Not necessarily songs affecting politics, but songs about politics. This is the only one I have currently, but I felt that the topic was fairly general, and Doug already has demonstrated that he knows the protest song well, with his presence on the Group W bench.
"Subterranean Homesick Blues" by Bob Dylan
(I included Michael Franti's recent cover just because it's a great version that I wanted to share.)
Johnny's in the basementMixing up the medicineI'm on the pavementThinking about the governmentThe man in the trench coatBadge out, laid offSays he's got a bad coughWants to get it paid offLook out kidIt's somethin' you didGod knows whenBut you're doin' it againYou better duck down the alley wayLookin' for a new friendThe man in the coon-skin capBy the big penWants eleven dollar billsYou only got ten
Maggie comes fleet footFace full of black sootTalkin' that the heat putPlants in the bed butThe phone's tapped anywayMaggie says that many sayThey must bust in early MayOrders from the D.A.Look out kidDon't matter what you didWalk on your tiptoesDon't try "No-Doz"Better stay away from thoseThat carry around a fire hoseKeep a clean noseWatch the plain clothesYou don't need a weathermanTo know which way the wind blows
Get sick, get wellHang around a ink wellRing bell, hard to tellIf anything is goin' to sellTry hard, get barredGet back, write brailleGet jailed, jump bailJoin the army, if you failLook out kidYou're gonna get hitBut users, cheatersSix-time losersHang around the theatersGirl by the whirlpoolLookin' for a new foolDon't follow leadersWatch the parkin' meters
Ah get born, keep warmShort pants, romance, learn to danceGet dressed, get blessedTry to be a successPlease her, please him, buy giftsDon't steal, don't liftTwenty years of schoolin'And they put you on the day shiftLook out kidThey keep it all hidBetter jump down a manholeLight yourself a candleDon't wear sandalsTry to avoid the scandalsDon't wanna be a bumYou better chew gumThe pump don't work'Cause the vandals took the handles
EFFECT: A fast and dirty summary of the sociopolitical climate of the area that Doug happens to be in. Nothing overly detailed (the song is only about 2:20 after all), but it details the major political figures by name and appearance, the pertinent political facts of the day, and the major social issues. It's just a Cliff Notes version, nothing more detailed than what Doug could get by reading about two weeks of the local newspapers, but it does it in two minutes. Unfortunately, with that limited a time, if an issue is particularly complicated or has more than two sides, then Doug might not get all the details.
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com
"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."
"Subterranean Homesick Blues" by Bob Dylan
(I included Michael Franti's recent cover just because it's a great version that I wanted to share.)
Johnny's in the basementMixing up the medicineI'm on the pavementThinking about the governmentThe man in the trench coatBadge out, laid offSays he's got a bad coughWants to get it paid offLook out kidIt's somethin' you didGod knows whenBut you're doin' it againYou better duck down the alley wayLookin' for a new friendThe man in the coon-skin capBy the big penWants eleven dollar billsYou only got ten
Maggie comes fleet footFace full of black sootTalkin' that the heat putPlants in the bed butThe phone's tapped anywayMaggie says that many sayThey must bust in early MayOrders from the D.A.Look out kidDon't matter what you didWalk on your tiptoesDon't try "No-Doz"Better stay away from thoseThat carry around a fire hoseKeep a clean noseWatch the plain clothesYou don't need a weathermanTo know which way the wind blows
Get sick, get wellHang around a ink wellRing bell, hard to tellIf anything is goin' to sellTry hard, get barredGet back, write brailleGet jailed, jump bailJoin the army, if you failLook out kidYou're gonna get hitBut users, cheatersSix-time losersHang around the theatersGirl by the whirlpoolLookin' for a new foolDon't follow leadersWatch the parkin' meters
Ah get born, keep warmShort pants, romance, learn to danceGet dressed, get blessedTry to be a successPlease her, please him, buy giftsDon't steal, don't liftTwenty years of schoolin'And they put you on the day shiftLook out kidThey keep it all hidBetter jump down a manholeLight yourself a candleDon't wear sandalsTry to avoid the scandalsDon't wanna be a bumYou better chew gumThe pump don't work'Cause the vandals took the handles
EFFECT: A fast and dirty summary of the sociopolitical climate of the area that Doug happens to be in. Nothing overly detailed (the song is only about 2:20 after all), but it details the major political figures by name and appearance, the pertinent political facts of the day, and the major social issues. It's just a Cliff Notes version, nothing more detailed than what Doug could get by reading about two weeks of the local newspapers, but it does it in two minutes. Unfortunately, with that limited a time, if an issue is particularly complicated or has more than two sides, then Doug might not get all the details.
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com
"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."
