50 greatest protest songs
My definition of a great protest song :-
- A piece of music that is a great song in its own right. Good words and fine sentiments are not enough. The music must move us.
- A song that has a purpose. A song that doesn’t confine itself to commenting on or bemoaning the ills of the world, but seeks in some small way to change things. It may do this by calling directly for something to happen - “free Nelson Mandela”, by informing us, by appealing to our hearts and our emotions, or by challenging commonly held ideas.
- It follows from this that a true protest song should address a specific issue or issues that are current. Songs about wars and revolutions in days long gone are not included here.
- Finally the song should provoke the listener : shock us, unsettle us, amaze us, inspire us, make us angry, make us sad or make us optimistic. If it doesn’t do any of these things, it hardly deserves to be called a protest song. So be warned : there’s a lot of anger and a lot of emotion in these songs.
Only one song per artist is allowed (my self imposed rule). And what goes in is down to my personal taste and prejudices (musically and politically). But this is a living chart and it will change in the future. So please add your comments below or email me - and the best suggestions will get added to the chart at a later date.
The links all take you to other sites, so you may want to bookmark this page. Youtube occasionally shut down videos that are in breach of copyright, so please let me know if any links no longer work - or if you know of better ones !
50 Manu Chao - Rainin in Paradise 2007
Uptempo danceable number from the French born singer who has achieved international success with the group Mano Negra and more recently as a solo artist.
49 Crosby Stills Nash and Young - Ohio 1970
Recorded in response to the killing of four students and the wounding of nine others by soldiers during a peaceful antiwar protest at Kent State University. I’m not a big Neil Young fan, hence the low placing for this classic protest song.
48 Judy Collins - Bread and Roses 1976
This song, inspired by the St Lawrence strike of 1912, has become a great anthem of women’s liberation.
47 Company Flow - Patriotism 1999 Punchy militant hip hop in search of a decent video.
46 Dar Williams - Empire 2005
Folk influenced rock. Here she uses her pen to attack Bush’s war on terror.
45 Steel Pulse - No more weapons 2004
UK roots reggae band.
44 Creedence Clearwater Revival - Fortunate son 1969
The senators sons who weren’t sent to Vietnam in the 60s were themselves sending less fortunate young men to war three decades later.
43 Yes - Don’t kill the whale 1978
Delightfully 1970s with its big sweeping chords and unsophisticated video.
42 Paddy McGuigan - The men behind the wire 1975
In 1971 the British government introduced internment without trial in Northern Ireland. McGuigan’s song records the raiding of homes and the mass arrests of Republican sympathisers.
41 Tom Paxton - Lyndon Johnson told the nation 1965
I’d always thought of him as a 60s folk singer, so I was a little surprised to find that he’s recently re-recorded this as George W told the nation.
40 Jean Ritchie - Black waters 1977
Beautifully written song about the horrors of coal mining in Appalachia.
39 Tracey Chapman - Behind the wall 1988
Delicately crafted song about domestic violence.
Band from Sydney writing about the MV Tampa incident in which the Australian government refused to allow a ship to dock on Christmas Island that had rescued several hundred asylum seekers at sea. The song refers to a poll in which 77% of Australians expressed support for the government’s stance - other polls put the level of support even higher.
37 Nofx - Wolves in wolves clothing 2006
According to their Wikipedia entry, Nofx’s Fat Mike organised the website punkvoter.com, compiled two chart topping Rock against Bush CDs, and kicked off a Rock against Bush US tour. He’s probably most fondly remembered though for his musical tribute to Dubya Idiot Son of an Asshole.
Hip hop - but don’t let that put you off. There are some great hip hop songs here. This one tells a story and carries a powerful antiwar message.
35 Carl Read - If I had a rocket launcher
Acoustic version of the 1984 Bruce Cockburn song, which I prefer to the original.
34 Paul Robeson - No more auction block 1947
This chart would not be complete without Robeson’s amazing baritone. A true giant among protest singers.
33 Randy Newman - Political Science 1972
Dark humour !
32 Peter Gabriel - Biko 1980
Haunting song about the anti-apartheid campaigner Steve Biko who died in South African police custody in 1977. Gabriel is joined in this performance by the great Youssou N’Dour.
31 Dead Prez - Propaganda 2000
Perhaps tries to make too many political points, but I love the production on this, the way it integrates all the different elements.
30 Linton Kwesi Johnson - Sonny’s lettah (anti-sus poem) 1979
A poignant story, beautifully told. LKJ’s poem also captures the anger at the sus laws which led in 1981 to the Brixton riots.
29 Holly Near - I am willing 2003
Great uplifting anthem to sing along to.
28 Aceyalone - Ms Amerikka 2003
Intelligent lyrical alternative hip hop.
27 The Men They Couldn’t Hang - Shirt of Blue 1985
Tale based on the miners strike of 1984-85. One of my favourite bands.
26 Big Bill Broonzy - I wonder when I’ll be called a man 195?
Anti racist blues song.
25 Christy Moore - No time for love 1985
Ireland’s finest political balladeer.
24 Almanac Singers - I don’t want your millions, Mister 1941
Who are they ? Well Pete Seeger is on vocals, and Woody Guthrie plays guitar. Great union song from the 1930s.
23 Dead Kennedys - California Uber Alles 1979
Tongue in cheek satire directed against California governor Jerry Brown.
22 Public Enemy - Burn Hollywood, burn 1990
Blazing with anger against the white Hollywood establishment. Taken from the album Fear of a black planet.
21 Bruce Springsteen - American skin (41 shots) 2000
Written about the death of Amadou Diallo, shot 41 times by four cops from the NYPD in 1999. He was unarmed. The cops were acquitted of all charges.
20 Bob Marley and the Wailers - Them belly full (but we hungry) 1975
A hungry mob is an angry mob …
19 Sage Francis - Makeshift Patriot 2001
About America’s response to the 9/11 attacks, rather than the attacks themselves. A masterpiece. The sample at the end is from the movie Don’t Look Back, and is taken from an interview with Bob Dylan by Time magazine.
18 The Clash - The Call Up 1980
One of several powerful political songs from the Sandinista album.
17 Chris Wood and Karine Polwart - Moving on song 2006
Wonderful rendition of Ewan MacColl’s classic folk song about the rights of the travelling people.
16 The Special AKA - Free Nelson Mandela 1984
Upbeat, feelgood record which helped make anti-apartheid campaigners feel strong.
15 Phil Ochs - I ain’t marching anymore 1965
Brilliant 60s political singer songwriter with a cultured voice.
14 Barry McGuire - Eve of destruction 1965
This raw version of the apocalyptic song by PJ Proby went to number one on both sides of the Atlantic and became the rallying cry for supporters of the 26th amendment to the US Constitution, which changed the voting age from 21 to 18.
13 Mahalia Jackson - We shall overcome 1968
Pete Seeger may have done most to popularise this song, but this gospel version by Mahalia Jackson surely can’t be bettered.
12 Junior Reid - One blood 1990
Rousing Jamaican anti-racist anthem.
11 NWA - Fuck tha police 1989
When hip hop still had the power to shock. Explosive music and violent lyrics. From Straight outta Compton.
10 ani difranco - Self evident 2002
Long post 9/11 poem which hits one target after another with its skilful use of words. Extraordinary.
9 Tom Robinson - Glad to be gay 1976
Direct and passionate from its great opening line, ‘The British police are the best in the world’.
8 DAM - Meen Er Habi 2001
The first Palestinian rapper. Incisive and angry commentary on the Palestinian situation (with subtitles). Amazing.
7 Woody Guthrie - This land is your land 1940
The father of the modern protest song sings his most famous number. Though I’d have liked to have Deportee here. Are there any recordings of Guthrie singing this online ?
Sampling Bruce Hornsby’s The Way It Is, 2Pac’s powerful song differs from most gangsta rap records in that it doesn’t just talk about the reality of life in America’s inner city ghettos, it generalises rather than personalises, and points the finger of blame : ‘instead of war on poverty they got a war on drugs so the police can bother me’.
5 Babyface feat Stevie Wonder - How come, how long 1997
Really moving song about domestic violence.
4 Sam Cooke - A change is gonna come 1965
This melodious song came to epitomise the aspirations of the US Civil Rights struggle. It was covered by several Motown artists, but Sam Cooke’s remains the definitive version.
3 Edwin Starr - War 1970
By some distance the most popular protest song of them all in the last three decades - this is the one that protestors and demonstrators love to sing and love to hear.
2 Bob Dylan - Only a pawn in their game 1964
I could have picked any one of many classic Dylan songs (Blowin in the Wind, Masters of War, Hattie Carroll, Times they are a changin’ …) but this is a personal favourite. Starting from the assassination of civil rights leader Medgar Evers, Dylan unravels the psychology of white racism and writes its epitaph.
1 Billie Holiday - Strange fruit 1939
The awesome power of this song comes partly of course from Bille Holiday’s voice and the evocative imagery, but also from the revolutionary slow paced delivery which arrests the listener’s attention yet is so appropriate to the subject matter.
No Rage Against the Machine?!
*Pete Seeger’s set-in-World-War-II “Waist Deep In The Big Muddy,” which had a final Vietnam lyric comes to mind.
*Country Joe and The Fish: The famous “FISH” cheer (on LP) that opened the “I’m Fixin’ To Die Rag” made a big impression at a muddy field in Bethany, NY.
*Buffy Sainte-Marie’s “Universal Soldier” had a low opinion of the military in general.
*Jim Croce addressed injustice in a number of Folk songs, but “Which Way Are You Going?” ranks up there with…
*Great Big Sea: “Recruiting Sargeant,” which addressed the World War I slaughter in Flanders and Gallipolli.
I could go on with Joan Baez’ “Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos”
or Malvina Reynolds’ “What Have They Done To The Rain” or “It Isn’t Nice,” but others will comment.
A fascinating selection. I don’t think I could argue with anything there, but have a few suggestions that could be considered.
“Shipbuilding” by Robert Wyatt captures the spirit of he Falklands.
Another Elvis Costello song “Tramp the Dirt Down” expresses the satisfaction we all felt with Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister to a tee.
No mention of Billy Bragg? His version of Leon Rosselsons classic “The World turned Upside Down” takes protect back to the Civil War.
Eric Bogle the Australian folk singer best known for the songs “and the Band played Waltzing Matilda” and “Green Fields of France” 2 of the best known songs about World War I.
Stiff Little Fingers on “Wasted Life” sum up frustrations with the problems in Northern Island.
“Battle of the Beanfield” by the Levellers is a little more up to date.
As a final thought, two protest singers have actually died as a result of making their statements.
Victor Jara in Santiago when Margaret’s friend Pinochet came to power. His song “Te recuerdo Amanda” is simply beautiful.
Joe Hill was killed too long ago to leave any of his own recordings, but inspired many songs.
I did consider quite a few of the tracks named, so let me try to explain why they didn’t get in.
The World Turned Upside Down, and the two Eric Bogle songs, don’t meet the criteria for this chart as they’re about events long passed.
Universal Soldier doesn’t feel as close to the bone as other antiwar songs arising from specific conflicts. While Shipbuilding is more social commentary than antiwar protest song. Billy Bragg’s Island of no Return works better as an anti-Falklands war protest song, but I couldn’t find a link for this.
Battle of the Beanfield is an example of a protest song that’s musically unmemorable. Rage against the Machine were reluctantly rejected as their songs aren’t very accessible if you’re not already familiar with the lyrics.
One song that has recently come to my attention is “The Fiddle and the Drum”, originally by Joni Mitchell. She, as a Canadian living in America wrote it to be a message to America. I don’t much care for her acappella version, but A Perfect Circle covered it a couple years ago, adding harmony, and turning it into an absolutely beautiful song.
Joni Mitchell version - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOJLqdcJZJ0
A Perfect Circle version - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B6kheJ8zks