What are your favorite anti-war songs?

[Cursive_Knives512]

What are some of your favorite protest/anti-war/pro-peace songs?

Mine are:

Sleater-Kinney "Combat Rock" (a few lines from it are in my signature; it's such a great song)

Bratmobile "Shop For America" and "United We Don't!"

Anti-Flag "Power To The Peaceful"

L7 "Wargasm"

Semiautomatic "This Place Does Not Exist" (this song makes me cry; you can listen to it here: http://www.killrockstars.com/bands/semiautomatic/audio/ThisPlaceDoesNotExist.mp3)

[arcane1]

1. a couple:

Paris: "AWOL"

Skyclad: "Still Spinning Shrapnel", "Civil War Dance", "Gammadion Seed"

Psychotic Waltz: "I Remember"

Sanctuary: "Seasons of Destruction"

etc

[DarkPhenyx]

2. Bruce Springsteins cover of "War"

The opening where he says "you need to be paying attention, because next time, they are going to be looking at you, and blind faith in your leaders, or in anything, can get you killed. Because what we are talking about her is...

WAR!

[treefrogjohn]

3. Draft Morning by The Byrds

It still sends a chill down my spine.

[Old and In the Way]

8. "My Uncle" ...... I think the Byrds did it, definitely the Flying Burrito

Brothers. Will be very relevant when the draft is reinstituted.

[Fuzz]

4. Masters of War - Dylan

[skooooo]

7. Or "Blowin' in the Wind"

[Whitacre D_WI]

5. 2 + 2 = ?

by the Bob Seger System.

[HEFFA]

6. Bulls on Parade -- R.A.T.M.

It's really more a song against the right-wing military industrial complex, but it's still kick ass!

[H2O Man]

9. "Give Peace A Chance" by John Lennon

As well as "Imagine," "Power to the People," and "Merry Xmas(War is Over)" by John.
"Machine Gun," "S-S-Banner(at Woodstock)" by Jimi Hendrix
"Down-presser Man," by Peter Tosh
as well as any song David Peel makes up on the spot!

[Whitacre D_WI]

11. I don't know that "Have a Marijuana" was particularly anti-war.

Fun song, though!

[Wilber_Stool]

10. The

"Fish Cheer" Country Joe and the Fish.

[newyawker99]

53. Hi Wilber_Stool!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Coventina]

12. 1945 - Social Distortion

I'm feeling punk today.

[ConcernedCanuk]

13. gotta be "Eve of Destruction"

.
.
.


The Eastern World
It is explodin'
Violence flarin'
Bullets loadin'
You're old enough to kill
But not for votin'
You don't believe in war
But what's that gun you're totin'
And even the Jordan River has bodies floatin'


But you tell me over, and over, and over again my friend
Ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction


Don't you understand what I'm tryin' to say
And can't you feel the fears I'm feelin' today
If the button is pushed, there's no runnin' away
There'll be no one to save
With the whole world in a grave
Take a look around you boy,
It's bound to scare you boy


And you tell me over, and over, and over again my friend
Ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction


Yeah, my blood's so mad
Feels like coagulatin'
I'm sittin' here, just contemplatin'
I can't twist the truth
It knows no regulation
Handful of senators don't pass legislation
And marches alone can't bring integration
When human respect is disintegratin'
This whole crazy world
Is just too frustratin'


And you tell me over, and over, and over again my friend
Ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction


And think of all the hate there is in Red China
Then take a look around to Selma, Alabama
Ah you may leave here for four days in space
But when you return it's the same old place
The poundin' of the drums
The pride and disgrace
You can bury your dead, but don't leave a trace
Hate your next door neighbor, but don't forget to say grace


But you tell me over, and over, and over, and over again my friend
You don't believe we're on the eve of destruction
No, no, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction

[HEyHEY]

27. Beat me to it - Barry McGuire rules

[mac1000a]

14. It's a tie between

Metallica's "One" and "The Unknown Soldier" by The Doors.

[welshTerrier2]

15. The Big Muddy

part of the song is in my sig ...

source: http://www.folkways.si.edu/broadside/htdocs/peteseeger.htm

Waist Deep in the Big Muddy
This song was written about an actual tragedy that occurred during a 1943 military exercise in Louisiana, which Seeger turned into a metaphor for U.S. foreign policy in the 1960s. This song caused a great deal of controversy. When asked about it, Seeger answered that he "had seen a newspaper photograph of troops in the Mekong Delta, and the last line came to me all at once, words, tune, rhythm. I wrote it down in my pocket notebook but was unable to finish it. It kept coming back to haunt me. I had to do something about it, in two weeks of tussling, I got it finished" (Seeger, from the liner notes to Headlines and Footnotes - SFW 40111. Seeger attempted to sing this song on nationwide television (Smothers Brothers Show) and was denied by the network censors. He was finally able to perform it on television the following year.

Lyrics:

It was back in nineteen forty two,
I was part of a good platoon.
We were on maneuvers in a-Loozianna,
One night by the light of the moon.
The captain told us to ford a river,
And that's how it all begun.
We were knee deep in the Big Muddy,
But the big fool said to move on.

The sergeant said, "Sir, are you sure,
This is the best way back to the base?"
"Sergeant, go on; I once forded this river
Just a mile above this place
It'll be a little soggy but just keep slogging.
We'll soon be on dry ground."
We were waist deep in the Big Muddy
And the big fool said to push on.

The sergeant said, "With all this equipment
No man'll be able to swim."
"Sergeant, don't be a nervous nellie."
The Captain said to him.
"All we need is a little determination;
Men, follow me, I'll lead on."
We were neck deep in the Big Muddy
And the big fool said to push on.

All of a sudden, the moon clouded over,
We heard a gurgling cry.
A few seconds later, the captain's helmet
Was all that floated by.
The sergeant said, "Turn around men,
I'm in charge from now on."
And we just made it out of the Big Muddy
With the Captain dead and gone.

We stripped and dived and found his body
Stuck in the old quicksand.
I guess he didn't know that the water was deeper
Than the place he'd once before been.
Another stream had joined the Big Muddy
Just a half mile from where we'd gone.
We'd been lucky to escape from the Big Muddy
When the damn fool said to push on.

Well, maybe you'd rather not draw any moral;
I'll leave that to yourself
Maybe you're still walking and you're still talking
And you'd like to keep your health.
But every time I read the papers
That old feeling comes on:
Waist deep in the Big Muddy and the
Big Fool says to push on.

Waist deep in the Big Muddy
And the Big Fool says to push on
Waist deep in the Big Muddy
And the Big Fool says to push on
Waist deep! Neck deep!
Soon even a tall man'll be over his head
Waist deep in the BIG MUDDY!
AND THE BIG FOOL SAYS TO PUSH ON!

[m-jean03]

20. Very good one

Yes!

[LastKnight]

16. RATM, Radiohead, SOAD, and others

RATM:
Township rebellion
Bulls on Parade
Testify

Radiohead:
2+2=?

SOAD:
BOOM!

too many more to count

-LK

[nickgutierrez]

34. BOOM!

Every time you drop the bomb
You kill the god your child has born

[m-jean03]

17. Born In the USA - Springsteen

Idiot Wind by Dylan

[ET Awful]

18. 'Lives in the Balance' - Richie Havens

Originally performed by Jackson Browne, but I like Richie's version MUCH better.

also on the list would be

One Tin Soldier - Coven
Masters of War - Bob Dylan
Eve of Destruction - Barry McGuire

and dozens of others :)

[bloodyjack]

19. "What We Have Known" - Joanna Newsom

one of the few really effective anti-war songs i've heard, quite epic. she's from the bay area. distantly related to Gavin Newsom. are they third cousins? i don't know. i'll transcribe the lyrics from a demo recording because, just you wait, her bodyguard will be kicking you out of her bellaire mansion one of these days

tadpole boy in as basalt
sea horse horsing in the salt
the owlet in his greenery
the narwhale in his cup of sea
they all believe, they all believe
the collusion bleeds through back alleys
from parapets that end on feet
when the wan is weak they discreetly meet
they throw the bums into the street
and they progress and we retreat
and all the books our fathers wrote
are in the middle of the road
little by little we implode
history brittle bound and broke
we cant remember what was spoke
so we stare in wonder at the smoke
what it be (??)
we know not now what we have known
ladies breath deep against you whale bones
for your children come home made of stone
the terror seething seize away
like the wheezing of the bay
in miniature agonies
they travel westward on the breeze
bring us all to our knees
the dapple horse the sorrow-mare
with eyes that do not see but stare
beneath as boots as black as malachite
he drives a nag into the night
and all the baby boys we've bore
with eyes averted from the storm
sent off to die in perfect form
we know not now what we have known
satellite photos rhetoric
see how the euphemisms stick
and when they come back broke and burned
those who return have not returned

[TroubleMan]

21. "What's Going On?"

nt

[m-jean03]

24. YES

Yes, that is so beautiful and sad.

[flaminbats]

22. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young...

"Helpless" by Neil Young :hippie:

[welshTerrier2]

23. Find the Cost of Freedom

Find the cost of freedom, buried in the ground,
Mother Earth will swallow you,
Lay your body down.

[flaminbats]

29. another of my favorites..

"Run Through The Jungle" by John C. Fogerly ie Cosmo's Factory

[grannylib]

45. Oh how could I forget that one?? Such a hauntingly beautiful, sad song

[puerco-bellies]

47. Neil Young's Powder Finger

Look out, Mama, there's a white boat comin' up the river
With a big red beacon, and a flag, and a man on the rail
I think you'd better call John,
'Cause it don't look like they're here to deliver the mail
And it's less than a mile away
I hope they didn't come to stay
It's got numbers on the side and a gun
And it's makin' big waves.

Daddy's gone, my brother's out hunting in the mountains
Big John's been drinking since the river took Emmy-Lou
So the Powers That Be left me here to do the thinkin'
And I just turned twenty-two
I was wonderin' what to do
And the closer they got,
The more those feelings grew.

Daddy's rifle in my hand felt reassurin'
He told me, Red means run, son, numbers add up to nothin'
But when the first shot hit the docks I saw it comin'
Raised my rifle to my eye
Never stopped to wonder why.
Then I saw black,
And my face splashed in the sky.

Shelter me from the powder and the finger
Cover me with the thought that pulled the trigger
Think of me as one you'd never figured
Would fade away so young
With so much left undone
Remember me to my love,
I know I'll miss her.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

52. Graham Nash Military Madness

[CrownPrinceBandar]

25. "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath is one of many

[Tredge]

49. My vote!

I second this. "War Pigs" is my favorite anti-war song.

[hunter]

26. "Candles in the Rain" by Melanie, of course...

That's where my sig comes from.

[Endangered Specie]

28. the Internationale?

[flaminbats]

42. "The Seeker"

by the Who...

I've looked under chairs
I've looked under tables
I've tried to find the key
To fifty million fables

chorus:
They call me The Seeker
I've been searching low and high
I won't get to get what I'm after
Till the day I die

I asked Bobby Dylan
I asked The Beatles
I asked Timothy Leary
But he couldn't help me either

chorus

People tend to hate me
'Cause I never smile
As I ransack their homes
They want to shake my hand

Focusing on nowhere
Investigating miles
I'm a seeker
I'm a really desperate man

I won't get to get what I'm after
Till the day I die

I learned how to raise my voice in anger
Yeah, but look at my face, ain't this a smile?
I'm happy when life's good
And when it's bad I cry
I've got values but I don't know how or why

I'm looking for me
You're looking for you
We're looking in at other
And we don't know what to do

chorus

[Kathy in Cambridge]

30. Credence Clearwater-"Fortunate Son"

Some folks are born made to wave the flag,
ooh, they're red, white and blue.
And when the band plays "Hail To The Chief",
oh, they point the cannon at you, Lord,

It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no senator's son,
It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no fortunate one, no,

Some folks are born silver spoon in hand,
Lord, don't they help themselves, oh.
But when the taxman come to the door,
Lord, the house look a like a rummage sale, yes,

It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no millionaire's son.
It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no fortunate one, no.

Yeh, some folks inherit star spangled eyes,
ooh, they send you down to war, Lord,
And when you ask them, how much should we give,
oh, they only answer, more, more, more, yoh,

It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no military son,
It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no fortunate one,

It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no fortunate one, no no no,
It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no fortunate son, no no no,

[sleepyhead]

31. Best ever

"I Ain't Marching Any More" by Phil Ochs.

[ornotna]

32. Is it for Freedom - Sara Thomsen

Rulers of the nations as you fuss and fight
Over who owns this or that or who has the right
To design, build, sell and store and fire
All the bombs and guns to defend your holy empire

There are children hungry, children sick and dying
There are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers crying
They're only pawns in your play of power and corruption
Slowly starve them, your new weapon of mass destruction

CHORUS:
And prove to me America, that you care
And prove to me America, that you're aware
Who's dying for your freedom in this land
Who pays the cost for the liberties you demand

Is it for freedom, or our comfort and convenience
Is it to profit for big business we pledge our allegiance
Are we prisoners in the land of the brave and the bold?
Held by indifference or hearts grown hard and cold CHORUS

Children of the world, you have the right
To sing and dance, run and play, let your dreams take flight
As the innocent die you rulers carry the shame
And if we stand idly by we share in the blame

LAST CHORUS:
And oh, America, do we care?
Oh, America, are we aware
Who's dying for our comfort in this land
Who pays the cost for the convenience we demand?

Children of the world, you have the right
To sing and dance, run and play, let your dreams take flight.



I first heard this on Democracy Now and it absolutely blew me away.




On edit - you can hear the song here http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/sarat/

[DemoTex]

33. Sounds of Silence

"I watched the seemingly endless bombing and listened over my headset to the soft poetry of Simon and Garfunkel’s Sounds of Silence through the static on the Armed Forces Vietnam radio station in Quang Tri. Charlie operated the infrared camera gear."

More from "The Dogs of War"
© 2003 (DemoTex)

[Zorra]

35. Kill For Peace by the Fugs, Us and Them by Pink Floyd n/t

[thebaghwan]

36. Where have all the flowers gone_Peter, Paul and Mary

n/t

[Gildor Inglorion]

37. "La Colombe" by Jacques Brel

(Better as sung in English by Judy Collins, in my opinion!)

Pourquoi cette fanfare
Quand les soldats par quatre
Attendent les massacres
Sur le quai d`une gare
Pourquoi ce train ventru
Qui ronronne et soupire
Avant de nous conduire
Jusqu`au malentendu
Pourquoi les chants les cris
Des foules venues fleurir
Ceux qui ont le droit de partir
Au nom de leurs conneries

Nous n`irons plus au bois la colombe est blessée
Nous n`allons pas au bois nous allons la tuer

Pourquoi l`heure que voilà
Où finit notre enfance
Où finit notre chance
Où notre train s`en va
Pourquoi ce lourd convoi
Chargé d`hommes en gris
Repeints en une nuit
Pour partir en soldats
Pourquoi ce train de pluie
Pourquoi ce train de guerre
Pourquoi ce cimetière
En marche vers la nuit

Nous n`irons plus au bois la colombe est blessée
Nous n`allons pas au bois nous allons la tuer

Pourquoi les monuments
Qu`offriront les défaites
Les phrases déjà faites
Qui suivront l`enterrement
Pourquoi l`enfant mort-né
Que sera la victoire
Pourquoi les jours de gloire
Que d`autres auront payés
Pourquoi ces coins de terre
Que l`on va peindre en gris
Puisque c`est au fusil
Qu`on éteint la lumière

Nous n`irons plus au bois la colombe est blessée
Nous n`allons pas au bois nous allons la tuer

Pourquoi ton cher visage
Dégrafé par les larmes
Qui me rendait les armes
Aux sources du voyage
Pourquoi ton corps qui sombre
Ton corps qui disparaît
Et n`est plus sur le quai
Qu`une fleur sur une tombe
Pourquoi ces prochains jours
Où je devrais penser
A ne plus m`habiller
Que d`une moitié d`amour

Nous n`irons plus au bois la colombe est blessée
Nous n`allons pas au bois nous allons la tuer

[chaska]

38. One Tin Soldier (Billy Jack Theme), but...

the version by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes.

[MinnFats]

39. "Satan cries 'Take Aim!'"

"Run Through the Jungle"
by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Written for the Vietnam War
but still eery

(J. Fogerty)
Whoa, thought it was a nightmare,
Lo, it's all so true,
They told me, "Don't go walkin' slow
'Cause Devil's on the loose."
CHORUS:
Better run through the jungle,
Better run through the jungle,
Better run through the jungle,
Woa, Don't look back to see.

Thought I heard a rumblin'
Callin' to my name,
Two hundred million guns are loaded
Satan cries, "Take aim!"

CHORUS

Over on the mountain
Thunder magic spoke,
"Let the people know my wisdom,
Fill the land with smoke."



Oh, ALSO

"Fortunate Son"
basically an anti-draft song.
probably become useful again soon.
This is the song that some company, a jeans-maker I think, grabbed from the public domain and re-arranged the lyrics to make it jingoistic crap.


Fortunate Son Lyrics
by Creedence Clearwater Revival
< Send to a friend > < Download MP3 > < Request Lyrics > < Post a Comment >

(J. Fogerty)
Some folks are born made to wave the flag
Ooh, they're red, white and blue
And when the band plays "Hail to the chief"
Ooh, they point the cannon at you, Lord
It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no senator's son, son
It ain't me, it ain't me; I ain't no fortunate one, no

Yeah!
Some folks are born silver spoon in hand
Lord, don't they help themselves, oh
But when the taxman comes to the door
Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale, yes

It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no millionaire's son, no
It ain't me, it ain't me; I ain't no fortunate one, no

Some folks inherit star spangled eyes
Ooh, they send you down to war, Lord
And when you ask them, "How much should we give?"
Ooh, they only answer More! more! more! yoh

It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no military son, son
It ain't me, it ain't me; I ain't no fortunate one, one

It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no fortunate one, no no no
It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no fortunate son, no no no

[OneBlueSky]

40. "Give Peace A Chance" . . . Lennon and company . . .

I think his recording of it was as the Plastic Ono Band . . . I feel it's always better to be FOR something (in this case, peace) that to just be against something (e.g. war -- although I am certainly against it) . . . it's also a great sing-along . . .

[mvd]

41. That one is my favorite

Also, "Perfect World" from the new Indigo Girls CD is a good song with anti-war lyrics.

[greendog]

43. "I Ain't Marching Anymore" by Phil Ochs

Oh I marched to the battle of New Orleans
At the end of the early British war
The young land started growing
The young blood started flowing
But I ain't marchin' anymore

For I've killed my share of Indians
In a thousand different fights
I was there at the Little Big Horn
I heard many men lying I saw many more dying
But I ain't marchin' anymore

chorus)
It's always the old to lead us to the war
It's always the young to fall
Now look at all we've won with the saber and the gun
Tell me is it worth it all

For I stole California from the Mexican land
Fought in the bloody Civil War
Yes I even killed my brothers
And so many others But I ain't marchin' anymore

For I marched to the battles of the German trench
In a war that was bound to end all wars
Oh I must have killed a million men
And now they want me back again
But I ain't marchin' anymore

(chorus)

For I flew the final mission in the Japanese sky
Set off the mighty mushroom roar
When I saw the cities burning I knew that I was learning
That I ain't marchin' anymore

Now the labor leader's screamin'
when they close the missile plants,
United Fruit screams at the Cuban shore,
Call it "Peace" or call it "Treason,"
Call it "Love" or call it "Reason,"
But I ain't marchin' any more,
No I ain't marchin' any more

[fortyfeetunder]

44. Edwin Starr's War (isn't Beautiful)

One of the fiery R&B tunes that came out in the early 70's. I was always anti-war as a kid and that song still lingers...

[Rhiannon12866]

46. "Blowin' in the Wind," hands down

This will always be the best.:-)

[slack]

48. Temptations 'War' (nt)

[ashling]

50. Eve of Destruction

Blowin in the wind, where have all the flowers gone,

I don't remember the title to this song:

An its 1, 2, 3, What're we fightin' for?
Don't ask me I don't give a damn!
Next stop is Viet-Nam.
An it's 5, 6, 7, open up the pearly gates
There aint no time to wonder why
Whoopee! Were all going to die!
:nuke:

[flaminbats]

51. Tom Petty..."I Don't Wanna Fight"

I got a hole in my head
I got a hole in my head
I'd be better off dead
I got a hole in my head

I don't wanna fight
I don't wanna fight
I don't wanna fight
I'm a lover, lover, lover

You're always laughing at me
You're always laughing at me
Yeah, when nothing's really funny
You're always laughing at me

I don't wanna fight
I don't wanna fight
I don't wanna fight
I'm a lover, lover, lover
I'm a lover, lover, lover

You got a pretty face
You got a pretty face
But it's such a waste
You got a pretty face

I don't wanna fight
I don't wanna fight
I don't wanna fight
I'm a lover, lover, lover
I'm a lover, lover, lover