Best Musicians/Bands that promote liberal ideology...

I've been thinking about this for a while. I am trying to find bands and musicians that hold a certain ideology that goes along with liberal views. It doesn't necessarily have to promote certain stances, but more like the concept of being open minded, humane and questioning of authority etc...

Mine are:

Talking Heads
Radiohead
NOFX
Rage Against the Machine
Social Distortion
Bad Religion
On Edit: Bob Dylan

Just to name a few


So what are your favorite liberal bands and musicians?

Liberal thought is open-minded. "Ideology" is closed minded propaganda.

Best open-minded in touch left leaning musicians? How about Bruce Cockburn, Christy Moore, Arlo Guthrie, Pete Seeger.

Pro-Pain
Neocon (Bring It On)

The war on terror
No truth, all lies
Awaken the masses
Open your eyes
Yeah!!
Kill, rape, torture, pillage, as time marches on
A vicious agenda de force
Neocon
Prize in sight, so we fight, and we pray that the kids are alright that we sent off to die
Letters sent from the base tell the tale that we face everyday but we tend to deny
That the cause is unjust so we must pray to god for the wrath is his will, so we kill
Branded weak are the sheep with no minds of their own
So they do what they're told, and they will
Thou shalt not fight for you!!!
US Uber Alles except for itself
A country divided by fascists and wealth
Begging for mercy, the truth never told
Families are broken, bodies are cold
Deaf, blind, all sides getting took for a ride
Being fed steady diets of grey
Death starved, so we dine up with a chill up the spine
As we drink it and wish it away
Such a price to endure all the theater of death has to give in the place where we live
Play god for the term play it well
Never learn, never will we forget or forgive
Thou shalt not kill for you!!
Bring it on!
Thou shalt not die for you!!bring it on Neocon!!

maybe BioHazard is as well and Suicidal Tendencies

because I do not see 'liberal' in their content, just Political content.

Some bands may be Political, but that does not necessarily make them 'Liberal'..

ATR has a lot of progressive lyrics. Unfortunately those songs are in their second tier, IMO.


All That Remains - For Salvation

Wallow in darkness
And everlasting pain
This signals defiance
To bring forth mankind's gain

This nations compliance
To what is fed to them
May lead to disaster
Unless a change is made

I will not be swept aside
Nor will i change inside
But I'll fear not compromise
To benefit mankind

Now pride is our enemy
For salvation this we must believe

All That Remains - Indictment

Eyes fill with hatred
When they fall upon me
You worship gods of violence and bigotry
Forgetting lessons learned that prove these
The wrong ideals

Don't let me follow in the footsteps
I won't embrace these wrong ideals
This thirst for violence, domination
It only serves your wrong beliefs

This is my indictment of your beliefs
This is my indictment of what you hold dear

Your evil consumes you
A jealous few incite ignorant followers
Invoke the name and watch the masses turn on us
For fear that I embody what you fear

This is my indictment of your beliefs
This is my indictment of what you hold dear

My eyes have seen the horrors that you
Commit in the name of your god
Your god is violence, Your god is unholy

Eyes fill with hatred when they fall upon me

Invoke the name and watch the masses turn on us
For fear that I embody what you fear

Your god is violence, Your god is unholy


System of a Down - BYOB

Why do they always send the poor?

Barbarisms by Barbara with pointed heels
Victorious victories kneel for brand new spanking deals
Marching forward hypocritic and hypnotic computers
You depend on our protection yet you feed us lies from the tablecloth

Everybody's going to the party, have a real good time
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine

Kneeling roses disappearing into Moses' dry mouth
Breaking into Fort Knox stealing our intentions
Hangars sitting dripped in oil, crying, "Freedom!"
Handed to obsoletion still you feed us lies from the tablecloth

Everybody's going to the party, have a real good time
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine
Everybody's going to the party, have a real good time
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine

Blast off, it's party time
And we don't live in a fascist nation
Blast off, it's party time
And where the fuck are you?

Where the fuck are you?
Where the fuck are you?

Why don't presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why don't presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?

Kneeling roses disappearing into Moses' dry mouth
Breaking into Fort Knox stealing our intentions
Hangars sitting dripped in oil, crying, "Freedom!"
Handed to obsoletion still you feed us lies from the tablecloth

Everybody's going to the party, have a real good time
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine
Everybody's going to the party, have a real good time
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sun

Where the fuck are you?
Where the fuck are you?

Why don't presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why don't presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?

Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?
They always send the poor
They always send the poor

Or anything by Queensryche? There are even some liberal hardcore bands and death metal bands. You just have to look close.

Queensryche yes....

I am not a lyrics person I guess, I listen to loads of Metal but I do not pay much attention to the lyrics.

Arch Enemy, Six Feet Under, and Lamb of God all have a very anti-imperialist, anti-war bent to them.

There are more.

Q-E-Motherfuckin'-D

It's hard to believe he wrote Amused to Death before the Iraq war.

Incredible!

He's been working on his new CD for years. I was waiting to hear him eviscerate the Bush administration on it but I guess we'll have to keep waiting. He did a job on Daddy during the Gulf war though.

As far as this list goes show me another performer who went to cities with a giant pink pig with Vote Obama painted on it and they can vie for the top spot. Otherwise through the years on albums like Animals, The Wall, The Final Cut, Radio KAOS and Amused to death, no one, and I mean no one is better than Rog at "sticking it to the man"

Phil and Friends
Rat Dog

Power Play

What gives you the right hey you

To stand there and tell me what to do

Tell me who gave you the power

To stop me from livin' like I do

Remember if you plan to stay

Those who give can take away

Don't bite the hand that feeds you



Just one time I'd like to be somewhere where

None of your clever lies fill the air

I'm tired of your frozen smile and your voice of tin

Just might all gang up on you

Turn the knob and do you in



Remember if you plan to stay

Those who give can take away.

Don't bite the hand that feeds you



This never ending power play

"Tween Jealous greed and vicious hate

Is grinding us like giant millstones

But it can't be our only fate

It's time we got our heads together

And let'em know that we're awake



Those in the dark, you know they're no longer blind

They're breakin' from your strangle hold on their minds

Those that can see don't need no one to cross the street

Be careful who you're pushin' round

They just might find you obsolete



Remember if you plan to stay

Those who give can take away.

Don't bite the hand that feeds you

Never thought I would put those two in one sentence fragment.

Jello pretty much turned me liberal as a teenager.

He's a very underground metal guitarist/vocalist/song writer (beginning in the late 70s, through the present) playing and helping to create an entire genre of out-of-date, early Black Sabbath form of industrial stoner/doom metal that most people are completely unaware of. His legendary status as a guitarist has taken on mythical proportions as he's fronted and been a part of many drug guzzling bands over the yrs, most notably The Obsessed, Saint Vitus, Spirit Caravan, and one of the most outspoken bands against all things Bushco/NWO, The Hidden Hand.

A self described liberal and 9/11 truther, his lyrics always champion peace and liberal ideals, speaking out against both corporate and religious tyranny, social machinations of control, the Big Brother police state, and violence in general. One of those who has and continues to fight the good fight :thumbsup:



Spirit Caravan, doing an old Obsessed tune, To Protect And To Serve, that's an anti-police state tune, "a song about pigs and pig-like attitudes, and what a drag that is." Indeed. And an old Vitus tune, Bitter Truth:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc93WW2nbm4

To Protect And To Serve

Anguished eyes of the city of suffering
Seeking guidance, believing in love
Some fools who want something for nothing
Wear the badge of the cowards above
By the power Big Brother has vested
Your decisions must be honest and true
Your courage and your faith will be tested
Our children’s futures are resting with you


The Hidden Hand, Travesty as Usual (anti-Bush/Neocon song):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hC7MdxkpVPU

http://www.playlist.com/searchbeta/tracks#Spirit%20Caravan%20Dove-Tongued%20Aggressor%20

The words are counted, not weighed
I don't believe what you say
The face, a fountainhead that spews out lies
He got no ears to hear your cries
Don't build yourself a prison baby
You will become a prism today, hey today

The web of greed it stretches far
They even think they own the stars
You pay to live, to live you toil
But will they feed their children oil?
Don't build yourself a prison baby
You will become a prism today

Children of Light, they know the score
The newborn child knows not war
The tongue it flutters soft and it's no surprise
They got no ears to hear our cries
Don't build yourself a prison baby
You will become a prism today
Just do what you want to, hey-hey
They're building us all prisons today

n/t

still support and work for liberal causes. Remember them with MLK in Washington? They're older and all three have just a little bit of hair left (Mary lost hers in treatments for leukemia), but their devotion is as strong as ever. I have them on vinyl and their music, scratches and all, is as energizing as it was fifty years ago.

Several others have also been quite generous in donations and support to liberal groups / causes, includng James Taylor, Bette Midler, and Sting.

Lou Reed could be said to have almost single-handedly saved Edgar Allan Poe's home in New York City.

:hi:

I rather expected to find you right where you were. We obviously share very good taste in music!

I see it!

Shoot my mouth off about music and get paid for it? Sounds like an excellent idea!

Not to mention free advance CDs and concert tix!

Christy Moore, (late) John Stewart, (late) Johnny Cash, Rosanne Cash, Joe Ely, Kevin Welch

My interest lies more in the folk rock genre, hence....

Top of any positive music list I could compile!

n/t

for music and language.

I have many favorites of theirs but if forced to pick one, give me "Galileo." That song knocks me out.

I also could never pick just one, though.

They have really enriched my life.

Your list would be incomplete without him.

Goooood spider. Good boy! Got a fly for you!

What appears fourth hit for you, may not be fourth hit for me.

I love Pearl Jam. Always have a soft spot for old Eddie Vedder. <3

is how interesting and intelligent his lyrics can be - and yet, when you see him interviewed, he's SO hard to comprehend! You know he's saying things you want to hear, that you ought to hear. But I always find myself thinking... put it in a song, it'll come across so much better!

I'm the one screaming with joy at the concerts when he starts Lives in the Balance, for instance!

They should be tops on that list!

So soon we forget John Fogerty?

Who released a memorable solo album (CD) in 2007, "Revival"...

elegant a testament to environmental conservation as I've ever heard.

Chorus:

- - -

It don't take much, but you've gotta have some
The old ways help the new ways come
Just leave a little extra for the next in line
We're gonna need a little water from another time.

- - -

My user name came from one of their songs.

particular time and place in my life...

All for different reasons but I think they all apply.

"Burn, baby, burn!"

Political/Satirical/Punk/Rock/Alternative

Official site:
http://www.BenedictArnoldAndTheTraitors.com

Band News plus free mp3 downloads and info on the "Star Spangled Bummer" CD and other releases/reissues; Traitors' song in "American Heart" documentary film:
http://www.benedictarnoldandthetraitors.com/audio/ny /

Animated music video, "Death Penalty For Pot":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTPTWbm6uK0

Streaming radio, Jango.com - Traitors' songs, from 1980-82 and 2008:
http://www.jango.com/music/Benedict+Arnold+And+The+Trai...
(Song suggestion: play the title, "We Didn't Put Out The Fire/Eulogy")

Traitors' song "Hello Baghdad," link from Neil Young's "Living With War" web site (currently #11 out of 3144 songs, ranked by popularity):
http://www.neilyoung.com/lwwtoday/lwwsongspage.html

(And yes, it's my band.)

I have x-posted the above from a similar topic yesterday in the Lounge:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=8783365&mesg_id=8783365

Support independent music!

edited to add cd cover image

I'm often shocked at how few lefties listen to Jay Farrar/Son Volt. Look for "Jet Pilot" from _Okemeh and the Melody of Riot_, which is a fantastic album full of social and political observations.

Also:
Neko Case.
Calexico.
Iron and Wine.

my best friend is the guitarplayer on that one

There is some really tasty guitar playing throughout that album.

more socialist than "liberal" per se...

Just kidding. Big Soft Machine, Matching Mole, Robert Wyatt fan here.

Steve Earle

for Browne? (Along with Keb Mo, who I love because he is truly the sweetest guy...)

I'm just wondering if it was the venue or something, but Earle was completely impossible to hear. Not just him; the whole band. Like 20 solid minutes of distortion hitting your ears - coudldn't make out a melody or the instruments... nothing.

Then the other acts came on and it was fine. But I found it puzzling, because I'd think Earle would want those songs to come across - his lyrics are terrific!

I love love love Jackson Browne and have seen him many times. Steve Earle was doing mostly the tunes from Jerusalem on that tour. I thought it was great, can't remember any distortion.

just weren't on top of things - there were different people once he was done and Keb Mo got on stage...

A shame, b/c his stuff was rendered all but impossible to hear.

But of course, Jackson Browne was great!

Unlike a lot of performers, who pose and preen and talk, these guys actually get their hands dirty in electoral politics.

and of course, Greenday

he is of the now. Hip hop grooves, postitive message. HUGE KUCINICH SUPPORTER.

Franti is the one.

CREST
If there's been a way to build it, There'll be a way to destroy it, Things are not all that out of control.

MOTOROLLER SCALATRON

what's society built on
what's society built on
what's society built on
what's society built on
it's built on, built on bluff, (I always heard this as "blood")
built on bluff, built on trust,
what's society built on
it's built on, built on words,
built on words, built on work

responsible for what i say
responsible for what i hush

PING PONG

it's alright 'cos the historical pattern has shown
how the economical cycle tends to revolve
in a round of decades three stages stand out in a loop
a slump and war then peel back to square one and back for more

bigger slump and bigger wars and a smaller recovery
huger slump and greater wars and a shallower recovery

you see the recovery always comes 'round again
there's nothing to worry for things will look after themselves
it's alright recovery always comes 'round again
there's nothing to worry if things can only get better

there's only millions that lose their jobs and homes and sometimes accents
there's only millions that die in their bloody wars, it's alright

it's only their lives and the lives of their next of kin that they are losing
it's only their lives and the lives of their next of kin that they are losing

it's alright 'cos the historical pattern has shown
how the economical cycle tends to revolve
in a round of decades three stages stand out in a loop
a slump and war then peel back to square one and back for more

bigger slump and bigger wars and a smaller recovery
huger slump and greater wars and a shallower recovery

don't worry be happy things will get better naturally
don't worry shut up sit down go with it and be happy

dum, dum, dum, de dum dum, de duh de duh de dum dum dum... ah ah
dum, dum, dum, de dum dum, de duh de duh de dum dum dum... ah ah


LES YPER-SOUND

you go in that team
i go on this team
divide everything
a flag or a number
make 'em opposites
so there's a reason
stigmatisation
ok now we can fight
divide everything
just put it all flat
justification
ok now you can fight

it is correct and reasonable


Even Meghan McCain likes them!
http://pitchfork.com/news/33649-meghan-mccain-and-stereolab-what-is-going-on-here/

Their Ashes of the Wake album has a liberal message to it. Mainly protesting the iraq occupation and empire building.

And also Megadeth. Thats where my screen name comes from their album and song Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?

Killing is my business... and business is good!

"Our Bright Future"

"Where You Live"


Excellent albums.


She is consistently a voice for the downtrodden and forgotten.

n/t

True, they don't do political songs very often. But when they do, they're on our side.

Like their 1991 ode to Bush Sr's Gulf War "Highwire"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PULwX3vJjFw

Highwire
(Jagger/Richards)

We sell 'em missiles, We sell 'em tanks
We give 'em credit, You can call the bank
It's just a business, You can pay us in crude
You love these toys, just go play out your feuds
Got no pride, don't know whose boots to lick
We act so greedy, makes me sick sick sick

So get up, stand up, out of my way
I want to talk to the boss right away
Get up, stand up, whose gonna pay
I want to talk to the man right away

We walk the highwire
Sending the men up to the front line
Hoping they don't catch the hell fire
With hot guns and cold, cold nights

We walk the highwire
Sending the men up to the front line
And tell 'em to hotbed the sunshine
With hot guns and cold, cold nights

Our lives are threatened, our jobs at risk
Sometimes dictators need a slap on the wrist

Another Munich we just can't afford
We're gonna send in the eighty-second airborne

Get up, stand up, who's gonna pay
I wanna talk to the boss right away
Get up, stand up, outta my way
I wanna talk to the man right away

We walk the highwire
Putting the world out on a deadline
And hoping they don't catch the shellfire
With hot guns and cold, cold nights

We walk the highwire
Putting the world out on a deadline
Catching the bite on primetime
With hot guns and cold, cold nights

Get up! Stand up!
Dealer! Stealer!
Hey!

We walk the highwire
We send all our men into the front lines
We're hoping that we backed the right side
With hot guns and cold, cold nights

We walk the highwire
We send all the men up to the front lines
And hoping they don't catch the hellfire
With hot guns and cold cold, cold, cold, cold nights

We walk the highwire
We walk the highwire
With hot guns and cold, cold, cold nights

With hot guns and cold, cold nights


And the more recent "salute" to Chimpy and the gang at PNAC, "Sweet NeoCon"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwj6ZGMF_uA

SWEET NEO CON
(M. Jagger/K. Richards)

You call yourself a Christian
I think that you're a hypocrite
You say you are a patriot
I think that you're a crock of shit

And listen, I love gasoline
I drink it every day
But it's getting very pricey
And who is going to pay

How come you're so wrong
My sweet neo con.... Yeah

It's liberty for all
'Cause democracy's our style
Unless you are against us
Then it's prison without trial

But one thing that is certain
Life is good at Haliburton
If you're really so astute
You should invest at Brown & Root.... Yeah

How come you're so wrong
My sweet neo con
If you turn out right
I'll eat my hat tonight

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah....

It's getting very scary
Yes, I'm frightened out of my wits
There's bombers in my bedroom
Yeah and it's giving me the shits

We must have loads more bases
To protect us from our foes
Who needs these foolish friendships
We're going it alone

How come you're so wrong
My sweet neo con
Where's the money gone
In the Pentagon

Yeah ha ha ha
Yeah, well, well

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah...
Neo con

And even the Stones bootleg vault has some poltical treasures.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MAVzNRY5HM
Petrol Gang
(Jagger/Richards)

Please Mr. President, say it isn't so
And I have a buck till I'm on duct ten row
Please Mr. President, say it isn't so
I don't wanna, pay $10.00 for gas
I got nowhere to go...

I talk to Mr. Getty I talk to Texaco
I talk to Standard Oil
They say they got plenty to go..oh
Please Mr. President, say it isn't so
I don't have to sell my Cadillac that I, just paid for
I just paid for...

Play it faster Stu
Bit behind there..dear
About two miles (pause) behind me
Please Mr. President, say it isn't so
I don't have to sell my Cadillac that I just paid for

I talk to Mr. Getty
And I talk to Standard Oil
They say they got plenty
But they ain't gonna part for no more

Please Mr. Getty, I'm from Standard Oil
I'm down in Houston, where they got it all stored
I phone the coaster, the funk, and all the guard
We don't need none of those
We don't need any of that Arab stuff

Aw, please Mr. President, say it isn't so
I don't have to sell my Cadillac, I just paid for

My friend says the trouble is this country's too Goddamn big
Maybe we should pull it in from the ages a bit
Maybe that way we'll have so far to go

I called Mr. Getty, I even called-up Texaco, Texaco
They got plenty left, they got, plenty to go
Hey Mr. President, say it isn't so
Aw, Mr. President, say it isn't so

Why do I have to sell my Cadillac I just paid for, I just paid
for...

are two of my faves....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gcJYzLM-ZM


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym4OgU5UrF8

I was there that day. I was tripping on mesc. Got a ride home on the back of a Kawasaki 500 triple. What a rush. Much of the band lived on Alexandria Ave, about a mile from Tartar Field. The Fruit lived there too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocwZKIUH650

got hold of the city. It was fun while it lasted.

I did get to see John Lennon perform at the Free John Sinclair benefit. That was in Ann Arbor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbNQnQCZReY

From your list, NOFX and Social D too.

Bragg, Earl, Springsteen, Young

Green Day

pepe seeger, john mellencamp, willie nelson

Neil Young, Jackson Browne, Bruce Springsteen, Marvin Gaye, James McMurtry, John Lennon, Peter, Paul, & Mary, and Joan Baez just to name a few.

They wrote Throwing Stones about Dick Cheney. John Barlow was involved with Cheney in Wyoming politics and apparently Cheney went over tot he dark sdie and Barlow wrote throwing Stones about him...

They put on a few benefits for Obama and credit him with getting them back to playing toegether....

Rich man in his summer home
Saying just leave well enough alone...

Ashes ashes all fall down.....

"You Haven't Done Nothin'" is a great anti-Nixon song.

Sly & The Family Stone were very positive and uplifting in the messages of their music.

Sid

Natalie Merchant