All Things Music, Social Justice, and Protest

Category Fifth Listen

For this fifth and final listen, I’d like you to think about the musical lineage your song exists within. By lineage, I mean how the song connects to other songs in the history of music that cover similar issues and subject matter. Prior songs can be directly referenced, but that isn’t necessary — and I’m not talking about sampling here.

For example, consider the lineage of: Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land” –> Jimi Hendrix’s “Star Spangled Banner” –> Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A” –> Green Day’s “American Idiot” –> Childish Gambino’s “This is America” –> to J.S. Ondara’s “American Dream.” Each of these songs exists as a critique of America and one or more of its policies, with a direct reference either in the lyrics or the title. They hint at a connection, even though it is not overt. But, and this is key, knowing about the prior song(s) adds a new level of understanding to the other song and so on. They construct a history of critique.

Lineages can also have songs made in reaction to other songs. For example, as we see this week, The Beatles “Help!” –> The Damned’s, “Help!” Or, as we see this week, songs by The Sex Pistols and The Class –> songs by Bikini Kill –> Riot Grrrl zines –> songs by Pussy Riot. In these examples, bands and their music lead to other bands, working against them or in concert with them.

So, for this listen, I’d like you to discuss 2 of your song’s lineages based on the subjects covered in your song. Create lineages of 3 – 5 songs and explore not just what connects them but how those connections enhance your understanding of your chosen song.

Looking for America Fifth Listen

Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse, Nina Simone, and Billie Holiday. These are just a few of the artist’s that are close to Lana Del Rey, literally. Del Rey has each of their names tattooed on her shoulders (Whitney & Amy on… Continue Reading →

“I Am Not My Hair” Song Lineages

The two lineages that “I Am Not My Hair” embodies are the right to self-expression and the sense of pride when it comes to black hair. I say songs like Lady Gaga’s “Hair,” Willow Smith’s” Whip My Hair,” and Bob… Continue Reading →

The Man ~ Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift’s “The Man” follows a lineage of songs that stand against the sexist double standards in society. A theme throughout these songs is naming the differences in how women and men are unequally treated in society. There is also… Continue Reading →

Waiting on The World to Change- Fifth Listen

In the song, Waiting on The World to Change, by John Mayer, there are many themes and motifs throughout the song that relates to other social justice songs from our time. A song that I believe shares similar themes as… Continue Reading →

Land of the Free Lineages

“Deportee” by Woody Guthrie > “Immigration Man” by Crosby, Stills & Nash > “Immigrant” by Belly ft. M.I.A. and Meek Mill > “Land of the Free” by The Killers   Each of these songs, with the possible exception of “Land… Continue Reading →

“The Village” – Fifth Listen

Popular music has an iconic lineage of LGBTQ+ artists and songs written even by straight allies that uplift and validate LGBTQ+ people. One theme that links a lot of this music is the learned shame and internalized homophobia that comes… Continue Reading →

Americans Fifth Listen

After listening to Americans by Janelle Monae again, I feel like the song can fit in two distinct lineages in the landscape of music. The first of these being songs that touch on police brutality and general mistreatment of black… Continue Reading →

Darkness: A Fifth Listen

“Darkness” has two major narrative themes with musical histories going back into the mid-20th century. It’s one of a long line of songs to address the causes of murder and mass shootings, entering the mind of the shooter to showcase… Continue Reading →

Run The World (Girls)

I was able to find many song lineages for “Run The World (Girls)”. This song focuses on women’s inequalities, specifically in the workforce, and has an overall theme that “men are better and more powerful than women ”. One popular… Continue Reading →

DNA – Fifth Listen (Lineages)

Murder to Excellence by Kanye West and Jay Z (2011) —> Be Free by J Cole (2014) —> DNA by Kendrick Lamar (2017) —> Looking for America by Lana Del Rey (2019) For my first lineage I chose to find… Continue Reading →

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