Wont Get Fooled Again Bad Girls Song

In one case upon a time, long before I was an imaginary girl, I was editor of my loftier schoolhouse newspaper, "The Chariot." My assistant editor was John J. Miller, then Lennon-spec-ed smartass, now a conservative writer for the National Review. A few weeks back, he published a list chosen The 50 greatest conservative stone songs.

The article surprised me — not only because the concept of 'bourgeois rock' is laughably sick and wrong, merely as well because John wrote it. I've kept in bear upon with John enough over the years to know nosotros autumn on contrary sides of the political spectrum. Still, I respect John's achievements even if I disagree with his views. (Example in bespeak: If you buy his book about how much he hates France, yous get a lump package bargain with Ann Coulter'southward "How to Talk to Liberals – If Yous Must" — charming!)

The John J. Miller I knew was a slap-up writer with a smashing listen, a wicked humour, and a strong sense of irony. We were in the gifted program together. We listened to Pinkish Floyd together. He knew better than to try to substantiate a rock song listing, "without reference to biography or historical context." And I'd similar to believe that deep down, he still knows amend.

What does this all mean for my fallen high school hero?

• John is secretly taking the piss out of his conservative reader base. While this option seems unlikely, the John I knew would have idea it damn funny to send thousands of National Review readers to download the Sex Pistols.
• John is just liberal-baiting (and pretty successfully, at that).
• John actually believes that Republicans values can be found in rock/pop civilization.

But he's wrong.

Rock and gyre has existed for 50 some-odd years. I could list hundreds of artists — and thousands of songs — that expouse liberal ideals, oppose the current political regime, or turn down the Republican powers-that-be of our past. John, on the other hand, squints through his red-state-colored glasses and attempts to extract the winciest bit of conservatism from the 50 songs below, drastic to bear witness that the stone and gyre heroes of his youth jibe with the Republican ideals of his present. But he's can't. 50+ years of rock music hasn't produced even a handful of Republican rockers, or legitimately bourgeois rock songs.

I don't begrudge John (or any Republicans) the right to love the rock. Rock rocks! Only they tin't accept Pete Townshend. Or John Lennon. Or Joe Strummer.

Enough talking. Time to starting time rocking…

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

1. "Won't Get Fooled Once more," by The Who.
The conservative movement is full of disillusioned revolutionaries; this could be their theme song, an adjuration that swears off naïve idealism one time and for all. "At that place's nothing in the streets / Looks any different to me / And the slogans are replaced, by-the-bye. . . . Run across the new boss / Same equally the onetime boss." The instantly recognizable synthesizer intro, Pete Townshend's ringing guitar, Keith Moon'southward pounding drums, and Roger Daltrey's wailing vocals make this i of the most explosive rock anthems ever recorded — the all-time number by a big band, and a classic for conservatives.

John always was a huge Who fan. And congrats to y'all, John; Pete Townshend, who wrote the song, has responded to your commodity, which is super cool! Unfortunately for you lot, he apartment-out disagrees with your opinion.

Merely don't dismay. I like to call up of this as a bourgeois vocal too! As in, remember when America supported and believed our conservative President when he said Iraq had weapons of mass destruction? And so we went to war based on his faulty intelligence and it turned out that oopsie, there really weren't any weapons after all? Well, here's to hoping that We Won't Get Fooled Again!"

two. "Taxman," past The Beatles.
A George Harrison masterpiece with a famous guitar riff (which was really played by Paul McCartney): "If yous bulldoze a car, I'll tax the street / If you lot try to sit, I'll tax your seat / If y'all get too common cold, I'll tax the heat / If you take a walk, I'll revenue enhancement your feet." The vocal closes with a humorous jab at decease taxes: "At present my communication for those who die / Declare the pennies on your eyes."

Aye, the Beatles were complaining about their taxes. And no wonder: at the time this song was written, the crazy Brits had hiked revenue enhancement rates so that the most rich were paying 95% of their income to taxes. Not even we tax crazy liberals can take result with their complaining.

Though while we're on the subject of taxing wealthy people, I was simply reading about the recent House vote to repeal of the manor tax. Co-ordinate to the article, "Under the House beak, estates worth up to $v million (individuals) or $ten million (couples) would exist exempt from the estate tax; taxes for even larger estates — those worth up to $25 meg — would be reduced dramatically from the current levels. If the bill gets through the Senate, it's expected to reduce federal revenues past $283 billion between 2006 and 2016. That'south roughly the same equally the price of the Iraq state of war to appointment."

Our National Debt is over eight trillion dollars. The cost of the Iraq war quickly approaches three hundred billion dollars, with no finish in sight. That's a lot of pudding!

If there's one thing our country used to be able to count on with Republicans in office, it was fiscal responsibility. But with the astronomical costs of war partnered with the proposed Estate tax cutting, what exactly is the programme to pay off our debt? It'southward similar the Repubs are using their Visa to pay their Find to pay their Amex. Somewhen, someone'due south gotta pay the hire and pick up the tab. Are the Republicans just waiting for the pendulum to swing back, so that when Democrats finally motility back into the Washington bulk and are forced to raise taxes to pay off the Republican accrued debts, they can whine almost how much liberals love taxes? Pah!

This nautical chart provides a squeamish visual that debunks the whole "liberals spend all the money" myth. I wonder who'southward going to be picking upwards this tab?

3. "Sympathy for the Devil," by The Rolling Stones.
Don't be misled by the title; this vocal is The Screwtape Letters of rock. The devil is a tempter who leans difficult on moral relativism — he volition try to brand you recall that "every cop is a criminal / And all the sinners saints." What's more, he is the sinister inspiration for the crueltie
due south of Bolshevism: "I stuck effectually St. petersburg / When I saw it was a time for a change / Killed the czar and his ministers / Anastasia screamed in vain."

Stop right there. I gotta know right now. How many of you lot readers know the departure between a communist and a liberal? Cause information technology seems similar my old friend John J. Miller could use a refresher.

• Communism is a political credo that seeks to found a hereafter classless, stateless social organisation based upon common ownership of the means of product.
• Liberalism is an ideology, philosophical view, and political tradition which holds that liberty is the primary political value. Broadly speaking, liberalism seeks a social club characterized by freedom of idea for individuals, limitations on power, especially of government and religion, the rule of police force, the complimentary exchange of ideas, a market economic system that supports relatively free private enterprise, and a transparent system of regime in which the rights of minorities are protected.

Please note that the ideologies are polar opposites. The theme of equating liberals with communism is pervasive throughout John'southward song choices and information technology a big fat propaganda lie.

But don't judge John besides harshly for information technology. Come across, John and I were young and impressionable during the "I-promise-the-Russian'south-love-their-children-likewise" era. Communism was the ultimate force of evil in the world; we were pumped stories of all the atrocities in the USSR (rigging elections, imprisoning people unjustly without letting the accused hear show of their crimes, manipulating the press, etc). A great number of John's song choices reveal how profoundly influenced he was by this era. But as it turns out, the Russian's *did* love their children, Sting has gone on to release countless additional crappy solo albums, the Berlin wall came down, and all of America (not just the neocons) rejoiced.

C'mon, recollect about what you currently know about gimmicky liberal values. Liberty of religion. Separation of church building and state. Rights for all, regardless of race, gender, or sexuality. Do yous think these views held up well in Hitler's fascist correct-wing Germany or communist Russia? How exercise you retrieve we agnostics, gays, and Jews fared? You may recall, Non WELL. The liberal viewpoint is that anybody should be able to lead the life he or she wants to alive: not the life the authorities wants, nor the life the church wants. I know I'1000 getting all heavy on you here, but trust me, reader — you're going to meet a lot of songs cited as conservative simply because they're excited near the terminate of the Cold War — and that'southward a value shared by liberals and conservatives.

And also, if the devil is boasting that he'southward "a man of wealth and taste," he's probable voting Republican.

4. "Sweet Home Alabama," by Lynyrd Skynyrd. A tribute to the region of America that liberals love to loathe, taking a shot at Neil Young's Canadian arrogance forth the manner: "A Southern human being don't need him around anyway."

Neil Young's song "Southern Human being" denounced racism and segregation. Virtually people meet "Sweet Home Alabama" as a retort to "Southern Man," as it voices support for then-governor George Wallace, a declared segregationalist ("In Birmingham they love the governor"). Do you really feel so strongly that George Wallace was a role model for conservatives today that you cite the i rock song that supports him as #four on your list? Huh.

In reality, Neil Young and the members of Lynyrd Skynrd were peachy pals, and Neil Young still occasionally busts out a rendition of "Sweetness Dwelling Alabama" at his shows. Sounds way less similar Canadian arrogance and fashion more like a great Canadian sense of humour.

Incidentally, "Sugariness Dwelling house Alabama" was a hitting in 1974. In the next Presidential election, virtually the unabridged s — including Alabamy — voted for the Democratic candidate Jimmy Carter.

PS ~ John, liberals don't "dearest to loathe" the S. Nosotros do, nevertheless, love to loathe racism, segregation, homophobia, ignorance, and weak public educational systems that only perpetuate these characteristics — all attributes modern Republicans seem to advocate, or at least exploit.

5. "Wouldn't It Be Nice," past The Beach Boys.
Pro-abstinence and pro-marriage: "Maybe if we recollect and wish and hope and pray it might come truthful / Baby so there wouldn't be a unmarried thing we couldn't do / We could be married / And then nosotros'd exist happy."

Weird. If someone as drug befuddled and promiscuous equally 60s era Brian "I Become Around" Wilson's could produce an anthem for conservatism, wouldn't that exist overnice? Just possibly that over-the-meridian ethereal product value and the hyperbolic-ly naive lyrics prove that the song is… ironic?

But I like this guy's interpretation best of all: "I don't hear the abstinence part, unless you think falsetto is inherently an anti-sexual technique. Truly, though, this song is so gay, it's a pro-gay marriage anthem."

6. "Gloria," by U2.
But considering a rock song is about faith doesn't mean that it's bourgeois. Merely what nearly a stone song that's about faith and whose chorus is in Latin? That'south beautifully reactionary: "Gloria / In te domine / Gloria / Exultate."

Time to crack out our online dictionaries again!

A Reactionary is a political epithet typically applied to farthermost ideological conservatism, peculiarly that which wishes to return to a existent or imagined old lodge of things, and which is willing to use coercive means to do so.

Speaking Latin is coercive? Bono is an example of extreme ideological conservativism? C'monday now, John. Every bit your former editor, I have to permit you into a secret: people are laughing at you right now. Because that's just ridiculous.

Bono is the consummate example of a true Christian, minus the tragically ubiquitous "conservative" afterward it. He'south "erstwhile school new testament," so he totally digs on the whole "Do Unto Others" idea, and conspicuously he paid attending during the readings of the Sermon on the Mount (Blessed are the poor, the meek, the peacemakers… As you practise onto the to the lowest degree of these, you do onto me, yadda yadda).

Bono constantly champions for the poor and oppressed. I've quoted one of his well-nigh famous songs beneath (in a linguistic communication we all understand) to demonstrate how he's clearly falls far, far, far to the left of the dial:

"I honey / one blood / i life / you lot got to do what you should
One life / with each other / sisters / brothers
One life
But we're not the aforementioned
Nosotros get to
Carry each other
Acquit
each other
1…life "

Not exactly words from a man who wants to cut taxes for the rich and reduce social programs for the poor, eh?

7. "Revolution," by The Beatles.
"You say you want a revolution / Well you know / Nosotros all want to change the world . . . Don't y'all know y'all tin count me out?" What's more, Communism isn't even cool: "If you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao / You ain't going to make information technology with anyone anyhow." (Someone tell the Che Guevara crowd.)

John J. Miller sure was a big fan of John Lennon back in the day — or at least, Lennon was a major inspiration for his selection in fashionable eyewear. I wonder how John "Imagine all the people, sharing all the globe" Lennon would take reacted to John placing i of his songs in the top 10 conservative songs list? Now I know John'due south stated goal was to option songs, "without reference to biography or historical context," but out of respect for Lennon (RIP), I'm gonna do just that.

"Revolution" is the vocalisation of a liberal/progressive/pacifist, addressing a radical. He's imploring that when alter comes, it should not involve intolerance or violence ("But when you desire money for people with minds that hate / All I can tell you lot is blood brother you lot have to wait" and "But when y'all talk virtually destruction / Don't y'all know you can count me out").

He speaks to uniting the left toward a single goal — non communist one, but not a conservative one either. Because every bit I may have mentioned above, liberals practice not equal communists…

8. "Bodies," by The Sex Pistols.
Trigger-happy and vulgar, but also a searing anti-abortion anthem by the quintessential punk band: "It's not an animal / Information technology's an ballgame."

"Bodies" outwardly appears to be an anti-abortion song. But listen to all the lyrics and you'll hear Johnny Rotten become on to draw the horrors of illegal abortions, and too serve as a voice for choice (albeit a foul-mouthed one).

"Dragged on a tabular array in manufactory
Illegitimate place to exist
In a packet in a lavatory
Dice piddling infant screaming fucking bloody mess
It's not an animal information technology'south an abortion"

And continues on with its, um, charming lyrics, to voice for selection:

"Fuck this and fuck that fuck information technology all and
Fuck the fucking deviling
She dont wanna baby that looks like that
I dont wanna baby that looks similar that
Body I'yard non an animate being
Body I'm not an abortion."

According to Wiki-folklore, the vocal was based on a real-life fan of the band named Pauline, a mentally sick adult female who got pregnant while institutionalized and later had an abortion.

Neb Clinton said information technology best: Abortions should be safe, legal, and rare. And the song-author (John Lydon) himself has publicly denounced the anti-abortion movement.

9. "Don't Tread on Me," by Metallica.
A head-banging tribute to the doctrine of peace through strength, written in response to the commencement Gulf War: "So be it / Threaten no more than / To secure peace is to ready for war."

My hubby David most served in the first Gulf State of war. Yea, crazy thing, my rockstar super liberal husband was in the Regular army. Infantry unit — trained for hand-to-hand gainsay and an adept marksman likewise. He grew up in a small-scale boondocks, and the all-time way out was joining the Ground forces. And so when we listen to the news about the atrocities of Iraq each day, it hits him especially hard. Information technology'southward a sobering thought. John has three children. I know they're likewise immature to serve withal — just if he'd be willing to ship his children to Republic of iraq to fight for "peace through strength," then I'd be okay with calling "Don't Tread on Me" one killer conservative classic stone song.

Oh wait! Except that Metallica isn't on your side either. They supported Kerry.

x. "20th Century Man," by The Kinks.
"Y'all keep all your smart modern writers / Give me William Shakespeare / Y'all go along all your smart modern painters / I'll take Rembrandt, Titian, da Vinci, and Gainsborough. . . . I was born in a welfare state / Ruled by bureaucracy / Controlled past civil servants / And people dressed in grey / Got no privacy got no liberty / 'Cause the 20th-century people / Took it all away from me."

Someone educated enough to know Shakespeare and Gainsborough, lament about a loss of personal liberties, and you lot think he'south conservative? C'monday…

11. "The Trees," by Blitz.
Before in that location was Rush Limbaugh, in that location was Rush, a Canadian band whose lyrics are oftentimes libertarian. What happens in a forest when equal rights become equal outcomes? "The trees are all kept equal / By hatchet, axe, and saw."

Correct, and libertarians advocate that individuals should exist free to do whatever they wish with their person or holding, as long equally they do not infringe on the aforementioned liberty of others. Conservatives can't lay claim to the libertarians, unless they desire to take their pro-drug, pro-government-out-of-the-bedroom, and anti-state of war stances. Non many libertarians are going to tolerate wire borer.

And equally aside to JJM: I bet Getty, Neil, and Alex are gonna be pissed about the whole "Canadians are arrogant" comment to kick (run across #iv, "Sweetness Home Alabama").

12. "Neighborhood Not bad," by Bob Dylan.
A pro-Israel song released in 1983, ii years after the bombing of Iraq's nuclear reactor, this ironic number could be a theme vocal for the Bush Doctrine: "He destroyed a flop factory, nobody was glad / The bombs were meant for him / He was supposed to experience bad / He'due south the neighborhood bully."

Bob Dylan is neither conservative nor Republican. For fucks sake, this is DYLAN we're talking near. He is, all the same, Jewish; of form he's pro-Israel. But he's pro-Israel in a "the Jews vest in Israel" style, not in a "Jews- have- returned- to- Israel and then- at present- they- need- to- rebuild- the- Temple- to- start- the- End- of- Times" Christian bourgeois kinda mode.

13. "My Urban center Was Gone," by The Pretenders.
Virtually every conservative knows the bass line, which supplies the theme music for Limbaugh's radio show. But the lyrics also display a Jane Jacobs sensibility confronting central planning and a conservative's dissatisfaction with rapid change: "I went back to Ohio / But my pretty countryside / Had been paved downward the center / By a government that had no pride."

One elementary Wikipedia cheque would have confirmed that conservatives take been misinterpreting the song for years considering Rush Limbaugh stole it. (Style to respect intellectual property rights, Rush). Chrissie Hynde consented to let Rush go on to use the vocal — on the status that he donate all the royalties to PETA (People for the Upstanding Treatment of Animals), a super liberal organization t
chapeau protects creature rights. And and then he does. That effing rules.

And the dittoheads are grossly misinterpreting the lyrics. "My Metropolis Was Gone" has absolutely nothing to do with a conservative's dissatisfaction with rapid change. The song is a condemnation of corporate development and pollution in Hynde'due south hometown of Akron, Ohio. Run into same Wiki entry above for the details. Or hire "Roger and Me."

14. "Right Here, Right At present," past Jesus Jones.
The words are vague, but they're also virtually the fall of Communism and the end of the Cold State of war: "I was live and I waited for this. . . . Watching the world wake up from history."

I think I might accept had several under-historic period drinks and danced to this song like the wild liberal I am… Hell, John probably did too. Because We WERE ALL HAPPY when the Berlin wall came downwardly.

15. "I Fought the Law," by The Crickets.
The original constabulary-and-order classic, fabricated famous in 1965 by The Bobby Fuller Four and covered past only about everyone since and then.

Wha? Are conservatives on the side of the cops (who won)? Because after on, this list champions Sammy Hagar, who defies the fuzz when He Can't Bulldoze 55. Or peradventure conservatives are all riled up because this song defends the 2nd subpoena? (As clearly, our protagonist has access to firearms: "Robbing people with a 6 gun").

16. "Get Over It," by The Eagles.
Confronting the civilisation of grievance: "The large, bad world doesn't owe you a affair." There's too this nice line: "I'd like to find your inner child and kick its little donkey."

That IS a nice line! What a wicked fire on us liberals! And speaking on behalf of music loving liberals everywhere, if I may, nosotros'd be happy to give you this song, possibly one of the biggest pieces of rock crap every dumped on the American public.

Only hither's a big sticking signal for me almost modern day conservatives: the paradox between laissez-faire economics (that roughly translates to "become over it" whenever some progressive thinker whines well-nigh social injustices or the needy, right?) and Christianity (whose supporters are responsible for Bush-league in function… well, that and tampered polling machines and corrupt election officials in Florida, but I digress). Myself, I'grand agnostic, with Pagan leanings and a Jewish upbringing. I have never professed to follow the teachings of Christ, so I'chiliad immune, past my own moral code, to say all those welfare cases need to simply "go over it." But I don't. I recognize that there are inequalities in the world; I recognize that people get sick, or accept shitty parents, or don't accept coin to get the educations they need. I say sometimes we need to help each other out… but I came to this value of my own accordance.

You Christian peeps — aren't you lot morally jump to help those in need? As Bono sang in Conservative Song Choice #6 to a higher place (in the English office of the song), "Oh, Lord, if I had anything, anything at all, I'd give it to you." Ya'll need to outset subjugating yourself to the meek, no?

"Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth… Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive me… Blessed for the Eagles, for they shall Get Over It." That sounds like Compassionate Conservativism alrighty.

17. "Stay Together for the Kids," by Glimmer 182.
A eulogy for family unit values by an alt-rock band whose members were raised in a generation without enough of them: "And then hither's your holiday / Promise yous enjoy it this time / Yous gave it all away. . . . It'southward not right."

Anyone else confused almost exactly what a "eulogy for family values" looks like? I read the rest of the song lyrics, and this song is well-nigh growing upward as a very unhappy child in a very unhappy household, considering the parents are very unhappily married and are staying together for the kids. Case in point:

"This house is haunted, it's then pathetic, it makes no sense at all
If a stupid poem could fix this home, I'd read it every twenty-four hour period.
The anger hurts my ears, been running potent for seven years
Rather so fix the problem, they never solve them, it makes no sense at all."

If this is supposed to be a conservative song — as its inclusive on this illustrious list would indicate — and then the song should exist supporting the conservative view of wedlock (that one SHOULD stay together for the kids, as divorce is b-a-d). But from the lyrics, it sounds similar the just practiced that came from the parents staying together was filling the child with and then much angst that he became a rock star.

xviii. "Cult of Personality," by Living Colour.
A hard-rocking critique of state power, whacking Mussolini, Stalin, and even JFK: "I exploit you, withal you dearest me / I tell you lot 1 and one makes three / I'yard the cult of personality."

This song also "whacks" Gandhi. To analyze: a cult of personality is, "A political institution in which a land's leader uses mass media to create a larger-than-life public paradigm through unquestioning flattery and praise." Sound familiar?

The song goes on to say: "Yous don't have to follow me / Only you can set you costless."

The summary: Be wary of regime leaders. Think for yourself. Don't watch Pull a fast one on news.

19. "Kicks," by Paul Revere and the Raiders.

An anti-drug song that is also anti-utopian: "Well, you think you're gonna find yourself a little piece of paradise / Merely it ain't happened notwithstanding, and then girl you lot better think twice."

The guy who once introduced me to Pinkish Floyd now extols "simply say no to drugs" rhetoric? Bleh.

20. "Rock the Casbah," by The Clash.
Later nine/11, American radio stations were urged not to play this 1982 song, one of the biggest hits past a seminal punk band, because information technology was seen every bit too provocative. Meanwhile, British Forces Broadcasting Service (the radio station for British troops serving in Republic of iraq) has said that this is ane of its nigh requested tunes.

The Police'south "Every Breath You Accept" was one of the virtually requested honey song dedications in the early 80s, and that's a song near a psycho stalker. Same with R.E.1000.'s "The One I Dear" in the late 80s. And allow's not forget the classic blunder of the Reagan administration, trying to co-opt the anti-war song "Born in the United states" for their inauguration theme song. The moral of the story? Only because people like a song (and the 3-four words that make up the refrain) doesn't hateful they understand information technology.

21. "Heroes," by David Bowie.
A Cold War beloved song about a homo and a woman divided by the Berlin Wall. No moral equivalence here: "I can remember / Continuing / By the wall / And the guns / Shot to a higher place our heads / And we kissed / Equally though nothing could autumn / And the shame / Was on the other side / Oh we tin shell them / For ever and e'er."

Would yous still accept placed this one in the summit 50 if the Berlin Wall had stood between David Bowie and ane of his (many) gay lovers?

22. "Red Barchetta," by Rush.
In a fourth dimension of "the Motor Constabulary," presumably legislated by green extremists, the vocaliser describes family reunion and the t
hrill of driving a fast car, an act that is his "weekly crime."

If anyone can notwithstanding call up simply green extremists should exist concerned about our dependency on strange oil after reading upward on Peak Oil, and so we have waaaaaaaay bigger problems than the National Review's lack of music judgment.

23. "Brick," by Ben Folds Five.
Written from the perspective of a man who takes his young girlfriend to an abortion clinic, this song describes the emotional scars of "reproductive freedom": "Now she's feeling more lonely / Than she e'er has earlier. . . . As weeks went past / It showed that she was not fine."

To all you conservatives reading this article (c'mon, information technology'due south worth it for photograph alone… priceless!), I have a liberal cloak-and-dagger for you lot. Set? Abortions suck. Nosotros all know this. No 1 WANTS to have an abortion. Now — stay with me, as this veers into some abstract, non-blackness-and-white concepts— when women take abortions, they oftentimes accept intense feelings afterward: grief, guilt, desolation, etc. When men are office of the process, they too experience these very same strong feelings.

Are you however with me hither? Because "Brick" is a rare song, a tragically honest view of the emotional fallout after an ballgame, and ane told from a homo'southward point of view. I'm certain many people take taken great comfort with this song. What's most astonishing is that Ben Folds takes on his emotions without judging them; never during the course of the song does he express regret for the human activity, or limited anti-choice views, or attempt to dissuade others from making the same choice that he and his girlfriend made. He should be lauded his candidness, not exploited by those who wish to flatten his lyrics into a ane-dimensional diatribe confronting abortion.

24. "Der Kommissar," by After the Burn.
On the misery of E German life: "Don't turn around, uh-oh / Der Kommissar's in town, uh-oh / He'southward got the power / And you're and so weak / And your frustration / Will not let you speak." Likewise a hit song for Falco, who wrote it.

A of all, I warned y'all that this listing would milk the whole Common cold War / Communism angle to decease. B of all, this song is really most cocaine use. *Yawn*

25. "The Battle of Evermore," past Led Zeppelin.
The lyrics are straight out of Robert Plant'southward Center Earth menstruation there are lines nearly "band wraiths" and "magic runes" but for a song released in 1971, information technology's hard to miss the Cold War metaphor: "The tyrant's face is ruby."

Aye yeah yes, from now on I pour a frothy cold glass of STFU every time John tries to co-opt another great stone band because they didn't like communism. Hope you're thristy!

26. "Capitalism," by Oingo Boingo.
"There's zilch wrong with Commercialism / There's zip wrong with complimentary enterprise. . . . Y'all're just a heart class, socialist deviling / From a suburban family and you never actually had to piece of work."

In that location'due south nothing wrong with these lyrics. I'm a fan of both commercialism and complimentary enterprise. I as well admit these lyrics clearly extol classic bourgeois values, so they can have this one. Incidentally though, I wonder how conservatives feel nigh Halliburton getting no-bid contracts from our authorities worth millions of dollars, when Dick Cheney is the former CEO (and all the same earns enough o' profit). Is in that location anything wrong with that type of free enterprise?

27. "Obvious Song," by Joe Jackson.
For property rights and economical evolution, and against liberal hypocrisy: "There was a man in the jungle / Trying to make ends meet / Found himself one day with an axe in his paw / When a phonation said "Buddy can you spare that tree / We gotta relieve the world starting with your land' / Information technology was a rock 'north' roll millionaire from the United states / Doing three to the gallon in a big white motorcar / And he sang and he sang 'til he polluted the air / And he blew a lot of smoke from a Cuban cigar."

Reading quotes from John J. Miller reminds me of driving in the car with my dad equally a kid; both of them switch the best songs off before they become to the good parts!

"Then we starve all the teachers
And recruit more than Marines.
How come nosotros don't even know what that means?
Information technology'southward obvious.
And the walls are coming down
Between the eagle and the dove
You don't take to be a hippie to believe in honey
That's obvious . . . obvious."

28. "Janie'southward Got a Gun," by Aerosmith.
How the right to bear artillery tin can protect women from sexual predators: "What did her daddy exercise? / It's Janie's last I.O.U. / She had to take him down easy / And put a bullet in his brain / She said 'crusade nobody believes me / The man was such a sleaze / He ain't never gonna exist the same."

A song about a girl who shoots her father who raped her is one of the best conservative ditties of all time? "Dum, dum, dum information technology's the sound of my gun;" I've seen some pretty stupid justifications for the second amendment earlier, but this i is the dumb, dumb, dumbest ever. (For the tape, I am pro the second subpoena. Just crave some training and a license to carry one of those damn things, would ya?)

29. "Rime of the Ancient Mariner," past Atomic number 26 Maiden.
A heavy-metal classic inspired by a literary classic. How many other rock songs quote directly from Samuel Taylor Coleridge?

Um, relevance?

xxx. "You Can't Exist As well Strong," by Graham Parker.
Although it's non explicitly pro-life, this tune describes the horror of abortion with bracing honesty: "Did they tear it out with talons of steel, and give you a shot and so that yous wouldn't feel?"

I hold, not explicitly pro-life merely honest. Others have chosen this a pro-choice song.

31. "Small Town," by John Mellencamp.
A Burkean rocker: "No, I cannot forget where it is that I come from / I cannot forget the people who dear me."

Funny, John and I come from the same small-scale boondocks, and await how dissimilar we turned out. Plus, John Mellencamp certain does hate George Due west. Bush-league. Prissy try though!

32. "Keep Your Hands to Yourself," past The Georgia Satellites.
An outstanding vocal performance, with lyrics that assert old-time sexual mores: "She said no huggy, no kissy until I get a wedding vow."

Erstwhile fourth dimension sexual mores = Horny. Dude. Wants. Sexual practice. Girl says no. Guy = frustrated, and probably moved onto another girl. Great song though!

33. "Yous Tin't Always Get What You Desire," by The Rolling Stones.
Y'all can "[go] down to the demonstration" and vent your frustration, but y'all must sympathise that at that place's no such thing as a perfect society — there are just decent and free ones.

I of cornerstones of keeping our gild free and decent if the correct to assemble, a right that's been dangerously compromised under our current admi
nistration. During the concluding campaign, we weren't even free to go see our President speak, unless we signed a waver that said nosotros drank the Republican Kool-aid. How decent is that?

34. "Godzilla," past Blue Oyster Cult.
A 1977 classic nigh a big green monster — and more than: "History shows again and once more / How nature points up the folly of men."

Like Hurricane Katrina did for Bush?

35. "Who'll Stop the Pelting," by Creedence Clearwater Revival.
Written as an anti-Vietnam State of war vocal, this tune nevertheless is pessimistic about activism and takes a dim view of both Communism and liberalism: "Five-year plans and new deals, wrapped in gilt chains . . ."

I had no idea conservatives were so anti-activism. Don't you value your gratis speech and freedom to assemble? 1 24-hour interval when the Bush-league reign is finally over, you lot might find something to protestation also.

Speaking of protesting, part of being liberal is being complimentary to express different points of view. So unlike Republicans (or the xxx-something per centum of Americans who even so call back Bush is doing a bang-up job), we liberals welcome differing viewpoints… which means nosotros sometimes even criticize each other. It keeps things interesting. Or as Amanda at Pandagon says, "If being annoyed at mealy-mouthed liberals who won't push harder for progressive goals makes you a bourgeois, I'1000 a bourgeois. Who knew? I want my check from a think tank now."

36. "Government Cheese," by The Rainmakers.
A protest song against the welfare land by a Kansas City band that deserved more success than information technology got. The first line: "Give a human being a costless firm and he'll bust out the windows."

Mmmmm. Cheese. The whole cheese from the government Democratic thing is only like those bobo revenue enhancement refunds that Bush likes to laissez passer out to the non-millionaires. Neither cost much, and they go on the ignorant poor voting for the powers-that-be.

37. "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," past The Band.
Despite its sins, the American South always has been nigh more than than racism — this song captures its pride and tradition.

Retrieve when John blasted moral relativism back at song #3? Moral relativism "takes the position that moral or ethical propositions practise not reflect absolute and universal moral truths, but instead make claims relative to social, cultural, historical or personal references." Now I don't 'loathe" the South, but they've certainly had their share of historical low points. By ascribing pride a certain region — isn't that committing the so-chosen sin of moral relativism? Isn't an immoral act an immoral deed, even if y'all like to eat grits while committing information technology? (I beloved grits. And okra. And cornbread. De-lish!.)

Likewise, I wonder when John became the voice of a conservative generation, they forced him to accept on advancement work for the South? Considering he's from Michigan.

38. "I Can't Drive 55," by Sammy Hagar.
A rocker's objection to the nanny country. (See also Hagar'south pro-America song "VOA.")

Now liberals are responsible for speed limits? What almost those damn traffic lights!?? And crosswalks! And the school zones, and all those damn school buses??!?! Help! Help! I'k existence repressed!

Seriously idea, speed limits as metaphor for the nanny state? Don't you call up you're reading a wee chip into Sammy's (incredibly profound) lyrics? If y'all wanna talk nanny state, let's talk: marijuana prohibition. The right to die. The right to perform sexual acts such equally sodomy and fellatio. Access to nascency control and abortions. All things the Republican party has taken or is trying to accept away. I'll take a speeding ticket any day. (Besides, do you call back those cops pulling you over are Democrats?)

39. "Property Line," past The Marshall Tucker Band.
The secret to happiness, co-ordinate to these southern-stone heavyweights, is life, freedom, and property: "Well my idea of a practiced time / Is walkin' my property line / And knowin' the mud on my boots is mine."

Well honk my hooter! Them southern rock heavyweights you quote love life, liberty, belongings, and SCORING TONS OF TAIL! This unabridged song, minus the three lines you chose to quote, is about fucking.

xl. "Wake Up Picayune Susie," by The Everly Brothers.
A smash hit in 1957, back when high-schoolhouse social pressures were rather different from what they accept become: "We fell asleep, our goose is cooked, our reputation is shot."

"Information technology's 4 o'clock, and we're in problem deep / Wake upwardly little Susie." Oopsie, missed curfew! What exactly exercise yous think Susie and her fella were doing earlier they nodded off? This song is 50s-speak for "Susie is slutty."

41. "The Icicle Melts," by The Cranberries.
A pro-life tune sung past Irish warbler Dolores O'Riordan: "I don't know what's happening to people today / When a child, he was taken abroad . . . 'Crusade 9 months is too long."

Nope. The vocal references the murder of Jamie Bulger, a toddler in the U.K. who was murdered by two 10 year onetime boys. More details.

42."Everybody's a Victim," past The Proclaimers.
All-time known for their smash hit "I'm Gonna Exist (500 Miles)," this Scottish band besides recorded a catchy song about the problem of suspending moral judgment: "It doesn't matter what I exercise / You have to say it's all right . . . Everybody'due south a victim / We're becoming like the The states."

Proving that no one likes whiny Americans….

43. "Wonderful," by Everclear.
A kid'southward take on divorce: "I don't wanna hear y'all say / That I will empathize someday / No, no, no, no / I don't wanna hear you say / You both take grown in a different fashion / No, no, no, no / I don't wanna come across your friends / And I don't wanna kickoff once more / I merely want my life to exist the same / But similar it used to exist."

Can nosotros become a roll call of the divorced Republican leaders? Let's run into, there'southward Reagan, McCain, Dole, Gingrich, Limbaugh. Ooh, at that place's really quite a lot of them.) As it turns out, it'south us liberals who tend to stay married. The divorce rates are highest in the Due south (the conservative Bible chugalug). The lowest divorce rate? In the liberal bastion of Massachusetts, of course, where even The Gays can marry.

According to religioustolerance.org, religion may accept picayune or no effect on divorce rates. The plain higher charge per unit amongst built-in-again Christians and lower rate a
mong Atheists and Agnostics may be due to the influence of financial and/or educational factors. Did y'all catch that? Born-again Christians are dumber and poorer, and the Atheists and Agnostics are smarter and richer! Wahoo!!!! (Another little liberal secret: we honey being rich just as much equally you do.)

44. "2 Sisters," by The Kinks.
Why the "drudgery of being wed" is more rewarding than maverick life.

As a liberal married to a super sexy liberal, I know that married life beats anything that came earlier it. But my single "bohemian life" sure did accept its fun times. I'd take them over a "drudgery" sort of marriage any 24-hour interval.

45. "Taxman, Mr. Thief," past Cheap Trick.
An anti-tax protest song: "You work difficult, you went hungry / Now the taxman is out to become you. . . . He hates you, he loves money."

Wah wah. I accept to pay taxes then nosotros tin fund roads and schools and social service programs. Ah boo hoo hoo! My governments collect taxes because THEY Hate ME! Sheesh, people always phone call united states liberals whiners, but enough with the "I Hate Taxes" songs. I mean, I owed thousands of dollars this twelvemonth. I wasn't happy near it, but do you hear me whining?

In fact, I *should* be whining! For all the Bush-supporters who claim to hate big government and taxes, it's those crimson states that take the most from Federal taxes, and us smart liberal blue voting states footing the beak. Damn yous, crimson states!! Damn you!

46. "Current of air of Alter," by The Scorpions.
A German language hard-rock group'due south optimistic ability ballad about the end of the Common cold War and national reunification: "The world is endmost in / Did y'all ever think / That we could exist and so close, like brothers / The future's in the air / I can feel information technology everywhere / Blowing with the wind of change."

Blah apathetic apathetic, cold war, blah blah apathetic…

47. "1," by Creed.
Confronting racial preferences: "Club blind by color / Why concord downward one to raise some other / Discrimination now on both sides / Seeds of hate blossom further."

Delight TAKE CREED. Seriously. They're all yours. And Kid Stone too. Apparently, they've taken each other. Gross.

48. "Why Don't You Go a Task," by The Offspring.
The lyrics aren't exactly Shakespearean, but they're refreshingly blunt and they capture a motive forcefulness backside welfare reform.

Sounds more like girlfriend reform. No one's asking the government for coin in this song.

All the progressive thinkers I know work — hard. And as I showed higher up in song #45, nosotros shoulder a majority of the tax burden as well. Our taxes go to fund your President'southward stupid war that we don't support, and your money goes to pay for social programs that you don't support. That's the manner information technology goes in a heterogeneous lodge similar ours. Pay your taxes, and shut the fuck up.

49. "Abortion," by Kid Rock.
A plaintive song sung by a man who confronts his unborn child's abortion: "I know your brothers and your sis and your mother too / Man I wish you could see them too."

Y'all can have Kid Rock. He's and what'south-his-barrel from Creed are such glowing examples of conservative values.

50. "Stand By Your Man," past Tammy Wynette.
Hillary trashed information technology… isn't that plenty? If you're worried that Wynette'southward original is too country, then check out the embrace version by Motörhead.

"Stand up Past Your Man" only proves that in that location actually aren't 50 conservative rock songs fifty-fifty in your wild-ass bourgeois dreams. Tammy Wynette's version is pure country. And the Motörhead and Lyle Lovett versions, in instance you hadn't noticed, are sung by men — which makes them ironic. That is, unless Lemmy or Lyle are really gay. In which case… does it still make your list?

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

As a last note, in the Most Conservative Stone Songs Article Part Deux commodity, John makes the challenge: "I'd love to encounter someone gather of list of the 50 best left-wing land songs."

Know what I say to that? Easy. I know adjacent to nothing most state music, but off the top of my head: "The Man in Black" past Johnny Greenbacks, "We Shall Be Free" past Garth Brooks, "Passionate Kisses" by Lucinda Williams, everything Willie Nelson and Steve Earle have ever done, and oh, I don't know, pick a few songs by any of these artists to circular out the meridian 50.

• The Dixie Chicks
• The Bulldoze-By Truckers
• Neko Case
• Jimmie Dale Gilmore
• Mary Chapin Carpenter
• Pam Ellis
• The Gourds
• Arlo Guthrie
• Woody Guthrie
• Emmylou Harris
• Faith Colina
• The Jayhawks
• Kris Kristofferson
• Thousand.D. Lang
• Tim McGraw
• The Old 97s
• Jessie Sykes and the Sweet Futurity
• Wilco
• Dwight Yokam
• Neil Young

I'm sure I've forgotten tons. Send me more and I'll add 'em to the listing.

Imaginary Update: additional links of interest:

• Read or post comments to this article on Daily Kos.
• Read or post comments to this article on Music for America.
• John J. Miller himself replies to the article and confirms that yes, the photograph IS existent.

{Huge special thanks to Lawrence, Kaley, Brian, embracey, Liz, and Estey for their help with this one. Mwah mwah mwah!!}

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Source: https://threeimaginarygirls.com/fooledagain06jul-asp/

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