politics in music

oleo20 · #1 11-17-2009, 12:19 PM

hi guys bit of a random question here!

i was wondering if some of you could help me out!

I need to know some good artists to listen and compare,focusing on lyrics, genre, image, musicality anything like that and compare it to the society at the time they were about.

Ive found Bob Dylan - blowin in the wind and barry mcguire - eve of destruction. I would quite like a few examples ranging from the 50's to the present day really!

advice would be greatly appreciated!

cheers now

Sredna · #2 11-17-2009, 12:26 PM

YouTube Video

That's a mean bass line!

JohnW400 · #3 11-17-2009, 12:26 PM

What about John Lennon? He did quite a few protest albums after the Beatles split up. I think his first solo album (before Imagine) has some politacal tunes. If not, google "John Sinclair" and see if that get's you the name of the exact LP.

mr. beaumont · #4 11-17-2009, 12:33 PM

check out fela kuti's "expensive shit" and lynton kwesi johnson's "dread beat and blood" for some decidedly "non american" examples.

bako · #5 11-17-2009, 12:52 PM

The Freedom Now Suite by Max Roach/Oscar Brown Jr. featuring Abbey Lincoln
John Coltrane Alabama

I'm performing this weekend in a tribute to the very recently passed Mercedes Sosa.
She was perhaps the greatest interpreter of a very rich tradition of highly political and poetic songs
in a movement that was referred to as Nueva Cancion in Argentina and Chile and Nuevo Trova in Cuba.
Some of the great songwriters include Victor Jara, Violeta Parra from Chile,Atahualpa Yupanqui from Argentina and Silvio Rodriguez from Cuba.

randalljazz · #6 11-17-2009, 01:11 PM

Amazon.com: Not in Our Name: Charlie Haden Liberation Music Orchestra: Music

derek · #7 11-17-2009, 02:24 PM

One of my all time favorite singer/songwriter/guitarists is Canada's own Bruce Cockburn (pronounced Coburn). He was at Berklee for at least a year, and came out of the 60's folk movement originally. He has greatly evolved over the years, and his imagery is influenced by poets such as ee cummings.

Since the 80's, he tends to spend time in some 3rd world country, immersing himself in the culture and then writes an album about the experience. Lots of extotic places, plus the plight of Native Americans pop up frequently also. Great music, provocative lyrics, and draws musically from all over the world. Did I mention I am a big fan?

Somewhere around 30 discs, and I have 20 something of them.

Bruce Cockburn op MySpace Music ? Gratis gestreamde MP3?s, foto?s en Videoclips

rabbit · #8 11-17-2009, 06:37 PM

Very informative thread! Thanks for the question, and answers.

Bob Brosnan is on a career-long cross-cultural tear.
You can google up his website. On it he talks about
many things possibly of use to your project.
Included might be his short piece on marching as opposed
to syncopated rhythms and how you find the former among
the militarist societies and the latter among the colonized.

czgibson · #9 11-17-2009, 06:43 PM

Here are some albums that contain music which may or may not be appropriate for what you're working on. They all feature songs with political themes. Some of them are closely rooted in their own time, and some of them may be relevant at any time. You decide.

Marvin Gaye - What's Going On

The Clash

Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back

Neil Young - Living With War (this one is about as subtle as a brick)