Social Justice Song Treasure Trove - Vote for Your Favorite & Contribute!

Folk, rock, rap, hip-hop: in common we have compelling artists with beautiful messages. As we move closer to America's Thanksgiving Holiday, everybody deserves a moment for great music and visions of a better tomorrow. That's what we have below (along with some rage, some specific complaints, and some vague concerns). Take a moment to 

1. listen, 
2. vote (below) for your favorite social justice song, and 
3. add song suggestions in the comments section (I'll then post your suggestions). 

You can vote for as many or as few of these songs as you like. Please share, forward, post, and tweet to get far-flung-friends involved in this contest, conversation, and vote!

Stand by Me, by Playing for Change

Peace Train, by Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam)

 Waiting for the Great Leap Forward, by Billy Bragg

Fight the Power, by Public Enemy

This Land is Your Land (Springsteen's version)

AND Born in the USA by The Boss, again Mr. Springsteen

I hear them all by Old Crow Medicine Show

I wish I knew how (it would feel to be free) by Nina Simone

 I wish I knew how (it would feel to be free) by The Lighthouse Family

One by U2 with Mary J. Blige 

One by Johnny Cash

The General, by Dispatch

Kurt Vile, Puppet to the Man

Dylan's Hard Rain

If you Miss Me from the Back of the Bus, by SNCC Freedom Singer Reunion

If I had a Hammer, by Peter, Paul, and Mary 

Judy Collins & Pete Seeger, Turn, Turn, Turn

Sam Cooke, A Change is Gonna Come

Billie Holiday, Strange Fruit

Joe Hill, by Joan Baez

Where is the Love? by The Black Eyed Peas

Fast Car by Tracy Chapman

Redemption Song by Bob Marley

BB King Why I Sing the Blues

Array of Incredible Artists doing We Shall Overcome at Pete Seeger's 90th Birthday Party

Pete Seeger (90+) and several others do We Shall Overcome at Occupy Wall Street

American Ruse, by The MC5

White Riot, by The Clash

What's So Funny about Peace, Love, and Understanding, by Nick Lowe

What's So Funny about Peace, Love, and Understanding, by Elvis Costello

What's So Funny about Peace, Love, and Understanding, by Springsteen and Friends

I Asked When, by Brett Dennen

Ain't No Reason, Brett Dennen

F**k Da Police, by NWA

They Schools, by Dead Prez

Man in Black, by Johnny Cash

Get Involved, by Freddie McGregor

Big Man, by Antibalas

I'll Take You There, by The Staple Singers

Imagine, John Lennon

Freedom Day, by Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln

Pride in the Name of Love, U2

The Decline, by NOFX

Uprising, by Muse

Crime to be Broke in America, by Spearhead

And songs related to social justice that I just can't stand: 

• John Mayer's Waiting on the World to Change (and an explanation as to why that's the case). 

Please add additional suggestions here. I'll post them and add them to the list below (for votes) as well. Please broaden the conversation by re-posting, re-tweeting, or forwarding. You deserve a break for great music! 

Workin' Class Hero is Somethin' to Be - and other Social Justice Song Classics (late) from Labor Day

Rock critics Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot unwittingly collaborated with my ongoing effort to collect and share social justice songs with their Labor Day rendition of Sound Opinions. Check out the MP3 stream or the podcast.

They have more narrative description and history around each of the songs they feature, but I'm going to share the youtube clips here, so it's still possible to jump around the "social justice" and "music" links on this site and see the growing compilation of social justice songs. Thanks for the recommendations around what I haven't shared yet. I'll catch up and keep the suggestions coming! 

Working Class Hero by John Lennon

We Gotta Get Out of This Place by the Animals

Cleaning Windows by Van Morrison

Career Opportunities by The Clash

Bob Marley's Night Shift

Lou Reed's Don't Talk to Me about Work

Smithers-Jones by The Jam

and last by not least, Bad Days by The Flaming Lips

And if you dig music and rock criticism, do check out Sound Opinions. It's an excellent show and site.

What is a Social Justice Song? - Dylan's Hard Rain?

Justly complaining? Proposing? Moving others to action? Raging? What makes something a social justice song? As I move (ever so slowly) to pulling together the songs I've posted here and the tracks that others have nominated, the question becomes more important. One day, we'll vote. First, any additional songs suggestions or arguments for what makes an excellent social justice song are very much appreciated!

Recent Comer to Social Justice Songs: Kurt Vile, Puppet to the Man

Thanks to a loyal reader for this recent social justice song nomination. Dark, brooding: I can dig it. I'll organize a social justice song vote soon. Please send any suggestions my way or share your favorites below!

Social Justice Songs Return: The General, By Dispatch

This beautiful experience happened into my earphones as I was running to Pandora's Matisyahu station yesterday:

Take a moment to enjoy. Previous social justice songs I love: 

• Stand by Me, by Playing for Change
• Peace Train, by Cat Stevens, along with Waiting for the Great Leap Forward, by Billy Bragg
• Fight the Power, by Public Enemy 
• This Land is Your Land AND Born in the USA by The Boss 
• I hear them all by Old Crow Medicine Show
• I wish I knew how (it would feel to be free) by both Nina Simone and The Lighthouse Family, along with One by U2 with Mary J. Blige and then Johnny Cash's own excellent version

And songs related to social justice that I just can't stand: 

• John Mayer's Waiting on the World to Change 

I'd love to read about your favorites. Please share them if you happen by. Thanks for reading. I hope you get the moment to listen to a few of these today. Peace. 

Take Time for Great Music & Justice-Dreaming, Day 2. & 4 Days to the Water Walk!

First, this pensive and beautiful I wish I knew how it would feel (to be free) by the Lighthouse Family. This is a 2001 version of the song originally written by Billy Taylor and Dick Dallas and first recorded by Nina Simone in 1967. The Lighthouse Family's version picks up some lyrics from U2's One at the end. 

So we get four for one today, because it wouldn't be fair not to share Nina Simone's version:

To offer U2's One (in a version featuring Mary J. Blige):

And then of course, ever since he started doing remakes, it's not fair at all to mention One without sharing Johnny Cash's version (which for my money, no offense Bono or Mary, is the best version). Enjoy:

The connection to the Amizade Water Walk? These songs are all about solidarity. The Water Walk is at its core a creative fundraising, awareness-raising, and solidarity event. And the fruits of the walk go toward raising the funds necessary to continue building a better world - one that we're only imagining at present. Be there!

And I'm still looking for more song suggestions, from you, please!