I might have been too young for the folk boom. When some people had tuned out rock n roll in favor of Pete Seeger et al I was still listening to The Orlons...and liking what I heard. Later I found out there was a "Cuban Missile Crisis". I missed it. I was too busy with "He's a Rebel", "Do You Love Me", "Green Onions" and "James, Hold the Ladder Steady". "If I Had a Hammer" was on the charts, though, and I did like it but in a musical way rather than as a cultural lifestyle.

By the time a few years had gone by I had connected. British beat groups (you know I love them!), being older than I, were into folk tunes. They rocked them up, of course.

The Hollies - The Very Last Day

The Searchers - All My Sorrows

And I went back a little to discover these songs. I originally used the word "tunes" but backed up. The artists here didn't think of them as "tunes". They were "songs", although there's a pop, show bizzy aspect to them too.

Jimmy Rodgers - Woman From Liberia

Peter, Paul & Mary - If I Had My Way

Then there was beauty, from white and black traditions.

Joan Baez - Trees They Do Grow High

The Soul Stirrers - Touch the Hem of His Garment

As the Vietnam War kept going we had a change, as folk became even more protest music. Songs became more openly about Vietnam.

Here are the folkies turned psychedelic rockers, Country Joe and the Fish with "I Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die"

and we had songs about social justice...

Marvin Gaye - What's Going On

Bob Dylan - Blowin' in the Wind

Now we're in a pickle. The world is full of war, more so than I can ever remember. Where are the protest songs? It seems like most recording artists are more concerned with their careers, as if having an opinion is just too outrageous an idea. They're scared, possibly. Look at what happened to the Dixie Chicks who only said they were embarrassed to be from the same state as W. and then poof! their career was over.

I find it of interest that gulfgal's peace vigils are attended by the same people that would have been there in 1967. They've just gotten older and haven't been replaced. Is it because there's no draft? Are younger people too secure that it won't happen to them? Here's a very recent song done by some people I know. The drummer in this video is in my band. But note that the singer is not a kid. All the protests seem to come from people who had something to protest about, that affected them directly.

The Nodrogs - All Politicians Suck

So I'm glad that at least someone is trying to say something. You might know more than I do about some contemporary protest music. If so, please post some!

And Merry Christmas Eve!