Music and Politics

I have an essay due on Tuesday (yes, late notice, but professors who assign papers over a holiday are evil) over "an event which demonstrates the use of music to convey a political meaning." It can be past or current but must have some sort of documentation (not necessarily scholarly).

I don't know about too many of these kinds of events but I'm hoping that someone here can just throw some ideas at me to research. I'm not sure where to start and Google isn't being to friendly to me about this.

Thanks guys.

I've always enjoyed listening to Irish rebel songs. Foggy Dew is one of my favourites.

Music and politics - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - To get you something to look at

Thanks. Do you know of any specific events that I could write about that have some kind of documentation? The Wiki article is more music-specific and I think I need something perhaps more performance-based.

You need an example of a piece of music which was used at a political event?

Maybe Never Gonna Give you Up by Rick Astley (Played at the recent Scientology protests)

SOAD, SOAD, and SOAD.

(System Of A Down)

Originally Posted by Maetora

SOAD, SOAD, and SOAD.

(System Of A Down)

No.

If you're going to go down that route pick something a bit more tasteful.

Dead Kennedys, Lard, or Reagan Youth.

Originally Posted by 8bit

No.

If you're going to go down that route pick something a bit more tasteful.

Dead Kennedys, Lard, or Reagan Youth.

I was expecting this sort of response.

I know SOAD attracts many fanboys/girls here and there, especially after the Mesmerize/Hypnotize jig, and then after listening to a couple of their songs, they think they're politically intelligent and an activist. It has really distracted people from what they've done and pulled off. They have put action into their activism, more than just yelling and screaming about how much they hate politics like other bands.

If I was going down the wrong route, I would of said something like Rage Against The Machine.

Hmm... But I guess this just about music and politics... Rather than political activism? Oh well... SOAD is still an example, among the other bands that have been listed here already.

Originally Posted by Maetora

I was expecting this sort of response.

I know SOAD attracts many fanboys/girls here and there, especially after the Mesmerize/Hypnotize jig, and then after listening to a couple of their songs, they think they're politically intelligent and an activist. It has really distracted people from what they've done and pulled off. They have put action into their activism, more than just yelling and screaming about how much they hate politics like other bands.

If I was going down the wrong route, I would of said something like Rage Against The Machine.

Hmm... But I guess this just about music and politics... Rather than political activism? Oh well... SOAD is still an example, among the other bands that have been listed here already.

I like SOAD as well as Rage, and I didn't say not to pick them because of their fandom, but rather, because of the vagueness. The bands I listed are often more specific with the issues they address, citing specific elections, events, and incidents within their lyrics. Most songs by SOAD and Rage simply posit broad views without actually discussing any particular instance of an issue.

Immortal Technique.

I warn you of heavy swearing (though not all songs are horribly bad.)

Originally Posted by 8bit

I like SOAD as well as Rage, and I didn't say not to pick them because of their fandom, but rather, because of the vagueness. The bands I listed are often more specific with the issues they address, citing specific elections, events, and incidents within their lyrics. Most songs by SOAD and Rage simply posit broad views without actually discussing any particular instance of an issue.

Ah, okay. I just assumed you meant something else when you said to choose something that is more tasteful.

Thanks for the help guys