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Conservative indie pop? Liberal country western? Election season blues...
Finding New Tunes blog ^
| 8-13-08
| Jon
Posted on 08/16/2008 2:23:19 PM PDT by lainie
It seems to me that theres money to be made for some young, enterprising, conservative musician. There arent really any conservative indie/alternative bands, but there are plenty of conservatives who like that kind of music. Can you imagine how theyd rally around a band who was outwardly conservative. And if Rush Limbaugh told his listeners about that band? Theyd be millionaires overnight.
Same, though less so, for a liberal country band. By the nature of the art form, there are more liberal musicians, in general, than conservative. But country still doesnt have too many successful liberal acts (minus the Dixie Chicks, of course). I would imagine theres a similarly good opportunity for a good liberal country band to come out and take that genre by storm.
So? Why hasnt anyone seized on these opportunities?
I started doing a little looking, and I came across an article by John Miller written for National Review [from 2006]. He offered up his top 50 conservative rock songs. Surprisingly, there were quite a few songs by real indie bands on the list. That doesnt mean they were/are conservative bands. But the songs (by virtue of being libertarian, actually) are arguably conservative. Heres his list of top 50 (there are 50 more, if you want to check those out, too).
[If you want detailed justifications for each, click through to the entire articles above...]
- Wont Get Fooled Again, by The Who.
- Taxman, by The Beatles.
- Sympathy for the Devil, by The Rolling Stones.
- Sweet Home Alabama, by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
- Wouldnt It Be Nice, by The Beach Boys.
- Gloria, by U2.
- Revolution, by The Beatles.
- Bodies, by The Sex Pistols.
- Dont Tread on Me, by Metallica.
- 20th Century Man, by The Kinks.
- The Trees, by Rush.
- Neighborhood Bully, by Bob Dylan.
- My City Was Gone, by The Pretenders.
- Right Here, Right Now, by Jesus Jones.
- I Fought the Law, by The Crickets.
- Get Over It, by The Eagles.
- Stay Together for the Kids, by Blink 182.
- Cult of Personality, by Living Colour.
- Kicks, by Paul Revere and the Raiders.
- Rock the Casbah, by The Clash.
- Heroes, by David Bowie.
- Red Barchetta, by Rush.
- Brick, by Ben Folds Five.
- Der Kommissar, by After the Fire.
- The Battle of Evermore, by Led Zeppelin.
- Capitalism, by Oingo Boingo.
- Obvious Song, by Joe Jackson.
- Janies Got a Gun, by Aerosmith.
- Rime of the Ancient Mariner, by Iron Maiden.
- You Cant Be Too Strong, by Graham Parker.
- Small Town, by John Mellencamp.
- Keep Your Hands to Yourself, by The Georgia Satellites.
- You Cant Always Get What You Want, by The Rolling Stones.
- Godzilla, by Blue öyster Cult.
- Wholl Stop the Rain, by Creedence Clearwater Revival.
- Government Cheese, by The Rainmakers.
- The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, by The Band.
- I Cant Drive 55, by Sammy Hagar.
- Property Line, by The Marshall Tucker Band.
- Wake Up Little Susie, by The Everly Brothers.
- The Icicle Melts, by The Cranberries.
- Everybodys a Victim, by The Proclaimers.
- Wonderful, by Everclear.
- Two Sisters, by The Kinks.
- Taxman, Mr. Thief, by Cheap Trick.
- Wind of Change, by The Scorpions.
- One, by Creed.
- Why Dont You Get a Job, by The Offspring.
- Abortion, by Kid Rock.
- Stand By Your Man, by Tammy Wynette.
Eric Kirk at SoHum Parlance saw this article and decided (with some incentive from Miller) to take on the task of finding the top 50 liberal country songs. Heres his list below (follow this link to see the justifications)
- Man in Black - Johnny Cash
- The Pill - Loretta Lynn
- 9 to 5 - Dolly Parton
- We Shall be Free - Garth Brooks
- Harper Valley PTA - Jeannie Riley (and others)
- Take this Job and Shove It - Johnny Paycheck
- Devils Right Hand - Steve Earle
- Sixteen Tons - Tennessee Earnest Ford
- Rainbow Stew - Merle Haggard
- Trouble in the Fields - Nancy Griffith
- Abraham, Martin, and John (Its a Hard Life) - Emmy Lou Harris
- They Aint Makin Jews like Jesus Anymore - Kinky Friedman
- San Quentin - Johnny Cash
- America - Waylon Jennings
- Heartland - Willie Nelson
- Jesus, the Missing Years - John Prine
- Okie from Muskogee - Merle Haggard
- Conversations with the Devil - Ray Wylie Hubbard
- Travelin Soldier - Dixie Chicks
- 40 hour week - Alabama
- My Uncle - Flying Burrito Brothers
- Coal Miners Daughter - Loretta Lynn
- Ballad for a soldier - Leon Russell, aka Hank Wilson
- Fishing - Richard Shindell
- I Washed my Face in the Morning Dew - Tom T. Hall
- One Hundred Children - Tom T. Hall
- Aragon Mill - Dry Branch Fire Squads
- Workin Band - Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
- Right or Left at Oak Street - Roy Clark
- Two Story House - Tammy Wynette
- Church - Lyle Lovett
- Devil Take the Farmer - Dry Branch Fire Squads
- Blame it on the Stones - Kris Kristofferson
- Skip a Rope - Henson Cargill
- Thats the News - Merle Haggard
- A Week in Country Jail - Tom T. Hall
- Common Man - John Conlee
- Kids of the Baby Boom - The Bellamy Brothers
- Mississipi on my Mind - Jesse Winchester written, Jerry Jeff Walker performance
- Hank Williams Said It Best - Guy Clark
- Billy B. Damned - Billy Joe Shaver
- Dont you think this outlaw bits done got out of hand?- Waylon Jennings
- Lights went out in Georgia - Reba McEntire
- Peace on Earth - Willie Nelson
- High Cotton - Alabama
- Why cant we all just get a long neck? - Hank Williams
- White House Blues - Vassar Clements
- Saginaw, Michigan - Lefty Frizzell
- Copperhead Road - Steve Earle
- Hobos Meditation - Dolly Parton
In most of the cases in the rock section, the songs are written by artists who are generally liberal, but have swerved into the conservative side of an issue. The country side largely includes artists who are generally liberal.
Thus, my curiosity still stands: Could a good indie/alternative band who was conservative gather a critical mass of fans? I think it goes deeper than that. I think the question really is do people like songs because of the lyrics, melody, instrumentation, vocals, etc. (obviously, all of the above is an option, too)?
Can you love a song which endorses a philosophy to which you are vehemently opposed?
TOPICS: Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS: conservativerock; countrymusic; indie; music
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To: Cheapskate
41
posted on
08/17/2008 5:12:42 PM PDT
by
mylife
(The Roar Of the Masses Could Be Farts)
To: lainie
42
posted on
08/17/2008 5:12:45 PM PDT
by
Cheapskate
(Still backing Hunter"I refuse to be fitted with collar and chain, and given a pat on the back")
To: mylife
hm..
Grateful Dead were ‘conservative hippies?’
43
posted on
08/17/2008 5:13:00 PM PDT
by
lainie
(Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.)
To: lainie
The music is rooted in bluegrass
44
posted on
08/17/2008 5:14:39 PM PDT
by
mylife
(The Roar Of the Masses Could Be Farts)
To: mylife
“I don’t think sooo!” GOOD!!!!!!!!
45
posted on
08/17/2008 5:15:10 PM PDT
by
Cheapskate
(Still backing Hunter"I refuse to be fitted with collar and chain, and given a pat on the back")
To: lainie
They never got into the heavy politics thing as far as I know.
46
posted on
08/17/2008 5:16:20 PM PDT
by
Cheapskate
(Still backing Hunter"I refuse to be fitted with collar and chain, and given a pat on the back")
To: Cheapskate
47
posted on
08/17/2008 5:16:32 PM PDT
by
mylife
(The Roar Of the Masses Could Be Farts)
To: Cheapskate
Cheaps yer a bassist right? Download that Agent Orange tune.
This is all fist beating deriance
48
posted on
08/17/2008 5:20:01 PM PDT
by
mylife
(The Roar Of the Masses Could Be Farts)
49
posted on
08/17/2008 5:20:32 PM PDT
by
mylife
(The Roar Of the Masses Could Be Farts)
To: mylife
How ya doin tonight? I’m puttin up with another damned earache this evenin.
50
posted on
08/17/2008 5:21:40 PM PDT
by
Cheapskate
(Still backing Hunter"I refuse to be fitted with collar and chain, and given a pat on the back")
To: Cheapskate
You play to damned loud! L0L
51
posted on
08/17/2008 5:23:08 PM PDT
by
mylife
(The Roar Of the Masses Could Be Farts)
To: mylife
hehehehe! Yeah I know! but I’ve been puttin up with them all my life.
52
posted on
08/17/2008 5:26:34 PM PDT
by
Cheapskate
(Still backing Hunter"I refuse to be fitted with collar and chain, and given a pat on the back")
To: lainie
For the conservative side, I'd add "Brothers In Arms"by dire Straits.
Oh yeah! ,and "Time To Get a Gun"by Fred Eaglesmith.
53
posted on
08/17/2008 5:33:25 PM PDT
by
Cheapskate
(Still backing Hunter"I refuse to be fitted with collar and chain, and given a pat on the back")
To: Cheapskate
Getcha some hearing protection like
Homer
54
posted on
08/17/2008 5:35:20 PM PDT
by
mylife
(The Roar Of the Masses Could Be Farts)
To: lainie
I think some of it works just because in the end there isn’t a lot of difference between the ultra far right and left. For instance, a lot of Nine Inch Nails recent stuff has been aimed at the problems with the Bush government. However, it can/will be just as easily directed at a Democrats administration.
Just how deep do you believe?
Will you bite the hand that feeds?
Will you chew until it bleeds?
Can you get up off your knees?
Are you brave enough to see?
Do you want to change it?
55
posted on
08/17/2008 5:46:44 PM PDT
by
Mr. Blonde
(You ever thought about being weird for a living?)
To: Cheapskate
That is how I feel. I don’t need a musician to reinforce my political beliefs. All I need from them is interesting music. If it and them have a liberal slant oh well. If it is still good I will listen.
56
posted on
08/17/2008 5:48:45 PM PDT
by
Mr. Blonde
(You ever thought about being weird for a living?)
To: Mr. Blonde
Oh,I'll still scrag'em if it gets too annoying (i.e. Dixie Chix, orColdPlay)
But by and large ,I can live with lefty musicians.
57
posted on
08/17/2008 5:59:05 PM PDT
by
Cheapskate
(Still backing Hunter"I refuse to be fitted with collar and chain, and given a pat on the back")
To: lainie
58
posted on
08/17/2008 6:01:15 PM PDT
by
Jet Jaguar
(Obama: The presumptuous democratic nominee)
To: Jet Jaguar
59
posted on
08/17/2008 6:02:19 PM PDT
by
Cheapskate
(Still backing Hunter"I refuse to be fitted with collar and chain, and given a pat on the back")
To: lainie
60
posted on
08/17/2008 6:09:55 PM PDT
by
Jet Jaguar
(Obama: The presumptuous democratic nominee)
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