Political Folk Music

It seems that right now my interests in music are specifically folk, country, and blues. I like artists such as Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Lyle Lovett, B.B. King, Etta James, and John Lennon. I guess part of my interest with folk/country/blues music is that some characteristics of these genres are to express something about a way of life that exists now or has in the past. Folk music in general has been coined as the music of the common people. The English term folk, which gained usage in the 19th century, referred to peasants or non-literate people. It is also related to the word Volk in German which means people or nation. A folk song can express the feelings of ethnic and/or social groups or even views of a nation. Folk music is generally learned by listening to it and tends to be past down from generation to generation and can be changed. Which leads me to my fascination then lately with political folk music. Political folk music has been around as early as the 17th century and still exists today. We have had protests songs to highlight every facet of our history from class struggle and women's suffrage in the 17th century, to the abolition of slavery, the union movement, the civil rights movement, and the Vietnam War in the 20th century, to America's 911, wars in the Middle East and criticism of George Bush's leadership in the 21st century.

This next clip is of Bob Dylan's song "Masters of War," which when first released, was protesting the Vietnam War. (Eddie Veter from Pearl Jam has done a cover of it, however, I prefer the original). The YouTube video shows how this song definitely transcends time and is most appropriate in relation to how some feel currently about the Iraq war. I have also included the lyrics as well. It would be interesting to have students just read the lyrics alone, and write down any images or thoughts that came to their mind. Then, have them listen to the song with the lyrics and have them note if their views about the lyrics/song changed, and lastly watch the video, and comment on that as well. Other follow-up questions might be who is the speaker? What examples of descriptive imagery did you find? Who are these "Masters of War" and how does the speaker feel about them? This also lends itself to a deeper teaching of the Holocaust and genocide that we teach in the spring as well. The overarching question that I would like to address to students is what are we not learning from our past that makes us prone to keep repeating it or do you think war is inevitable? Why or why not?

Come you masters of war You that build all the guns You that build the death planes You that build the big bombs You that hide behind walls You that hide behind desks I just want you to know I can see through your masks You that never done nothin' But build to destroy You play with my world Like it's your little toy You put a gun in my hand And you hide from my eyes And you turn and run farther When the fast bullets fly Like Judas of old You lie and deceive A world war can be won You want me to believe But I see through your eyes And I see through your brain Like I see through the water That runs down my drain You fasten the triggers For the others to fire Then you set back and watch When the death count gets higher You hide in your mansion As young people's blood Flows out of their bodies And is buried in the mud You've thrown the worst fear That can ever be hurled Fear to bring children Into the world For threatening my baby Unborn and unnamed You ain't worth the blood That runs in your veins How much do I know To talk out of turn You might say that I'm young You might say I'm unlearned But there's one thing I know Though I'm younger than you Even Jesus would never Forgive what you do Let me ask you one question Is your money that good Will it buy you forgiveness Do you think that it could I think you will find When your death takes its toll All the money you made Will never buy back your soul And I hope that you die And your death'll come soon I will follow your casket In the pale afternoon And I'll watch while you're lowered Down to your deathbed And I'll stand o'er your grave 'Til I'm sure that you're dead

Copyright © 1963; renewed 1991 Special Rider Music

This clip highlights Bright Eyes song "When the President Talks to God." This is a anti- war protest song that is aimed at the Bush administration. What I like about this song is that it was created in the 21st century and may have more student appeal. I would have the students do the same activity that they did with "Masters of War" outlined above and then compare/contrast the two songs. It would be a great extension project to my Holocaust unit to have them research protest songs throughout history and then create their own protest song/i-movie and present these in small or large groups. Here are the song lyrics and a video I found.



When the president talks to God
Are the conversations brief or long?
Does he ask to rape our women’s' rights
And send poor farm kids off to die?
Does God suggest an oil hike
When the president talks to God?

When the president talks to God
Are the consonants all hard or soft?
Is he resolute all down the line?
Is every issue black or white?
Does what God say ever change his mind
When the president talks to God?

When the president talks to God
Does he fake that drawl or merely nod?
Agree which convicts should be killed?
Where prisons should be built and filled?
Which voter fraud must be concealed
When the president talks to God?

When the president talks to God
I wonder which one plays the better cop
We should find some jobs. the ghetto's broke
No, they're lazy, George, I say we don't
Just give 'em more liquor stores and dirty coke
That's what God recommends

When the president talks to God
Do they drink near beer and go play golf
While they pick which countries to invade
Which Muslim souls still can be saved?
I guess god just calls a spade a spade
When the president talks to God

When the president talks to God
Does he ever think that maybe he's not?
That that voice is just inside his head
When he kneels next to the presidential bed
Does he ever smell his own bullshit
When the president talks to God?

I doubt it

I doubt it

This next clip has to deal with John Lennon's song "Merry Christmas, War is Over." I chose this one because I think it would be interesting to have the students analyze the song and the video looking specifically at the irony between the lyrics and the imagery created in the video. What is Lennon trying to tell us?




The next clip is a great duet with Mary Blige and Bonno singing U2's hit "One." This song is very powerful and is even more so with the video. The video highlights the horrors of the genocide currently going on in Darfur. It would be useful to have the students analyze the lyrics and video and then compare it to what we studying in our eighth grade English class about the Holocaust.




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