Protest Songs

Music is an excellent way for artists to protest an issue or event such as war, poverty or government.  In class we have listened to a few examples of protest songs.  Now it's your turn to choose and explain a protest song of your choice.  For this assignment you will need to include the following information:
1. A copy of the song lyrics ( or a link to them)
2. A link to the video on Youtube
3. Answers to the analysis questions
4. An image that relates to the topic of the protest


Analysis Questions:

Find a song you wish to analyze and then create a page for it on your blog. You will have to list the following information and answer the following questions....

1. Who is the artist and what is the name of the song?
2. When was this song written and recorded?
3. Why can this song be classidfied as a 'protest song'? What is it protesting?
4. What is the message of the song? What is the artist trying to say?
5. What is the tone/mood of the song? (is it hopeful/opptimistic or synical/pessimistic)
6. Why did you choose to do this song? Why did it attract your attention /or what did you like about it?
7. How does the music video help to get the protest message across?

 Below is an example of what your assignment could look like....
This is War Lyrics

Analysis Response

The song that I have chosen is “This is War” by 30 Seconds to Mars. The song was written and recorded in 2009. This song can be categorized as a protest song because it is protesting the oppression of people by world leaders (“To the right, To the left, We will fight to the death/ To the Edge of the Earth, it's a Brave New World/ it's a Brave New World it's a Brave New World”) I believe that the artist is trying to send a message that if we all rise up against the oppression of unjust leaders that it will lead us into a brave new world. The song doesn’t seem to be a response to any one event or period in particular, but more of a general song to protest the actions of unjust leaders. The lyrics highlight the warning issued to those unjust leaders, “A warning to the prophet, the liar, the honest/ This is War/ To the leader, the pariah, the victim, the messiah/ This is war.” It seems as though the message is to warn those oppressors that people will be willing to fight the oppression imposed upon them. The tone of the song is optimistic in relation to fighting this battle against oppression of the people. The artists seem optimistic that people can join together in order to create this ‘brave new world’, “I do believe in the light, raise your hands up to the sky/The fight is done, the war is won, lift your hands toward the sun/ toward the sun, toward the sun, the war is won.” The video that accompanies the song is what drew me to examine it in detail in relation to protest songs. The video matches the themes and the message within the song perfectly, all while remaining very entertaining. I also felt as though the song was a more subtle example of protest because instead of being a direct response or comment on a very specific event or issue, the song is more about protesting the overarching idea of oppression.

Music video

The video for this song, contains many realistic images of war which help to demonstrate some of the negative aspects of war.  The wording that is used throughout the video helps to reinfoce that artisits' negative view of war.  The artist includes the unrealistic images of war "machines" being blown away.  I think is an attempt to show that he would like war to disappear.  The Lyrics reflect this when he says "we will fight to the end."