Songs of Peace, Politics & Protest Part II Quiz

Answer: Dirty Harry

"Dirty Harry" came off the Gorillaz' 2005 album "Demon Days." While it is not recognised by very many as an anti-war song, you only need to read lyrics such as:

"Chill with your old lady at the tilt
I got a 90 days extension
And I'm filled with guilt
From things that I've seen
Your water's from a bottle
mine's from a canteen
At night I hear the shots
Ring so I'm a light sleeper
The cost of life,
it seems to get cheaper
out in the desert
with my street sweeper
The war is over
So said the speaker
with his flight suit on
Maybe to him I'm just a pawn
So he can advance
Remember when I used to dance
Man, all I want to do is dance"

and the lyrics typed above to see that the song is DEFINITELY anti-war.

One of the lines from the song is "The war is over so says the speaker with the flight suit on", which is apparently a reference to George W. Bush's "mission accomplished" on May 1st 2003, saying that he would end all major combat operations in Iraq. However, despite conventional warfare pretty much ending at that time, guerrilla tactics continued, and over 90% of the casualties in Iraq have occurred even after that speech was given.

Answer: Sarah McLachlan

This is probably one of Sarah McLachlan's most political songs ever. It was released in 2004, and came off the album "Afterglow."

I don't think that the song would have been as widespread as it has unless it has the video backing it up, despite deep political and social undertones. The chorus of the song goes as follows:

"The world's on fire, it's more then I can handle.
I'll tap into the water, try and bring my share.
Try to bring more, more than I can handle.
Bring it to the table, bring what I am able."

The video opens with the claim that it cost $150 000 to make (a pretty standard amount for music videos for major stars), and then goes on to reveal that the actual video cost only $15. It then goes on to show all sorts of organisations and charities that received donations from the initial $150 000, and it truly is amazing what a change a relatively small donation can make in people's lives.

A full list of the organisations and charities that the money was sent to can be found at http://www.worldonfire.ca/donations.html.

Answer: All of these

"Not Ready To Make Nice" came off the Dixie Chicks' 2006 album "Taking The Long Way."

While performing a concert in London, lead singer Natalie Maines made the comment: "Just so you know, we're on the good side with y'all. We do not want this war, this violence, and we're ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas." This sparked a storm of violent controversy, which led to a complete boycott of the Dixie Chicks' music.

The storm of controversy even led to death threats against members of the band, which is what inspired the following verse:

"And how in the world can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they'd write me a letter
Sayin' that I better shut up and sing
Or my life will be over"

This verse makes a statement both on the death threats they received, as well as freedom of speech.

The following lines also made a statement on how certain radio stations banned the Dixie Chicks music as a part of the boycott.

"I've paid a price
And I'll keep paying"

On May 6th of 2003, a radio station in Colorado suspended two of its disc jockeys for daring to play music performed by the Dixie Chicks during the boycott. The boycotting of the Dixie Chicks included former fans burning their posters and CDs, and even going to the point of having former fans toss their CDs into a pile to be crushed by a bulldozer.

Answer: Linkin Park

"What I've Done" came off Linkin Park's 2007 album "Minutes to Midnight."

As stated above, this song is best heard accompanied by the music video, which looks at many ironies of humanity and the complete paradox between first-world and third-world countries; for instance, it shows a woman measuring her waist, and then a man who is so underfed that one can see his bones sticking out. Another one that caught my attention is children waving the American flag, and then other children from a war-ridden country holding guns.

To many people, this song represents hope and forgiveness (in all aspects of life- not just political and social aspects). To me, this is one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs about the atrocities that mankind is able to inflict on themselves and on our planet. On the other hand, it's also about seeking forgiveness and trying to start afresh.

Answer: Yellow

"Born In The U.S.A" is without a doubt one of Bruce Springsteen's best known singles, and came off his 1984 album of the same name.

Bruce Springsteen uses this song as a tribute to people that he knew who fought in the Vietnam War, some of whom did not return. It's also a protest against the drafting of young men straight out of school to go and fight in the war.

Aside from the Vietnam War itself, the song also protests against the aftermath of the war, such as the hardships that veterans of the war faced (as well as their families) and how their lives were irrevocably changed.

Answer: All of these

What I consider to be one of the absolute best protest songs I've ever heard, Anti-Flag's "Depleted Uranium is a War Crime" came off their 2006 album "For Blood and Empire."

This fantastic and thought-provoking song makes use of an interview with Jim McDermott, a US Representative for Washington's 7th congressional district, conducted by Justin Sane of Anti-Flag in 2005. Segments of this interview are used throughout the song.

In the song, McDermott explains that depleted uranium is now being used on the end of bullets. It was discovered that, due to the fact that it is 70% more dense than lead, it can pierce through almost any armament, and thus makes a "useful" weapon, whereas before it was disposed of.

When the musical bit comes, it is revealed that the half-life of depleted uranium is approximately 4.5 BILLION years. The half-life of something is basically how long it will take for something to decay to half of its initial value. So in other words, it'll take 4.5 billion years before for the current uranium to be reduced to half its value, another 4.5 billion to reduce to a quarter, and so on (and as of 2002, the world is approximated to have 1 188 273 tonnes of uranium- quite terrifying!)

Since the first usage of depleted uranium in the first Gulf War of 1991, the leukemia rates and birth deformity rates in Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries has increased by 600%! It is believed that this is an epidemic due to the depleted uranium being dumped, and becoming a dust which can be inhaled, enter the bloodstream, and affect the entire body.

A very interesting read on depleted uranium can be found at http://www.wise-uranium.org/indexd.html.

Answer: "Sister, sister"

Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" was released on his 1971 album of the same name.

In the song, Gaye ponders issues such as racism, the hippie movement and the Vietnam War.

Cyndi Lauper did a cover version of the song in 1987, which is also widely recognised.

Answer: The Chariot

I love these guys! "The Chariot" came off the Cat Empire's self-titled debut 2003 album. It is a fantastic mixture of reggae, ska and jazz music.

In "The Chariot," the Cat Empire sings about war, weapons and some of the bad things happening in the world. The song describes how the world would be a better place if people were to love their music and each other. It states that if the world contained more people like their associates and people they knew, then we wouldn't be hearing so much about warfare.

I don't feel that I can do this song justice by merely writing about it. Please just go and listen to it!

Answer: Jackie DeShannon

"What The World Needs Now Is Love" was first recorded by Jackie DeShannon. This song was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. However, it has been covered by over 100 artists already, some of the more notable ones being Barry Manilow, Luther Vandross, Diana Ross, The Carpenters and the Supremes. Interestingly enough, while Jackie DeShannon was the first singer to record it, the song was first offered to Dionne Warwick and Gene Pitney, both of whom passed on it.

The most recognised lines of the whole song are:

"What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of..."

Due to the time of its release in 1965, many consider this song to be something of an anthem against the Vietnam War. It was, and still is, used in several peace rallies.

"What The World Needs Now Is Love" has been used in many many soundtracks, some of the most notable being "My Best Friend's Wedding" and "Forrest Gump," and has become a real pop culture song.

Answer: The unification and concord of all American citizens after the 9/11 attacks

"American Idiot" was the first single off Green Day's 2004 album of the same name. The song was written by all three members of Green Day. My personal feelings are that this is one of the most fantastic rock albums ever made.

The most commonly accepted belief about "American Idiot" is that it is essentially a criticism of the post 9/11 USA.

Out of all the above answers listed, the unification and concord of American citizens is definitely not what "American Idiot" is about. If anything, it completely contradicts it, in lines like "Well maybe I'm the faggot America.
I'm not a part of a redneck agenda" and "Welcome to a new kind of tension all across the alien nation." Also, the very fact that words like propaganda, hysteria and paranoia are mentioned in the song clearly indicates non-unification, and a possible divide between American citizens.

Thanks for playing. Compliments, comments and constructive criticisms of any sort would be most appreciated. Have a lovely day!