘This is America’
Winning Record of the Year at the 2019 Grammys, Donald Glover sings about police brutality and the harsh treatment of black people in America: “Police be trippin’ now (Woo) / Yeah, this is America (Woo, ayy).” The music video provides the best description of the song, showing Glover in a former slave outfit, the harsh treatment of black people getting killed and then the careful and almost royal handling of guns.
2018: The 1975, ‘Love It If We Made It’
The lyrical and strongly opinionated pop band is known to take stands in their songs and in their lives against President Trump and most conservative values. Boisterous frontman Matty Healy describes the song as the “jam of hope amongst all the rubble,” and it is not necessarily a protest song as much as it is a “social anthem.” Addressing topics such as police brutality and the treatment of black people at the hands of the justice system—“Selling melanin and then suffocate the black men/ Start with misdemeanors and we’ll make a business out of them”—this calls out the justice system and the seemingly endless cycle black people are forced into. The 1975 also call out President Trump’s twitter rants: “The war has been incited/ And guess what, you’re all invited,” talking about the president’s fiery tweets about North Korean dictator Kim Jung Un, which almost started a war.
2019: The Killers, ‘Land of The Free’
Frontman Brandon Flowers was said to be lying in bed when he had the sudden calling to write this song. It calls out the border wall and our treatment of immigrants: “Down at the border, they’re gonna put up a wall/ Concrete and rebar steel beams/ High enough to keep all those filthy hands off of our hopes and our dreams/ People who just want the same things we do.” Flowers also addresses police treatment of black people, singing over a gospel choir and a grand piano base: “When I go out in my car, I don’t think twice/ But if you’re the wrong color skin, you grow up looking over both your shoulders.”
Reese Gorman is a sophomore journalism major from Schertz, TX. He is passionate about music because he believes it has a unique way of bringing people together and it brings him joy. Reese’s favorite artist is The 1975 and his favorite genre of music is Indie/Alternative. In his free time, Reese enjoys golfing, climbing, camping and reading.
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