So this is the post I put on facebook last night:
It’s been pretty unrelentingly rough in my community power class for a couple of weeks. (That’s what happens when studying riots, police brutality, other forms of structural and interpersonal violence), soooo I need to play them some good songs of fighting the good fight and social justice and winning. I’ll surely include “all you fascists” by billy bragg, but what else???
Here are the many responses:
“I fought the Law” by the Clash and the Dead Kennedys
Public Enemy “Fight the Power” (many votes, including this “Spike Lee version” which uses some civil rights movement footage as a counterpoint) And “911 is a Joke”
–also Fight the Power by Isley brothers
Patti Smith “People Have the Power”
Elvis Costello “(Whats so Funny About) Peace Love and Understanding”
Bob Dylan “The Times They are a Changing”
Gil Scott-Heron “The Revolution will Not Be Televised”
Nina Simone – “Mississippi Goddam”
Sweet Honey in the Rock: “Our Side Won,” and “Ella’s Song”
Rage Against the Machine: “Killing in the Name”
La Santa Cecilia – “ICE El Hielo”
Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy – “Hypocrisy of the Greatest Luxury” and “Television, Drug of the Nation”
Revolution by Arrested Development, or the Beatles
Michael Franti – “Yell Fire!”
We Shall Not be Moved – here by Mavis Staples
Lupe Fiasco – “The End of the World” (Occupy)
Red Leo & the Pharmacists – “CIA”
Stereolab – “With Friends Like These”
Sam Cooke – “Change is Gonna Come”
Curtis Mayfield – “People Get Ready” — or by Eva Cassidy
John Lennon – “Imagine”
Wu-Tang Clan – “A Better Tomorrow”
“Redemption Song” by Bob Marley, ably covered by Joe Strummer
“Free Nelson Mandela” by the Specials (Julia posted this early in the semester, too)
Jacob George “Soldier’s Heart”