Up Against the Wall, 2005

Announcing the revision99
Protest Song UnContest.

OK, first go and read this post at the blog referred to by its author as "The blog lovingly referred to as 'Heightened Thoughts.'" The guy's all fired up because there ain't enough modern revolutionary music, given that we live in times that are approximately as shitty and hopeless as the 1960's and '70's, when there were all kinds of protest songs that caused what we now wistfully remember as "the Revolution."

Completely aside from the fact that there really was no revolution in this country after 1776, and discounting the truth that there is a fairly hefty library of current music protesting the state we find ourselves in, I'll play along for a while.

Hey, kids, let's put on a show!

Well, OK, let's not put on a show. But how about if we write a song? Here's is the comment, somewhat abridged, that I left in the comment section of Heightened Thoughts:

OK, all you angry people. Here's a challenge, for you and for me: Write a protest song for the 21st century, and I will put it to music and record it and post it. (I'm talking about lyrics here. If you can play and sing, do this yourself.)

Post your lyrics on your blog (make sure you notify me), or MPH's comment section (again, you'll have to notify me), or email me. Look at my profile to get my email address.

• Your song can be a joke, or it can be serious, and you retain all rights to the words no matter what I do with them.
• Of course you get full credit for your contribution whenever and wherever the song appears.
• If more than one of you tries this, I get to pick which one to record.
• If you want to give me a melody, try Audioblogger, or post something on some server somewhere and send me the link.

I am a child of the sixties, a blast from your past, and I am not only angry, I am drug-addled. I warn you: If no one sends me anything or posts anything, I will do this myself. We don't want that, do we?

So, what is pissing you off about the status quo?

• The religious right?
• The lap-dog media?
• The neocon hawks in D.C.?
• Tom Delay?
• Right-wing AM radio?
• The rich getting richer?
• Environmental destruction?
• Governmental invasion of privacy and disregard for human rights?
• Anti-stem cell research bullshit?
• Abrogation of international treaties?
• Institutional homophobia?
• Corporate scandals?
• Is there more???? Of course there's more!!
• Stolen elections?
• Globalization?
• Voter apathy?
• Skinheads?
• Longhairs?
• Job outsourcing?
• Drug laws?
• Big fat smug politicians with lifetime paychecks and excellent health benefits fucking with your meager Social Security plan?
  
• The pumps don't work 'cause the vandals took the handles?
  

Write it down!!

Here's your chance to express yourself. It would be good if it has verses and a memorable chorus that we can sing over and over and over and over and over and over while we are marching on Washington. Rhyming is welcome, but optional. Naturally there has to be an unreasonable and arbitrary cutoff date for song submissions...

...So let's say you have to send your song BEFORE SUMMER STARTS. That will be sometime on June 21.

OK? Bring it.



Oh, before I forget. Get over to Kristi's blog if you want to read about hot pickup truck sex with virgin schoolteachers.