Conservative Top 50 [top 50 conservative songs]

New York Times publishes list from National Review ^ | May 25, 2006

[grundle]

Following is National Review's list of its top 50 conservative rock songs, with the magazine's explanations of its choices.

1. "Won't Get Fooled Again," by The Who.

The conservative movement is full of disillusioned revolutionaries; this could be their theme song, an oath that swears off naive idealism once and for all. "There's nothing in the streets / Looks any different to me / And the slogans are replaced, by—the—bye. . . . Meet the new boss / Same as the old boss." The instantly recognizable synthesizer intro, Pete Townshend's ringing guitar, Keith Moon's pounding drums, and Roger Daltrey's wailing vocals make this one of the most explosive rock anthems ever recorded — the best number by a big band, and a classic for conservatives.

2. "Taxman," by The Beatles.

A George Harrison masterpiece with a famous guitar riff (which was actually played by Paul McCartney): "If you drive a car, I'll tax the street / If you try to sit, I'll tax your seat / If you get too cold, I'll tax the heat / If you take a walk, I'll tax your feet." The song closes with a humorous jab at death taxes: "Now my advice for those who die / Declare the pennies on your eyes."

[Fish_Keeper]

Agreed. The Sex Pistols represented a backlash against the 60's do-gooder hippie movement and the 70's hedonistic disco lifestyle. To be sure, these guys didn't live a conservative lifestyle but you can see some of these themes in their music.
Looking back to the straight-edge hardcore punk movement of the early 80's, one could also find some conservative themes in bands like Minor Threat. Straight edge punks rejected drinking, drugs, smoking and casual sex. Look at this one Guilty of Being White - not a racist song at all, but liberals would certainly mischaracterize that way based on the title.

[swmobuffalo]

Here's one for you:
I don't like Gretchen Wilson but this song is great.

Politically Uncorrect

I'm for the low man on the totem pole
And I'm for the underdog God bless his soul
And I'm for the guys still pulling third shift
And the single mom raisin' her kids
I'm for the preachers who stay on their knees
And I'm for the sinner who finally believes
And I'm for the farmer with dirt on his hands
And the soldiers who fight for this land

Chorus:

And I'm for the Bible and I'm for the flag
And I'm for the working man, me and ol' hag
I'm just one of many
Who can't get no respect
Politically uncorrect

(Merle Haggard)
I guess my opinion is all out of style
(Gretchen Wilson)
Aw, but don't get me started cause I can get riled
And I'll make a fight for the forefathers plan
(Merle Haggard)
And the world already knows where I stand

Repeat Chorus

(Merle Haggard)
Nothing wrong with the Bible, nothing wrong with the flag
(Gretchen Wilson)
Nothing wrong with the working man me & ol' Hag
We're just some of many who can't get no respect
Politically uncorrect
(Merle Haggard)
Politically uncorrect

[Blue Jays]

Hi staytrue-

John "Cougar" Mellencamp has lost his way and can't be considered a writer of conservative songs. He rarely misses an opportunity to bash our country or something we're doing with regard to foreign policy.

~ Blue Jays ~

[Rainbow Rising]

I love Iced Earth. Can't wait for them to put out a new album. Another excellent patriotic song of theirs is "Ghost Of Freedom" from the Horror Show CD. It's a very moving song about a young man who realizes that the spirit of his dead father watches over him and all soldiers. The song is dedicated to those who served in the armed forces. It gives me goosebumps every time I hear it.

Here we stand on the firing line
Here I'll walk in the field where I fight
I will fight or die for liberty
With the ghost standing next to me

Don't tread on me...Live free or die!!!
To our fallen brothers
You died to keep us free
To our fallen brothers
Who gave us liberty!

[Fish_Keeper]

Thanks for your insightful comments about Sympathy for the Devil. I have always liked this song, but keeping in mind it is told from Satan's point of view I didn't know whether to take it as satire or not. Now I can see it is saying something more about the human predisposition to sin based on what you said.

[staytrue]

Mellencamp may be liberal recently, but his old songs are still very conservative.

[Jakarta ex-pat]

Musicals are generally rich in Conservative themes

Everthing's alright (Jesus Christ Superstar)

Tradition (Fiddler on the roof)

You'll never walk alone ( Carousel)

The King's New Clothes (Hans Christian Anderson)

Rainbow High (Evita)

Climb every mountain (The Sound of Music)

The Impossible Dream (Man of La Mancha)

Don't let life get you down (Smike)

[garylmoore]

a lot of blantantly conservative country songs suck

Just depends on your character, I guess.

[Defiant]

How could they leave out the two paradise songs, Rockin' the Paradise by Styx, and Paradise by the Dashboard Lights by Meatloaf. Here are the Styx lyrics, written around the Carter era--

So whatcha doin' tonight?
Have you heard that the world's gone crazy?
Young Americans listen when I say there's people puttin' us down
I know they're sayin' that we've gone lazy
To tell you the truth we've all seen better days
Don't need no fast buck lame duck profits for fun
Quick trick plans, take the money and run
We need long term, slow burn, getting it done
And some straight talking, hard working son of a gun. (who turned out to be Ronald Reagan)
Whatcha doin' tonight, I got faith in our generation
Let's stick together and futurize our attitudes
I ain't lookin' to fight, but I know with determination
We can challenge the schemers who cheat all the rules
Come on take pride, be wise, spottin' the fools
No more big shots, crackpots bending the rules
A fair shot here for me and for you
Knowing that we can't lose
And we'll be rockin' in Paradise
Rockin' the Paradise tonight
Rockin' in Paradise
Rockin' the Paradise tonight
Tonight, tonight...

Of course, in Meatloaf's song, he finally gives in and agrees to marry the girl before she gives in and lets him have his way. That approach is almost laughable nowadays, but it wasn't that unusual in the 70s when it came along.

[x]

Some of the songs are pretty good. The list doesn't quite add up to as much as NR thinks it does, though.

A lot of the songs express more of a libertarian, "Don't Tread On Me" message, rather than anything explicitly conservative. And you could easily find songs by the Beatles, Stones, and Eagles, or Dylan, Bowie, Mellencamp, and Joe Jackson that have very "unconservative messages."

Songwriters and lyricists give vent to one side of their personality at one time and to another -- perhaps opposite -- tendency in themselves or the world at another time. The best of them don't hew to any party line, and not doing so makes them makes them better artists.

Some of what NR has found are songs by English writers and musicians who were fed up with Old Labour, socialism, and high taxation, but not at all in tune with the way things are run in the states. That's why some of them have been so quick to write anti-Bush songs.

FWIW, does the Georgia Satellites song really represent deep conviction? All the "no huggy, no kissy" may or may not be sarcastic, but it sounds a lot like a commercial hook. If it influenced 90s kids in a positive direction, that's all to the good, but I have to wonder about what the "artists' intention" was.

[Schwaeky]

"We don't need no water let the mother***ker burn, burn mother***ker BURN!!!!"


I swear, they may carry socialist themes in their album covers and other art, but RATM is so right leaning in much of their lyrics its not even funny!

[okiecon]

Actually, the Romans came up with it. Well, the Gauls and Germanic tribes did, then the Romans put it all together.

I shall choose to ignore those unhelpful facts and insist that it is all the Frenchies fault that this horrid civil law monstrosity ever set foot on the destined to be common law shores of what would become the United States of America! (And don't give me no lip about the Spanish either).

[okiecon]

A lot of country that gets radio play sucks, period.

[okiecon]

Thanks for your insightful comments about Sympathy for the Devil

No problem.

[garandgal]

Declaration Day and Valley Forge by Iced Earth. Both are about the Revolutionary War.

I love that band...glad to meet another fan!

[Cheapskate]

Yeah, that'll work!

[Cheapskate]

No Zevon I propose "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner"

[No2much3]

later ping

[garylmoore]

A lot of country that gets radio play sucks, period.

Like I said, It depends upon your character.

[linda_22003]

I didn't see Billy Joel's,

"I don't care what you say anymore, this is my life;
Go ahead with your own life - leave me alone!"