Behind the melodic rhythms and catchy rhymes, times of political uproar ignite artists to create anthems to portray their emotions and speak up about pressing issues. Students at Paso Robles High School (PRHS) recognize this activism and adapt their listening habits to align with their political beliefs.
At PRHS, students are encouraged to explore this avenue of music interconnecting with history. History teacher Seth Draine offers a “History of Music” final project in his AP U.S. History class, which prompts students to select three songs across different time periods that comment on a common theme. They investigate the artist’s and genre background, historical context, and analyze lyrics that represent the overarching themes of rebellion, non conformity, and freedom to express one’s ideals .
“I think music has an advantage because of the type of emotions that it can elicit and how that matches with the emotions needed for a protest. Both are: get off your butt, jump up and do something. Go to a concert, listen to this music, go to a rally and advocate for what you believe in,” Draine said.
Political anthems originated early on, beginning with the anti-British “Yankee Doodle” during the American Revolution, and continuing into the civil-rights marches of the 50’s and 60’s such as Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind.” They have carried on into the anti-war era of the 70’s and 80’s, and now into today.
Artists such as the Dead Kennedys, an American band, and The Clash, an English band, used their songs to speak out against themes of social injustice and contributed to the ascendency of the musical genre of punk rock. Dead Kennedys’ 1980 hit, “Holiday in Cambodia” paralleled the genocide occurring in Cambodia with the privileged Western youth, its title referencing the irony of living a carefree life while others are suffering.
For junior Mandy Johnson, the punk rock band Green Day advocates for anti-corruption and anti-tyranny in the politics of America, specifically during the late 90’s and early 2000’s. The song “American Idiot,” discusses topics of fear mongering through the media in a post-9/11 world and the rise of paranoia as an after effect. The song, “21 Guns,” released in 2009 also critiques war. At the time, the U.S. were involved in disputes between Iraq and Afghanistan and Green Day’s message questioned the reasons of war and the lasting effects of war on civilians and society.
Johnson also recognizes the expectations audiences often hold celebrities to when it comes to speaking up about political uprisings happening and how not every genre of music produced is meant to defy politics.
“I understand why some celebrities don’t want to speak out about what’s going on politically. They don’t want that controversy placed on them but at the same time if they have an opinion that they want to voice, then go for it,” Johnson said.
Many artists still use this method of activism and are unafraid to speak up for what they believe in, singing and composing music that covers all sorts of issues from injustice to pacifistic sentiment.
“They’re on a stage, and they can use that in a variety of ways, whether that’s through their dress, through their backdrop and art behind them on concerts, or what they literally say in between sets,” Draine said.
Irish folk musician, Hozier, embodies his political beliefs in his performances, with statistics about global inequalities such as the homeless populations and amounts of wealth flashing across the backdrop screen during his performance of “Eat Your Young,”. His discography is packed full of hits that comment on countless themes, including homophobia, women’s autonomy, civil rights, and capitalism.
Liberian-American singer Mon Rovîa also uses his platform to spread awareness of the rights of displaced and refugee people and make a call for empathy through songs like “Heavy Foot,”. Certain lyrics call for action in governmental policies: “Calling it a war not a genocide,” and “Cause the guns keep flying off the shelf.”
Music is not just the melodies the musician creates but it is the way their actions and choice of words can influence their audience into broadening one’s perspective through speaking up about real-world issues or advocating for those whose voices are silenced by the media.
“Music is poetry with a rhythm and that poetry holds strong feelings that transfer into the listener,” Johnson concluded.
