There has been a lot of discussion of political views being expressed in music, so I took the time to go through my iTunes to see if I could stumble upon some examples. There was an overwhelming example of this in one of my favorite music generes- punk! I know what your thinking... pink mohawks and eyeliner. As much as this might be semi accurate, punk rockers of the 70's had a big voice in politics!

One of my favorite punk bands The Clash has a very famous song (and a favorite song of mine) called "Striaght to Hell" from the album Combat Rock. This song suprised me when I did some research. Basically the whole song was a criticism of the United States policies against Vietnamese families brought on by American soldiers. Many soldiers in Vietnam began having children with Vietnamese women, and to make sure their children could come to the United States the soldiers began marrying the women. Yet, the United States made it illegal for these families and children to come to the United States by any circumstances. The most unfortunate circumstances of these seperate families was the discrimination both the children and women recieved from the Vietnamese people. The chorus of the song:

"There ain't no need for ya

There ain't no need for ya

Go striaght to hell boys

Go straight to hell boys"

Is spoken in the voice of the American's saying the Vietnamese children had no place in the U.S.

By far the most famous line in this song is, "it ain't coca-cola it's rice" refers to the blood that flows threw the children, so if the blood isn't coca-cola (American) then it's rice (Vietnamese).

Another famous punk rock, United States criticizing band was the Dead Kennedys! Some of the best punk music you can listen to! There most famous song is called "Holiday in Cambodia." This song pretty much narrows down to ignorance, and more specifically the United States ignorance. The people in America are living their lives 'happily' while other people in poorer countires are suffering and dying. Some lyrics include:

"You're a star-belly sneech,

You suck like a leach,

You want everyone to act like you,

Kiss ass while you bitch,

So you can get rich,

But your boss gets richer off you.

Well you'll work harder,

With a gun in your back,

For a bowl of rice a day,

Slave for soldiers,

Til you starve,

Then your head is skewered on a stake."

The beginning half in green represents the typical American worker interested in advancing in his career to make money... more and more money. The second half in black describes the working habbits of a man not so lucky in a foreign country- where his work would consist of killing people, for this he would be rewarded a bowl of rice, all the way until he dies.

Although both songs "Holiday in Cambodia" and "Straight to Hell" are very sad it is interesting to think that our own iTunes could hold some political messages of its own. Not to say everyone has punk music flooded in their libraries, but Lady Gaga dosn't wear outragious things and make outragious music to get noticed. Some of what Lady Gaga is doing today is very reflective of the Punk rock bands in the 70's. Not all music has to be about shakin' yo bootay, ya know!