"We Shall Overcome" Music is a Powerful way to Protest

I was participating in a thread started by inforeal about Jesse Venturas letter to the ruling elite, and it was very interesting to hear all the passionate and different thoughts people have out there about just how the people should go about making our voices heard and demanding an end to a corrupt government that is no longer representing the best interests of the people. The suggestions made ranged from violent revolution, peaceful protest, dropping out completely, voting out and/or arresting the PTB...and many more...

So as I'm pondering this and watching this thread unfold an old song comes to my mind, and this is what happened.

Out of the blue the song "Get Together" popped into my mind, a little before my time, didn't even remember who sang it.......anyways, my BF looked it up for me, turns out it was done by a band called " The Youngbloods"...great old hippy song....optomistic message.

Now here's where it gets weird, we start looking into this band's history and discover this song was put on a list after 911 by Clear Channel that recommended this song along with many others not be played because of "questionable lyrics"....really!?

en.wikipedia.org...

Check out this list, some of the greatest tunes ever, "Imagine" John Lennon, "What a wonderful world", Louis Armstrong, to name a few......old and new classics that provoke emotion, many personal favorites of mine.

The events surrounding 911 were certainly a catalyst to my awakening and disillusionment of our corrupt government run behind the scenes by outright criminals, too evil to even comprehend. The idea of even trying to "highjack" our feelings, our bond to fellow humans, by witholding the small comfort certain music brings us is yet another example of why we need to show these monsters the door.

Maybe we desend on Washington and BLAST every song on this list until TPTB are so sleep deprived they have no choice but to address our issues!

Here are a few of the responces I recieved which inspired me to make this post

Absolutely true. It gets down to basics. “Get Together” is the downfall of the elite, for they rule us based on divide and conquer. The way they divide us is so powerful and professionally enacted, it is an enormous challenge to overcome. But that leads to another great song, in the panorama of the many that come forth from the human spirit . . .and that song is . . . . We Shall Overcome!

this should be started in a different post its a good topic music does make us listen to the message of common men our subconscious has been armed with all we need to know to beat them

I know this isn't a new idea, but maybe we could brainstorm in this thread on how we might use music to rally the masses on a larger scale in an organized effort in the US and abroad, this would have to be something that was done on a certain day all across the world, in parks, in churches, in front of government buildings, anywhere we can think of...the music could be appropriate for the groups gathering, but it would all have the same central theme and message. We want peace and a government that has integrity...no more behind the scene deals being made at the peoples peril.

I really can see this having some "punch" if it was done well and organized. If we could get the momentum, possibly celebs involved (hey it's all good, they use the media and celebs against us, maybe we turn the tables) Millions of people all over the world playing music for peace, couldn't bury that story in MSM.....anyways I hope others will share their ideas, and help me to formulate a plan of action cause I'm willing to really throw myself in to this project, I have the vision, need some help from my friends with the nuts and bolts on how this might work......

So I leave you all with this song.......


www.youtube.com...

Hi ATS moderator, I'm new at this, could you please help me post this in the proper forum. TY

Great idea OP...

Here's a couple songs for the playlist

Talking about a revolution - Tracy Chapman


Give peace a chance - John Lennon

I shared this artist in another music thread yesterday I think..
Anyway, I think this song fits here:
Keep in mind this is all made with his mouth!

Sounds like a great idea to me, and I have many friends who I'm sure would participate as well.

I would use "Where is the Love" by Black Eyed Peas.(: Love that song.

All that the people in V had to do was come together and the police couldn't stop them. Same applies to us, I'd say.

Some excellent songs so far......all so different, yet so universal to humans......TY all......

we watched what a peaceful protest in wisconsin got them--almost nothing
I say grab are guns and whistle DIXIE

Great idea and thread

Here's a rather lengthy video on the history and evolution of protest music. Really worth the watch, hope others enjoy it just as much as I have.

www.youtube.com...

Crazy how the violence globally, and domestically, seem to be ramping up and rumors have been swirling of a new Rage Against album slated for this summer. Soundtrack to the new revolution perhaps?

Well there seems to be many folks who feel violence is neccesary or eminent.......wouldn't it be wonderful if the military and police were all dancing in the streets too! Hey a girl can dream can't she, the visual of that makes me smile

reply to post by Nastradamus


That was an awesome video, ty for sharing, perfect addition to this thread. Did you notice that in the list I provided in the original post that it was recommended no songs by "rage against the machine" be played after 9-11...hmmmm?

"Taxman" by the Beatles. CCR "Fortunate Son" ....just a few songs that come to mind. "Take the Power Back" Rage song could be used by both sides here. lol

Anyway protest music from the 60s and some of the other standards right out of the good ol protest hymn book have baggage now. They are as much a call to the faithfull as they are a warnning to others that the same old bandwagon is passing through town. Crank monkey and pot and pan salesmen.

Protest music needs to be original with each turn of time or the thing it is fixed to looks more like the last gasps of the last era desperation for some validation still. Longing for some old days. Even that song that gained some play several years ago 'waiting for the world to change" was just some regurd. Now it really looks stupid.

The song "Imagine" was hyjacked. It really has larger implications and this is why it has survived to this day. Its hard to enjoy this song anymore for some becouse of all the damage in route to becoming part of the "power to the people" move.

Here's a couple classics that still pack a punch





Here's a nice new one



And a newer rap song

Vox Populi - 30 Seconds to Mars

reply to post by Logarock


Yeah, I agree that in order for this kind of protest to have a real impact it would definately need a new spin. What I envision is a day where vastly different groups of people all get together with musically likeminded folks, for example, you may have several groups in the same area, maybe everyone involved agrees to wear a certain color clothes that day, or something to distinguish their group is participating. Think of the great news story...in one town you might have, families with children all singing with the kids at the school, down the street a festival at the park for rock n roll, blues lovers, the classical folks at the local theater listening to a symphony, gosspel ringing out in the churches, rap and hip hop, country music lovers, singing in the bars, private parties......everywhere we can think of, again the "hook" would be masses of people doing it the same day deliberately for a united cause...showing solidarity as humans..........would love to hear all your ideas.....

reply to post by MountainLaurel


I envisioned the same kind of thing myself. Music can be a powerful tool. It's being able to bring about something like this which is the difficult part. It's been proven that social media can be used effectively in such cases.

We have to awaken the compassion,the emotion of people to be one with the earth to fight against those in the seats of power who are misleading the masses and hurting and damaging the earth by claiming that they are doing it for progress in the name of people .
Michael Jackson Earth Song video and Heal the World video are some of the songs that can touch people's hearts to awaken and rally them towards doing something positive.
The endgame for the corrupt powers is well on it's way to achieving the peak when they shall be caught and thrown into the abyss.