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Yes, It’s P

othing divides opinion quite as much as However, it is exactly this ability of protest songs
politics. Political differences elicit strong to provoke powerful emotions that makes them a
Nreactions, but this makes them fertile very interesting avenue for artists to consider. I
ground for songwriters. They provide an opportu- think the key thing is that the issue you’re writing
nity to deliver thought-provoking commentaries about must be really close to your heart. There’s
on topics we’re passionate about and leave an no point attempting to write a protest song just
imprint on listeners’ hearts. for
commercial purposes. Any fakeness will be easy
Proud history of protest songs to spot.

Political songs have a distinguished history. For I’ll Hide - my example of a protest song
as long as words have been set to music, artists
have reacted to seismic political events with an I participate in a great musical collaboration
outpouring of creativity. The term ‘protest songs’ website called Kompoz.com. One day, I saw a
is virtually synonymous with Bob Dylan, who thread in the Community section where a couple
used his brand of gravelly folk music to commen- of musicians were talking about global warming.
tate on events such as the Vietnam War and the It’s a topic that also resonates very strongly with
American Civil Rights Movement. Check out me. In fact, I’d say that it is by far the single most
songs such as ‘With God on our side’ and ‘The important challenge that our generation faces.
times they are a changin’’ to witness the skill with
which he I had read an article that suggested that if global
reflected on issues that were important to him, temperatures were to increase by 6 degrees
and to a generation of like-minded individuals. Celsius then it’s effectively game over. Most of
the Southern Hemisphere will become uninhabit-
Protest songs are not just the preserve of folk able, triggering millions of climate refugees, and
music. Rage Against the Machine’s ‘Killing in the leading to war, famine, and lots of other very
name of’ is a visceral blast of metal that was a nasty outcomes.
reaction to the acquittal of police officers who
had been charged with beating Rodney King, a I wrote a lyric called ‘Six degrees (and gone)’ and
black shared it and guitarist James Fraser and Finnish
man, in Los Angeles in 1992. vocalist ParmiaVaala worked it into a song. It was
great but even better was in store when Parmia
Neil Young’s ‘Southern Man’ from 1970 is another took my lyrics and James’ chord structure and
famous example that targets racism, with the came up with a different interpretation, which
song questioning when the South will make she re-titled as ‘I’ll Hide’.
amends for the riches it accumulated through
slavery. It also led to what is surely the greatest This collaboration, with its awesome end prod-
rock riposte ever when LynyrdSkynyrdreplied uct, is one of my proudest moments as a song-
with ‘Sweet Home Alabama’,a song that accentu- writer, and I hope it will strike the right chord with
ated the virtues of people from the Southern many people. And, importantly, if anyone dis-
states. agrees vehemently with the climate change
movement then they can exercise their demo-
Should songwriters create political songs? cratic option of not listening.

Political issues arouse strong emotions, and Some other protest songs worth checking out:
many songwriters are reluctant to stray into that
territory for fear of upsetting or alienating their ‘Imagine’, by John Lennon and the Plastic Ono
listeners. That’s understandableand, ultimately, band. (Surely one of the most beautiful and
it’s a choice for each songwriter to grapple with. thought-provoking songs ever)

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