Let’s go!
Category #1
A protest song. Don’t submit NWA but anything else is fair game. It doesn’t have to be angry. Both violent and non-violent protests have great options.
I enjoyed most of these. I think a few people will be annoyed with what I deem a protest song or not, but so it goes.
The first few are always the toughest because I don’t like dumping on a song someone likes, but this is the way of the Walrus…
So did you do another roundtrip with mjiggy after ranking to match the perpetrators with their crimes? Or do you still not know who’s who?
In 11th place with 1 point - Malcom X ft Keith Le Blanc- No Sell Out (1984)
First impression: Is this a song?
Later: I can’t believe I’m going to talk shit about Malcom X, but this is very dull. Sorry. It feels very first-wave electronic music, like this is what someone with talent would try when playing with drum machines and keyboards for the first time. One good thing is that this would work reasonably well at a protest when no one is paying close attention to the music, where some snippets of speeches might set a good mood.
I don’t know who is who.
I have arrived! The reveal can continue!
I’m assuming you are revealing these in reverse order to usual
In 10th place with 2 points - Death Cab for Cutie - Million Dollar Loan (2016)
First impression: Hmm.
Later: Death Cab are very hit or miss for me. I really like a few tracks but then many others feel quite bland. This one unfortunately went to Bland Camp. Maybe it’s just that this was released in the lead up to the 2016 election back when something like Trump’s million-dollar loan seemed liked a big deal. So that probably put me off a bit, considering how much heinous shit has happened since then. Still, it’s pleasant enough.
Was that you? I was guessing R.C.
Neither of these were me.
Sigggggh. I had a feeling
So what’s a protest song? I admit I didn’t give it much thought when submitting. I guess you could be a stickler and say it has to be against something, but then you might be left with a universe of almost exclusively anti-war songs. And one can only take so much Peter, Paul and Mary.
My instinct was something like “an overtly political song that advances the principles of social justice”.
In 9th place with 3 points - Seth Sentry - Strange Lot (2008)
First impression: I turned it up as soon as the vocals kicked in, so that’s a good sign. Not too sure about the chorus. Definitely the weakest element. Never heard of this guy. I’m feeling it. Off to Wikipedia for some background.
Later: The drums at 4:00 stand out. Nice. The sound quality isn’t great on this youtube version. Spotify is better. It’s a bit of a category miss for me. The mood doesn’t feel right for a protest. It has more of a “resigned to our fate” vibe. Not that that’s a bad thing normally, but not what I had in mind here.
I agree that a protest song is against something. I’m not sure why you think that has to be war. What I had in mind was, “Would I want to hear this on the street, at a rally, or at a benefit show?” Something like that. High energy is good but not required.
Yup
He’s protesting about pigeons taking sips from public fountains.
Sock it to 'em, Seth.
In 8th place with 4 points - Radiohead - Idioteque (2000)
First impression: Is this a protest song? Strange pick.
Later: Oh – I guess it is. I’ve never really paid much attention to the lyrics, which it turns out are pretty 2020:
Who’s in a bunker?
Who’s in a bunker?
Women and children first
And the children first
And the children
Ice age coming
Ice age coming
Let me hear both sides
Let me hear both sides
Let me hear both
We’re not scaremongering
This is really happening
Happening
We’re not scaremongering
This is really happening
Happening
Mobiles squerking
Mobiles chirping
Take the money run
Take the money run
Take the money
It’s a great song, of course. Loses a few points due to deep familiarity and the obscured protest theme. Still, a great song off a great album. It just didn’t grab me as much as the next songs on the list and I am a bit biased toward discovering new music in these things.
You played yourself
I absolutely did not remember sending you this song and assumed I screwed up but upon rechecking it’s definitely the correct song. Feels good having all this power over all you people who have made me feel bad in previous walruses (TheDuker excluded since he’s always been pleasant).
Also I listened to literally none of the entrants and was just having fun digging at everyone. So far there has been a lot of variety and I think the reveals will be interesting!
