Activism

The first few entries in this blog have been mostly silly, tongue in cheek articles about myself and music, however, not all  entries will be like this. There will be totally random days. There will be angry days. There will be rants on politics. There will be much you have yet to anticipate.

With that in mind, I want to transition into something a little more serious, but keeping with the folksy theme.

Activism in music.


Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, Joan Baez and many other folk artists in early-mid to mid 20th century began singing songs written in a traditional song form, but employing progressive themes and tinged with political messages. Pete Seeger's songs centered around reforming labor laws. Phil Ochs was famous for his songs opposing the Vietnam War. The others wrote many songs with messages that captured the progressive mood of young Americans during their respective eras.

While Pete Seeger and Phil Ochs were purposely political, singers like Bob Dylan refrained from writing "topical" songs--songs about a specific political issue. Dylan was quoted to have called the work of Phil Ochs' work was  "not totally honest" and "bull @#%$." However, many of his songs are tinged with progressive political ideology.

The political song seems to have mostly remained in folk music, other genres have incorporated protest songs, anti-war songs, and the like. One very popular example from recent years is "Wake Me When September Ends" by popular pop-punk band Green Day.

So what is it that draws songwriters into wanting to share a political message? This is a question I've often wondered about. What makes songwriters such politically charged people? I'm not sure, but I find myself being just as political as Phil Ochs, the singer whose entire career was made by opposing Republicans, war, and especially everything that happened in Vietnam, but in the opposite direction.

Is it some genetic disposition that makes artists, writers, and musicians such political people? Or is it merely the culture of the occupation?

As I ponder this question, a greater one swallows it up. How in the world would one write a conservative protest song? I can't fathom the answer.

In fear of sounding like Hank Williams, Jr. I will stop. As you can clearly see.... It's just not possible without sounding forced and lifeless. Conservatism just doesn't make good protest songs. Maybe that's NOT a bad thing...