Bruce Cockburn did a whole album (Stealing Fire) based on his travels in Central America, and the proxy wars being fought there.
Biggest song from the album: If I had a Rocket Launcher
End of Innocence, by Don Henley.
“In the Army Now” by Status Quo (they covered it I think)
“I’ve Known No War” (and if I ever do the glimpse will be short) - The Who
“When Ivan Meets GI Joe”-The Clash
“North Country Girl” - Pete Townshend
Oh, another
“When the Walls Came Down” - The Call
Reminds me:
“The Call Up” - The Clash
Red Skies At Night -the Fixx
Guns on the Roof - Clash
Forever Young - Alphaville
Seconds - U2
Mike + The Mechanics’ Silent Running
(Ignore the video and just listen to the lyrics.)
Maybe it’s a bit old for an '80s-‘90s playlist, but The Fugs’ “C.I.A. Man” fits nicely into the Cold War ethos. (it was also played at the end of the Coen Brothers movie “Burn After Reading”).
*Who can kill a general in his bed?
Overthrow dictators if they’re Red?
Fucking-a man!
C.I.A. Man!*
Shona Laing Soviet Snow
Beat me to it! Oh lord what a great song.
Kate Bush’s “Breathing”
The OP is so vague, the answers have run the gamut from anti-Soviet/anti-Communist songs, to anti-Reagan-administration songs (protesting its conduct of the cold war, from nuclear weapons to support of proxy troops like the Contras), plus a few pox-on-both-houses type songs (the ones about nuclear amregeddon in general, mainly). I’d say only about half of the ones mentioned so far should be considered “protest” songs.
I’ll throw in an 80s true protest song “No More Genocide”, as sung by the multigenerational lesbian folk duet of Holly Near and Ronnie Gilbert (the latter of Weavers fame).
Uh oh. The thread police are here.
Oh, come on. I’m just trying to figure out, and then try to provide, what the OP asked for. If someone wanted suggestions for “War on Terror protest songs”, and 25 percent of the responses were songs with an anti-extremist-Muslim message, 25 percent with an anti-Bush-neocon message, 25 percent just against war in general but happen to be since 2001, and 25 percent not against anything, just making observations, wouldn’t you want to try to help everyone involved to clarify what was being sought? If the OP’s answer to that question does turn out to be “all of the above”, that’s fine with me, but like it or not, that’s a dilution of the more common definition of “protest song”. No big deal, though.
“Nikita” by Elton John
That’s a Cold War protest song? I always thought it was about materialism.
Or “Games Without Frontiers”
The soundtrack to the Vic-20’s, War Games Cartridge, Pokes and Peeps and Peeks as you defend against Intecontinental Balistic Armaggedon. It was before Broderick was Ferris Bueller. Very popular early PC Game.
Also Gueca Solo (They Dance Alone) by Sting.