Ongoing History of New Music

Episode Summary

Episode: A Brief History of Protest Music: Part 1
Host: Alan Cross
Date: February 11, 2026

Main Theme

Alan Cross embarks on the first installment of a two-part series diving deep into the rich and varied history of protest music. Spanning centuries, genres, and continents, this episode explores how songs have served as powerful tools for social commentary, resistance, and calls to action—far beyond their association with the tumultuous 1960s. The episode traces protest music’s evolution from early folk and labor songs, through the anthems of the civil rights era, to the punk-driven anger of the 1970s and the diverse political landscapes of the 1980s.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

What Is a Protest Song?

• Definitional Groundwork:
  • Folk singer Phil Ochs’ view:
    “A protest song is a song that's so specific that you cannot mistake it for bs. Such songs must be in direct opposition to something, of something... It should offer some sort of alternate solution to the problem being addressed, even if that solution is not specific. These songs should arouse some sort of emotion in both the performer and the listener.” — Alan Cross, [04:22]
  • Broader lens: Music as a form of persuasion or even propaganda; not always political, but never supportive of the status quo.

Early Roots of Protest Music

• Historical Contexts:

  • Protest songs are global—they’ve existed wherever there’s injustice, from North America and Europe to Africa and Asia.
  • Example: Both British and Americans adapted “Yankee Doodle” for opposing messages during the Revolutionary War.
    — Alan Cross, [05:12]

• African American Spirituals & Early Protest Songs

  • Enslaved people encoded messages of resistance in work songs and spirituals.
  • “No More Auction Block” (19th century)—sung by Black Union regiments, later popularized by Fisk Jubilee Singers, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, and Odetta (played in episode). — Alan Cross, [06:03]

The Labor Movement & Joe Hill

• The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW, “Wobblies”)
  • Founded 1905; used songbooks (notably “The Little Red Songbook”) to galvanize labor movements, often using popular hymn melodies.
  • Joe Hill—Swedish-born labor activist and songwriter; originator of the phrase “pie in the sky.”
    • His execution became a rallying point; he’s celebrated as the “father of the modern protest song.”
  • Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine):
    "Tom sees Joe as a timeless symbol of righteous protest, someone who could not be silenced even after being put to death by the state." — Alan Cross, [08:44]
  • “I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night” featured as an example. — [09:02]

Protest Music Expands: Civil Rights, Folk, and Antiwar

1930s–1970s: A Golden Era (but not the only era!)

• Civil Rights Anthems & Landmarks:

  • “Strange Fruit” by Billie Holiday (1939): Anti-lynching classic (banned in many regions).
  • “A Change Is Gonna Come” — Sam Cooke (1964)
  • “Mississippi Goddam” — Nina Simone (1964)
  • “People Get Ready” — Curtis Mayfield (1965)
  • The genre’s deep bench:
    “If you were to create a playlist of civil rights songs, it would contain literally thousands of tracks.” — Alan Cross, [10:33]

• Vietnam & Antiwar Movement:

  • “Eve of Destruction” — Barry McGuire (1965)
  • “The Unknown Soldier” — The Doors (1968)
  • “Give Peace a Chance” — John Lennon (1969)
  • “Ohio” — Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (1970)
  • “Fortunate Son” — Creedence Clearwater Revival—sparked by elite avoidance of the draft. — [10:52]
  • “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” — Gil Scott-Heron (1971); highlighted for its influence on rap.
    “You will not be able to plug in, turn on and cop out... the revolution will not be televised.” — Gil Scott-Heron, song played [12:23]

Movements for Women’s Rights

• Defiant Anthems:
  • “You Don’t Own Me” — Lesley Gore (1963): Early assertion of female autonomy.
  • “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” — Nancy Sinatra (1965)
  • “Respect” — Aretha Franklin (1967): Transformed from Otis Redding’s version into a women’s anthem.
  • “I Am Woman” — Helen Reddy (1972)
  • “The Pill” — Loretta Lynn (1975): Banned from many stations for pro–birth control message.
  • “I Will Survive” — Gloria Gaynor (1978), played via Cake’s 1996 cover.
    — Alan Cross, [14:45]

Punk’s Revolution: 1970s

• British Punk Radiates Dissent:

  • Sex Pistols:
    • “God Save the Queen”—lambasted the monarchy; banned by the BBC.
    • “Anarchy in the U.K.”—indicts British order, references political organizations.
  • The Clash:
    “No one beat the Clash... They began as a straight ahead, nihilistic, alienated bunch of punks. But in very short order, they began using their brand of punk as a social tool, a way to intervene, confront and agitate. Joe Strummer had this idea that rock music should be a form of journalism and education.” — Alan Cross, [17:36]
    • Protest catalogue: “Career Opportunities,” “I’m So Bored With the USA,” “Clampdown,” “Police and Thieves,” “White Riot,” “Know Your Rights,” “Lost in the Supermarket,” “Guns of Brixton,” “Washington Bullets,” and more.
    • Nicknamed “the only band that mattered.”

• Other UK Punk & Oi Bands:

  • The Jam: “Down in the Tube Station at Midnight”
  • Crass
  • Stiff Little Fingers: Focused on the Troubles in Northern Ireland
  • Sham 69: “If the Kids Are United” (played on episode)

Protest Music in the 1980s

• Evolution, Not Disappearance:
  • Alan Cross notes, “Protest music continued to evolve through the 1980s, but by this time most people really didn't connect the dots — wasn't one of rock's jobs to be angry and anti status quo anyway?” — [21:09]
• Key 1980s Protest Songs & Artists:
  • Peter Gabriel: “Games Without Frontiers” (international conflict)
  • Dead Kennedys: “Holiday in Cambodia,” “Kill the Poor,” “California Über Alles,” “MTV Get Off the Air,” “Let’s Lynch the Landlord.”
  • John Mellencamp: “Little Pink Houses”—misread as patriotic, actually about the hollow American dream.
  • Bruce Springsteen: “Born in the USA”—commonly misunderstood as pro-American, actually a critique.
    • “I’m going to say that Born in the USA is the most misunderstood protest song ever.” — [22:01]
  • Sting: “Russians” (1985)
  • Tears for Fears: “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”—underlying critique beneath catchy exterior.
  • Billy Bragg, Tracy Chapman (“Talking About a Revolution”), The Specials (“Ghost Town”): Tackling inequality, race, and decay.

Anti-Apartheid Movement

• Key Songs & Historical Moments:
  • The Specials: “Free Nelson Mandela”
  • Peter Gabriel: “Biko”
  • Artists United Against Apartheid: “Sun City”
    “Stevie Van Zant, Bruce Springsteen guitarist, was disgusted by these artists breaking this international boycott on the resort. To him, accepting this dirty South African money was tantamount to supporting the inhumane treatment of non-white people in the country... Sun City is seen as one of the most important and significant of all the songs dealing with the evils of apartheid.” — Alan Cross, [24:50]
• “Sun City”:
  • Massive collaborative protest (rock, rap, reggae, jazz artists), denounced Reagan’s policy on South Africa, was boycotted by U.S. radio for criticizing the president.
  • Impact: Raised more than $1 million for anti-apartheid work; premiered at the UN.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Protest songs are something that have been heard around the world and in all cultures. Not just in North America, but Europe, Africa, Asia.”
  — Alan Cross, [04:50]

• “Joe [Hill] is considered to be the father of the modern protest song. Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine ... has since organized a memorial in Joe’s name, performed his songs, and released songs about Joe. In fact, you can draw a straight line from Rage Against the Machine right back to... Joe Hill.”
  — Alan Cross, [08:25]

• “Civil rights songs... If you were to create a playlist ... it would contain literally thousands of tracks.”
  — Alan Cross, [10:38]

• On Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA”:
  “I'm going to say that Born in the USA is the most misunderstood protest song ever.”
  — Alan Cross, [22:01]

• On punk’s attitude:
  “When punk rock blew up in the mid-1970s, there were two flavors. The original blend in New York was very much on the artsy side, but in the UK it was very us against them... The attitude was very much like the line from Johnny Stabler... ‘What are you rebelling against?’ and he replies, ‘What have you got?’”
  — Alan Cross, [16:05]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:54] — Opening: Why protest music matters; how it differs from direct action.
• [02:32] — Green Day’s “American Idiot”: Example of modern protest music; roots, motivations.
• [04:22] — Defining protest songs (Phil Ochs’ perspective).
• [05:12] — Early global roots and first protest songs.
• [06:03] — African American spirituals & “No More Auction Block.”
• [07:40] — Labor movement, Joe Hill & IWW.
• [09:02] — “I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night” (song sample).
• [10:13] — Blues (Lead Belly), folk (Woody Guthrie), civil rights movement.
• [10:52] — The folk revival and antiwar anthems.
• [12:23] — Gil Scott-Heron, “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” (song sample).
• [13:00] — 1960s-70s protest anthems: antiwar, civil rights, and counterculture.
• [14:45] — Women’s rights & key anthems (“I Will Survive” sample).
• [15:47] — Punk: Sex Pistols, The Clash, Jam, Stiff Little Fingers.
• [18:14] — The Clash: Scope of protest, "rock music as journalism."
• [19:50] — Sham 69 & Oi bands.
• [21:09] — 1980s: Protest themes diversifying, becoming more subtle or misinterpreted.
• [23:17] — Specials, Peter Gabriel, and anti-apartheid songs.
• [24:50] — “Sun City” and global activism.
• [27:36] — Outro/Segue: Preview of Part 2 (rap, hip hop, 1990s alt, 21st-century protest music).

Tone & Style

Alan Cross maintains his signature documentary style—authoritative, insightful, and wide-ranging, with a touch of wit and plenty of cultural context. He balances musical analysis, history, and activism, always linking back to ongoing currents of cultural dissent. The tone is both educational and motivating, inviting deeper exploration.

Summary Takeaway

Protest music is not a relic of the 1960s; its roots run deep, and its influence continues to shape social consciousness. This episode establishes that protest songs are enduring, dynamic, and universal. Whether folk or punk, soul or rock, they call listeners not just to feel, but to act. As Alan puts it:
“Given the state of the world right now, this is probably a really important topic.” — [03:30]

Stay tuned for Part 2: The rise of protest music in hip hop, 1990s alt-rock, and beyond.