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 You are in:Front Page > Programmes > The World Today
What is your favourite political song?

Archive by Song Title

A-E

A Church is Burning
(Paul Simon)
Richard Evans, UK
(Because it sends out a hope for the future. How the symbols of eventual justice and freedom from oppression are manifested even by the acts of the oppressors. An anthem of hope).

A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall
(Bob Dylan)
D. D. McKenzie, USA

Jim, USA
Patrick K. USA
David Lowther, Ireland

A Man's a Man for a 'that
Alan Donald, Saudi Arabia
( 'Rabbie Burns' great declaration of a world of classless equality. NB: I'm sure Rabbie intended 'man' to represent both genders).
Douglas Williamson, UK

A Person Isn't Safe Anywhere These Days (The Chameleons)
Mick, UK


A Song For Europe
(Half Man Half Biscuit)
(A damning indictment of the senselessness inherent in the world's political leaders).
Karl, London

A Thousand Lies (Machine Head)
Andrew Donaldson, Edinburgh

Alice's Restaurant (Arloe Guthrie)
Matt, USA

All Along the Watchtower
(Bob Dylan/Jimi Hendrix)
Tom, USA
Tara Krajanek, India

America (Ray Charles)
Dahshi Marshall, USA

Anak (Freddie Aguilar - The Philippines version of Bob Dylan.)
(The theme song of the 1986 EDSA revolution that toppled Marcos).
Eric Ellis, Singapore

Anarchy in the UK, (Sex Pistols)
Joe Cheavens, USA

Andaluces de Jaen (Paco Ibanez)
Douglas Williamson, UK

And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda
(Eric Bogle/ Dubliners)
(Moving anti-war song).
Dave Ankers, Netherlands
Pat Bianculli, USA

And We Thought Nation States Was a Bad Idea
(Propagandhi)
Mikael Persson, Sweden

Another Brick in the Wall (Pink Floyd)
Akshay, USA
Agwu Kalu, Nigeria

Apes in Capes (Slapp Happy/ Henry Cow)
Hooman, USA

April 29, 1992 (Miami) (Sublime)
(A personal story of the Rodney King Riots that swept the US).
Nathan Savage, USA

Army Dreamers (Kate Bush)
Maya, Japan

Assassin (Asian Dub Foundation) a (Mesmerizing track about an assassin revenging the 1929 Amritsar massacre in India).
Shakir Khan, UK

Atari Teenage Riot
(Napalm Death)
Alexi, London


Backlash Blues (Nina Simone)
Michael, UK

Ball of Confusion (The Temptations)
Greatford Kamona, UK

The Ballad of Hattie Carroll (Bob Dylan)
Alan Glauber, South Africa

Ballad of Sacco and Vanzetti (Joan Baez)
Sina, Iran

The Ballad of William Worthy (Phil Ochs)
Dik Coates, Canada

Bandiera Rossa
Brian Delaney, USA

The Battle Cry Of Freedom
DV, Ireland

Battle Hymn of the Republic
Brad Meyer, USA

Beds are Burning (Midnight Oil)
Louisa, Australia
Zahid Ahsanullah, USA
Raphael, USA

Before and Again
(The Anglo-American Alliance)
Josh, USA

Bella Ciao
Rom Lucek, UK
Eva-Maria Drueke, Germany
(Originally sung by the Italian partisans and still used as an anti fascist/nazi song).

Berlin Wall (Johnny Clegg & Savuka)
Raphael, USA

Between the Wars (Billy Bragg)
Rowan U, Switzerland
John B, UK
Keith Treviss, USA
Peter Murphy, Australia

Bhangaar Gaan (Song of Breaking Down)
(Kazi Nazrul Islam)
(This song refers to breaking down or destroying the doors of prison. The prison of curtailed political freedoms and the prison of encroachment of individual rights and freedom by the state).
Arif Ahmed, Bangladesh

Biko (Peter Gabriel)
(Opened many people's eyes to the evils of apartheid. It was one of the songs responsible for the introduction of 'world music' that helps to break down so many barriers).
Jim Cornall, Canada
Tim Highfield, Australia
Raphael, USA
John Rein, USA
D Alexander Melocik, USA

Birmingham Sunday
(Richard Farina)
George Pappas, USA

Black Cloud of Islam (Roy Harper)
Mordecai Shapiro, USA

Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
(Public Enemy)
(The song chronicles a prison riot led by a draft-refusing black male).
Bill Muits, USA

Blood on the Wire (Jackson Brown)
Mick Kahn, UK

Bloody Sunday (U2)
Cory, USA

Blowing in the Wind (Bob Dylan)
Nitin, Canada
Kevin, USA
Laurence Cussen, London
Patrick K. USA

Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen)
Paul Higham, UK
Jesus Miguel, London
Bill Muits, USA

Bound for Glory (Phil Ochs)
Dik Coates, Canada

Breaking the Silence
(A tribute to Amnesty International).
Steve Kite, USA

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
(Gorney, Harburg)
Ron Barry, USA

Bullet in the Blue Sky (U2)
Monty , USA
Andrew Donaldson, Edinburgh

Burn Down the Malls
(Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper)
Chris Niemitz, USA

Buscando America (Ruben Blades)
Alexis Medina, Panama City
(After enduring countless dictators, wide spread torture, guerrillas, dirty wars and clergymen's assassinations in most of Latin America, this song is a cry to keep hope alive).

Campaigner (Neil Young)
Bryn Mills, London

California Uber Alles (Dead Kennedys)
Leonardo Calcagno, Canada
Joe Cheavens, USA

Cecil Rhodes (Maskela)
Steve Poland, USA

Changes (Tupac Amaru Shakur)
Ali, USA

Charlie on the MTA (The Kingston Trio)
(Protesting a fare increase on Boston's trams and subway in the 1960's.)
Ian Palmer, USA

Chile Your Waters Run Deep (Billy Bragg)
Michael, UK

Chimes of Freedom
(Bob Dylan performed by the Byrds)
Tim Robson
Andy Canfield, Thailand

Chop Seuy (System of a Down)
(This song is about the drug problem in the USA).
Melissa Dryden, USA

Christmas in the Trenches
(Song about a spontaneous truce that took place in Flanders during WWI between British and German troops).
Salvatore Mangione, USA

Clampdown (The Clash)
Chris Niemitz, USA

Clandestino (Manu Chao)
(Millions of people each year go on hazardous journeys to reach the rich westen world because they can no longer feed themselves in their respective wartorn or economically deprived countries).
Susanna Beutler, Dominican Republic

Close the Coal House Door (Alex Glasgow)
John Whysall, London

Columbia, Gem of the Ocean
Louis B. Massano, USA
(If a patriotic song counts as a political song, mine would be 'Columbia, Gem of the Ocean').

Coma America (Amen)
Andrew Donaldson, Edinburgh

Come Out Ye Black And Tans
(Dominic Behan)
Michael, Ireland

Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue
(Toby Kieth)
Loddie, USA

Crippled Inside (John Lennon)
Helena Maria Hill, USA

The Crooked Cross
(Written by Peggy Seeger, and sung by Peggy Seeger and Ewan McColl)
(sadly as a series of anti-semitic attacks spread in the US and Europe this song is as relevant today as it was in the 60's).Sandra Shamis, USA

Dance with Me (Janis Ian)
Anne Harvey, UK

The Day That Thatcher Dies (Hefner)
Clive, UK

Death or Glory (The Clash)
Michael, USA

Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos)
(Woody Guthrie)
Greg Mauldin, USA

Der grosse Rede (Mani Matter)
Benni Leemhuis, Netherlands

Desolation Row (Bob Dylan)
Andy Canfield, Thailand

Desertoren (Kjell Hoglund)
Mikael Persson, Sweden

Deutschland (Has Gotta Die)
(Napalm Death)
Alexi, London


Die Gedanken Sind Frei
Eva-Maria Drueke, Germany

The Diggers Song (or The World Turned Upside Down) (Dick Gaughan)
(Gerrard Winstanley, leader of the Diggers, 1649)
Lee Harris, UK
Alastair Cameron, Edinburgh

Don't Look Now (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
Steve Roberts, UK

Don't Tread on Me (Metallica)
Brian, USA

Down Presser Man (Peter Tosh)
Raphael, USA

Draft Dodger Rag (Phil Ochs)
Dik Coates, Canada

Electioneering (Radiohead)
Jeremy Johnson, New Zealand

El Pueblo Unido Jamas Sera Vencido! (Quilapayun)
(The people united will never be defeated! The song that launched one of the best protest slogans of them all. Chanted across the globe, in dozens of languages).
Jenny, USA

En el pozo Maria Luisa
Rodolfo Losada, Austria
(From the Spanish civil war)

Equal Rights and Justice
(Peter Tosh)
Fubara Seki, Nigeria

The Eton Rifles
(The Jam)
(It's use of a comprehensive vs. public school rugby match is a fine metaphor for the class divide in British society, still just as relevant today 23 years on).
Andrew Whiteside, UK

Eve of Destruction
(Barrie McGuire)
Richard Austin, UK
Art Savacool, Indonesia

Eye of the Beholder
(Metallic)
Colin, UK

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Browse the song title archive:
 
 A-EF-K
L-PQ-X
 
Hear my song:
 
ListenEdith Cresson
(former French Prime Minister)
"Le Temps des Cerises"
 
 
ListenMichael Foot
(former leader of the British Labour Party)
"The Land Song"
 
 
ListenJose Ramos Horta
(Foreign Minister, East Timor)
"Ai Timor"
 
 
ListenAlbert Mazibuko
(Ladysmith Black Mambazo, South Africa)
"A Long Way to Freedom"
 
 
ListenBob Geldof
(Musician and debt relief campaigner) "Strange Fruit"
 
 
ListenMikhail Gorbachev (former Soviet President)
" Dark Night"
 
 
ListenPascoal Mocumbi (Prime Minister of Mozambique) "Kanimambo Frelimo"
 
 
ListenColin Powell
(US Secretary of State)
" We Shall Overcome
"
 
 
 
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