Protest Songs
The protest song has been a staple of music festivals for many years. While some performers reject the label, it nonetheless remains a useful pointer to a vital source of festival spirit. Here are a few samples - some traditional, some not - of the genre over the years.
- 1939: Billie Holiday — Strange Fruit
- 1941: The Almanac Singers — Talking Union
- 1963: Bob Dylan — Masters of War
- 1965: Phil Ochs — I Ain’t Marching Anymore
- 1971: Johnny Cash — Man In Black
- 1980: The English Beat — Whine and Grine/Stand Down Margaret
- 1982: The Pretenders — My City Was Gone
- 1985: The Ramones — My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down (Bonzo Goes to Bitburg)
- 1989: Elvis Costello — Tramp The Dirt Down
- 2005: The Decemberists — 16 Military Wives
Note: all links will open in iTunes.
