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Social Commentary Music




Social commentary songs listed below are in no particular order, other than some of the top listed songs are regarded by many historians as important themes reflecting or addressing society. These are songs that in some way include content about society, politics or world views. The themes of these songs go beyond personal relationships and offer musical messages about humanity. Find more social themes at Tangent Sunset.

John Lennon - Imagine
Pink Floyd - Money
Bruce Springsteen - Born In The USA
U2 - Pride In The Name of Love
Bob Dylan - Blowin' In The Wind
Beatles - Revolution
Pink Floyd - Another Brick In The Wall
Eagles - Hotel California
Rolling Stones - Sympathy For The Devil
Dire Straits - Money For Nothin'
Police - De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
Bob Dylan - Like A Rolling Stone
Don McLean - American Pie
Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now
Pete Seeger - Where Have All The Flowers Gone
Pink Floyd - Time
Don Henley - Boys of Summer
Grateful Dead - Touch of Grey
Smash Mouth - Walkin' On The Sun
Sting - All This Time
Cake - Rock and Roll Lifestyle
Beatles - All You Need Is Love
Rolling Stones - You Can't Always Get What You Want
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Fortunate Son
Edwin Starr - War
Marvin Gaye - What's Goin' On
Depeche Mode - Blasphemous Rumours
Kansas - Dust In The Wind
Simon & Garfunkel - The Sounds of Silence
Police - Invisible Sun
Eagles - The Last Resort
Tears For Fears - Everybody Wants To Rule The World
John Cougar Mellencamp - Small Town
Pearl Jam - Not For You
Steppenwolf - Born To Be Wild
Barry McGuire - Eve of Destruction
O'Jays - Love Train
John Cougar Mellencamp - Pink Houses
Supertramp - The Logical Song
U2 - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Beatles - Nowhere Man
Bob Dylan - The Times They Are A Changin'
Don Henley - End of the Innocence
Beatles - Taxman
Counting Crows - Mr. Jones
John Lennon - Instant Karma
R.E.M. - It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
Tears For Fears - Shout
Depeche Mode - Shake The Disease
Dion - Abraham, Martin and John
Grateful Dead - Throwing Stones
Rolling Stones - Street Fighting Man
Doors - Riders On The Storm
Jesus Jones - Right Here, Right Now
Bob Seger - Night Moves
Elvis Presley - In The Ghetto
Sonny & Cher - The Beat Goes On
Janis Ian - Society's Child
Pink Floyd - Welcome To The Machine
Temptations - Ball of Confusion
Rascals - People Got To Be Free
Paul Revere & The Raiders - Kicks
Guess Who - Share The Land
Doors - People Are Strange
Bob Dylan - Rainy Day Women #12 and 35
Beatles - A Day In The Life
Ringo Starr - No No Song
Rolling Stones - Shattered
Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth
Harry Chapin - Cat's In The Cradle
Coven - One Tin Soldier
R.E.M. - Ignoreland
Sly Fox - Let's Go All The Way
Beatles - Within You, Without You
World Party - Ship of Fools
Janis Ian - At Seventeen
Tears For Fears - Mad World
Bob Dylan - Everything Is Broken
Jethro Tull - Farm On The Freeway
Moody Blues - Question
Moody Blues - Nights In White Satin
Crosby, Stills & Nash - Wasted On The Way
R.E.M. - Radio Song
Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Animals - It's My Life
Supremes - Love Child
Scott McKenzie - San Francisco
Crosby, Stills & Nash - Teach Your Children
Chicago - Harry Truman
Tom Petty - I Won't Back Down
Ten Years After - I'd Love To Change The World
Billy Joel - Only The Good Die Young
Crosby, Stills & Nash - Ohio
USA For Africa - We Are The World
Dire Straits - One World
Cat Stevens - Peace Train
Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues
Steve Miller Band - Fly Like An Eagle
Beatles - In My Life
The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again
R.E.M. - World Leader Pretend
David Bowie - Fame
Billy Joel - It's Still Rock and Roll To Me
Suzanne Vega - Luka
Police - One World
Sly & The Family Stone - Everyday People
Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit
Three Dog Night - Joy To The World
Moody Blues - Ride My See Saw
Simon & Garfunkel - My Little Town
Neil Young - Hey, Hey, My, My
Bob Marley - Redemption Song
Beatles - She's Leaving Home
Rush - Tom Sawyer
Pretenders - Middle of the Road
Huey Lewis & The News - Walkin' On A Thin Line
Rush - Spirit Of Radio
INXS - Devil Inside
Arlo Guthrie - City of New Orleans
U2- Bullet The Blue Sky
Depeche Mode - People Are People
INXS - Kick
Velvet Underground - Sweet Jane
R.E.M. - Stand
Sex Pistols - God Save The Queen
Stevie Wonder - Higher Ground
Depeche Mode - A Question of Lust
David Bowie - Modern Love
Elvis Costello - What's So Funny About Peace Love and Understanding
Talking Heads - Life During Wartime
Ice T - Colors
Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians - What I Am
Buggles - Video Killed The Radio Star
Men At Work - It's A Mistake
Raiders - Indian Reservation
Pretenders - My City Was Gone
John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band - Give Peace A Chance
The Clash - London Calling
Temple of the Dog - Hunger Strike
Jewel - Who Will Save Your Soul
Stevie Wonder - Livin' For The City
Dire Straits - Industrial Disease
INXS - Calling All Nations
Sex Pistols - Anarchy In The U.K.
Sublime - What I Got
Everlast - What It's Like
R.E.M. - Drive
Mark Knopfler - What It Is
Billy Joel - My Life
Pearl Jam - Jeremy
Nirvana - Come As You Are
Rage Against the Machine - Killing In The Name
Offspring - The Kids Aren't Alright
Bruce Springsteen - 57 Channels
XTC - Dear God
Rush - Big Money
John Mellencamp - Peaceful World
Neil Young - This Note's For You
Tracy Chapman - Bang, Bang, Bang
Joe Walsh - Space Age Whiz Kids
Paul Hardcastle - 19
Bob Dylan - Masters Of War
Ice T - I'm Your Pusher
Bruce Springsteen - Glory Days
Frozen Ghost - Should I See
Doobie Brothers - Listen To The Music
War - Why Can't We Be Friends
Julian Lennon - Saltwater
Live - 10,000 Years (Peace Is Now)
Don Henley - All She Wants To Do Is Dance
Ice T - High Rollers
Glenn Frey - Smuggler's Blues
Tori Amos - God
Electric Flag - Another Country
Midnight Oil - Beds Are Burning
Stevie Wonder - You Haven't Done Nothin'
Midnight Oil - Forgotten Years
The Clash - This Is Radio Clash
Police - Bombs Away
Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms
Moody Blues - Isn't Life Strange
Rage Against The Machine - Bulls On Parade
Crowded House - Don't Dream It's Over
Bob Marley - Get Up, Stand Up
R.E.M. - Pop Song '89
Youngbloods - Get Together
Rage Against The Machine - Guerrilla Radio
Ned's Atomic Dustbin - Grey Cell Green
Sting - History Will Teach Us Nothing
Dead Kennedys - Holiday In Cambodia
Ringo Starr - It Don't Come Easy
Genesis - Land Of Confusion
INXS - Mediate
Metallica - One
Sting - Russians
Midnight Oil - The Power and the Passion
Mike + The Mechanics - The Living Years
Police - Spirits In The Material World
Rage Against The Machine - Testify
Pink Floyd - Us And Them
Live - White, Discussion
Timmy Thomas - Why Can't We Live Together
Crosby, Stills & Nash - Woodstock
Dead Kennedys - Kinky Sex Makes The World Go Round
Cranberries - Zombie
Natalie Merchant - Carnival
Morrissey - We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful
Toad The Wet Sprocket - Hold Her Down
Consolidated - Music Has No Meaning
Police - Walking In Your Footsteps
Ned's Atomic Dustbin - Kill Your Television
Jesus Jones - Welcome Back Victoria
XTC - Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead
4 Non Blondes - What's Up
Porno For Pyros - Pets
Sting - If I Ever Lose My Faith In You
Tori Amos - Silent All These Years
Henry Rollins - Liar
Filter - Hey Man, Nice Shot



More Social Commentary Songs 10,000 YEARS (PEACE IS NOW) - Live 19 - Paul Hardcastle 1945 - Social Distortion 1983 - Jimi Hendrix 21ST CENTURY SCHIZOID MAN - King Crimson 99 LUFTBALLOONS/99 RED BALLOONS - Nena A CALL TO ARMS - Mike + The Mechanics A HARD RAIN'S GONNA FALL - Bob Dylan AIN'T MARCHING ANYMORE - Phil Ochs ALIVE - P.O.D. ALL SHE WANTS TO DO IS DANCE - Don Henley ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE - Beatles AMERICANS/SOVIETS - C.C.C.P. ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL (Parts I, II, III) - Pink Floyd ANOTHER COUNTRY - Electric Flag ANOTHER ONE IN THE DARK - Wallflowers ATTACK OF THE PEACEKEEPERS - Jello Biafra with D.O.A. ARMY - Ben Folds Five ARMY DREAMERS - Kate Bush BAD MOON RISING - Creedence Clearwater Revival BALL OF CONFUSION - Love And Rockets BALL OF CONFUSION - Temptations* BATTLEFLAG - Lo Fidelity Allstars BEDS ARE BURNING - Midnight Oil BETWEEN THE WARS - Billy Bragg THE BIG MONEY - Rush BILLY DON'T BE A HERO - Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods BLACK STEEL - Public Enemy* BLACK STEEL - Tricky BLOWIN' IN THE WIND - Bob Dylan* BLOWIN' IN THE WIND - Neil Young BOLD AS LOVE - Jimi Hendrix BOMBS AWAY - Police BOMBTRACK - Rage Against The Machine BOOM - System Of A Down BORN IN THE USA - Bruce Springsteen BORN TO BE WILD - Steppenwolf* BORN TO BE WILD - INXS BRING THE BOYS BACK HOME - Pink Floyd BROTHERS IN ARMS - Dire Straits BUFFALO SOLDIER - Bob Marley & The Wailers BULLET IN YOUR HEAD - Rage Against The Machine BULLET THE BLUE SKY - U2 BULLS ON PARADE - Rage Against The Machine CALLING ALL NATIONS - INXS THE CALL UP - The Clash CALM LIKE A BOMB - Rage Against The Machine CITIES IN DUST - Siouxsie & The Banshees THE CLAMPDOWN - The Clash COLD WAR - Devo COMFORTABLY NUMB - Pink Floyd COPS OF THE WORLD - Phil Ochs CRAZY TRAIN - Ozzie Osbourne CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION - Concrete Blonde CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION - Tommy James & The Shondells* DANGER ZONE - Kenny Loggins DEAR GOD - XTC DER KOMMISSAR - After The Fire DER KOMMISSAR - Falco* DIALOGUE - Chicago DISARM - Smashing Pumpkins DOGS OF WAR - Pink Floyd DON'T BOMB WHEN YOU'RE THE BOMB - Blur DON'T DREAM IT'S OVER - Crowded House* DON'T DREAM IT'S OVER - Sixpence None The Richer DON'T LEAVE ME NOW - Pink Floyd DOWN RODEO - Rage Against The Machine DR. JEEP - Sisters Of Mercy EMPTY SPACES - Pink Floyd END OF THE INNOCENCE - Don Henley EPITAPH - King Crimson EVE OF DESTRUCTION - Barry McGuire EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD - Tears For Fears EVERY DAY IS LIKE SUNDAY - Morrissey FERNANDO - Abba FIVE TO ONE - Doors FIXIN' TO DIE RAG - Country Joe & The Fish FLOWERS OF GUATEMALA - R.E.M. FOREVER YOUNG - Alphaville FORTUNATE SON - Creedence Clearwater Revival FORTRESS AROUND YOUR HEART - Sting FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH - Buffalo Springfield FREEDOM FIGHTER - Creed GAMES WITHOUT FRONTIERS - Peter Gabriel GENERALS AND MAJORS - XTC GET TOGETHER - Youngbloods GET UP, STAND UP - Bob Marley & THe Wailers GIMME SHELTER - Rolling Stones GIVE ME LOVE (GIVE ME PEACE ON EARTH) - George Harrison GIVE PEACE A CHANCE - John Lennon GLORY DAYS - Bruce Springsteen GOING UNDER - Devo GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD - Pink Floyd GUERRILLA RADIO - Rage Against The Machine GUNS IN THE SKY - INXS GUNS OF BRIXTON - The Clash HALLOWED GROUND - Violent Femmes HAMMER TO FALL - Queen HAPPIEST DAYS OF OUR LIVES - Pink Floyd HEAVEN IS FALLING - Bad Religion HEY YOU - Pink Floyd HIGHER GROUND - Red Hot Chili Peppers HIGHER GROUND - Stevie Wonder* HATE AND WAR - The Clash HE AIN'T HEAVY...HE'S MY BROTHER - Neil Diamond* HE AIN'T HEAVY...HE'S MY BROTHER - Hollies HISTORY WILL TEACH US NOTHING - Sting HOLIDAY IN CAMBODIA - Dead Kennedys HUMAN NATURE - Gary Clail I DON'T WANT TO BE A SOLDIER - John Lennon* I DON'T WANT TO BE A SOLDIER - Mad Season I DON'T WANT TO GET DRAFTED - Frank Zappa IMAGINE - Blues Traveler IMAGINE - John Lennon* IMAGINE - Neil Young IMMIGRANT SONG - Led Zeppelin IN A WORLD GONE MAD - Beastie Boys INDIAN RESERVATION - Raiders IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING - King Crimson IN THE FLESH - Pink Floyd INVISIBLE SUN - Police IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE - Pink Floyd IS THERE SOMETHING I SHOULD KNOW - Duran Duran I TALK TO THE WIND - King Crimson IT DON'T COME EASY - Ringo Starr IT'S A MISTAKE - Men At Work IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT (AND I FEEL FINE) - R.E.M. IVAN MEETS G.I. JOE - The Clash JOIN THE ARMY - Suicidal Tendancies JOY TO THE WORLD - Three Dog Night JUST ONE FIX - Ministry KICK - INXS KILLING AN ARAB - The Cure KILLING IN THE NAME - Rage Against The Machine KINKY SEX MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND - Dead Kennedys LAND OF CONFUSION - Genesis THE LAST FAREWELL - Roger Whittaker LET'S GO ALL THE WAY - Sly Fox LIE ON LIE - Chalk Farm LIFE DURING WARTIME - Talking Heads LIVING THROUGH ANOTHER CUBA - XTC LONDON CALLING - The Clash LOVE TRAIN - O'Jays LUCKY MAN - Emerson, Lake & Palmer MANHATTAN PROJECT - Rush MAN OF PEACE - Bob Dylan THE MAN'S TOO STRONG - Dire Straits MARCH OF THE PIGS - Nine Inch Nails MASTERS OF WAR - Bob Dylan* MASTERS OF WAR - Eddie Vedder MEDIATE - INXS MIDDLE OF THE ROAD - Pretenders MIND GAMES - John Lennon MISSING THE WAR - Ben Folds Five MILITARY MADNESS - Crosby, Stills & Nash MOTHER - Pink Floyd MURDER BY NUMBERS - Police N.W.O. - Ministry THE NIGHT THEY DROVE OLD DIXIE DOWN - The Band* THE NIGHT THEY DROVE OLD DIXIE DOWN - Joan Baez NOBODY HOME - Pink Floyd NO SHELTER - Rage Against The Machine NUCLEAR WAR - Yo La Tengo OHIO - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young OLD MAN AND ME - Hootie & The Blowfish OLIVER'S ARMY - Elvis Costello ONE - Creed ONE - Metallica ONE - U2 ONE MAN ARMY - Our Lady Peace ONE OF MY TURNS - Pink Floyd ONE OF OUR SUBMARINES (IS MISSING) - Thomas Dolby ONE TIN SOLDIER - Coven ONE WORLD - Dire Straits ONE WORLD (NOT THREE) - Police ORANGE CRUSH - R.E.M. PATRIOT'S DAY - Wrenfields PEACE - Los Lobos PEACE AND LOVE - Neil Young PEACE BROTHER PEACE - Bill Medley PEACE IN OUR TIME - Elvis Costello PEACE IN OUR TIME - Eddie Money PEACE IN THE VALLEY - Elvis Presley PEACE IS JUST A WORD - Eurythmics PEACEKEEPER - Fleetwood Mac PEACE LIKE A RIVER - Paul Simon PEACE SELLS BUT WHO'S BUYING? - Megadeth PEACE SIGN - War PEACE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD - Maxi Priest PEACE TRAIN - Cat Stevens PEACE WILL COME - Melanie PEACEFUL WORLD - John Mellencamp PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE - Depeche Mode PEOPLE GOT TO BE FREE - Rascals PLANET EARTH - Duran Duran POST COLD WAR POLITICS - Fishbone POWER AND THE PASSION - Midnight Oil PUT DOWN THAT WEAPON - Midnight Oil QUESTION - Moody Blues QUICK FIX - Ministry featuring William Burroughs RADIO FREE EUROPE - R.E.M. REDEMPTION SONG - Bob Marley & The Wailers RED RAIN - Peter Gabriel RED SAILS IN THE SUNSET - Midnight Oil RED SECTOR - Rush RED SKIES - The Fixx REVOLUTION - Beatles RIDE ACROSS THE RIVER - Dire Straits RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW - Jesus Jones RIPPLE - Grateful Dead RIPPLE - Jane's Addiction ROCKIN' IN THE FREE WORLD - Neil Young ROCK THE CASBAH - The Clash ROOSTER - Alice In Chains RUMOURS OF WAR - Billy Bragg RUN LIKE HELL - Pink Floyd RUNNING GUN BLUES - David Bowie RUN THROUGH THE JUNGLE - Creedence Clearwater Revival RUSSIANS - Sting SAN FRANCISCO - Scott McKenzie SEVEN NATION ARMY - White Stripes SHAPES OF THINGS - Yardbirds SHORT MEMORY - Midnight Oil SHOUT - Tears For Fears SILENT RUNNING - Mike + The Mechanics SITUATION - Yaz SKY PILOT - Eric Burden & The Animals SLEEP NOW IN THE FIRE - Rage Against The Machine SMOKE TWO JOINTS - Bob Marley & The Wailers* SMOKE TWO JOINTS - Sublime SOLDIER BLUE - The Cult SO MANY PEOPLE - Hubert Kah SORROW - Bad Religion SOUND OF SILENCE - Simon & Garfunkel SOVIET SNOW - Shona Laing SPIRITS IN THE MATERIAL WORLD - Police STILL IN SAIGON - Charlie Daniels Band STREET FIGHTING MAN - Rolling Stones SUICIDE IS PAINLESS (THEME FROM M*A*S*H) - Manic Street Preachers SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY - U2 SUPPOSE THEY GAVE A WAR AND NO ONE CAME - West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band SURRENDER - U2 SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL - Natalie Merchant SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL - Rolling Stones* TALKING WORLD WAR III BLUES - Bob Dylan TERMS OF PSYCHIC WARFARE - Husker Du TESTIFY - Rage Against The Machine THE THIN ICE - Pink Floyd THEY DANCE ALONE - Sting THIS IS RADIO CLASH - The Clash THROWING STONES - Grateful Dead TIMES THEY ARE A CHANGIN' - Bob Dylan TOM SAWYER - Rush TOO MUCH MONKEY BUSINESS - Chuck Berry TRAVELIN' SOLDIER - Dixie Chicks TRAVELIN' SOLDIER - Bruce Robison TURN, TURN, TURN - Byrds TWO SOLDIERS - Bob Dylan TWO TRIBES - Frankie Goes To Hollywood UNDERCOVER OF THE NIGHT - Rolling Stones UNDERNEATH THE RADAR - Underworld UNKNOWN SOLDIER - Doors UNIVERSAL SOLDIER - Donovan US AND THEM - Pink Floyd U.S. FORCES - Midnight Oil WAITING FOR THE WORMS - Pink Floyd THE WAITRESS - Tori Amos WALKIN' ON A THIN LINE - Huey Lewis & THe News WAR - Bob Marley & The Wailers (not the same as Edwin Starr song) WAR - Bruce Springsteen WAR - Edwin Starr* WAR AND PEACE - Vic Damone WAR CHILD - Jethro Tull WAR GAMES - Crosby, Stills & Nash WAR IS COMING, WAR IS COMING - War WAR OF MAN - Neil Young WAR PIGS - Black Sabbath WAR SONG - Culture Club (not the same as Young/Nash song) WAR SONG - Neil Young And Graham Nash WAR WAR WAR - Country Joe & The Fish WAR WITHIN A BREATH - Rage Against The Machine WATERLOO - Abba WE ALL FALL DOWN - Ultravox WE CAN BE TOGETHER - Jefferson Airplane WE CAN WORK IT OUT - Beatles WE WANT PEACE - Lenny Kravitz WHAT I GOT - Sublime WHAT'S GOIN' ON - Marvin Gaye WHAT'S SO FUNNY ABOUT PEACE, LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING - Elvis Costello WHEN THE WIND BLOWS - David Bowie WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE - Pete Seeger WHITE, DISCUSSION - Live WHY CAN'T WE LIVE TOGETHER - Sade WHY CAN'T WE LIVE TOGETHER - Timmy Thomas* WILD WILD WEST - Escape Club WIND OF CHANGE - Scorpions WINTER OF THE LONG HOT SUMMER - Disposable Heroes OF Hiphoprisy WITHIN YOU, WITHOUT YOU - Beatles WON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN - The Who WOODEN SHIPS - Crosby, Stills & Nash* WOODEN SHIPS - Jefferson Airplane WOODSTOCK - Crosby, Stills & Nash WOODSTOCK - Joni Mitchell WORLD DESTRUCTION - Afrikaa Bambata & Johnny Lydon WORLD LEADER PRETEND - R.E.M. WORLD WAR III - TSOL WORLD WAR NONE - Frank Sinatra YOUNG LUST - Pink Floyd ZOMBIE - Cranberries





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