Rock Music and Political Awareness

reply to post by Prof. Skrewloose


I was reading the replies thinking someone BETTER mention Megadeth lol.. I actually started a thread on here a little while ago questioning if members thought Mustaine could be an ATS'er himself.

I have always found people who listen to this kinda music more open minded and aware of whats actually going on in the world. How many coldplay fans do you see protesting the NWO

reply to post by Lemon.Fresh


Ah yes, I love the new album from Hurt ... actually forgot to include that in my list, as well some of Breaking Benjamin's work.

reply to post by stereovoyaged


lol! Imagine Fans at a Jonas Brothers concert holding up signs "Down with the NWO!", "9-11 Truth Now!", or simply "F* the Man!"

The world would be a better place. *sigh* kum ba ya.

Five Finger Death Punch - No One Gets Left Behind

NO ONE GET'S LEFT BEHIND, ANOTHER FALLEN SOUL!!
NO ONE GETS LEFT BEHIND, ANOTHER BROKEN HOME!!
NO ONE GETS LEFT BEHIND, WE STAND AND FIGHT TOGETHER!!
NO ONE GETS LEFT BEHIND, OR WE ALL DIE ALONE!!

Poloiticians banking in their greed
No idea on how to be all they can be

Chorus:
Have you no honor? Have you no soul?
What is it they're dying for? Do you really even know?
Have you no backbone? Have you no spine?
Whatever happened to, NO ONE GETS LEFT BEHIND!!

NO ONE GETS LEFT BEHIND, I KNOW YOU MADE IT UP!!
NO ONE GETS LEFT BEHIND, IT'S MORE FOR MONEY!!
NO ONE GETS LEFT BEHIND, DRINK FROM THE GOLDEN CUP!!
NO ONE GETS LEFT BEHIND, YOUR TURN IS COMING!!

Play your war games with other people's lives
It should be you, on the front line

Here are some lyrics from Manic Street Preacers' Rendition. Pretty powerful stuff:

Rendition, rendition, blame it on the coalition
All the emeralds that are missing, oh I wish we still had jack lemon
Rendition, rendition I never knew the sky was a prison
It's a long hard revolution, oh good god I feel like a liberal

For tomorrow I will beg, steal and borrow
And at the moment im jumping at sorrow
I wish I knew what I did wrong
Can anybody hear the screaming of us? The screaming of us
In the long hard revolution

Rendition, rendition, blame it on the coalition
The CIA will stay invisible, oh good god I sound like a liberal
Rendition, rendition I never knew the sky was a prison
It's a long hard revolution, oh good god I feel like a liberal

source

Surely someone must know grindcore is very political as well as anarcho punk and crust punk, and of course, metal.Interpret these songs as you would see what you read. There are better songs if you look...
Here's a song by Discharge called Tomorrow belongs to us

"You're so afraid to stand up
But without you they are nothing
Unite unite unite and fight
Tomorrow belongs to us
Unite unite unite and fight
Tomorrow belongs to us
Why should we suffer to fulfill their schemes of position and greed
Unite unite unite and fight
Tomorrow belongs to us
Unite unite unite and fight
Tomorrow belongs to us
You're so afraid to stand up
But without you they are nothing
Unite unite unite and fight
Tomorrow belongs to us
Unite unite unite and fight
Tomorrow belongs to us
Why should we suffer to fulfill their schemes of position and greed
Unite unite unite and fight
Tomorrow belongs to us
Unite unite unite and fight
Tomorrow belongs to us"

And here's a song from the great Terrorizor "Strategic Warheads"
"Nations falling, to defeat
Burning ash, who´s to blame
Human suffer, left in torture
Rise and fall, fear of war
Fear the future of mankind
Nothing left but wasted years
Can´t escape, world downfall
Cut-throat system, spare no pain
Life and death, meet together
Why must one, lose like this
Fear the future of mankind
Nothing left but wasted years"

While I've never been a fan of Black Flag, I do like Henry Rollin's Spoken Word and of course; Hendrix and Dylan.

Johnny Cash
Singin' in Vietnam Talkin Blues

Metallica
The Day That Never Comes



[edit on 14-11-2009 by LadySkadi]

[edit on 14-11-2009 by LadySkadi]

Most people never paid enough attention to understand it was political.



Most people never heard it.







[edit on 14-11-2009 by MikeNice81]

Counting Bodies Like Sheep To The Rythm of The War Drum


a perfect circle is a band that the lead singer of tool(maynard) made songs with for a while...

I swear they wrote this song about Henry Kissinger.



I anagramed his name at "anagram genius" and it came out to

KING HENRYS SIRE

[edit on 14-11-2009 by randyvs]

It doesn't have to be metal to be political. It doesn't even have to be hard. Most people never really understand that John Mellencamp's song "Little Pink Houses" is about disenchantment.

I think this slide show emphasises the disconnect.




When he is a little more obvious...

reply to post by deltaalphanovember


I scanned the whole thread quickly and actually missed this post.

My awakening started while watching "Right Now" by Van Halen on MTV.

"Right Now justice is being perverted in a court of law."
"Right Now god is killing moms and dogs because he has to."
"Right Now oil companies and old men are in control."
"Right Now the truth is being obscured."

The line I never forgot and that probably impacted me the most was, "Right Now our government is doing things we think only other countries do." That one line started a conversation with my dad that completly changed the way I view the world. It was a powerful video for a kid - that wasn't even a teenager yet - to watch.



[edit on 14-11-2009 by MikeNice81]

This is turning into an intersting thread. there should be more discussion going on to help it float.

Avenged Sevenfold - Blinded in Chains

And we're at it again, I turn around another #ing war, man
I don't know where to begin, but I'll start with the radical leaders
Their steps we're followin'

Running, don't go back and fight, too many you'll lose
(And as clowns you follow suit behind the blood between the red and white and blue but it's too deep for you to see and everyone eventually will take the step cause it's in sight you take the left I'll take the right I fell the hate you've built for me and I say pay attention baby)

As they thank the Lord the blind can't see
Like a plague fed to the brain deadly disease

But it wasn't a sin, a sorry life in judging every action
And as they're feeding your mind with this # you forget
How to speak how to ask all the questions

The business at hand tonight, make the people choose
(I see another side in you but there's not much more I can do from on the outside looking in your government is listenin' to push you on the story of immortal father mortal son give them your mind and all your wealth the cycle will rebirth itself)

If they had it their way, I'd burn in Hell and your future's a #in' disaster can't you see
Don't give them all the power when your future's in desperate trouble baby

As they thank the Lord the blind can't see
Like a plague fed to the brain deadly disease
I'd run away tonight with my mind still intact you gotta make it alright
Easier said than done with no place to hide and having no place to...
Running away from condition, I see you but you're running away from
Your scared seductive system

Most would claim I live a lie when pointing out it's easy to predict these things
Every color has its side, they live together vote and most embrace these same dark times
Please help us, please save us of course they have control we're all the same
Up on the cross, crucified their problem drove the nail and let Him rot
Family and friends, it won't matter in the end I'm sure they'll understand
Now look at the world and see how the humans bleed
As I sit up here and wonder 'bout how you sold your mind, body and soul
Looking at the fields so green I know this sounds obscene
I see you're living for tomorrow but decisions you have made will leave you empty

As they thank the Lord the blind can't see
Like a plague fed to the brain deadly disease
I'd run away tonight with my mind still intact I've gotta make it alright
Easier said than done with no place to hide and having no place to run

You've fallen asleep in denial
Look at the way we're dyin'
How it ends I'll never know
Just live your life blind like me

One of the best lyrics ever...

Everybody remembers the political flap between Bruce Springsteen and Ronald Reagan. However, everybody seems to forget that most of his "blue collar stories" are just as much a commentary on the state of America. His songs tell you how American politics really effect the average man.

Bruce Springsteen
Atlantic City

Well, they blew up the chicken man in Philly last night
Now, they blew up his house, too
Down on the boardwalk they're gettin' ready for a fight
Gonna see what them racket boys can do
Now, there's trouble bustin' in from outta state
And the D.A. can't get no relief
Gonna be a rumble out on the promenade
And the gamblin' commission's hangin' on by the skin of his teeth

(chorus)
Well now, ev'rything dies, baby, that's a fact
But maybe ev'rything that dies someday comes back
Put your makeup on, fix your hair up pretty
And meet me tonight in Atlantic City

Well, I got a job and tried to put my money away
But I got debts that no honest man can pay
So I drew what I had from the Central Trust
And I bought us two tickets on that Coast City bus

(chorus)

Now our luck may have died and our love may be cold
But with you forever I'll stay
We're goin' out where the sand's turnin' to gold
Put on your stockin's baby, `cause the night's getting cold
And maybe ev'rything dies, baby, that's a fact
But maybe ev'rything that dies someday comes back

Now, I been lookin' for a job, but it's hard to find
Down here it's just winners and losers and don't
get caught on the wrong side of that line
Well, I'm tired of comin' out on the losin' end
So, honey, last night I met this guy and I'm gonna
do a little favor for him

(chorus)

[edit on 14-11-2009 by MikeNice81]

Wow, you guys are bringing out the big guns ... there is music here that I have never heard of or listened to before.

I am going to try get a copy of each song everyone on this thread has mentioned for a serious listening.

And the lyrics posted ... I am getting goose bumps.

counting bodies like dead sheep .... phew ... one of my favourites. I have a friend who has an Animation Studio and he is making that song the background to his showreel.

Anyone listened to Marliyn Manson's song ArmaG*damn motherf*gGeddon yet?

Marliyn Manson's song We're From America has a line that made me sit up and take notice the other day:

We're from america

We don't like to kill our unborn,
we need them to grow up and fight our wars (x2)

We believe in everything we say,
we say it because we believe it (x2)

Maybe not directly a song of political awareness, but it does offer the perspective of a soldier who has been in a war.. And in the end, I think (almost) every soldier regrets that path.. And war is a part of political system that the rich use to get the poor to fight the fights for them.. And the consequences are reflected upon in this song...

Staring at the carnage, praying that the sun would never rise.
Living another day in disguise.
These feelings can't be right, lend me your courage to stand up and fight, on tonight.

Ooooo...
Stand up and fight


The fighting rages on and on, to challenge me you must be strong.
I walk your land but don't belong, two million soldiers can't be wrong

It's no fun but I've been here before
I'm far from home and I'm fighting your war.
(Not the way I pictured this, I wanted better things)
Some are scared others killing for fun, I shot a mother right in front of her son.
(Take this from my consciousness, and please erase my dreams)

Fight for honor, fight for your life
Pray to God that our side is right.
Even though we won, I still may lose
Until I make it home to you
I see our mothers filled with tears,
grew up so fast where did those years go?
Memories won't let you cry,
unless I don't return tonight

So many soldiers on the other side, I take their lives so they can't take mine.
(Scared to make it out alive now murder's all I know.)
Nobody tells me all the reasons for here. I have my weapons so there's nothing to fear.
(Another day, another life, but nothing real to show for)

Fight for honor, fight for your life
Pray to god that our side is right
Even though we won, I still may lose
Until I make it home to you
I see our mothers filled with tears,
grew up so fast where did those years go?
Memories won't let you cry,
unless I don't return tonight

Staring at the carnage, praying that the sun would never rise.
Living another day in disguise.
These feelings can't be right, lend me your courage to stand up and fight.

Watching the death toll rise wondering how I'm alive.
Stranger's blood on my hands, I've shot all I can
There are no silent nights, watching your brothers all die
To destroy all their plans with no thought of me
No thought of me, no thought of me

Ohhhhh...

Walk the city lonely
Memories that haunt are passing by
A murderer walks your streets tonight
Forgive me for my crimes;don't forget that I was so young
Fought so scared in the name of God and Country

An outstanding thread!!!! As a musician myself, I have a deep rooted respect for bands and musicians that highlight issues within society, including political struggles etc. The band and I have recently written a tune about war, specifically how there will never be a time of complete peace......war generates far too much money, think of the arms dealers, munitions manufacturers, armed forces, private militia organisations, etc...... If there was no war, it would be an economic disaster, all of these people/organisations would be redundant.
Anyway, when it comes to bands raising political awareness, my personal favourite has always been Boysetsfire, now sadly split up. However, they wrote some of the most politically charged lyrics I've ever heard: -

After The Eulogy

Written, signed off in our obituary
What's happened to us?
Where's your anger, where's your f*****g rage
Watered down senses lost
Lazy, privileged, denial and self gratified
A tradition, passed down to our blood stained hands

Give in, Give up
Give in, give up

Rise (x3)

Contented to strive for new worthless slogans
We miss our potential for action and substance
Contented to lie in our boring vomit
Suggesting arrangements, while others are dying

Stand up, fight back
Stand up, fight back

How many starving millions have to die on our front doorsteps
How many dying millions have to crawl toour front doorsteps
Written, signed off in the obituary, what's happened to us
where's your anger, where's your f*****g rage? watered down, senses lost!

Where's you anger, where's your f*****g rage? (x8)

Content and corrupted, contrived and disgusting
Dig a hole it's all over, forget the words
And good intentions
Unless we rise, unless we rise

rise (x3)

Tear it down!

Also, another favourite of mine is the album "Release The Cure" by Indecision (also split up!!). An album dedicated to the theory that the majority of major diseases are government created and a cure will only be given to the masses once population has been controlled to a sufficient degree, or enough money has been made.