Politics and Music

Great music can certainly be transformative in how we view the world. For me, that happened with Zappa's "We're Only In It For The Money", which I first heard back in 1969; came a bit late to that party! 

Bob Dylan likely changed a few folks' viewpoints.... 

Everything is of its time.

There's simply no getting away from that.

We may no longer have protest singers but the music of today is still very much a product of our time.

Context matters, but it's not everything.

Just earlier today I heard Wham!'s Club Tropicana being played whilst out shopping.

As much as I dislike the calculated style of Wham! I found myself irresistibly singing along to it.

"Club Tropicana, the drinks are free..."

"Remember, our business doesn't draw the most stable minded of individuals", is what my bass player said while conversing about a good player who was quite flaky and undependable. Considering that music is generally an emotional exercise, I don't believe them to be a very good intellectual source for forming my worldview and  political choices.

The 60's  movement was all about peace, love and ending wars. Yet since we, the baby boomers have grown and taken the roles of power, we have endless wars, violent riots and now the cancel culture where only one viewpoint is even allowed.

We could discuss how such a great idea became so corrupted. But the point is that  music is for entertainment, not education

My thoughts are constantly expressed  here.

But the point is that  music is for entertainment, not education

It's OK to make a political statement through music but you may limit the number of people that want to listen to it. I give artists a break for expressing their viewpoint using music but there is a line that can be crossed and I wont buy music that offends my sensibilities.