Nov 1 2018

David Byrne Presents: The Power of Song to Give Voice is Eternal

By Todomundo

Song Artist Purchase
Here Comes The Change (From the Motion Picture 'On The Basis of Sex') Kesha Amazon
Ghost Town The Specials Amazon
Hurricane Bob Dylan Amazon
Billy Austin Steve Earle & The Dukes Amazon
Okie From Muskogee Merle Haggard Amazon
Sólo le Pido a Dios Ana Belén Amazon
Give Peace A Chance The Plastic Ono Band Amazon
Me And A Gun Tori Amos Amazon
Man Down Rihanna Amazon
His Story TLC Amazon
Give Ireland Back to the Irish Blackthorn Amazon
At the Purchaser's Option Rhiannon Giddens Amazon
Love Is Blind Eve Amazon
Opportunities (Let's Make Lots Of Money) Pet Shop Boys Amazon
Hands Dirty Delta Rae Amazon
Strange Fruit Billie Holiday Amazon
Fortunate Son Creedence Clearwater Revival Amazon
When The President Talks To God Bright Eyes Amazon
Sunday Bloody Sunday U2 Amazon
Alright Kendrick Lamar Amazon
The Pill Loretta Lynn Amazon
Born in the U.S.A. Bruce Springsteen Amazon
Harper Valley P.T.A. Jeannie C. Riley Amazon
Say It Loud - I'm Black And I'm Proud (Pts.1 & 2) James Brown Amazon
Rebel Girl Bikini Kill Amazon
Fight The Power Public Enemy Amazon
Fight the Power (Pt. 1 & 2) The Isley Brothers Amazon
Ohio Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Amazon
I Ain't Marching Anymore Phil Ochs Amazon
Long Walk To D.C. The Staple Singers Amazon
War Edwin Starr Amazon
Mississippi Goddam Nina Simone Amazon
Get Up, Stand Up Bob Marley & The Wailers Amazon
Rivers of Babylon The Melodians Amazon
A Change Is Going To Come Baby Huey & The Baby Sitters Amazon
With God On Our Side The Neville Brothers Amazon
Standing In the Way of Control Gossip Amazon
The Words That Maketh Murder PJ Harvey Amazon
Road To Peace Tom Waits Amazon
Changes 2Pac ft. Talent Amazon
Rednecks Randy Newman Amazon
Rednecks, White Socks And Blue Ribbon Beer Buck Owens Amazon
Be Free AcetheSpade ft. J. Cole Amazon
Reagan Killer Mike Amazon
That's Enough Thompson & Richard Thompson Amazon
Streets of Bakersfield Buck Owens Amazon
(For God's Sake) Give More Power To The People The Chi-Lites Amazon
Rising Down Kaia Kater Amazon
(We're Not) The Jet Set George Jones & Tammy Wynette Amazon

Kaia Kater

Photo by Polina Mourzina

Not too many years ago there was a spate of newspaper and magazine articles asking where all the “protest” songs were. Well, here they are... about 60 years worth, non-stop. They never went away—in fact, they now come from all directions in every possible genre—country songs, giant pop hits, hip hop, classic rock, indie and folk. Yes, maybe there weren’t many songs questioning the wisdom of invading Iraq, but almost every other issue has been addressed.

This playlist is therefore stylistically very diverse and forms a long timeline. This might make for some bumpy transitions and abrupt swerves for listeners, but I find that variety energizing and hopeful.

I’ve even included a few songs that “protest the protests.” Buck Owens, the classic country artist from Bakersfield, for example, has two songs here. “Rednecks, White Socks and Blue Ribbon Beer,” is a celebration of Americans who feel they are unnoticed, left behind. One might call it a populist anthem, but I think the reference to white socks is intentionally meant to be funny—in effect, it says: “we know who we are, we know how uncool white socks are.” George Jones and Tammy Wynette’s “We’re Not the Jet Set” could fit here as well. Owens other song, “Streets Of Bakersfield” is also about a man who is ignored and all but invisible to the powers that be.

We have songs about male abuse of power by Rihanna (“Man Down”) and the country act Delta Rae. A song questioning the death penalty (Steve Earle’s “Billy Austin”) and the police treatment of Afro Americans (Janelle Monae’s “Hell You Talmbout”). There’s a country song about hypocrisy (“Harper Valley P.T.A.”) and songs that fight the power through celebration of who one is (“Say It Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud”).

So, the power of song to give voice is eternal... in fact, it’s more widespread than ever.

David Byrne

London

Nov 1 2018

David Byrne Presents: The Power of Song to Give Voice is Eternal

By Todomundo

Song Artist Purchase
Here Comes The Change (From the Motion Picture 'On The Basis of Sex') Kesha Amazon
Ghost Town The Specials Amazon
Hurricane Bob Dylan Amazon
Billy Austin Steve Earle & The Dukes Amazon
Okie From Muskogee Merle Haggard Amazon
Sólo le Pido a Dios Ana Belén Amazon
Give Peace A Chance The Plastic Ono Band Amazon
Me And A Gun Tori Amos Amazon
Man Down Rihanna Amazon
His Story TLC Amazon
Give Ireland Back to the Irish Blackthorn Amazon
At the Purchaser's Option Rhiannon Giddens Amazon
Love Is Blind Eve Amazon
Opportunities (Let's Make Lots Of Money) Pet Shop Boys Amazon
Hands Dirty Delta Rae Amazon
Strange Fruit Billie Holiday Amazon
Fortunate Son Creedence Clearwater Revival Amazon
When The President Talks To God Bright Eyes Amazon
Sunday Bloody Sunday U2 Amazon
Alright Kendrick Lamar Amazon
The Pill Loretta Lynn Amazon
Born in the U.S.A. Bruce Springsteen Amazon
Harper Valley P.T.A. Jeannie C. Riley Amazon
Say It Loud - I'm Black And I'm Proud (Pts.1 & 2) James Brown Amazon
Rebel Girl Bikini Kill Amazon
Fight The Power Public Enemy Amazon
Fight the Power (Pt. 1 & 2) The Isley Brothers Amazon
Ohio Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Amazon
I Ain't Marching Anymore Phil Ochs Amazon
Long Walk To D.C. The Staple Singers Amazon
War Edwin Starr Amazon
Mississippi Goddam Nina Simone Amazon
Get Up, Stand Up Bob Marley & The Wailers Amazon
Rivers of Babylon The Melodians Amazon
A Change Is Going To Come Baby Huey & The Baby Sitters Amazon
With God On Our Side The Neville Brothers Amazon
Standing In the Way of Control Gossip Amazon
The Words That Maketh Murder PJ Harvey Amazon
Road To Peace Tom Waits Amazon
Changes 2Pac ft. Talent Amazon
Rednecks Randy Newman Amazon
Rednecks, White Socks And Blue Ribbon Beer Buck Owens Amazon
Be Free AcetheSpade ft. J. Cole Amazon
Reagan Killer Mike Amazon
That's Enough Thompson & Richard Thompson Amazon
Streets of Bakersfield Buck Owens Amazon
(For God's Sake) Give More Power To The People The Chi-Lites Amazon
Rising Down Kaia Kater Amazon
(We're Not) The Jet Set George Jones & Tammy Wynette Amazon

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