Five Political Songs You Should Listen To!

Election Day is almost here! Do you feel it in the air? I'm hopeful that we can all make this one right. Get out the vote!

In honor of this coming week I'm going to make a list of politically charged [& awesome] songs you should hear.

U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday



'And its true we are immune
When fact is fiction and tv reality
And today the millions cry
We eat and drink while tomorrow they die
The real battle yet begun (sunday, bloody sunday)...'

This is musically a brilliant song. I realize it's not an American political song but go with it. Very powerful, very U2. It was released in 1983 and it still matters today.

Ani DiFranco - Your Next Bold Move



'coming of age during the plague
of reagan and bush
watching capitalism gun down democracy
it had this funny effect on me
i guess
i am cancer
i am HIV
and i'm down at the blue jesus
blue cross hospital
just lookin' up from my pillow
feeling blessed
and the mighty multinationals
have monopolized the oxygen
so it's as easy as breathing
for us all to participate
yes they're buying and selling
off shares of air
and you know it's all around you
but it's hard to point and say "there"
so you just sit on your hands
and quietly contemplate
your next bold move
the next thing you're gonna need to prove
to yourself
what a waste of thumbs that are opposable
to make machines that are disposable
and sell them to seagulls flying in circles
around one big right wing'

You can't possibly have a list of political songs without some Ani, she's the queen. This song is not only lyrically amazing but musically beautiful. It was hard for me to choose just a snippet of lyrics to post, so I chose my favorite clump. Listen to it...

Eddie Vedder - No More



'Well nothing's too good for a veteran
Yeah, this is what they say
So nothing is what they will get
In this new American way...'

Not only is this song moving but the video makes me cry. Eddie did this song for a documentary called 'Body Of War.' The live version with Ben Harper is great. You can see both on YouTube.

Le Tigre - New Kicks



'We must stand here, token, abound and unchained.
We need healthcare!
We need education!
We need freedom in this nation!
Freedom in this nation!
Freedom in this nation!
Freedom in this nation!'

This is more of a rally chant than a song but the girls [grrls?] do it well.

>R.E.M. - Bad Day



'Shit so thick you could stir it with a stick
free Teflon whitewashed presidency
We're sick of being jerked around
Wear that on your sleeve
Broadcast me a joyful noise unto the times, lord,
Count your blessings.
We're sick of being jerked around
We all fall down.'

Musically joyfully, lyrically heavy. I'm down.

There you go! Until we meet again [when we'll have a new president!]

VOTEVOTEVOTEVOTEVOTE!