# Songs about politics, history, or literature? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 19, 2005, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-politics-history-or-literature/326841 "2005-10-19T01:14:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-politics-history-or-literature/326841/1 "2005-10-19T01:14:40Z")
I’m really tired of love songs. Have been for years, actually. I like songs that can entertain me, but also make me think. The ideal song of this nature is one that would pique my curiousity enough to make me want to research its subject matter. There are more than a few songs about war, but most tend to be overly-simplistic protest songs. I’m not interested in those. Music bemoaning the tragedy of war usually sounds trite to my ears, but can be very powerful when done right (e.g. “And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda”). I wouldn’t mind finding some other songs in that vein. Other examples that would fit my OP include: They Might Be Giants - “James K. Polk” Billy Joel - “We Didn’t Start the Fire” Rush - “The Manhattan Project” I’d also like to hear some suggestions for songs that are about, or heavily reference, literature. “The Ghost of Tom Joad” by Springsteen and “Wuthering Heights” by Kate Bush would be decent examples of this. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-politics-history-or-literature/326841/2 "2005-10-19T01:19:37Z")
LOTS of stuff by **Tom Lehrer** , and his British forebears, **Flanders and Swann** , would seem to fit the bill. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-politics-history-or-literature/326841/3 "2005-10-19T01:28:33Z")
I like this type of song, but it’s one that I agree is rarely done well. Or at least I rarely meet an example I enjoy. First suggestion: “Rah, Rah, Rasputin” by Boiled in Lead. Much fun. Christine Lavin’s “The Dakota” isn’t particularly about an event in history, but how thinking of it made her feel after a long trip. John Gorka’s “Temporary Road” is about one soldier’s reaction to the buildup for the first Gulf War. There’s Gordon Lightfoot’s “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” Schooner Fare has a number of songs based on historical events and persons. I’m just going to mention two: “The Ballad of Mad Jack,” and “Powder Monkey,” both of which inspired by events relating to Old Ironsides. As one can tell a lot of my musical and historical interest is with nautical events, so - I’ll be interested to see what else might come up in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-politics-history-or-literature/326841/4 "2005-10-19T01:35:52Z")
Start listening to [Al Stewart](http://www.alstewart.com/). “Sirens of Titan” “Roads To Moscow” “Lord Grenville” “The Palace At Versailles” “Constantinople” “Murmansk Run/Ellis Island” etc., etc. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-politics-history-or-literature/326841/5 "2005-10-19T01:56:22Z")
Johnny Horton: “The Battle of New Orleans” The Band: “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” and “Arcadian Driftwood” Both cover historical events in general terms, the former about the Civil War, the latter about the Arcadians (with a specific reference to the Plains of Abraham). The Kinks: “Victoria” is ultimately about British Imperialism. Broadway is a rich source. For instance, the musical “1776” is filled with songs referencing the American Revolution; those with historical subjects include “Sit Down John,” “Piddle Twiddle and Resolve,” “The Lees of Old Virginia,” and “Molasses to Rum” (about the triangle trade). Similarly, “Fiorello” has songs referencing the career of Fiorello La Guardia, mayor of New York. “Those Were the Good Old Days” from “Damn Yankees” references quite a few historical events. > [@](#): > > I see Bonaparte, a mean one if ever I’ve seen one > And Nero fiddlin’ thru that lovely blaze; > Antoinette, dainty queen, with her quaint guillotine. > Ha, ha, ha, ha > Those were the good old days! For literature, there’s Cole Porter’s brilliant “Brush Up Your Shakespeare” from “Kiss Me Kate:” > [@](#): > > Just declaim a few lines from Othella > And they’ll think you’re a hell of a fella > If your blonde won’t respond when you flatter 'er > Tell her what Tony told Cleopatterer ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-politics-history-or-literature/326841/6 "2005-10-19T02:08:51Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Start listening to [Al Stewart](http://www.alstewart.com/). > > “Sirens of Titan” > “Roads To Moscow” > “Lord Grenville” > “The Palace At Versailles” > “Constantinople” > “Murmansk Run/Ellis Island” > etc., etc. Good general choice (except _Sirens of Titan_ which is based on a Kurt Vonnegut novel). As a matter of fact, his whole album _Past, Present and Future_ (containing _Roads to Moscow_) would be a good choice. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-politics-history-or-literature/326841/7 "2005-10-19T02:11:57Z")
“Manhattan Project” was the first I’d thought of. Others from Rush: Bastille Day Anthem (from Ayn Rand) Rivendell Red Barchetta (from a short story) Heresy (the aftermath of the USSR) Countdown (the space shuttle) Loudoun Wainright III Talking New Bob Dylan (about Bob Dylan) Tonya’s Twirls (about guess who?) Jesse Don’t Like It (Jesse Helms against the NEA) O.J. (The Simpson Case) Our Boy Bill (a brief bio of Clinton) Queen One Vision (Bob Geldof and LiveAid) U2 Mothers of the Disappeared Sting We Work the Black Seam And, truly, an endless supply of folk songs. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-politics-history-or-literature/326841/8 "2005-10-19T02:12:32Z")
[Birmingham Sunday](http://joanbaez.lyrics-online.net/BirminghamSunday.html) by Joan Baez. ---
**Author:** ![marque\_elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@marque\_elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marque_elf)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-politics-history-or-literature/326841/9 "2005-10-19T02:16:19Z")
Sympathy For The Devil The Rolling Stones Don Henley In The Garden of Allah All She Wants To Do Is Dance Bob Dylan The Times They Are A’Changin’ ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-politics-history-or-literature/326841/10 "2005-10-19T02:22:34Z")
“Dust Bowl Blues” and “Talkin’ Dust Bowl” by Woodie Guthrie make a nice pair of examples. ---
**Author:** ![marque\_elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@marque\_elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marque_elf)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-politics-history-or-literature/326841/11 "2005-10-19T02:22:44Z")
didn’t mean to hit the post button there. Many more early Bob Dylan songs: The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll Bad News (Turn Again) Blowin’ In The Wind Jesus Jones Right Here, Right Now (fall of communism) Mark Knopfler Sailing To Philadelphia (about the surveyors Mason and Dixon) The Association Kyrie Elaison More later. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-politics-history-or-literature/326841/12 "2005-10-19T02:27:43Z")
> [@detop](#): > > Good general choice (except _Sirens of Titan_ which is based on a Kurt Vonnegut novel). As a matter of fact, his whole album _Past, Present and Future_ (containing _Roads to Moscow_) would be a good choice. Well, the OP said “politics, history, or\*\* literature\*\*.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SleepyDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@SleepyDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SleepyDuck)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-politics-history-or-literature/326841/13 "2005-10-19T02:29:22Z")
“Tales of Brave Ulysses” by Cream. ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-politics-history-or-literature/326841/14 "2005-10-19T02:36:57Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Well, the OP said “politics, history, or\*\* literature\*\*.” 😃 Ooops :smack: my bad. My contribution to redeem this goof, [The Moon is a Harsh Mistress](http://lyrics.duble.com/L/lindaronstadtlyrics/lindaronstadtthemoonisaharshmistresslyrics.htm) . ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-politics-history-or-literature/326841/15 "2005-10-19T02:37:08Z")
“Tender Comrade.” by Billy Bragg is a great war song. He has the distinction of being the only poet of the Falklands War. He has a number of songs with social critique and literary references. Even his love songs often have some sort of social significance. He can make you think more kindly of “Love, love me do.” ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-politics-history-or-literature/326841/16 "2005-10-19T02:41:45Z")
Randy Newman has written several songs inspired by history – former Louisiana governor Huey Long, for example, is the subject of [_Kingfish_.](http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Kingfish-lyrics-Randy-Newman/05752304E0B4DFE048256A37004817EF) Billy Joel evokes the Vietnam War in [_Goodnight Saigon_.](http://www.seeklyrics.com/lyrics/Joel-Billy/Goodnight-Saigon.html) Besides the aforementioned _Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald_, Gordon Lightfoot has written [_Canadian Railroad Trilogy_](http://gordon-lightfoot-lyrics.wonderlyrics.com/Canadian-Railroad-Trilogy.html), [_Ghosts of Cape Horn_](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/g/gordon-lightfoot/61556.html), and [_Don Quixote_](http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Don-Quixote-lyrics-Gordon-Lightfoot/2AB25B4C9FE36049482569580013318C). ---
**Author:** ![Elenfair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cc9497/32.png) [@Elenfair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elenfair)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-politics-history-or-literature/326841/17 "2005-10-19T03:01:16Z")
Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie have a great song called “The War of 1812” which is certainly worth listening to. (“Aaaand the white house burned, burned burrrrned… and we’re the ones that did it…”) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-politics-history-or-literature/326841/18 "2005-10-19T03:02:47Z")
> [@SleepyDuck](#): > > “Tales of Brave Ulysses” by Cream. Cream also did “Politician,” although I don’t think it’s about any specific politician. And it’s barely about politics, more about sleaze. Oh well. It’s groovy. ---
**Author:** ![marque\_elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@marque\_elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marque_elf)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-politics-history-or-literature/326841/19 "2005-10-19T03:14:35Z")
Randy Newman Sail Away That’s Why I Love Mankind Good Old Boys Louisiana (They’re Trying To Wash Us Away) Simon and Garfunkel Freedom Rider Nanci Griffith has written several songs for the Campaign Against Landmines. Her msot recent album has several songs about Viet Nam and her recent trip there. Neil Young Ohio ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-politics-history-or-literature/326841/20 "2005-10-19T03:23:07Z")
There are a number of anti-Nixon songs from the 70’s: –Stevie Wonder’s “You Haven’t Done Nothing” –John Lennon’s “Give Me Some Truth” –The Eagles’ “On the Border” (“Say good night, Dick.”) Some more by Dylan: –“Masters of War” –“Chimes of Freedom” –“Hurricane” (about Rubin “Hurricane” Carter) More U2: –“Pride (In the Name of Love)” (about Martin Luther King) –“Sunday Bloody Sunday” –“Bullet the Blue Sky” Also, the original version of Elvis Costello’s “Less Then Zero” references British fascist leader Oswald Mosley. An alternate version references Lee Harvey Oswald. Costello’s “Green Shirt” invokes Orwell’s _1984_ and mentions a “Quisling clinic”–the Norwegian fascist leader who collaborated with the Nazis (thus resulting in his name becoming another word for “traitor”). Randy Newman’s “Louisiana, 1927” is about the Mississippi River floods of that year. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-politics-history-or-literature/326841.md?page=2)