Despite its deep-rooted protection under the First Amendment since December 15 1791, freedom of speech is facing heavy threats, as of today. Music has always been an influential style of free speech. As Hans Christian Andersen once said, “Where words fail, music speaks.”
Throughout the decades, many musicians have expressed their political views and emotions through songs. It’s difficult to imagine a time when free speech is threatened, yet here we are. What would America be like if music and free expression were silenced?
There are so many songs that come to mind when thinking about music linked to free speech and political representation. Here are just a few powerful examples that stand out.
The Beatle’s song ‘Blackbird’ is connected to the civil rights movement of the 1960s, specifically referencing the Little Rock Nine – African American students who integrated an all-white high school in Little Rock, Arkansas, despite facing extreme racism and violent threats.
The lyrics: “Blackbird singing in the dead of night/ Take these broken wings and learn to fly/ All your life/ You were always waiting for a moment to be free,” deliver a hauntingly beautiful echo of the bravery and resilience shown by the Little Rock Nine.
The Sex Pistols’ ‘God Save the Queen’ was originally banned in the U.K. for its anti-establishment message and criticism of the monarchy. The band boldly performed the song anyway, which remains a symbol of political protest to this day.
Greenday’s 2004 album ‘American Idiot’ served as a musical political protest against the Bush administration and the Iraq war. This band has long been outspoken, and the album has seen renewed attention in light of Donald Trump’s presidency.
Other artists known for fiercely exercising free speech include Sinead O’Connor, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, The Rolling Stones and Dead Kennedys.
In a time when late-night hosts are being let go and journalists face pressure and threats, it raises the question: What would this country look like without free speech?
Long live free speech-and long live music.
