"America the Beautiful" Patriotic and Protest Music

President Elect Obama is taking office on Tuesday and Bush is leaving. Because this is not a Political blog I'm not going to talk about Politics, but because this is a blog about music and life, it is ridiculous not think it won't come up. After all music is quite prevalent in elections and as in this article that Billboard did. Day-By-Day: The Obama Inauguration Music

Music has always been part of our lives in the Political arena. Whether or not they agree is another thing. In what I like to call the "Bush Protest Years" alot of bands have spoken out against Bush.

Take for instance Green Day's American Idiot. It can be shown, as it is most times, as an album protesting Bush and the American Way. I'm not here to bash Bush nor am I here to give my opinion on Politics. Spencer Tracy put it quite elequently, "Actors don't have any damn place in Politics" and that can go for musicians too. I believe in the American Ideal and all that. I also believe by speaking out in form of a CD like American Idiot is awesome. It shows that we are still a people united under free speech.

Free speech and speaking out against what is wrong is the most patriotic thing one can do. I'm for Ghandi and Martin Luther King's views on Civil Disobedience and peaceful protest. People need to stand up for what they believe and protest, like we did in the American Revolution, "it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness".

People like Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp (aka John Cougar), The Beatles, Green Day, Bruce Springsteen and others alike. Take what they see is wrong and with how music goes everywhere now, more and more people are listening in and seeing what is wrong and stepping up to help. While the,"Greatest Generation" survived the Depression and fought valiantly in WWII, our Generation of the 80's, 90's, and the 00's are now standing up like others before us and saying all this bull needs to stop. We are often condemned by the media as being lazy and uncaring. When actually we are just tired of all the bull and lies, as showcased in, John Mayer's "Waiting on the World to Change". The music that is coming out now is now, like always, is Politically inspired or inspired by what is wrong in the world.

Music can help the world because those who write are allowed to freely write. It is our freedoms that set us apart and because our musicians are bigger than our Politicians because they keep it real. They show where everything is screwed up in the system and because they get out to a larger audience and people identify. If the bureaucrats in Washington can become more like musicians in the sense that they relate to their people and actually listen alot more would get done.

Listening is the key to everything, having an open ear to listen to complaints and listen to problems then having the action to get things done without anything. I know I'm an Idealist and I'm Mr. Smith in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington", but I believe in the goodness of people and the power of music and the power of action because someone was influenced by those songs.

Protesting is the most Patrotic thing a person can do. It shows that they are invested in how their Government is run and they care about it enough to stand up and do something about it. As my Mum always said, "Always be kind and listen" because you never know who you'll inspire. No matter you're party, or if you're opposed to the war or not, be kind to those who are fighting for your rights over there and make sure that everyone gets treated with respect, because, it is a huge toll on all of us, as a nation, when we all are separated.

I wish President Obama good luck, because he has alot to prove in this new term in American Politics. He'll need all the luck he can get to clean up eight years of turmoil and despair. So, "here's looking at you, kid".


DJ M's Patrotic Protest Music

1. Born in the USA- Bruce Springsteen
2. Authority Song- John Mellencamp
3. Wake Me When Sept. Ends- Green Day
4. Strawberry Fields Forever- The Beatles
5. Amen- Kid Rock
6. London Calling- The Clash
7. Hands Held High- Linkin Park
8. If Everyone Cared- Nickelback
9. Times are-a Changing- Bob Dylan
10. Traveling Solider- Dixie Chicks

Love,

Me