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Conservative Politics & Rock Music

The National Review has published a list of the 50 all time top conservative rock 'n' roll songs. #1 is The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again". Other artist on the list include Beatles, Stones, U2, Rush, Aerosmith, Creed, Metallica, Beach Boys, Dylan and the Kinks.

Here's a link to the list.

I'm not familiar with every song on the list, but I do have a few observations. I find it incredible that only a single non-white artist made the list. A number of the songs have a very cynical bent ("Revolution", "Sympathy For the Devil", "Won't Get Fooled Again", etc.). Is cynicism a purely conservative trait? "Wouldn't It Be Nice" - I always thought it was a spoof of the Ossie & Harriet lifestyle. "I Fought the Law" - the fact that the law won doesn't make this song politically conservative. It's the verbal equivalent of a Born To Lose tattoo. It's giving the system the finger. Also, there are a number of songs that are about abortion, but only one is by a woman. Maybe the slogan should be changed to "Sex, Drugs, Rock 'n' Roll & Birth Control".

Rock music encompasses a vast number of musical styles and it only stands to reason that it would also include a wide spectrum of political beliefs. Rather than actually debating politics per se, I'm interested in responses to particularly songs being on the list and whether you see them a political or apolitical.
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onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61 OP
5,136 posts
 
Bowbow, of the 158 performers inducted into the Rock Hall Of Fame slightly more than one third are non-white. Where's James Brown's "It's A Man's Man's World" or "I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing" as conservative anthems?
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61 OP
5,136 posts
 
Now that I've been defined as a racist, thank you Maril555 (and please, stay nauseated), let me also try to qualify as a sexist for pointing out the paucity of women on the list. I'm writing an angry letter to the Affirmative Action Office at the National Review.
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61 OP
5,136 posts
 
I don't know why the Hollies are not in the Hall. They should be. Politically I would describe "Bus Stop" as a working class oriented song. People taking the bus to work, very proletariat.

"You Can't Be Too Strong" - not at all clear why it's political let alone conservative leaning. To me it's not clear that it's pro or anti abortion. Very good song by a strong artist, but not sure if he's Hall worthy. But then there's what I call the "Blondie Rule". If Blondie is in the Hall, then a whole pack of other artist should also be inducted.

My original comment about race is entirely appropriate. Rock was originally call "race music" because it was created by and catered to colored (non-white) people. I believe the the Rock Hall of Fame roster is a fair reflection of the contribution of non-whites to the history and development of the music. There's also no reason to presuppose that non-whites as a group have a distinct political leaning. They could just as well be conservative as they could be non-conservative. Hence I am suspect of any list of rock's greatest that doesn't reflect some of rock's diversity. When someone writes "how many non-white rock groups can you name?" I interpret it as a comment by someone who is ignorant of rock's history and blind to its current manifestation. But then again, may be the problem is how one defines rock music. I take the approach that it encompasses everything from Chuck Berry, the Four Seasons, Motown, the British Invasion, psychedelia, disco, New Wave, Punk, Grunge, Rap, Electronica etc. I'm a big tent sort of guy when it comes to rock. Others may have much narrower definitions and like their musically categories well segregated. How else could someone seriously question whether James Brown belongs in the Rock Hall of Fame?
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