I'll be addressing what you're saying in my next post, AG. Celebrities tend to avoid saying anything because they have always paid a big price for doing so, but now with social media the backlash can be immediate and intense, including getting death threats.
If we look at who does speak out, they tend to be people who don't have a great deal to lose by doing so, either because they're financially secure or they're protected in some way. Or, in some cases, they are people with risk-taking personalities.
But there are other reasons for far fewer protest songs, which I'll go into next time.
I knew Norman Whitfield was born in New York, but I didn't realize he spent time in pool halls as a kid. Maybe that's where he recruited the members of his first group, colorfully known as Popcorn and The Mohawks.
Thanks for sharing that video. Beautiful song! (Love the layers.)
I'm wondering if you're finding it any challenge to distribute your music. Interested given that I'm now looking at the state of the recording industry and its support for protest music.
I think young people aren't as interested in protest music today because they have so many other distractions. IF something like a draft or war were to effect them personally we might then see a return to an era of protest. Right now I think a lot of people just aren't motivated to fight against the current state of the world. Even an older guy like me needs a distraction or two!
Thanks for bringing them to my attention! I'd heard their name but didn't know their music. I see they've been doing protest songs since the mid-60s and just listened to "Song for Emma Goldman" from 2023. So that's a great example of a group still putting out protest songs.
Their wikipedia entry cracked me up, reading about some of the outrageous things they've done. I'll have to do more listening and reading. I'm not sure they'll invalidate my theory. Stay tuned for next week's post.
Wow, what an amazing analysis. It all makes sense as I ponder the stories and stats. Protesting I. Song or otherwise takes a sort of grit that people with troubled pasts tend to cultivate early in life.
I do hope readers get that they developed grit out of necessity in dire circumstances, but someone believing in them in some way and validating them as worthwhile human beings was an important element in being able to do so. Unfortunately, their siblings may have succumbed to substance abuse, suicide, etc. if they didn't find that positive regard somewhere. So our protest singers are in a sense paying it forward in trying to make the world a better place for those coming behind them, which is courageous and laudable. I do admire them so much knowing this about them.
Mmmm, Bob Dylan, as far as I can suss him, is circumspect to a fault. He's gotta get an bead on something before he belches. I think that's fair as befits his generation (early Boomer, I'm late Boomer, unfortunately since I self-identify as X) soooooooo, protest moved toward PUNK, which is super interesting to me since I loved The Clash. American bands, maybe The Ramones? Were they protest? Hard to say. The Clash and The Jam, both UK, were protest.
I love The Clash too, and I think you've put your finger on how protest took on a new form with a different generation. The Woodstock generation had their way of dealing with issues, but the issues and the way of protesting them changed in the 70s and 80s (and beyond). Something I plan to talk about in the next post.
Bob Dylan is an interesting one. I'm not an expert, but his early songs were remarkably blunt, like "Masters of War." He said he wanted them to die. I wish I understood him better, but he's notoriously averse to explaining anything.
The Jam and the Ramones -- will look at them more closely re protest.
You have really mapped this out. This is impressive. I've lived through much of it but never put the consideration into it that you have. A couple thoughts.
It doesn't surprise me that many of the artists you mention went through trauma. Although I didn't know much about the background of a lot of the artists I worked for it was easy to recognize that they were "different". That's been the case with artists throughout history though. Out of chaos comes creativity. I remember in the late 70s being in London and was sitting in a studio watching Keith Emerson give an interview. He said something that I'll never forget. The question was "why don't you play the blues". He said that he had grown up in a wealthy neighborhood and had no experience in even knowing what the blues was. Very self-aware I thought.
Another point from your previous posts is what is a protest song anyway. My grand daughter loves Green Day. I'm sure they consider a lot of their songs to be protest songs. I consider them more social commentary. What's the difference? Who knows. There's a lot of artists doing those types of songs though. I'm sure hip-hop artists consider a lot of their raps protest. They mean nothing to me though. I don't know. Just musing.
The last thing is I realized through working with my students that these artists mean nothing to them. They don't even know who they are and could really care less. We have a tendency I think to get stuck in our own eras of music to the exclusion of others. If I wasn't doing what I'm doing, I wouldn't listen to a lot of stuff today. It's not that I think there's no value, but I only have a certain amount of time to put into listening and tend to act accordingly. Now I have to listen more because we want the kids to be responsible for their own setlist. If I'm going to help them play the song I've got to break it down.
I always look forward to your posts. They are always well thought out and offer intellectual value to stir the mind.
Thanks for these thoughts, Daniel, and for becoming a founding member. I keep investing in books for my research, so that is a huge help and greatly appreciated. I'm glad that you're getting value from this as that is an incentive, particularly knowing that you're working with the upcoming generation of musicians. If there's one thing I want people to take away from this post, it's that giving kids positive attention and sharing a love of music with them can make a huge impact on their lives.
That's an interesting story about Keith Emerson. So much of who we become is forged in those growing-up years. If my mom hadn't prized her stereo and albums so much, would I now be writing a music substack? Or the fact that she supported me in purchasing 45s with crazy titles from groups with weird names, like Incense and Peppermints by Strawberry Alarm Clock, or my obsession with both the Beatles and the Monkees? (The sixties were crazy and intense, if you look at what parents were dealing with.)
Good point about protest versus social commentary. Perhaps the latter is a safer way to protest without blowback from the record company, the authorities, or the public. I'll be looking at that in the next post. Are protest songs still around but they've disguised themselves?
I think Chris Dalla Riva did a post on this generational thing, looking statistically at how older generations stick with 'classic' music and don't engage with new artists. But then Rick Beato and others point out that a lot of new music has become less complex and interesting with the onset of PC-based music composition, so you have to go back to find more musically innovative stuff. I stayed current with new music and loved it into the late 90s, but then there was a big shake-up in the radio industry and it became harder to keep up. Something I'll be writing about in the next post as well.
Helping the kids with the setlist sounds like a great way to connect with what moves them and stay current. It sounds rewarding and fun.
Thanks for the response. I actually have a couple Strawberry Alarm Clock vinyl disks in my collection. Did you listen to The Electric Prunes? Those groups are part of my 60s workout music when I go in that direction.
You actually touch on an interesting point regarding old music versus new technology. I admit to enjoying the ease of the creating tools available now. It makes creating instruments easier when you don’t have access to them. I can lay in keyboard tracks to accompany my young charges when performing at certain events to fill out their sound. One might think somehow that it’s “cheating”, but it’s a skill unto itself. I think Jeff Lynne was one of the first artists to do it with ELO and what a minor furor it created. Now it’s commonplace. You are right now about a lot of the pop music especially. All you need is someone with a special look. The music can be created for them.
I did not listen to the Electric Prunes, so I'll have to check them out. It sounds like you have a wonderful collection of vinyl and memoribilia.
Interesting to hear your experience with being able to layer in some more sounds for the kids' performances, which sounds very helpful. I had a colleague who did the same with his own music, since his group couldn't afford to rent studio space or hire performers. So those tools seem to have some very positive uses. That Jeff Lynne always seemed to be ahead of the curve. Brilliant guy. But then there was horror among the folk world when Bob Dylan went electric. How quaint that seems now given where we're at!
Regarding Fela, Sandra Smith/Izsadore was his biggest influence on opening his eyes to the Black Rights Movement and the Panthers. She gave him the Autobiography of Malcolm X and books by Franz Fanon and introduced him to Huey Newton, Bobby Seale, Angela Davis, Assata Shakur, and Kwame Ture. He always credited her with putting the fight into his music. She lived in Nigeria with Fela in 1970, when he was putting together his band, and returned in '76 when he was an African star (and a major pain in the ass to the government!), and together, they wrote and recorded 'Upside Down.'
I point this out only because when interviewed, Fela has expressed some problematic sexist attitudes and is often critiqued for his polygamy. However, I find it refreshing that the one person Fela always came back to as having opened his eyes was Sandra, and he always expressed great respect and admiration for her. In every interview I have ever read, he never objectifies her but instead frames the conversation around how strong, confident, resilient, intelligent, and inspirational she is.
Thanks for that really interesting insight into Fela Kuti, Michael. I did a quick read of his Wikipedia entry and noted her involvement, but had no idea how influential she was in his music and his life. I'm guessing that he was fertile ground because of his parents' anti-colonialist activities, but as you say she intensified and channeled it in new and much more potent directions.
Having lived in north Africa for two years, I'm not surprised that he saw her differently from the local women. We western women were treated as a third sex with a higher level of status than local women, and even allowed to join the men in social gatherings whereas local women were not. So I suspect Fela was a reflection of his society at that time and saw Sandra as not a woman in the traditional sense. But it could also be the case that she's an extraordinary person and characterized by all of those things he saw in her.
Agreed. When Sandra met Fela, here was an African man, yet it was an American woman; the people she was surrounding herself with and the books she was reading were all about the liberation of Black people and the continent of Africa. So, Sandra was the person who made him reflect on his identity and find purpose in his protest and music.
Fela's music often also brought up the conversation that, despite a nation's independence from European and British colonial rule, they still weren't free. The newly created African governments were more often than not corrupt puppets that enacted similar oppressions & persecutions and imposed fear on the people.
If I could go back in time and see just one artist perform live, it would 100% be Fela.
Great point about post-colonial governments in Africa and elsewhere. It may be even more of an uphill battle for someone like Fela who is not only battling the government but also his countrymen, who don't want to believe that their nationalized government could be corrupt and engaging in the same exploitative and oppressive behaviors as the colonial occupiers. I think 'see no evil' really kicks in under those circumstances.
It would have been great to hear him in person! The energy, the conviction, the passion must have been palpable.
Amazing work; again I appreciate that you've gone so far into the subject.
It is worth mentioning that there have been some recent protest songs. I don't really keep up with new music, so my knowledge is limited, but I can think of a few and that makes me wonder whether people aren't writing protest songs anymore, or if they just don't capture the public imagination as much. In reverse chronological order I'd think of:
2023: "Rich Men North Of Richmond" -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_Men_North_of_Richmond . I disagree with the politics, and don't think it's a very good song, but I do think it's a protest song, and was a genuine (small) hit. From Wikipedia it made, "Anthony the first artist to debut atop the chart without any prior chart history in any form"
Wow, Nick, such great examples. Thanks for finding these! I think they will be a big help in writing my next post, as I'm looking for examples.
Don't ever worry about disagreeing or conflicting with what I write. I'm an explorer, not an arbiter of the truth, which tends to shape-shift the more we look into something. There are so many sides and angles to everything, as well as a lot of smoke and mirrors to contend with. So I offer theories and possibilities based on evidence, but maybe others come up with other evidence that raises new questions and different theories. Deborah Tannen called America an argument culture, and that's the problem in some ways - that we take 'sides' because contending with the slipperiness of truth is exhausting. I think I've reached that age where I've been wrong so often and made so many mistakes that I no longer have any firm answers. Just surfing across this thing called life, hoping not to get swallowed by the waves.
Govt mule is fantastic! I want to listen to the whole album (have it playing right now), and Blue Tarp Blues with Mark Knopfler is also amazing. Who said rock is dead?!
Thanks. I wouldn't hesitate to disagree with you but, in this case, we have:
2 songs from people who's musical careers started around 1980 (Sonny Landreth & Warren Haynes from Gov't Mule -- the latter of which I also hadn't heard of before yesterday and will be listening to more). Both great, but it's no surprise that they feel like they connect to an earlier era of rock.
1 Song ("Rich Men North Of Richmond") which feels like a protest song for an era which has forgotten what protest songs are like. Phil Ochs may have disliked "Eve Of Destruction" but he'd be turning over in his grave at "Rich Men North of Richmond"
1 song by Janello Monae who was one of the hot rising young starts (her previous album included guest appearances from Prince, Erykah Badu, Solange, and Esperanza Spalding) but it's barely a song. It's essentially a protest which musical accompaniment. I think it's powerful, but it doesn't really suggest that protest songs, as a musical genre are flourishing.
Yes, I absolutely agree. Planning to give some possible reasons why things may have come to this point in the next post. I'll look forward to your thoughtful feedback on that.
It occurs to me that two categories of songs which seem to be doing well are, one one hand non-protest LGBTQ positive songs (from "Born This Way" to "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" or maybe "Follow Your Arrow ") which might have read as protest songs earlier and there are actually a bunch of conservative curmudgeon songs -- one that comes to mind, "AM I The Only One" by Aaron Lewis. Not a good song, but arguably a protest song. Or "We The People -- https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/music/a38896786/kid-rock-we-the-people-lyrics-explained/
Thanks, Nick, more examples and food for thought. You're suggesting an evolution over time in the categories of protest songs, which is interesting and worth investigating.
It does illustrate why part of my proposed definition was that the song is, in some way, positioned in opposition to forces that are seen as more powerful. So, for example, looking at older examples of conservative songs, you have "Okie From Muskogee" which fit that definition of a protest song (the more confusing part of the song is trying to figure out exactly what the intended meaning is. For example Wikipedia says, "Critic Kurt Wolff wrote that Haggard always considered what became a redneck anthem to be a spoof, and that today fans—even the hippies who are derided in the lyrics—have taken a liking to the song and find humor in some of the lyrics.[3] Cover versions of the song were recorded by such countercultural acts as the Grateful Dead, The Beach Boys, Phil Ochs . . ."
Similarly, the LGBTQ-positive songs I mentioned don't feel like protest songs because they don't position themselves as being in opposition. Speaking very broadly, they seek to push forward what it seen as a mainstream position of acceptance.
[Edited to add] This note in the Wikipedia entry for "Battle Hymn of Lt. Calley" is interesting as well, "In November 1970 a few copies of it were issued by Quickit Publishing. In March 1971 Shelby Singleton, publisher of "Harper Valley PTA", obtained the rights to the song and issued a new recording under his Plantation Records label. The single sold over one million copies in just four days, and was certified gold by the RIAA on 15 April 1971. It went on to sell nearly two million copies, and got 'a lot of C&W airplay'."
I don't believe the protest song is past tense, I believe it is very much alive and well. Music as an industry has been captured, but music by and large is more proliferate than ever, and the protesters are doing what they always do - go underground. They are the weeds with very, very deep roots and will risk it all to express.
No amount of abuse will dull the spirit, for they are happy children.
They will always pour from the rooftops and parlors, porches, dives and saloons.
Give me a mic, because that's where freedom reigns!
Sure can. Even better, the Grace Slick JA vid really touches me, seeing those vintage Gibson guitars gets my blood going.
I think it's important to keep the musician's voice in your journey, I'll chime in with a post about the live and more specifically open-mic music community, past and present. Coming Saturday, sound ok?
That JA vid really grabbed me too. Their instruments, how cool they were, the vibe, the psychedelic background - and on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour! But yes, those instruments were gorgeous.
This is a great piece of work, Ellen. You've woven a lot of different threads together into a composite picture of the kind of person who would put themselves out there in this way. Your findings on the role of personal trauma and your insight regarding the impact a single saving moment can have really ring true. Many people I know, even ones who are not artists or musicians, have said that there was a pivotal moment in their lives that saved them. For many, it was a song.
As to why there isn't as much (or as overt) protest music now? I see a few reasons. Despite youtube and streaming, the music industry has, if anything, a bigger stranglehold on artists than ever, and the industry has no incentive to allow people to rock the boat. I don't recall if you have touched on Sinead O'Connor in your series, but the music industry's vicious revenge on her for one act of protest has affected a whole generation of musicians since then. https://zapatosjam.substack.com/p/dont-let-them-turn-sinead-into-their?utm_source=publication-search
Second reason I see is the retreat into narcissism as the motivation for so much music today. From Swift to the tik-tokkers, it's all about self-absorption. Who has time to protest when you have selfies to edit? It is not just the narcissism of the artists, but of the audience. As Springsteen himself said, "People are only going to listen to your story if they see themselves in it." (from an interview with Terry Gross). Based on that thesis, I would not love Homer or Shakespeare!
It's partly a function of being the most spoiled society in history. After all, there is a lot of protest music coming from other places, all of them poorer and more desperate--right off the bat I can think of protest songs from Mali, India, Indonesia, Ukraine and Moldova.
You hinted at some dark stuff to come--I look forward very much to reading it.
Your Sinead post is really on point in terms of the music industry, which from what I've seen (and you have pointed out very beautifully) tends to vilify musicians if they do anything that endangers stability or profits but then rushes to benefit from their artistry and music after their death in any way it can. I think industry execs are quite consistent in their motivation -- you can predict what they will do based on what will reap revenues and profits. They're essentially amoral and focused only on the quarterly bottom line. Some would say that's as it should be, but some would say that it is unsupportive of the artists who are the reason the profits are even generated in the first place, the 'assets' if you will. Are spotify and other platforms that enable artists to distribute their work independently any better? I suspect in some ways yes, in other ways no. The companies appear to always be the winners and the artists sometimes winners as well, but often losers.
My conversations with small promoters and producers lead to a pretty consistent picture: Streaming and sharing platforms have had one big positive effect--anyone can get their stuff out there (ie., a sort of democratization) and two major negative effects: 1) while anyone can put something out there, services like Spotify still gatekeep who actually turns the corner to being financially solvent, and 2) the big services are even more rapacious than the old labels, so that artists are making almost nothing on streaming. Several bands I talk to say you really can't make a living any more unless you tour relentlessly and sell a lot of merch.
Thank you for sending me this story. I have been following various lawsuits and other attempts to slow the AI onslaught. This will be a good point of reference for a long article I've been working on about the "flattening" of popular music. AI is just the latest, and maybe the most destructive "innovation" that is contributing to that flattening.
I'll be addressing what you're saying in my next post, AG. Celebrities tend to avoid saying anything because they have always paid a big price for doing so, but now with social media the backlash can be immediate and intense, including getting death threats.
If we look at who does speak out, they tend to be people who don't have a great deal to lose by doing so, either because they're financially secure or they're protected in some way. Or, in some cases, they are people with risk-taking personalities.
But there are other reasons for far fewer protest songs, which I'll go into next time.
I knew Norman Whitfield was born in New York, but I didn't realize he spent time in pool halls as a kid. Maybe that's where he recruited the members of his first group, colorfully known as Popcorn and The Mohawks.
Could be. Great band name!
www.sociatap.com/TOMMYGUNN
Thanks for sharing that video. Beautiful song! (Love the layers.)
I'm wondering if you're finding it any challenge to distribute your music. Interested given that I'm now looking at the state of the recording industry and its support for protest music.
Ellen, there is no support for protest songs from the recording industry. They only do one thing - sales.
I feel it should be on the Radio forsure !!!
Great job, Ellen—really fascinating!
Thanks so much, PeDupre. It was fascinating for me too, learning about their backgrounds.
I think young people aren't as interested in protest music today because they have so many other distractions. IF something like a draft or war were to effect them personally we might then see a return to an era of protest. Right now I think a lot of people just aren't motivated to fight against the current state of the world. Even an older guy like me needs a distraction or two!
Great segue to my next post, so thank you, Dan. I think that's a big factor too.
whoopsie-daisy, disregard, pull up everything of The Fugs instead!!!
Thanks for bringing them to my attention! I'd heard their name but didn't know their music. I see they've been doing protest songs since the mid-60s and just listened to "Song for Emma Goldman" from 2023. So that's a great example of a group still putting out protest songs.
Their wikipedia entry cracked me up, reading about some of the outrageous things they've done. I'll have to do more listening and reading. I'm not sure they'll invalidate my theory. Stay tuned for next week's post.
Wow, what an amazing analysis. It all makes sense as I ponder the stories and stats. Protesting I. Song or otherwise takes a sort of grit that people with troubled pasts tend to cultivate early in life.
Thanks so much, Thea.
I do hope readers get that they developed grit out of necessity in dire circumstances, but someone believing in them in some way and validating them as worthwhile human beings was an important element in being able to do so. Unfortunately, their siblings may have succumbed to substance abuse, suicide, etc. if they didn't find that positive regard somewhere. So our protest singers are in a sense paying it forward in trying to make the world a better place for those coming behind them, which is courageous and laudable. I do admire them so much knowing this about them.
So do I! Thank you for shedding light on the subject.
Mmmm, Bob Dylan, as far as I can suss him, is circumspect to a fault. He's gotta get an bead on something before he belches. I think that's fair as befits his generation (early Boomer, I'm late Boomer, unfortunately since I self-identify as X) soooooooo, protest moved toward PUNK, which is super interesting to me since I loved The Clash. American bands, maybe The Ramones? Were they protest? Hard to say. The Clash and The Jam, both UK, were protest.
I love The Clash too, and I think you've put your finger on how protest took on a new form with a different generation. The Woodstock generation had their way of dealing with issues, but the issues and the way of protesting them changed in the 70s and 80s (and beyond). Something I plan to talk about in the next post.
Bob Dylan is an interesting one. I'm not an expert, but his early songs were remarkably blunt, like "Masters of War." He said he wanted them to die. I wish I understood him better, but he's notoriously averse to explaining anything.
The Jam and the Ramones -- will look at them more closely re protest.
You have really mapped this out. This is impressive. I've lived through much of it but never put the consideration into it that you have. A couple thoughts.
It doesn't surprise me that many of the artists you mention went through trauma. Although I didn't know much about the background of a lot of the artists I worked for it was easy to recognize that they were "different". That's been the case with artists throughout history though. Out of chaos comes creativity. I remember in the late 70s being in London and was sitting in a studio watching Keith Emerson give an interview. He said something that I'll never forget. The question was "why don't you play the blues". He said that he had grown up in a wealthy neighborhood and had no experience in even knowing what the blues was. Very self-aware I thought.
Another point from your previous posts is what is a protest song anyway. My grand daughter loves Green Day. I'm sure they consider a lot of their songs to be protest songs. I consider them more social commentary. What's the difference? Who knows. There's a lot of artists doing those types of songs though. I'm sure hip-hop artists consider a lot of their raps protest. They mean nothing to me though. I don't know. Just musing.
The last thing is I realized through working with my students that these artists mean nothing to them. They don't even know who they are and could really care less. We have a tendency I think to get stuck in our own eras of music to the exclusion of others. If I wasn't doing what I'm doing, I wouldn't listen to a lot of stuff today. It's not that I think there's no value, but I only have a certain amount of time to put into listening and tend to act accordingly. Now I have to listen more because we want the kids to be responsible for their own setlist. If I'm going to help them play the song I've got to break it down.
I always look forward to your posts. They are always well thought out and offer intellectual value to stir the mind.
Thanks for these thoughts, Daniel, and for becoming a founding member. I keep investing in books for my research, so that is a huge help and greatly appreciated. I'm glad that you're getting value from this as that is an incentive, particularly knowing that you're working with the upcoming generation of musicians. If there's one thing I want people to take away from this post, it's that giving kids positive attention and sharing a love of music with them can make a huge impact on their lives.
That's an interesting story about Keith Emerson. So much of who we become is forged in those growing-up years. If my mom hadn't prized her stereo and albums so much, would I now be writing a music substack? Or the fact that she supported me in purchasing 45s with crazy titles from groups with weird names, like Incense and Peppermints by Strawberry Alarm Clock, or my obsession with both the Beatles and the Monkees? (The sixties were crazy and intense, if you look at what parents were dealing with.)
Good point about protest versus social commentary. Perhaps the latter is a safer way to protest without blowback from the record company, the authorities, or the public. I'll be looking at that in the next post. Are protest songs still around but they've disguised themselves?
I think Chris Dalla Riva did a post on this generational thing, looking statistically at how older generations stick with 'classic' music and don't engage with new artists. But then Rick Beato and others point out that a lot of new music has become less complex and interesting with the onset of PC-based music composition, so you have to go back to find more musically innovative stuff. I stayed current with new music and loved it into the late 90s, but then there was a big shake-up in the radio industry and it became harder to keep up. Something I'll be writing about in the next post as well.
Helping the kids with the setlist sounds like a great way to connect with what moves them and stay current. It sounds rewarding and fun.
Thanks for the response. I actually have a couple Strawberry Alarm Clock vinyl disks in my collection. Did you listen to The Electric Prunes? Those groups are part of my 60s workout music when I go in that direction.
You actually touch on an interesting point regarding old music versus new technology. I admit to enjoying the ease of the creating tools available now. It makes creating instruments easier when you don’t have access to them. I can lay in keyboard tracks to accompany my young charges when performing at certain events to fill out their sound. One might think somehow that it’s “cheating”, but it’s a skill unto itself. I think Jeff Lynne was one of the first artists to do it with ELO and what a minor furor it created. Now it’s commonplace. You are right now about a lot of the pop music especially. All you need is someone with a special look. The music can be created for them.
I did not listen to the Electric Prunes, so I'll have to check them out. It sounds like you have a wonderful collection of vinyl and memoribilia.
Interesting to hear your experience with being able to layer in some more sounds for the kids' performances, which sounds very helpful. I had a colleague who did the same with his own music, since his group couldn't afford to rent studio space or hire performers. So those tools seem to have some very positive uses. That Jeff Lynne always seemed to be ahead of the curve. Brilliant guy. But then there was horror among the folk world when Bob Dylan went electric. How quaint that seems now given where we're at!
Jeff Lynne is an underrated genius.
Electric Prunes! Psychedelia before it was called that. Hadn't thought of them in a long time.
Fantastic post, Ellen. I look forward to Part II.
Regarding Fela, Sandra Smith/Izsadore was his biggest influence on opening his eyes to the Black Rights Movement and the Panthers. She gave him the Autobiography of Malcolm X and books by Franz Fanon and introduced him to Huey Newton, Bobby Seale, Angela Davis, Assata Shakur, and Kwame Ture. He always credited her with putting the fight into his music. She lived in Nigeria with Fela in 1970, when he was putting together his band, and returned in '76 when he was an African star (and a major pain in the ass to the government!), and together, they wrote and recorded 'Upside Down.'
I point this out only because when interviewed, Fela has expressed some problematic sexist attitudes and is often critiqued for his polygamy. However, I find it refreshing that the one person Fela always came back to as having opened his eyes was Sandra, and he always expressed great respect and admiration for her. In every interview I have ever read, he never objectifies her but instead frames the conversation around how strong, confident, resilient, intelligent, and inspirational she is.
Thanks for that really interesting insight into Fela Kuti, Michael. I did a quick read of his Wikipedia entry and noted her involvement, but had no idea how influential she was in his music and his life. I'm guessing that he was fertile ground because of his parents' anti-colonialist activities, but as you say she intensified and channeled it in new and much more potent directions.
Having lived in north Africa for two years, I'm not surprised that he saw her differently from the local women. We western women were treated as a third sex with a higher level of status than local women, and even allowed to join the men in social gatherings whereas local women were not. So I suspect Fela was a reflection of his society at that time and saw Sandra as not a woman in the traditional sense. But it could also be the case that she's an extraordinary person and characterized by all of those things he saw in her.
Agreed. When Sandra met Fela, here was an African man, yet it was an American woman; the people she was surrounding herself with and the books she was reading were all about the liberation of Black people and the continent of Africa. So, Sandra was the person who made him reflect on his identity and find purpose in his protest and music.
Fela's music often also brought up the conversation that, despite a nation's independence from European and British colonial rule, they still weren't free. The newly created African governments were more often than not corrupt puppets that enacted similar oppressions & persecutions and imposed fear on the people.
If I could go back in time and see just one artist perform live, it would 100% be Fela.
Great point about post-colonial governments in Africa and elsewhere. It may be even more of an uphill battle for someone like Fela who is not only battling the government but also his countrymen, who don't want to believe that their nationalized government could be corrupt and engaging in the same exploitative and oppressive behaviors as the colonial occupiers. I think 'see no evil' really kicks in under those circumstances.
It would have been great to hear him in person! The energy, the conviction, the passion must have been palpable.
Amazing work; again I appreciate that you've gone so far into the subject.
It is worth mentioning that there have been some recent protest songs. I don't really keep up with new music, so my knowledge is limited, but I can think of a few and that makes me wonder whether people aren't writing protest songs anymore, or if they just don't capture the public imagination as much. In reverse chronological order I'd think of:
2023: "Rich Men North Of Richmond" -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_Men_North_of_Richmond . I disagree with the politics, and don't think it's a very good song, but I do think it's a protest song, and was a genuine (small) hit. From Wikipedia it made, "Anthony the first artist to debut atop the chart without any prior chart history in any form"
2023: _Peace . . . .Like A River_ I didn't know this album, but I just saw a reference to it: https://www.salon.com/2023/06/17/govt-mule-warren-haynes-pink-floyd-peace-like-a-river/
For example "Long Time Coming" -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqjpUTJbj3M&list=PL6n7xOfvov7B-q3JImB5AEUZSpYKWQNNi&index=11
Going back a little farther
2015: "Hell You Talmbout" by Janelle Monae & Wonderland is one heck of a protest song. It doesn't hold back -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fumaCsQ9wKw
Perhaps too far back to count as a recent song:
2008: "Blue Tarp Blues" by Sonny Landreth (w/ Mark Knopfler) is just a great song and a response to Hurricane Katrina: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAONSmh6MX4
I don't think these conflict with your point, but I think it can be interesting to have some examples of more recent songs.
Wow, Nick, such great examples. Thanks for finding these! I think they will be a big help in writing my next post, as I'm looking for examples.
Don't ever worry about disagreeing or conflicting with what I write. I'm an explorer, not an arbiter of the truth, which tends to shape-shift the more we look into something. There are so many sides and angles to everything, as well as a lot of smoke and mirrors to contend with. So I offer theories and possibilities based on evidence, but maybe others come up with other evidence that raises new questions and different theories. Deborah Tannen called America an argument culture, and that's the problem in some ways - that we take 'sides' because contending with the slipperiness of truth is exhausting. I think I've reached that age where I've been wrong so often and made so many mistakes that I no longer have any firm answers. Just surfing across this thing called life, hoping not to get swallowed by the waves.
Govt mule is fantastic! I want to listen to the whole album (have it playing right now), and Blue Tarp Blues with Mark Knopfler is also amazing. Who said rock is dead?!
Thanks. I wouldn't hesitate to disagree with you but, in this case, we have:
2 songs from people who's musical careers started around 1980 (Sonny Landreth & Warren Haynes from Gov't Mule -- the latter of which I also hadn't heard of before yesterday and will be listening to more). Both great, but it's no surprise that they feel like they connect to an earlier era of rock.
1 Song ("Rich Men North Of Richmond") which feels like a protest song for an era which has forgotten what protest songs are like. Phil Ochs may have disliked "Eve Of Destruction" but he'd be turning over in his grave at "Rich Men North of Richmond"
1 song by Janello Monae who was one of the hot rising young starts (her previous album included guest appearances from Prince, Erykah Badu, Solange, and Esperanza Spalding) but it's barely a song. It's essentially a protest which musical accompaniment. I think it's powerful, but it doesn't really suggest that protest songs, as a musical genre are flourishing.
Yes, I absolutely agree. Planning to give some possible reasons why things may have come to this point in the next post. I'll look forward to your thoughtful feedback on that.
It occurs to me that two categories of songs which seem to be doing well are, one one hand non-protest LGBTQ positive songs (from "Born This Way" to "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" or maybe "Follow Your Arrow ") which might have read as protest songs earlier and there are actually a bunch of conservative curmudgeon songs -- one that comes to mind, "AM I The Only One" by Aaron Lewis. Not a good song, but arguably a protest song. Or "We The People -- https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/music/a38896786/kid-rock-we-the-people-lyrics-explained/
Thanks, Nick, more examples and food for thought. You're suggesting an evolution over time in the categories of protest songs, which is interesting and worth investigating.
It does illustrate why part of my proposed definition was that the song is, in some way, positioned in opposition to forces that are seen as more powerful. So, for example, looking at older examples of conservative songs, you have "Okie From Muskogee" which fit that definition of a protest song (the more confusing part of the song is trying to figure out exactly what the intended meaning is. For example Wikipedia says, "Critic Kurt Wolff wrote that Haggard always considered what became a redneck anthem to be a spoof, and that today fans—even the hippies who are derided in the lyrics—have taken a liking to the song and find humor in some of the lyrics.[3] Cover versions of the song were recorded by such countercultural acts as the Grateful Dead, The Beach Boys, Phil Ochs . . ."
Another example, "The Battle Hymn of Lt. Calley" is both odious and would fit that definition of a protest song (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Battle_Hymn_of_Lt._Calley ) but the Ballad of the Green Beret's probably wouldn't ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ballad_of_the_Green_Berets ) .
Similarly, the LGBTQ-positive songs I mentioned don't feel like protest songs because they don't position themselves as being in opposition. Speaking very broadly, they seek to push forward what it seen as a mainstream position of acceptance.
[Edited to add] This note in the Wikipedia entry for "Battle Hymn of Lt. Calley" is interesting as well, "In November 1970 a few copies of it were issued by Quickit Publishing. In March 1971 Shelby Singleton, publisher of "Harper Valley PTA", obtained the rights to the song and issued a new recording under his Plantation Records label. The single sold over one million copies in just four days, and was certified gold by the RIAA on 15 April 1971. It went on to sell nearly two million copies, and got 'a lot of C&W airplay'."
I don't believe the protest song is past tense, I believe it is very much alive and well. Music as an industry has been captured, but music by and large is more proliferate than ever, and the protesters are doing what they always do - go underground. They are the weeds with very, very deep roots and will risk it all to express.
No amount of abuse will dull the spirit, for they are happy children.
They will always pour from the rooftops and parlors, porches, dives and saloons.
Give me a mic, because that's where freedom reigns!
Very well said. May I quote you?
Sure can. Even better, the Grace Slick JA vid really touches me, seeing those vintage Gibson guitars gets my blood going.
I think it's important to keep the musician's voice in your journey, I'll chime in with a post about the live and more specifically open-mic music community, past and present. Coming Saturday, sound ok?
Totally subversive, you're going to be surprised
Sounds good. Looking forward to it.
That JA vid really grabbed me too. Their instruments, how cool they were, the vibe, the psychedelic background - and on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour! But yes, those instruments were gorgeous.
Post is already done, just comes out of my pores, so tune in Saturday, and thanks for the kick start.
This is a great piece of work, Ellen. You've woven a lot of different threads together into a composite picture of the kind of person who would put themselves out there in this way. Your findings on the role of personal trauma and your insight regarding the impact a single saving moment can have really ring true. Many people I know, even ones who are not artists or musicians, have said that there was a pivotal moment in their lives that saved them. For many, it was a song.
As to why there isn't as much (or as overt) protest music now? I see a few reasons. Despite youtube and streaming, the music industry has, if anything, a bigger stranglehold on artists than ever, and the industry has no incentive to allow people to rock the boat. I don't recall if you have touched on Sinead O'Connor in your series, but the music industry's vicious revenge on her for one act of protest has affected a whole generation of musicians since then. https://zapatosjam.substack.com/p/dont-let-them-turn-sinead-into-their?utm_source=publication-search
Second reason I see is the retreat into narcissism as the motivation for so much music today. From Swift to the tik-tokkers, it's all about self-absorption. Who has time to protest when you have selfies to edit? It is not just the narcissism of the artists, but of the audience. As Springsteen himself said, "People are only going to listen to your story if they see themselves in it." (from an interview with Terry Gross). Based on that thesis, I would not love Homer or Shakespeare!
It's partly a function of being the most spoiled society in history. After all, there is a lot of protest music coming from other places, all of them poorer and more desperate--right off the bat I can think of protest songs from Mali, India, Indonesia, Ukraine and Moldova.
You hinted at some dark stuff to come--I look forward very much to reading it.
Thanks for this thoughtful comment, Charles!
Your Sinead post is really on point in terms of the music industry, which from what I've seen (and you have pointed out very beautifully) tends to vilify musicians if they do anything that endangers stability or profits but then rushes to benefit from their artistry and music after their death in any way it can. I think industry execs are quite consistent in their motivation -- you can predict what they will do based on what will reap revenues and profits. They're essentially amoral and focused only on the quarterly bottom line. Some would say that's as it should be, but some would say that it is unsupportive of the artists who are the reason the profits are even generated in the first place, the 'assets' if you will. Are spotify and other platforms that enable artists to distribute their work independently any better? I suspect in some ways yes, in other ways no. The companies appear to always be the winners and the artists sometimes winners as well, but often losers.
My conversations with small promoters and producers lead to a pretty consistent picture: Streaming and sharing platforms have had one big positive effect--anyone can get their stuff out there (ie., a sort of democratization) and two major negative effects: 1) while anyone can put something out there, services like Spotify still gatekeep who actually turns the corner to being financially solvent, and 2) the big services are even more rapacious than the old labels, so that artists are making almost nothing on streaming. Several bands I talk to say you really can't make a living any more unless you tour relentlessly and sell a lot of merch.
Looks like it's time for a new system.
On that note, an article in today's Guardian - https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/feb/25/kate-bush-damon-albarn-1000-artists-silent-ai-protest-album-copyright?utm_term=67bd51d6d794b13ec4dfdc1542ab24f6&utm_campaign=GuardianTodayUK&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&CMP=GTUK_email
Thank you for sending me this story. I have been following various lawsuits and other attempts to slow the AI onslaught. This will be a good point of reference for a long article I've been working on about the "flattening" of popular music. AI is just the latest, and maybe the most destructive "innovation" that is contributing to that flattening.
I can't wait to read that! I think my next post may dovetail with that in a few ways in terms of looking at bigger trends.