guthrie, and the birth of holy protest music.

I hate protest/political music.

It is a genre which weaves the sentiment of few, and establishes that it is the view of all.

Stating this, not all music fall into this category, simply if they reference war or lack of wealth. I believe that the some of the greatest musicians of our time, (which sadly fall between the early 60s to late 80s) have learned to hone their art and establish a subtlety that implies a struggle, but grants the listener an invitation instead of a jarring metaphor meant to 'rock our core.' Now, i'm not one to judge musicians, or poets or anyone that include politics and current events into their art. And really, i'm not sure what my beef is with political music. I guess my issue is that most musicians that are doing it today perhaps in r and b and alternative music are just trying to hard to be clever, and attempt to teach the listener about what is 'really going on in the world' as if they don't know and care.

Now, that maybe an asshole think to say. but consider that most music that can be recognized by most americans for their familiarity and relations to politics are done well, and establish the musician as a seer of great importance. Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Janis Joplin, etc. Even if you haven't listened to their music, you know who they are. Sadly we live in a world where there are kids who do not know the importance of a man named Sir Paul McCartney, or even Sir Elton John. Consider that. And think, do you think Lady Gaga will live on as an activist for anything? What about Adelle? What about anyone who works in the music industry. I think about Green Day and how they sold out to the i hate bush mantra. We get it, you hate Bush. Why? Because he brought us into a war where people died for no reason. Really? Every fucking president has been in some war in some distant country whether we know about it, or it is kept under wraps funded through illegal means such as the the contra war of the late 80's.