4 Curated Protest Songs From Music History’s Past, Straight From Talking Heads’ David Byrne

Many an audiophile, music historian, and activist has lamented the lack of protest songs in the last few decades. It seems, at least to most, that the golden era of protest music was way back in the 1960s during the Vietnam War.

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In 2018, David Byrne took to his blog and Facebook to talk about this phenomenon. He disagreed with the notion that protest songs had “disappeared” after the 1960s and compiled a playlist full of protest songs that have graced his ears (and maybe yours on occasion) in the decades since the great era of the protest song.

“Not too many years ago there was a spate of newspaper and magazine articles asking where all the ‘protest’ songs were,” he wrote. “Well, here they are… about 60 years worth, non-stop.”

Sadly, the original blog post with the playlist is gone. However, it looks like the playlist is still available on Spotify. Let’s shine a light on just a select handful of protest songs that David Byrne curated. Some of these might surprise you.

“Looking For America” by Lana Del Rey (2019)

This fairly new acoustic tune from Lana Del Rey is a surprise protest song of sorts. Not known for protest songs, Del Rey wrote this track (along with Jack Antonoff) about how mass shootings have been normalized in the United States. All while looking back at times when things felt safer and simpler.

“Give Ireland Back To The Irish” by Wings (1972)

Released in 1972, “Give Ireland Back To The Irish” was written by Paul McCartney quickly after the tragic events of Bloody Sunday in January of that year, in which British troops killed 13 civil rights protestors in Northern Ireland. It was banned by many UK organizations, including the BBC. But that didn’t stop it from becoming a charting hit on the UK Singles chart and even the Hot 100 in the US.

“(We’re Not) The Jet Set” by George Jones and Tammy Wynette (1974)

This duet between country darlings George Jones and Tammy Wynette dropped in 1974. It was a fast Top 20 hit on the country charts. Written by Bobby Braddock, “(We’re Not) The Jet Set” is a sweeter sort of protest song. It’s about being in love and finding joy in humble domestic bliss as a working-class family, rather than enjoying the spoils of the wealthier class.

“Fight The Power” by Public Enemy (1989)

One of the more direct protest songs that David Byrne included on his playlist, “Fight The Power” by Public Enemy could easily be the most memorable protest song of the 1980s. This famous Public Enemy song is loaded with references to the civil rights movement, African-American culture, and more. It remains an anthem for those protesting police brutality in the US today.

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