Topical Songs, Should I Write Them?
Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 10:05AM There have been a lot of posts on the Folk Alliance list regarding topical or political songs. Many artists feel that songs of this nature will simply alienate part of your audience and none of us has so very many patrons that we wouldn’t regret losing any of them. I can certainly understand that, but as artists, we have to speak the truth as we see it.
It is usually from the artists that society first hears of its own character flaws. Artists, by nature, are sensitive, intuitive people, and as such, will notice things or intuit things that seem obvious to them but are evidently not obvious to the masses. 
People like Bob Dylan and Phil Ochs made it their bread and butter by writing very biting political songs. However, their audience knew what they were getting and they came for that. No one walked out of a Dylan concert because he voiced a political opinion that they did not agree with.
However, that has happened to me. I seem to be known as a glib, entertaining fellow who sings and plays and composes well. People come to my shows to be entertained. And I always ascertain that that is what happens. My shows are always entertaining and I want people to leave actually feeling better than when they came in.
And yet, as an artist, I have to sing the truth as I see it.
When the first Bush was elected president I was stunned, as I didn’t think the American public would WANT the former head of the secret police (the cia) as president. It just seemed like a bad move to me.
When the next Bush ran, a man who had a history of failing at everything he ever did and then had his father’s rich connections bail him out, I KNEW that the American public would not go for such an unprepared, unskilled, joyously ignorant man. Wrong again.
When the election count in Florida became a fraud and the Supreme Court INSTALLED the man who had not been elected, I KNEW that there was going to be an uprising. Wrong again.
The illegal war in Iraq; the okaying of torture and the disregard of the Geneva Convention; the Katrina debacle; all these things enraged and inspired me. Inspired me to become politically active and to write.
At each of these junctures, I turned to my art to respond. The first songs were a little strident, as they had more to do with venting my rage, catharsis, I guess, than reaching people and perhaps impacting an opposing opinion.
But I realized that I was writing the kinds of songs that only people who agree with me would enjoy. How impactful is that? How valid is that? I certainly want my constituency to be impacted AND entertained, but I wanted what I saw as the truth to have an impact on everyone.
So how do you do that?
First off, I decided to make certain that these songs, that I felt were necessary for me to write, were as musical as I could make them. Psychologists will tell you that the lyrics are the last thing that people hear when they listen to music. That must be true or else so much of the current corporate “popular” would not be so very much admired. So I make certain that the songs are musically appealing and accessible AND that they are a joy for me to perform.
Secondly, I decided that the lyrics that they eventually heard should be provocative enough to encourage thinking about, but not so blatant as to be a offensive, or an attack on an alternate view of the world.
Peoples response to an attack is to be defensive. It’s reflex. We’ve got to go at it a different way in order for someone with an opposing view to be engaged enough to want to hear and think about what we are saying.
We all have our perceptions of the way the world works and we all believe that we what we know the truth. So we need to respect each other’s opinions, value each other’s perception and strive to find the ACTUAL truth that exists somewhere in between.
As an example of the kind of writing I am talking about, here are the lyrics to the newest “protest” song that I have written, based upon the truth as I see it. The song is called,
What Would You Do?
(chorus)
What would you do, say it’s all up to you
Say the whole world’s in your hands
Would there be change, or would things be the same
Have we already done all we can
(verse)
Would your world be about money and greed
Would the choices you make lose our souls?
Or would you stand for the freedom of man
And see every heart broken made whole
What would you do, What would you do…
(bridge)
All of our lives we’ve been told paradise
Resides in the heavens above
What would you do if you suddenly knew
It was here with the people you love
What would you do, what would you do…
Would you wage war, would you breed hate more
Would you use terror to rule
Or would the water run sweet and the land at our feet
Be peaceful and green, clean and pure?
All of our lives we’ve been told paradise
Resides in the heavens above
What would you do if you suddenly knew
It was here with the people you love
What would you do, say it’s all up to you
Say the whole world’s in your hands
Would there be change, or would things be the same
Have we already done all we can?
@2008 james lee Stanley, the real james lee Stanley music, sesac
Do you see what I was trying to do here? No accusations, no recriminations, no laying of blame.
I just want the audience to think about which choices they would make if they were in charge. If they think about it, they will be unable to not compare the choices that they would make with what has been happening.
If they like what has been happening, then no problem for them. They’ve just been subjected to a little review of their perceptions and in a musical way, so as to be entertained.
But if they find that the way things are and have been going are NOT the way that they would have done it, then maybe I’ve reached someone who wouldn’t normally be reached by a “protest” song. And I’ve reached my goal with that song, and with all my songs, actually.
The goal is to include everyone in the song, not preach or exclude, but to gather us all together (as much as we can) and make the world a better place to live.
Wow, I’ve never gotten rid of my belief that music can change the world. What a “sixties” fellow I still am, though if you look at it, music still does change the world.
Much of Hip Hop and Rap music has made it all right for women to be treated as sex objects and for pimps to be heroes, so music is still changing the world. Those perceptions were not exactly to be admired when I was coming up.
But those perceptions are all over the TV now. And I suspect these fellows are writing the truth as they see it. Unless it is just for monetary gain, in which case, it would be a form of prostitution.
If you are writing from your place of truth, then that’s valid for you. Though passion and intent should never be mistaken for art. Neither should monetary success. Just because something has made money, doesn’t mean it’s art or it’s valid…it just means it made money.
So what I am saying is write and say what’s in your heart, but do it is such an artful way that it actually has the kind of impact you want it to have. If someone walks out of your show, yes that’s impactful, but what does it accomplish? There’s a guy that will never come to your show or buy your CD again.
Is that your plan?
Reader Comments (4)
I'm not so sure Dylan ever mentioned any politicians by name? That's part of his beauty, the beauty of a poet's soul, they don't name names because they understand injustices have been around forever, thus never date their songs.
Masters Of War? Pretty-much stands up, eh?
very interesting post.
I heard somewhere that 'Art and Politics must always mix..." So I believe that its the obligation that if you make art you must express what is going on around you right and wrong...I wrote my very first political songs within the past year...
btw I've always held three monkeys in very high esteem as one of the best sharpest withering political/protest songs written
Same goes for Open Your Eyes and Change...hmmm actually I could list alot more...
in any event
Namaste,
Bobby
Yeah, all you can do is sing the truth ^.^
bonnemusique
profitable info. strict dlog