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Observations and CommentWhat do we protest about now?(November 11, 2008)The type of folk song that takes on the role of protest ranges far and wide across the planet wherever anyone has something to protest against. Every major movement has spawned its own raft of protest songs, covering personal and global topics from slave emancipation to women's suffrage, through racial discrimination and civil rights, to anti-war songs and false imprisonment.
Protest songs are not a new concept – although you could be forgiven for thinking otherwise; and they are not all folk. Active protest songs go back many hundreds of years. Interestingly though it’s only relatively recently that these songs have stuck their heads over the parapet. It wasn’t too long ago that singing some protest songs in England would have had you pilloried or worse; and in the USA you could wake up tarred and feathered for singing the wrong song to the wrong folk. In the British Isles protest songs rose and fell as one power group evicted, impressed, stole from, persecuted or imprisoned another for their views. The injustices of religion and politics dominated protesting folk - although many such songs existed quietly in their own social group. At one point the USA was awash with folk songs protesting in favour of civil rights – songs that ranted against inequality before the law. Such songs grew in power and presence among those who really wanted change and in the way of things slowly filtered into the world of the more enlightened. As Martin Luther King observed: “Songs of protest serve to give unity to a movement." So he clearly knew the power of song to make a point. There were notable anti-war folk songs that grew out of the English Civil War and a huge number opposed the USA’s participation in war from the Civil War to Vietnam. For many, the Vietnam war spawned more protesting than most conflicts – perhaps because so many saw it as the first ‘wrong’ war. Also that war took place in an era when ‘global communication’ became words we all understood the messages of protest ranged far and wide. Such songs were also helped by the fact that they were written and sung by musicians with a global reach and in many cases global appeal.A key folk figure of the 60’s protest movement was Bob Dylan, with seminal protest songs such as ‘Blowin' in the Wind’ and ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’ (1964). Interestingly, although Dylan is sometimes considered a protest singer, most of his protest songs are from a relatively short time-period. He then decided to remove himself from protesting, changing his musical style from folk to rock; and alienating thousands in the process. The Beatles became increasingly political (John Lennon in particular) and as they did so they delivered some notable protest songs, although most people rarely perceived them as such, and few consider them to fit the folk genre. In the 70’s louder (some may say tuneless) more aggressive punk bands became young-Britain’s voice of protest. These bands attacked everything, although their protests were mainly anti-state, and anti-capitalist. This violent hate-filled punk culture was in stark contrast with the 60’s songs promoting power through peace. The punk drive was individual freedom and anarchy. In their eyes, peace and love had floundered so they wanted to try direct action. The power of protest against government
A leading voice of protest in Britain during Maggie Thatcher’s 1980s was Billy Bragg. His style (punk folk) of political protest song was easier to identify as such for it reflected many themes relevant to British people at the time – even though they were probably missed entirely by those he protested against. Today, musicians in America write songs protesting the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, and the actions, foreign and domestic of George W. Bush – now there’s something worth protesting against. There are a crop of famous American protest singers adding their weight to the genre, writing songs with increasingly political subject matter. Neil Young sang ‘Let’s Impeach the President’ and half of America stood up and cheered. Although predictably the other half bayed for Young’s head to be stuck on a pole – no fear and loathing there and absolutely no problem for free speech in the Land of the Free. Does anyone recall Leadbelly's 1930s blues protest song The Bourgeoisie Blues , in which the lyrics state: "The home of the Brave, The land of the Free, I don't wanna be mistreated by no bourgeoisie." Nothing changes in some parts of the world then. Young is of course not alone and I don’t mean his pals Crosby, Stills and Nash - Patti Smith and Bruce Springsteen are still writing protest songs. Lately, folk music found another subject to protest – environmental issues. Although whether or not fashion has become more relevant than feeling is another question. One wonders if some protesters join the ‘green’ protest movement because it’s likely to gain them more airplay than slagging off the government. So what do we protest about now? Will it be the government, the recession, our soldiers being in Afghanistan, child pornography, the loss of greenbelt? Who knows? I for one can’t wait.
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