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Conservative Politics & Rock Music

The National Review has published a list of the 50 all time top conservative rock 'n' roll songs. #1 is The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again". Other artist on the list include Beatles, Stones, U2, Rush, Aerosmith, Creed, Metallica, Beach Boys, Dylan and the Kinks.

Here's a link to the list.

I'm not familiar with every song on the list, but I do have a few observations. I find it incredible that only a single non-white artist made the list. A number of the songs have a very cynical bent ("Revolution", "Sympathy For the Devil", "Won't Get Fooled Again", etc.). Is cynicism a purely conservative trait? "Wouldn't It Be Nice" - I always thought it was a spoof of the Ossie & Harriet lifestyle. "I Fought the Law" - the fact that the law won doesn't make this song politically conservative. It's the verbal equivalent of a Born To Lose tattoo. It's giving the system the finger. Also, there are a number of songs that are about abortion, but only one is by a woman. Maybe the slogan should be changed to "Sex, Drugs, Rock 'n' Roll & Birth Control".

Rock music encompasses a vast number of musical styles and it only stands to reason that it would also include a wide spectrum of political beliefs. Rather than actually debating politics per se, I'm interested in responses to particularly songs being on the list and whether you see them a political or apolitical.
onhwy61
jimburger
104 posts
 
Tvad,

To quote the article in NA on "Won't Get Fooled Again":

"The conservative movement is full of disillusioned revolutionaries; this could be their theme song, an oath that swears off naive idealism once and for all."

and

"the best number by a big band, and a classic for conservatives."

Pete has said in an interview documented in the video "30 years of Maximum R&B" that the Who in their prime "were ugly, ignorant, violent, assholes." Their message was closer to destruction and anarchy than traditional conservative values. But, the National Review may have been right. WGFA could serve as an anthem for frustrated NEO-Conservatives who want to destroy the world to save it.
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nrchy's avatar
nrchy
2,124 posts
 
Tvad there you go again with your wilfull ignorance.
bryanhod
211 posts
 
Please let me state my point of view that I am conservative but came in through the back door as I would say I was once a radical socialist. The reason most of these songs are selected is that most of the people selecting them are white males that listened to this type of music. That is just my opinion. I think the majority of conservative musicians would be country, and heavy metal myself. I bet the people that picked the songs do not listen to either.
jaybo
4,478 posts
 
quite recently john fogerty had 'fortunate son' pulled from an ad...even though it could have paid over 1m in royalties to him personally. john kay recently did the same with 'born to be wild' in a paris hilton tv show.......small victories, but victories just the same.
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