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."

[albyjimc2]

Creed is not that bad. In a world today dominated by hip hop and rap, at least Creed was still attempting to rock. Granted, Creed is no Dream Theater but they they had some decent music. They were just one of those bands people loved to hate.

[Wormwood]

hes still a great guitarist... my guitar teacher was also a liberal loon but he was a good teacher and a good guitar player.. :\

The inability to divorce the artist from the art is a failing of many conservatives.

[Wormwood]

Could such a traditional, sappy, good song even get written today?

I'm sure it could be written today.

But would anybody listen?

[Itaintwhy]

Well, anarchy, or no government, represents conservatism to the extreme & that's what Rotten Johnny was promoting. Whether he realized it or not.

My submission for best conservative song would be James Brown's "I Don't Want Nobody to Give Me Nothing (Open Up the Door, I'll Get It Myself)"

[stillonaroll]

I like 'The Fightin Side of Me' by Merle

Don’t forget “Okie From Muskogee.” Not a rock song, but definitely conservative.

[do the dhue]

I think Jesus is Just Alright by the Doobie Brothers should have made the list.

[skandalon]

So sorry, it's much easier to find music of a conservative nature in country music. Hey, they all use the same musical instruments pretty much anyway.

[stillonaroll]

I think Jesus is Just Alright by the Doobie Brothers should have made the list.

Excellent pick!

[peggybac]

I love the words to Government Cheese:

Give a man a free house and he'll bust out the windows
Put his family on food stamps, now he's a big spender
no food on the table and the bills ain't paid
'Cause he spent it on cigarettes and P.G.A.
They'll turn us all into beggars 'cause they're easier to please
They're feeding our people that Government Cheese

Give a man a free lunch and he'll figure out a way
To steal more than he can eat 'cause he doesn't have to pay
Give a woman free kids and you'll find them in the dirt
Learning how to carry on the family line of work
It's the man in the White House, the man under the steeple
Passing out drugs to the American people
I don't believe in anything, nothing is free
They're feeding our people the Government Cheese

Decline and fall, fall down baby
Decline and fall, said fall way down now
Decline and fall, fall down little mama
Decline and fall, decline and fall

Give a man a free ticket on a dead end ride
And he'll climb in the back even though nobody's driving
Too ******* lazy to crawl out of the wreck
And he'll rot there while he waits for the welfare check
Going to hell in a handbag, can't you see
I ain't gonna eat no Government Cheese

[uptoolate]

Baby please don't go
Baby please don't go
Baby please don't go
Down to New Orleans
You know life is so bad
Baby please don't go

[Echo Talon]

I listened to Living Color YEARS ago, before I ever started seriously thinking about politics.
Its hard for me to watch a movie with VERY vocal liberals in it because its hard for me to see them as the character and not see them as a political shill. Like when i see WHoopie Goldberg or even hear her voiceover on animated movies, I think about her and its distracting, same for Alec Baldwin, Sarandon, ETC.

[Mr. Blonde]

I love the thought of the King getting a letter from the colonies that just said, "F**k you, we won't do what you tell us".

It would have got the point across with a lot less ink for sure.

[do the dhue]

Do you dig the Blues? 'Serves you right to suffer' - John Lee Hooker would be my nomination for a Blues song

[Mr. Blonde]

They may have been trying, but I just have can't like rock stars who don't party like rock stars. Just general principles. :)

[stillonaroll]

...I would humbly nominate Devo's "Beautiful World" as the only appropriate conservative 'anthem'.

Hmmmmm. You might also like their “Freedom of Choice” then: "a dog had two bones...sniffed one, licked the other, he ran in circles, he dropped dead.”

[Antoninus]

Are rap songs allowed? If so, I'd have to nominate "Momma Said Knock You Out" by LL Cool J. Or better yet, "Giovanni Paolo" by Stan Fortuna. I mean, what could be more conservative than a rap song by a priest about Pope John Paul II?

Giovanni Paolo MPG clip

[uptoolate]

Rush's opening anthem

[albyjimc2]

That is a good point. I remember they sent an anger management book to Fred Durst. Talk about lame. Not that Fred Durst is someone worth talking about, but come on!

[Mr. Bird]

My vote would go the “House of the Rising Sun” by the Animals. Arguably a conservative song, with a dark, anti-drug message.

I've always considered HOTRS lyrical poetry; agree that it is astonishingly good, but we're talking "rock" here. I would nominate the Animals' "We Gotta Get Out of this Place" as a better representation of their rock chops.

But back to The Who: if you were ever present when Daltry unleashed "the scream" with a wall of sound and 60,000 fans erupting in a roar most likely resembling the charge of angry huns, you would carry that in your pocket as the definitive rock-and-roll moment of your lifetime.

[Wormwood]

. Like when i see WHoopie Goldberg or even hear her voiceover on animated movies, I think about her and its distracting, same for Alec Baldwin, Sarandon, ETC.

I understand what you are saying, but I have no such difficulties weeping at A Color Purple, smiling at Bull Durham, and being chilled to the bone at Glengarry Glen Ross.