A NEW WAVE OF
PROTEST MUSIC IS HERE BY ANDY McGIBBON There is a Chinese saying “may you live in interesting times.” It sounds like a blessing but it’s actually a curse, we are living in those interesting times. This year has managed to compress a century of history into it so far. Australia was on fire. Iranian General Soleimani was killed by an American drone strike threatening WW3. A Ukrainian airliner crashed in Tehran. Kobe Bryant died. The WHO was notified of Covid-19 by China. The UK withdrew from the EU. I believe it is those same interesting times that will materialise an era of protest songs and politically motivated music. This is of course only natural. What else but interesting times could have possibly inspired the music of Pete Seeger’s civil rights and social change anthems, or Bob Dylan who spearheaded the 60s’ folk revival which saw the careers of Son House and others reborn. Woodie Guthrie the Dustbowl Troubador was singing to the same people John Steinbeck was writing about, or the song ‘Strange Fruit’ by Billie Holiday, the Strange Fruit in the song being the black bodies hanging from a lynching tree. The horror that inspired that song must have stayed with the composer for life. “Southern trees, bear strange fruit. Blood on the leaves, and blood at the roots”. What else but interesting times could birth the fury of ‘Fuck The Police’ by N.W.A. a group of young black men living in 90s Compton, a suburb of L.A. plagued by police and gang violence,
anphoblacht UIMHIR EISIÚNA 2 - 2020 - ISSUE NUMBER 2
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