In 2006, the National Review, an American conservative editorial, published a list of the 50 greatest conservative rock songs. The list is varied and interesting, but a few songs stand out from the bunch. The National Review didn’t quite get everything right about many of the songs on its list. Here are three entries that prove the importance of context and a close reading.
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“Won’t Get Fooled Again” by The Who
Here we have a classic case of someone from 2006 misunderstanding a song that makes sense in the context of 1971. When Pete Townshend wrote “Won’t Get Fooled Again”, it wasn’t a rallying cry for conservatives. While it may seem to be anti-revolution, there’s more to it than “an oath that swears off naïve idealism once and for all,” as the National Review states.
At the time, Townshend was researching spiritual enlightenment and the universal chord. Additionally, the song was written for a rock opera called Lifehouse. It was related to true feelings Townshend experienced, but there are layers of context that make it difficult to proclaim the song as strictly for the slightly oxymoronic “disillusioned revolutionaries” of the conservative movement.
For Townshend, the point of the song was “Don’t expect to see what you expect to see. Expect nothing and you might gain everything.” His personal stance was that revolution wouldn’t get anyone anywhere, because the group that came out on top would be just as bad as their oppressors. “Meet the new boss / Same as the old boss,” he sings.
While Townshend’s opinion might be a little cynical, that doesn’t make “Won’t Get Fooled Again” a blanket statement for conservatism. Let’s not forget that at the time, he was studying Universal Sufism and following the teachings of Meher Baba.
“Bodies” by Sex Pistols
National Review included the 1977 song “Bodies” by Sex Pistols as a clear indicator of conservative rock. Seemingly ignoring the rampant profanity (the final verse begins with the F-word repeated five times in rapid succession), the article names it “a searing anti-ab*rtion anthem.”
“Bodies” is allegedly a semi-biographical song about a woman named Pauline. She was institutionalized, abused, and had pregnancy terminations. John Lydon (formerly known as Johnny Rotten) once stated that Pauline showed up at his door after a harrowing experience. Ab*rtion was legal in the 1970s in the United Kingdom, so there could be some discrepancies in Lydon’s story.
Still, when “Bodies” was released, it was hailed as an anti-ab*rtion song for its gruesome depiction of the procedure. However, while at first listen it may seem to rail against the often life-preserving procedure, it is more aligned with pro-choice sentiment than conservatives may realize.
According to Lydon, the aim was to capture the pain, trauma, fear, and frustration that surrounds abortion. Many people who go through the procedure are traumatized by the experience, but it is also necessary healthcare that often saves lives.
“That song was hated and loathed,” said Lydon in a 2002 BBC documentary. “It’s not anti-ab*rtion, it’s not pro-ab*rtion. It’s: ‘Think about it. Don’t be callous about a human being, but don’t be limited about a thing as morals either. Because it’s immoral to bring a kid in this world and not give a toss about it.’”
“Taxman” by The Beatles
This is another generalization that misses context. George Harrison wrote “Taxman” in 1966 as a response to the news that The Beatles would be facing bankruptcy following higher progressive taxes in the United Kingdom under the Labour Party. Additionally, Harrison was vocally opposed to the government using their tax money to fund munitions manufacturing.
Harrison often spoke out against the Vietnam War and directly referenced Prime Minister Harold Wilson in “Taxman”. According to Harrison, Wilson was a Sheriff of Nottingham character in the song.
Similar to many of the opinions expressed in the National Review article, the reading of “Taxman” as a conservative anthem is surface-level. The context of this song is firmly rooted in the UK government in the 1960s, and was The Beatles’ first topical song. It doesn’t quite make sense to compare this statement, which is so aligned with time and place, to American taxation.
Photo by Mark and Colleen Hayward/Redferns
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