Great choice! I love CSN and Buffalo springfield and that whole era of music. I’m a hippie born a bit too late (was 9 when that song came out)…you boomers are so cool.

I despise our country’s actions right now, but sure love you guys. Thank you firedoggies for all your activism!!!

(((firedogs)))

Also used the song when I was teaching high school English in 1967-69, so I certainly agree with its selection.

I wholeheartedly agree with your selection.

If I may, I would like to nominate my favorite “protest” song – Christmas category. That would be “Father Christmas” by the Kinks. Not only does it rock, the lyrics are biting enough to singe anyone smug in their little bubble of the “magic of Christmas”.

I especially love the bridge

Have yourself a merry, merry Christmas
Have yourself a good time.
But remember the kids who got nothing
While you’re drinking down your wine

This is contrasted with the third verse

But give my daddy a job cause he needs one
He’s got lots of mouths to feed
But if you’ve got one, I’ll have a machine gun
So I can scare all the kids down the street

And all set off by the anarchistic chorus

Father Christmas, give us some money
We got no time for your silly toys
Well beat you up if you don’t hand it over
We want your bread, so don’t make us annoyed
Give all the toys to the little rich boys

I hear this and I want to scream, cry, and go get my own machine gun to visit Bill O’Reily… It also makes me want to go to my church, tear down all the boughs of holly, and weep in prayer for the gift that should be celebrated.

I know many fellow firepups are atheist, agnostic, or just fed up with religion. I won’t wear my faith on my sleeve here, but this “protest song” stirs my faith more than any other Christmas carol or ‘holiday’ song of the season. I am continually astounded that it is Ray Davies who can elucidate Christ’s message so much more effectively than any maudlin Christmas song.

Call me Scrooge and a curmudgeon, but I really don’t like what Christmas is made out to be. I confess, it was me who spray-painted the graffiti in the South Hall laundry room at NM Tech way back in the early 80’s “Season’s Beatings… Merry F**king Christmas”

On that note, I’ll shut up for now. Keep the faith. Don’t let complacency keep protest out of your heart.

P.S. my vote for best protest song of the 80’s is “Beds are Burning” by Midnight Oil…

npb, i don’t know. that may be a good question to ask during the daytime