In Defense Of Rage

Rage Against The Machine, that is.
RATM had some of the best, most politically explosive lyrics in music history.
I know that's a bold statement.
I say it with deference to Bob Dylan.

The Clash wrote such brilliant songs as Lost in the Supermarket and Clampdown. In Death and Glory was possibly the single greatest line in rock history: "He who fuck nuns will later join the church."

Yet I will still match up Rage's Calm Like A Bomb.

Hope lies in the smoldering rubble of empires...
the riot be the rhyme of the unheard
...
There's a mass without roofs, there's a prison to fill
There's a country's soul that reads post no bills
There's a strike and a line of cops outside of the mill
'Cause there's a right to obey and there's the right to kill

Or Testify.

Mass graves for the pump when the price is set
When the price is set
Who controls the past now controls the future
Who controls the present now controls the past
Who controls the past now controls the future
Who controls the present now?

Or Bulls on Parade

Weapons, not food, not homes, not shoes
Not need, just feed the war, cannibal animal
I walk the corner to the rubble, that used to be a library
Line up to the mind cemetery now
What we don't know keeps the contracts alive and movin'
They don't gotta burn the books, they just remove 'em
While arms warehouses fill as quick as the cells
Rally 'round the family, pockets full of shells

Maybe you already know them, but I'd bet that not everyone here is familiar with RATM.
They are professional shit-stirrers.

To give you a good example, consider their performance at the 2000 DNC.
It starts with vocalist Zack de la Rocha pointing at the convention hall and saying, "There's another show across the street, but it's all sold out!"
The LAPD had 2,000+ officers for the concert.
Not surprisingly, there was a police riot at the end of the concert.
Skip ahead to 24:30 to see the police riot put to music - Killing In The Name Of - a song that RATM wrote in response to the Rodney King beating in 1991.

Not impressed yet? Then consider their 1999 music video - Sleep Now In The Fire - about money and greed, and filmed at the steps of the New York Stock Exchange. It was produced by Michael Moore, who got arrested during the music video (no, his arrest wasn't a stunt. It was real). As Moore was being taken away he yelled to the band, "Take the New York Stock Exchange!"
To which RATM tried, and the entire NYSE shut it's doors in middle of a trading day in order to keep them out.

How about in 2008, when they tried to play at the RNC convention, but the police prevented them...sort of.

When they were finally allowed to play we got this.

Share
up
28 users have voted.

Comments

edg's picture

Killing in the Name is my favorite. I usually prefer studio versions to live, but with that song, the uncensored live version is the best hands down.

up
14 users have voted.
Cassiodorus's picture

When the Clash toured the South the "fans" came armed with Confederate battle flags. The band wasn't into it. I suppose the Clash still confuses people, especially those on Facebook.

I presume RATM had better luck.

up
13 users have voted.

"I'm starting to believe that they want Donald Trump to get elected." -- Compton Jay

The Liberal Moonbat's picture

...how are they still alive and performing (I mean, are they?)?

We all want to know what the criteria are for who gets assassinated and/or persecuted into ruin; it's hard enough to know what conspiracy rumors to buy even without the post-JFK creed that all claims of nefarious government conspiracies are to be summarily scoffed at (although I suspect Jeffery Epstein finally did to that what Bernie finally did to the word "socialism"). I ran into someone a couple days ago who was claiming as straight-up fact that Bob Marley was murdered by the CIA; how could he have been a bigger/worthier threat than this crew?

up
7 users have voted.

In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is declared mentally ill for describing colors.

Yes Virginia, there is a Global Banking Conspiracy!

RantingRooster's picture

[video:https://youtu.be/Dr98kf2nwmw]
Even though this song was published in 2003, it's seems more relevant today than then.

For a price I'd do about anything
Except pull the trigger
For that I'd need a pretty good cause
Then I heard of Dr. X
The man with the cure
Just watch the television
Yeah, you'll see there's something going on

Got no love for politicians
Or that crazy scene in D.C.
It's just a power mad town
But the time is ripe for changes
There's a growing feeling
That taking a chance on a new kind of vision is due

I used to trust the media
To tell me the truth, tell us the truth
But now I've seen the payoffs
Everywhere I look
Who do you trust when everyone's a crook?

Revolution calling
Revolution calling
Revolution calling you
[There's a] Revolution calling
Revolution calling
Gotta make a change
Gotta push, gotta push it on through

I'm tired of all this bullshit
They keep selling me on T.V.
About the communist plan
And all the shady preachers
Begging for my cash
Swiss bank accounts while giving their
Secretaries the slam

They're all in Penthouse now
Or Playboy magazine, million dollar stories to tell
I guess Warhol wasn't wrong
Fame fifteen minutes long
Everyone's using everybody, making the sale

I used to think
That only America's way, way was right
But now the holy dollar rules everybody's lives
Gotta make a million doesn't matter who dies

Revolution calling
Revolution calling
Revolution calling you
[There's a] Revolution calling
Revolution calling
Gotta make a change
Gotta push, gotta push it on through

I used to trust the media
To tell me the truth, tell us the truth
But now I've seen the payoffs
Everywhere I look
Who do you trust when everyone's a crook?

Revolution calling
Revolution calling
Revolution calling you
[There's a] Revolution calling
Revolution calling
Gotta make a change
Gotta push, gotta push it on through

Unfortunately, I don't think Bernie or Warren is going to push it on through a Biden administration.

Drinks

(PS: Absolutely LOVE RATM! Got a pocket full of shells! 7.62mm nato rounds * smile* )

up
4 users have voted.

C99, my refuge from an insane world. #ForceTheVote