Issue Based Writing - Protest Anthem

[john]

 

Hey Gang

 

A new writing challenge, as a complete draft song (hopefully), ie words, music, draft recording as at least a 1+1...

 

Inspired by current events:

 

The challenge is to write a Protest Anthem. It's not as popular for writers and artists as it once was. We used to be the mirror that society held up to examine itself, but in recent years that has been replaced with vanity songs and detached "good times" songs and the perenial favorite, relationship songs.

 

So how about we focus on writing a good, old fashioned protest song?

 

You can choose the issue. Make it a serious proposition, or a tongue in cheek song. It is up to you. As is the song form and genre.

 

Deadline for the challenge is... DUN DUN DUN... Friday July 3rd.

 

I intend to post a follow on marketing challenge, so the closer you can get to a complete song recording, the better.

 

Strike while the iron is thought! (Yes, yes I know!)

 

Good luck, and have fun!

 

Cheers

 

John

[Cody]

I have an older protest song I've been trying to re-write(never happy with anything, but this one needed some change).......but hey  it's mine I can do with what I want to, been through some recent runaround, might have some new verses I've always wanted to change, I managed to hang onto a notebook for more than 2 weeks........sorry if it's shitty nurses/doctors/supposed first line defenders...too much school not enough learn against this "pandemic".....yeah.......hate me know, read the history books in 20 years....."let's freak out about everything, it's the end of the world"...ugh I'm pretty sick of dumb shit..

 

pissed off and frustrated and knowing there's nothing you can do to positively change the situation at hand was the only reason I got back into music.....seemed like a better choice than the other options   

 

older one.....not played much around these parts, I don't think this one ever broke the stupid gates of my head especially in Oklahoma......... I am still human, don't wanna be shot/lynched on stage or after.......but oh, friendliest people ever  

 

But yeah, needs a rewrite.....was never happy about a few lines, stop and frisk was a real thing...still kind of is, but I knew it would pass, and I do have respect for decent cops.    

I love the ideas I was told this country stood for.....was just hurt to find out how wrong I was........

old write.....I'll work on it for a "challenge"  thankee sir  Only thing I might keep is what passes for a chorus, and only because I said it more than once, and anyone that gives up a freedom for safety is a piece of shit, for me to paraphrase whoever that's attributed to. 

 

 

 

 

 

I dont need no fancy car
Nice clothes or a big tv

But I guess that's not the 
American dream 

How very pessimist of me

I've tried to go and work for the man, 
but he just sat and laughed at me

Said boy, "if cant prove yourself in triplicate, 
you might as well just hit the streets"

It's a sad world in which we live
Where hard work it ain't enough

Not gonna get my nose brown now, 
but it can sure make this life pretty rough

I dont know when this land of the free 
and the home of the brave 
became a joke to me,
and if there ever was an american dream
it sure as shit ain't what it used to be 
this land of the meek 
and the home of the sheep 
where we all just lull ourselves to sleep
with delusions that we are free
with delusions that we are free
with delusions 
of our freedoms
with delusions 
that we are free

So I've tried to sell off my blood,
but I ain't got a home no more, 
it's a mad world that we all call home
when we discriminate against our poor

Men in blue on every street corner,
harassing folks for their id's
Well you better comply 
or he'll taze you in the eye 
and he might even just fix your teeth, 
but not for free

Now before you go get all high and mighty with me 
know that this is home and i really would like to leave

but I was born here too 
and maybe just like you
this is my homeland

Where my forefathers bled 
so that if I didnt like it 
I could always stand up 
say whatever I can
Now the status quos 
the only way to go
I feel its too late 
we've sealed our fates 

[john]

1 hour ago, Patchez said:

Hey John... hahhh... well, I know what you are saing here.

And, had I not been wrapped in the extreme propaganda negativity (you know as discussed previously, or maybe you even witnessed, -- sockpuppets?  ) anyway, ---- that traumatised me to the point I then Deleted an 11 year Old FB account and pretty much wrote off the remainder of folks in the other place, -- I might have taken it on, in the spirit of the intent here.  

Also, not to mention that... well, "if" I were a (and I may not be, but if I were...): 
- White
- Male
- Educated
- Christian

What would my supposed "automatic" -- great life?, legalistically allow me to then write about in protest and not have some men-in-black (spandex) visit my house?  ("Reverse" biggotry..., indeed)
  ---- For which I could not call the Poll-eese since well, what would they be allowed to do anyway? in defending the likes of "me" (if that were me and may not be... I may as well be a short, yellow, tall fat, skinny, asian man-woman multi-sexual, Ai - program left on since the '80's now is the Matrix...), so to speak. ... like me from folks like that, who are implicity correct and allowed to rape, burn, rob, crash'nburn all, ---- in their brand of nilism for the benefit of human-kind, what I now call, coined as, " Tribal Supremacy " at the expense of ALL others... ooops, almost said "man-kind" (see "human-kind", now PC'd)... can I say human now?... oh okay, "bi-pedal homoerectus species-kind". (So I don't get my ashes kick for non-PC krappolla, I mean, -- ettiquette   ) 

  -- So, otherwise, yeah, man, dude- I'd be right there wit yah!  

Instead, -- I'll observe this go round, and wait for the "orange disasters" to roll in, from the NYC upper west side and west coast-ism locations (and now central States, Oh My!) ? (Hope knot) O M G... You do know you can get a pint bought for you on the upper west side for every time you scheit on the color orange! And, so that musication goes. To bad for all my carrot-topped, stunningly beautiful red headed friends:
https://www.google.com/search?q=red+head+models+head+shots+with+green+eyes+and+pale+white+skin+photos&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjdiv288_TpAhUKON8KHdSrD4MQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=red+head+models+head+shots+with+green+eyes+and+pale+white+skin+photos&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQA1CswwJYpNECYNrSAmgAcAB4AoABpAOIAcEUkgEJMS4yLjUuMS4xmAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWc&sclient=img&ei=HpffXt2DB4rw_AbU176YCA&bih=554&biw=1242&rlz=1CAWAFN_enUS752US752

(How do the folks in the North Atlantic Ocean Isles feel about those slurs?) 


I protest!  

 

(Ah, that's Okay... Jesus Christ's comes... I'll be sitting on my White Horse with a Subway Veggie Footlong Sandwich, and a Stout Wheat Beer enjoying the show!, with my beautifull Wife sitting next to me saying, "see, I told you!"  -- my band warmin up the Marshall Stacks in the background, when the Trumpets are finished. Jimi say's he wants to do the Spangled Banner again... but, that's still under debat with the Marters under the Thrown  we'll Sea!) 

 

 

 

 

That was one reason I left the option for a more imagined scenario... like protesting that Kellogg's Rice Crispies are changing their biggest pack size. lol

[john]

For me I am less interested in the fact that people will have different opinions from me, cos they will. This is a songwriting exercise, not another proxy to rehash old debates. The point is in helping each other to articulate their opinion, not engage in changing opinions. It's about the song. It's about articulation. It's about assessing a song's ability to make people sit up and notice

[john]

lol ooo the tease!

[Cody]

@Patchez how dare you! I'm soooooooo offended by those words you typed, let me tell you how your thoughts should work! 

 

@john f*ckin rice krispies........got their hands in everything now  sad sad world  

[john]

We take our rice krispies seriously What can I say. It's no great surprise the Romans didn't conquer Scotland. Instead the built a big wall to keep us out lol

 

Can you post up your lyrics @Cody? Cheers beers

 

 

[Cody]

@john but that would infringe on my freedom to be a lazy bastard  yeah I think I actually have those in a text file somewhere.....just re-edited first post and put 'em there.

[john]

21 hours ago, Patchez said:

As primissed... just had a moment and had to look up the Scottish Flag... -- now I get the Single Malt Bottles   

 

My rice crispies weren't
Rice nor crisp
Weren't white nor small
And filled with milk raw

 

I'm tired of promise of new and improved
And get less not more, upon my review
I just want what I..., used to have
And snap crackel and pop..., in my mouth

 

Now the Scotts they know
How to object and go
And get what they paid for 
On their cold, north shores

 

So lets hear three cheers
For the red lion on gold

And let kelloggs know

Not to mess, now we know!

 

 

 -- I protest!  

 

 

 

'Tis the oldest flag in the world:

 

https://www.patriotwood.com/blogs/news/17943449-the-5-oldest-country-flags-in-the-world

 

Only one t in Scots too

 

I totally appreciate you taking time to write this! lol

[Cody]

@Patchez had a pretty good where's the beef not too long ago, thought of that when this one dawned on me last night after almost hitting an entire herd of cattle.

 

Protests in the streets

both sides cry foul

beef prices rise

but not at the sell

 

Why go to market

for the bottom price

when you see it in the store

It's quadruple its value

 

It's the lifeblood of many

a fair price for fair work

so keep it if you must

but fix your f*cking fences

 

Over a hill what did I see

HOLY SHIT! there's all the beef!

 

Protests in the streets 

both sides cry foul

if beef was the worst thing 

all would be just swell.

 

 

 

 

[Cody]

On 6/11/2020 at 7:22 AM, Patchez said:

I joke with remote family in Austria, that we need to take the Salzburg Castle back, our old homestead. With all the cultural reallignment, and payback-- maybe? I'd move. It's good to be king, yes?   Best chocolate and beer in the world some say! "Let them eat chocolate-beer!" I'd have a Tap at the Town Square, Fountain. All would love me, sing songs and play music all day, and only. 

Anyway... ..

 

 

 

I'd move....a least until they chopped off your head  

[Cody]

@Patchez aye! much better, was typed in as was being wrote...... you know.  

 

I remembered that one of yours, it made me remember that funny old lady commercials I hadn't thought of in years.

 

Okie is a weird dialect too, I hear it mostly after I've been gone awhile and come back.....

not as slow and lazy slurred as a deep Texas, or quite sounding like a banjo ala Arkansas/Missouri

but also a twist of louisianna cajun

 

yeall hurd wot dat picta box yonder at mah place said right?  

[AC Anton]

During covid I wrote a song and had someone that I collaborated with write the lyrics and sing, this was all before all the insanity started, the  original idea was something that had a spoken part and it came out great accept now with the state of things, I cannot help that think that the lyrics could be misconstrued as a protest anthem, or a political sentiment of sorts or at the very least the song might be considered prophetic  in a sad sort of way

 

Now here is the thing, the song was not wrote with anything like that in mind, but as they say art imitates life, and I fear that the demo- although well received- might have to be scrapped. As  an artist I don't write music based on political ideas I write what flows at the time creatively.  I have to say this is the first time I have ever had anything so insane happen to me, perhaps I am self censuring to critically I don't know

 

what should one do when inadvertently their art could represent something else to a listener ? Its funny in a way this thread is on actually making  protest song and here I potentially managed that without even trying and sit pondering the ramifications it could have on my band reputation

[Cody]

@Patchez I didn't listen to all those yet, but really dug that last one  

 

No real lyrics per se yet on this one, just what came out while doing this little quickie

Fun with the mouth harp  but hey, I just found it today! I knew it was somewhere around here hahah

 

It's a protest tune for me at least  

 

 

 

[Cody]

On 6/14/2020 at 9:39 AM, AC Anton said:

During covid I wrote a song and had someone that I collaborated with write the lyrics and sing, this was all before all the insanity started, the  original idea was something that had a spoken part and it came out great accept now with the state of things, I cannot help that think that the lyrics could be misconstrued as a protest anthem, or a political sentiment of sorts or at the very least the song might be considered prophetic  in a sad sort of way

 

Now here is the thing, the song was not wrote with anything like that in mind, but as they say art imitates life, and I fear that the demo- although well received- might have to be scrapped. As  an artist I don't write music based on political ideas I write what flows at the time creatively.  I have to say this is the first time I have ever had anything so insane happen to me, perhaps I am self censuring to critically I don't know

 

what should one do when inadvertently their art could represent something else to a listener ? Its funny in a way this thread is on actually making  protest song and here I potentially managed that without even trying and sit pondering the ramifications it could have on my band reputation

 

 

That's tough, especially if other bandmates involved.......I think would be best to be unanimous in a decision to release/play it

If its just you, well.....dunno what to tell ya haha good luck

 

If wanting to stay completely unpolitical or out of any current events/subjects then by all means scrap it, but can you truly really write right and do that, and just because its written/recorded doesn't ever have to leave the paper/hardrive? Does your audience want to hear what's really on your mind? Or something they can just tap their foot/bang their head to? 

[Cody]

@Patchez

 

Yeah I think I managed to save the stems from that, could easily dub in some lyrics  

Was able to satisfy myself too.......there's some plugged in acoustic with super heavy reverse delay on it, just dropped it before "mixed" it all down, enough bleedthru on one mic I can still hear it  I'll get this digital crap figured out eventually hahah, thanks again!

 

Hah! good 'ol waxy ears  that made me go clean all my headphones hahaha, poor guy was freaked out, and cleaning out all my headphones disgusted me, makes me think twice every time I stick an ear-bud style in anymore. Never have really been a germaphobe or worried about daily showers for that matter  but some things are just too much hahaha. 

 

One of my favorite July 4 things in Oklahoma, was in Tulsa.....about 3-4miles up and down the river, huge festival, tons and tons of good local taking all comers music...........this outdoor thing was re-scheduled for labor day months ago(still is), yet there was some recent big arena indoor activity there.. ...hmmmm.........  "patriots" with their priorities in order I see.  Patriotical Priorities .....maybe something there  

 

I did listen to that first of the group you posted up there too, about the old white men what to do with you........acoustic sounds great on that(one take on the fly write, kudos!) Is that just mic'd? if not what pu/preamp you got on that thing?  That's one even lyrically I don't think I'd touch...good luck grabbing that tigers tail again   There's more than enough stuff just in a few of those for another good little 3-4-5 song compilation. 

 

 

 

 

[john]

1 minute ago, Patchez said:

Still not good protest, "anthem" song, but still thinking about it. 

 

Rather than an "anthem" they keep coming out like this, and not anthem-ish (a cleaned up scrap from a 5min-mourning-morning-news-write I bang out constantly:

 

Ahhh 20 Visions (c) 2020 patchez, aka ustaknow (alias)
 

The National Guard, knocked at my door

And asked which Party I voted for

But when I asked why, they would not say,

Not even a nod, nor slight sway

 

Just know one thing..., to me, they said

We've come to bring to some, not all instead

The antidote only, if belong in our web

With three six ones, burned in bloody stead
 

They then said, of the Washington Three

Pelotzi, Shoemore and others you see

We landed here, in '45

And come to build our colony hive

 

So washing your hands with alcohol and lie

It only breeds more, of our clan, near by

It's all just been, our master plan

For our fifth column new man, blue-man can

 

So, please just say, now say my name

Not Heisenberg no, or any of fame

Unlock to be, in busy need

And always, always..., take a knee, to me

 

 

 

=== === === 

Oh well... 

 

it’s coming on. I can see a few points working pretty well.

 

I’ve just got my new router delivered so I will be on the boards much more again with loads of posts to catch up on. A few days on measly mobile data rations was horrible. 

[Cody]

17 minutes ago, Patchez said:

Now that, [ Ab min sus2 ] is not actually, ---- the fifth is a half step up... some munged chord fragment I used that I liked. So, it's likely some E chord  of come kind if matters. Otherwise it's Ab min sus2 but the 5th ain't flatted. A+ if you  can name that chord  

    ---- Ah, let me just rename it, since all made up anyway it's a, Ab min aug sus2  (Probably something Beethoven used, so Imma genius if sounds good and can't figure out the audio when I post it.)  

 

 

 

Z#dim nth? .........chord names give me the ebgb's  

 

 

[Cody]

7 hours ago, Patchez said:

Still not good protest, "anthem" song, but still thinking about it. 

 

Rather than an "anthem" they keep coming out like this, and not anthem-ish (a cleaned up scrap from a 5min-mourning-morning-news-write I bang out constantly:

 

Ahhh 20 Visions (c) 2020 patchez, aka ustaknow (alias)
 

The National Guard, knocked at my door

And asked which Party I voted for

But when I asked why, they would not say,

Not even a nod, nor slight sway

 

Just know one thing..., to me, they said

We've come to bring to some, not all instead

The antidote only, if belong in our web

With three six ones, burned in bloody stead
 

They then said, of the Washington Three

Pelotzi, Shoemore and others you see

We landed here, in '45

And come to build our colony hive

 

So washing your hands with alcohol and lie

It only breeds more, of our clan, near by

It's all just been, our master plan

For our fifth column new man, blue-man can

 

So, please just say, now say my name

Not Heisenberg no, or any of fame

Unlock to be, in busy need

And always, always..., take a knee, to me

 

 

 

=== === === 

Oh well... 

Lands on that fence again.........whose "side" are you on here anyway? So while not the standard definition of protest or anthem, I think it still works that way. 

 

Left open to ones own interpretation.....I always like, but misconceptions abound especially my own hahah

[Cody]

7 hours ago, Patchez said:

 

We're trying not to wreck the place while you're gone  

After posting that, -- did a search on "athem", songs... first hit was from NPR (not a fan, not really), but then inspired from that post, reading yours now, -- this spewed out... :

https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2014/04/03/297296270/the-good-listener-what-makes-an-anthem
(I don't think the article has any real content, but for some reason scanning it... did this... so like what 1 min write  spewing hahhh!)
 

 

=== === === === === === 
 

June Bug Anthem, 20 More to Come (c) 2020 patchez, aka ustaknow (alias)

 

If you demand war, then war it will be

No one from our side will take a knee

And when we bleed, red white and blue

We’ll spray it all, over you   

 

We are young we are old, and won’t be sold

With the rest of your garage sale philosophy scold

No cancel will handle the stitch we have

To fix you mutts we’ll cut in half

 

Oh say can you see, by the dawn’s early light

The piles of dead to hold up out kite

For the anthem it inspired, in red blue and white

The symbol of our love, pride and rights

 

No foreign land, will come and demand

The speech from our mouth, or gun in our hand

To the hate you seek, we’ll first shoot off our mouth

Then without warning, will return fire grand

 

You think that patience, and second chances
Long suffered abuses, and your many excuses

Mean to take a foot more from the yards we gave

Then into your graves, you’ll be put by our brave

 

 

hahah I stopped reading that article when "At least some level of mass appeal is integral to a true anthem"  I guess, by the strictest definition of anthem, national/school anthems etc....... In the case of this thread.... Protest Anthems......would be no need for a protest if mass appeal was the case