Country Protest Songs

Nowadays my ears are constantly attuned to finding new protest songs. If ever there was a time for such songs, it’s right now, and I’ve been hard pressed to find ones that make me think, “hell, yeah!”

Surprisingly, several of the ones I have found have come from the country genre—typically the bastion of conservative thinking.

There’s The Chicks’ “March March” which pulls no punches when addressing racial inequality. Of course, The Chicks have never shied away from addressing injustice. Their outspokenness cost them millions of dollars during the younger Bush’s time in office, but they never backed down. That’s righteous.

https://youtu.be/xwBjF_VVFvE

Then Eric Church has a song out that challenges the status quo. The first time I heard it I did a double take. Was he saying what I thought he was saying when he recorded, “Stick That in Your Country Song”? Yes, yes he was.

https://youtu.be/wAX5XvdKRFk

Yesterday, I heard a song by Brent Cobb called “Shut Up and Sing.” It’s undeniably a protest song, and worth a listen.

https://youtu.be/z6oDXGy7vgM

It gives me great hope to hear these country voices speaking out on social issues. Here’s hoping their fans are listening.