List of anti-war songs
Appearance
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This article possibly contains original research. (December 2020) |
Some anti-war songs lament aspects of wars, while others satirize war. Most promote peace in some form, while others sing out against specific armed conflicts. Still others depict the physical and psychological destruction that warfare causes to soldiers, innocent civilians, and humanity as a whole. Many of these songs are considered protest songs, and some have been embraced by war-weary people, various peace movements, and peace activists.
General pacifist and anti-war songs
[edit]American Civil War
[edit]American Indian Wars
[edit]Year | Song | Artist |
---|---|---|
1964 | "Apache Tears" | Johnny Cash |
2008 | "Battle at Little Big Horn" | White Lion |
1980 | "Buffalo Soldier" | Bob Marley |
1997 | "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" | Walela |
2010 | "Calico Indians" | Rasputina |
1967 | "Castles Made of Sand" | Jimi Hendrix |
1986 | "Cherokee" | Europe |
1960 | "Comanche (The Brave Horse)" | Johnny Horton |
1997 | "Cowboy Dan" | Modest Mouse |
2004 | "Creek Mary's Blood" | Nightwish |
1969 | "Custer Died for Your Sins" | Floyd Westerman |
1992 | "Freedom" | Rage Against the Machine |
1980 | "Genocide (The Killing of the Buffalo)" | Thin Lizzy |
1977 | "Indian Man" | The Charlie Daniels Band |
1971 | "Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)" | Paul Revere & The Raiders |
1987 | "Indians" | Anthrax |
1971 | "Indian Sunset" | Elton John |
1991 | "Little Big Horn" | Running Wild[6] |
1973 | "The Lone Ranger" | Oscar Brown |
1971 | "Then Came the White Man" | The Stampeders |
2001 | "Mick Ryan's Lament" | Tim O'Brien and Robert Dunlap |
1960 | "Mr. Custer" | Larry Verne |
1964 | "Now That The Buffalo's Gone" | Buffy Sainte-Marie |
1979 | "Pocahontas" | Neil Young |
1982 | "Run to the Hills" | Iron Maiden |
1971 | "Soldier Blue" | Buffy Sainte-Marie |
1962 | "Some Fool Made a Soldier of Me" | The Kingston Trio |
2001 | "Stars and Stripes" | Anti-Flag |
2002 | "Wampum Prayer" | Tori Amos |
1973 | "We Were All Wounded at Wounded Knee" | Redbone |
1976 | "White Man" | Queen |
World War I
[edit]Spanish Civil War
[edit]Year | Song | Artist |
---|---|---|
1985 | "For Whom the Bell Tolls" | Metallica |
1998 | "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next" | Manic Street Preachers |
1990 | "Lorca's Novena" | The Pogues |
2003 | "Skeletons of Quinto" | The Folksmen |
1983 | "Sketches of Spain" | The Nits |
1979 | "Spanish Bombs" | The Clash |
1963 | "Spanish Civil War Song" (or "Spanish Lament") | Phil Ochs |
World War II
[edit]Year | Song | Artist |
---|---|---|
2016 | "1944" | Jamala |
1984 | "Aces High" | Iron Maiden |
2004 | "Alive With the Glory of Love" | Say Anything |
1989 | "Ausgebombt" | Sodom |
1986 | "Angel of Death" | Slayer |
1979 | "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 1)" | Pink Floyd |
1945 | "At Mail Call Today" | Gene Autry |
1964 | "The Ballad of Ira Hayes" | Johnny Cash |
1979 | "Bring the Boys Back Home" | Pink Floyd |
1968 | "Corporal Clegg" | Pink Floyd |
1980 | "Enola Gay" | Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark |
1979 | "Goodbye Blue Sky" | Pink Floyd |
1982 | "Kristallnaach"" | BAP |
1979 | "In the Flesh" | Pink Floyd |
1985 | "Manhattan Project" | Rush |
1969 | "Mr. Churchill Says" | The Kinks |
1984 | "Red Sector A" | Rush |
1973 | "Roads to Moscow" | Al Stewart |
1993 | "Sullivan" | Caroline's Spine |
2010 | "Thank You, Mr. Churchill" | Peter Frampton |
1979 | "Vera" | Pink Floyd |
2005 | "The War" | Angels and Airwaves |
1982 | "War Is Hell (On the Homefront Too)" | T.G. Sheppard |
1982 | "When the Tigers Broke Free" | Pink Floyd |
2007 | "What I've Done" | Linkin Park |
Cold War and nuclear annihilation
[edit]Vietnam War
[edit]Dominican Civil War
[edit]Year | Song | Artist |
---|---|---|
1966 | "The Marines Have Landed on the Shores of Santo Domingo" | Phil Ochs |
Turkish invasion of Cyprus
[edit]Year | Song | Artist |
---|---|---|
1976 | "Panagia Mou, Panagia Mou" | Mariza Koch and Michael Fotiades |
Soviet-Afghan War
[edit]Year | Song | Artist |
---|---|---|
1986 | Versante est | Litfiba |
1988 | "Группа крови" ("Blood Type") | Kino |
1988 | "Афганский синдром" ("Afghan Syndrome") | Instruktsiya po Vyzhivaniyu |
1980s | "Привет Сестрёнка" ("Hello Sister") | Unknown |
Iran-Iraq War
[edit]Year | Song | Artist |
---|---|---|
1988 | Solh ("Peace") | Hassan Shamaizadeh, Elaheh, Fataneh |
1988 | Tanin e Solh ("The Peace Resonance") | Moein, Morteza, Fataneh, Andy, Kouros, Elton Ahi |
The Troubles of Northern Ireland
[edit]Falklands War
[edit]Contras, Latin America
[edit]Year | Song | Artist |
---|---|---|
1984 | "All She Wants to Do Is Dance" | Don Henley |
1982 | "Bleed for Me" | Dead Kennedys |
1987 | "Bullet the Blue Sky" | U2 |
1983 | "El Salvador" | Cybotron |
1983 | "El Salvador" | Noel Stookey and Jim Wallis |
1985 | "El Salvador" | White Lion |
1986 | "The Flowers of Guatemala" | R.E.M. |
1984 | "If I Had a Rocket Launcher" | Bruce Cockburn |
1985 | "Lives in the Balance" | Jackson Browne |
1987 | “Mothers of the Disappeared” | U2 |
1984 | "Nicaragua" | Bruce Cockburn |
1990 | "Nicaragua, Nicaraguita" | Billy Bragg |
1984 | "No Más!" | John McCutcheon |
1984 | "Untitled Song for Latin America" | Minutemen |
1980 | "Washington Bullets" | The Clash |
1989 | "Wish I Was in El Salvador" | Jello Biafra with DOA |
Yugoslav Wars
[edit]Year | Song | Artist |
---|---|---|
1992 | "Bili cvitak" ("White flower") | Jura Stublić |
1996 | "Bosnia" | The Cranberries |
1997 | "Bosnia" | Spinetta y Los Socios del Desierto |
1995 | "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24" | Trans-Siberian Orchestra |
1993 | "Čovek sa mesecom u očima" | Đorđe Balašević |
1994 | "Crv" | Angel's Breath |
2000 | "Dok gori nebo nad Novim Sadom" | Đorđe Balašević |
1995 | "Dead Winter Dead" | Savatage |
1993 | "Gde si" | Bajaga i Instruktori |
1991 | "Isabelle" | Greg Johnson |
1995 | "Kad sve ovo bude juče" | Dino Merlin |
1993 | "Krivi smo mi" | Đorđe Balašević |
1997 | "Lucky" | Radiohead |
1995 | "Miss Sarajevo" | Passengers |
1991 | "Nebo, nebo plavo je" | Obojeni Program |
1995 | "Neću III svetski" | Babe |
2006 | "No Bravery" | James Blunt |
1993 | "Ovo je Balkan" | Bajaga i Instruktori |
1995 | "Peppers and Tomatoes" | Ralph McTell |
1995 | "Prayer of the Children" | Kurt Bestor |
1999 | "Pretty Good Day" | Loudon Wainwright III |
1996 | "Regruteska" | Đorđe Balašević |
1993 | "Schöne neue Welt" | Böhse Onkelz |
2000 | "Sevdalinka" | Đorđe Balašević |
1992 | "Slušaj 'vamo" | Rimtutituki |
1991 | "Stop the War in Croatia" | Tomislav Ivčić |
1995 | "Vrbana Bridge" | Jill Sobule |
1996 | "Cupe vampe" | CSI |
1995 | "Pure Massacre" | Silverchair |
Gulf Wars, Iraq, 9/11, and the War on Terror
[edit]Year | Song | Artist |
---|---|---|
2009 | "21 Guns" | Green Day |
2002 | "911" | Gorillaz and D12 |
2002 | "911 For Peace" | Anti-Flag |
2004 | "Act III Scene 2 (Shakespeare)" | Saul Williams |
1992 | "Afraid to Shoot Strangers" | Iron Maiden |
1991 | "New Damage" | Soundgarden |
2003 | "Aftermath" | Strapping Young Lad |
2005 | "All the Young Fascists" | Shihad |
2006 | "All These Things That I've Done" | The Killers |
2005 | "America First" | Merle Haggard |
2004 | "American Idiot" | Green Day |
1993 | "American Jesus" | Bad Religion |
2003 | "American Life" | Madonna |
2004 | "Amerika" | Rammstein |
2007 | "Amerikhastan" | Megadeth |
2009 | "Another Bag of Bones" | Kevin Devine |
2004 | "Apocalypse Please" | Muse |
2019 | "Arabesque" | Coldplay |
2007 | "As It Was, As It Soon Shall Be" | Exodus |
2004 | "Ashes of the Wake" | Lamb of God |
1992 | "Atomic Garden" | Bad Religion |
2008 | "Audience of One" | Rise Against |
2000 | "B.O.B" | Outkast |
2005 | "B.Y.O.B." | System of a Down |
1991 | "Baghdad" | The Offspring |
2005 | "Bin Laden" | Immortal Technique |
2007 | "Black Rain" | Ozzy Osbourne |
2008 | "Blessed are the Landmines" | Brave Saint Saturn |
2007 | "Bloodsports" | New Model Army |
2002 | "Boom!" | System of a Down |
1992 | "The Bravery of Being Out of Range" | Roger Waters |
2006 | "Brother's Song" | Brand New |
2005 | "Camilo" | State Radio |
2008 | "Can't Happen Here" | Atreyu |
2004 | "Caped Crusader" | Jello Biafra with the Melvins |
2007 | "Capital G" | Nine Inch Nails |
2007 | "Captain Sterling's Little Problem" | The Coup |
2008 | "Cheney's Toy" | James McMurtry |
2004 | "Cinnamon Girl" | Prince |
2009 | "Civilian Ways" | Rancid |
2007 | "Clenching the Fists of Dissent" | Machine Head |
2004 | "Condi, Condi" | Steve Earle |
2008 | "Confrontation" | OTEP |
2009 | "Contractor" | Lamb of God |
2004 | "Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums" | A Perfect Circle |
2007 | "Dad's Gonna Kill Me" | Richard Thompson |
2006 | "Dangerous Game" | Bill Madden |
2007 | "Dark Side of the Sun" | Tori Amos |
2004 | "Day After Tomorrow" | Tom Waits |
2007 | "Dead Man Walking" | Bloodsimple |
2004 | "Dear America" | N.EX.T (featuring Psy) |
2007 | "Dear Mr. President" | Pink |
2004 | "Deja Vu (All Over Again)" | John Fogerty |
1991 | "Desert Angel" | Stevie Nicks |
2005 | "Devils & Dust" | Bruce Springsteen |
2008 | "Devour" | Shinedown |
1991 | "Die for Oil Sucker" | Jello Biafra |
2006 | "Dirty Bombs" | Body Count |
2005 | "Dirty Harry" | Gorillaz |
2002 | "Don't Bomb When You're the Bomb" | Blur |
2007 | "Don't Make Me a Target" | Spoon |
2008 | "Down from the Sky" | Trivium |
1993 | "A Drug Against War" | KMFDM |
2008 | "The Drums of War" | Jackson Browne |
1999 | "Easily" | Red Hot Chili Peppers |
2004 | "The Empire Strikes First" | Bad Religion |
2007 | "Empty Walls" | Serj Tankian |
2003 | "Ether" | Nothingface |
2006 | "Everybody's Gone to War" | Nerina Pallot |
2006 | "Exit Strategy" | Valient Thorr |
2003 | "Façade of Reality" | Epica |
2003 | "Fall Dog Bombs the Moon" | David Bowie |
2009 | "Far from Home" | Five Finger Death Punch |
2007 | "A Farewell to Arms" | Machine Head |
1991 | "Fertile Crescent" | Bad Religion |
2004 | "Final Straw" | R.E.M. |
2006 | "Final Transmission" | Street Dogs |
2006 | "For the Greater Good of God" | Iron Maiden |
2003 | "Franco Un-American" | NOFX |
2008 | "Friends in the Armed Forces" | Thursday |
2005 | "Frontlines" | Soulfly |
2009 | "Fuck You" | Lily Allen |
2006 | "Fun and Games" | Barenaked Ladies |
2007 | "George W. Told the Nation" | Tom Paxton |
2006 | "The Getaway" | Voivod |
2005 | "God's Army" | Smile Empty Soul |
2003 | "Good Song" | Blur |
2009 | "Ground Zero" | Chris Cornell |
1994 | "Gulf War Song" | Moxy Früvous |
2007 | "Gunslinger" | Avenged Sevenfold |
2008 | "Hammerhead" | The Offspring |
2005 | "The Hand That Feeds" | Nine Inch Nails |
2007 | "Hands Held High" | Linkin Park |
2006 | "Hard-On for War" | Mudhoney |
2006 | "Harrowdown Hill" | Thom Yorke |
1992 | "Heaven is Falling" | Bad Religion |
2012 | "Hell Broke Luce" | Tom Waits |
1992 | "Hero" | Ministry |
2008 | "Hero of War" | Rise Against |
2008 | "Hey Ma" | James |
1991 | "Highwire" | The Rolling Stones |
2004 | "Holiday" | Green Day |
2006 | "The Holidays Are Here (And We're Still at War)" | Brett Dennen |
1991 | "Holy War" | Matthew Sweet |
2008 | "Home Front" | Drive-By Truckers |
2004 | "Home to Houston" | Steve Earle |
1991 | "How Much Longer" | Paul Leary |
2007 | "I Can't Take It No More" | John Fogerty |
2003 | "I Will" | Radiohead |
2006 | "If This Is Goodbye" | Mark Knopfler with Emmylou Harris |
2004 | "If Wishes Were Horses" | David Baerwald |
2007 | "Illegal Attacks" | Ian Brown |
2003 | "In a World Gone Mad" | Beastie Boys |
2003 | "Into the Fire" | Bruce Springsteen |
2006 | "Is It Any Wonder?"[20] | Keane |
2002 | "Jacob's Ladder" | Chumbawamba |
2002 | "Jerusalem" | Steve Earle |
2002 | "John Walker's Blues" | Steve Earle |
2009 | "Kid Next Door" | The Bottle Rockets |
2004 | "Kimdir O" | Barış Akarsu |
2007 | "Last to Die" | Bruce Springsteen |
2004 | "Leaving Beirut" | Roger Waters |
2004 | "Left Right" | The Chemical Brothers |
2004 | "Let Them Eat War" | Bad Religion |
2011 | "Let's Be Real" | Soulja Boy |
2003 | "Let's Get Free" | Sheryl Crow |
2006 | "Let's Impeach the President" | Neil Young |
2002 | "Let's Roll" | Neil Young |
2006 | "Letter from Iraq" | Bouncing Souls |
2004 | "Letters from Home" | John Michael Montgomery |
2006 | "Lift the Veil, Kiss the Tank" | The Blood Brothers |
2006 | "Light Up Ya Lighter" | Michael Franti |
2007 | "The Little Things Give You Away" | Linkin Park |
2008 | "Love Me, I'm a Liberal" | Kevin Devine |
2001 | "Makeshift Patriot" | Sage Francis |
2006 | "Mama" | Godsmack |
2004 | "The Man Who Would Be King" | Dio |
2002 | "Manhattan-Kaboul" | Axelle Red and Renaud |
2004 | "The Mob Goes Wild" | Clutch |
2004 | "Mosh" | Eminem |
2003 | "New Killer Star" | David Bowie |
2006 | "No More" | Bob Seger |
2005 | "No Sure Way" | Loudon Wainwright III |
2005 | "No Time Flat" | Kevin Devine |
2003 | "No War" | Esham |
2003 | "Not in My Name" | Saul Williams |
2003 | "Nothing Man" | Bruce Springsteen |
2004 | "Now You've Got Something to Die For" | Lamb of God |
2011 | "On the Backs of Angels" | Dream Theater |
2007 | "On with the Song" | Mary Chapin Carpenter |
2003 | "Out of Time" | Blur |
2005 | "Overburdened" | Disturbed |
2003 | "Paradise" | Bruce Springsteen |
2009 | "People of the Lie" | KMFDM |
2002 | "Politik" | Coldplay |
2003 | "The Price of Oil" | Billy Bragg |
2006 | Pulse of The Maggots | Slipknot |
2017 | "Refuge" | Steven Wilson |
2004 | "Rich Man's War" | Steve Earle |
2002 | "The Rising" | Bruce Springsteen |
2007 | "Rumors of War" | High on Fire |
2007 | "S-O-R-R-Y" | The Proclaimers[21] |
2005 | "Sacred Lie" | Disturbed |
2005 | "Sacrificed Sons" | Dream Theater |
2006 | "Shock and Awe" | Neil Young |
2003 | "Sick City Sometimes" | Buzzcocks |
2005 | "Sixteen Military Wives" | The Decemberists |
2002 | "Skylines and Turnstiles" | My Chemical Romance |
1991 | "Slap Leather" | James Taylor |
2008 | "Sleep Through the Static" | Jack Johnson |
2005 | "The Sodom and Gomorrah Show" | Pet Shop Boys |
2014 | "A Song to Stifle Imperial Progress" | The Used |
2002 | "Square Dance" | Eminem |
2007 | "Stand Up" | Flobots |
2002 | "Still Waiting" | Sum 41 |
1992 | "Such a War Has Never Been" [2] | Les Barker/Martin Carthy |
2004 | "Support Our Troops OH! (Black Angels OH!)" | Xiu Xiu |
2007 | "Sweet Neo Con" | The Rolling Stones |
2008 | "That Man I Shot" | Drive-By Truckers |
2003 | "This Is War" | Smile Empty Soul |
2009 | "This Is War" | Thirty Seconds to Mars |
2016 | "The Threat Is Real" | Megadeth |
2004 | "To Kill the Child" | Roger Waters |
1992 | "Too Much Rope" | Roger Waters |
2006 | "Trot Out the Dead" | Hammers of Misfortune |
1994 | "Turkey Shoot" | Killdozer |
2005 | "Twenty" | Robert Cray |
2006 | "Two Weeks From Twenty" | Yellowcard |
2004 | "Unknown Soldier" | The Casualties |
2011 | "Victory Stinks" | Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine |
2006 | "Waiting on the World to Change" | John Mayer |
2003 | "Walk On" | Hilltop Hoods |
2007 | "War" | Emigrate |
1994 | "War Again" | Oingo Boingo |
2003 | "War All The Time" | Thursday (band) |
2002 | "War on War" | Wilco |
1992 | "Wargasm" | L7 |
2008 | “Warm Winter” | Seth Sentry |
2012 | "Warzone" | Pagoda |
2013 | "Waves" | Portugal. The Man |
2003 | "What Are We Fighting For" | Live |
2005 | "When the President Talks to God" | Bright Eyes |
2004 | "Where Is the Love?" | The Black Eyed Peas (Featuring Justin Timberlake) |
2001 | "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" | Alan Jackson |
2006 | "Where'd You Go" | Fort Minor |
2007 | "Would You Be Impressed" | Streetlight Manifesto |
2010 | "White Flag Warrior" | Flobots ft. Tim McIlrath |
2007 | "White People for Peace" | Against Me! |
2011 | "Words I Never Said" | Lupe Fiasco |
2006 | "World Wide Suicide" | Pearl Jam |
2003 | "WWIII" | KMFDM |
1992 | "Yellow Ledbetter" | Pearl Jam |
2006 | "Yellowcake" | Ministry |
2007 | "Yo George" | Tori Amos |
1991 | "You Shoulda Killed Me Last Year" | Ice-T |
2003 | "Your Silence" | Suicide Machines |
2005 | "Zerstören" | Rammstein |
2006 | "No End In Sight" | Toto (band) |
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
[edit]Year | Song | Artist |
---|---|---|
2019 | "Cavalry" | Mashrou' Leila |
2024 | "Deira" | Saint Levant & MC Abdul |
1998 | "Every Grain of Palestinian Sand" | Muslimgauze |
2024 | "From the River (من النهر)" | Ethel Cain |
2024 | "Hind's Hall" | Macklemore |
2021 | "Inn Ann" | Daboor & Shabjdeed |
2001 | “Min Erhabi” | DAM |
2008 | "One Day" | Matisyahu |
2024 | "Palestine Will Rise" | Abe Batshon, Samer & Sammy Shiblaq |
2013 | "Qabl W Ba'l" | Muqata'a |
1988 | "Under Sions Kalla Stjärna" | Björn Afzelius |
1969 | "Shir LaShalom" | The Nahal Band |
2024 | "Voice of a Child" | Eric Clapton |
2024 | "War Isn't Murder" | Welles (musician) |
1985 | "Ya Falasteeniyah" | Sheikh Imam |
1967 | "Zahrat al-Mada'en" | Fairuz |
2002 | "Intifada" | Ska-P |
1995 | "Israel's Son" | Silverchair |
Russian invasion of Ukraine
[edit]Year | Song | Artist |
---|---|---|
2023 | "Crushed" | Imagine Dragons |
2022 | "Don't Give Up" | Erekle Getsadze and Helen Kalandadze |
2022 | "Freedom" | Tvorchi |
2023 | "GASOLINE" | Måneskin |
2022 | "Hey, Hey, Rise Up!" | Pink Floyd ft. Andriy Khlyvnyuk |
2022 | "I'm Alive" | Ruslana |
2022 | "Buczy" | Pidżama Porno |
2022 | "Imagine"[22] | Julian Lennon ft. Nuno Bettencourt |
2022 | "Kalyna" | Go_A |
2022 | "Love Is All We Got" | The Roop |
2022[a] | "Mistsya shchaslyvykh lyudey" (Місця щасливих людей) | Skryabin[b] |
2023 | "Mama ŠČ!" | Let 3 |
2022 | "Nasze Domy" | Kalush Orchestra and Szpaku |
2022 | "Ne zalyshay" (Не залишай) | Anna Trincher |
2022 | "Nezlamna" (Незламна) | Zlata Dziunka |
2022 | "Soldier[23]" | Manizha[24] |
2022 | "Stefania" | Kalush Orchestra |
2023 | "Stiny" (Стіни) | Kalush Orchestra and Jerry Heil |
2023 | "Tango" | Tananai |
2022 | "What They Fighting For?" | EES ft. Ras Sheehama |
2022 | "Zabavy" | Jars |
2022 | "Не стреляйте"[25] ("Don’t Shoot") | Zemfira |
2023 | "PODNHA"[26] ("Motherland") | Zemfira |
Anti-draft
[edit]Year | Song | Artist |
---|---|---|
1967 | "Alice's Restaurant Massacree" | Arlo Guthrie |
1989 | "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos" | Public Enemy |
1974 | "Botas Locas" | Sui Generis |
1980 | "The Call Up" | The Clash |
1965 | "Draft Dodger Rag" | Phil Ochs |
1967 | "Draft Morning" | The Byrds |
1969 | "Draft Resister" | Steppenwolf |
1969 | "Fortunate Son" | Creedence Clearwater Revival |
1981 | "I Don't Wanna Get Drafted" | Frank Zappa |
1986 | "Nein, meine Söhne geb' ich nicht" ("No, I Will Not Give [You] My Sons") | Reinhard Mey |
1971 | "One Man Rock and Roll Band" | Roy Harper |
1994 | "Refuse/Resist" | Sepultura |
1991 | "Sgt. Baker" | Primus |
1984 | "State of the Nation" | Industry |
2002 | "Square Dance" | Eminem |
1967 | "Take it Back" | Cream |
1990 | "Train[27]" | Uncle Tupelo |
1982 | "War Party[28]" | Eddy Grant |
1980 | "When Ya Get Drafted[29]" | Dead Kennedys |
Traditional music
[edit]Apart from the various genres of modern music, some traditional and contemporary folk songs reflect the futile efforts of war and the attitudes of objectors prior to the major wars of the 20th century. Some of these include:
- "Ain't Gonna Study War No More" also known as "Down by the Riverside", has a similar tune to "Hand Me Down, My Walking Cane," – African-American traditional anti-war song recorded by The Weavers and many others.
- "Arthur McBride" – While first curated in the 19th century, this song likely came into existence during the 17th century in response to the War of the Grand Alliance, or especially the Williamite War in Ireland, after which the Irish Jacobite army was sent to France as agreed in the Treaty of Limerick on October 3, 1691.
- "The Cruel War" – Made famous in its current form by Pete Seeger and Peter Paul and Mary, this anti-war song has roots at least as far back as the American Civil War, and can probably be traced to an older English song.[30]
- "Ich bin Soldat, doch bin ich es nicht gerne" [[de]] – German song popular during the Franco-Prussian War, tells of the futility of being a soldier, and ends with a call for reconciliation between nations and the overthrow of tyrants.
- "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye" – Irish traditional anti-war and anti-recruiting song that was the basis for the song "When Johnny Comes Marching Home", and recorded as "Fighting for Strangers" by Steeleye Span.
- "Join the British Army" – Irish rebel song, recorded by Ewan MacColl and The Dubliners.
- "Kannoneer Jabůrek" is a popular Czech song mocking war heroism, referring to the events of the 1866 Austro-Prussian War
- "Lincoln's Army" - The Irish Rovers
- "Lowlands of Holland" — Martin Carthy
- "Mrs. McGrath" is an Irish song describing a young man named Ted who enters the British Army and returns seven years later having lost his legs to a cannonball while fighting against Napoleon presumably at the Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro (fought between 3 and 5 May 1811). Bruce Springsteen recorded a version of this song on his 2006 album We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions, and it appears on the subsequent live 2007 album Bruce Springsteen with The Sessions Band: Live in Dublin
Musicals
[edit]Year | Title | Artist | Theme |
---|---|---|---|
1967 | Hair | Gerome Ragni, James Rado, and Galt MacDermot | The Vietnam War |
1936 | Johnny Johnson | Kurt Weill | World War I |
1959 | The Sound Of Music | Rodgers & Hammerstein | World War II |
1989 | Miss Saigon | Claude-Michel Schönberg | The Vietnam War |
2016 | Mula Sa Buwan | Myke Salomon | World War II |
1963 | Oh, What a Lovely War! | Joan Littlewood | World War I |
See also
[edit]- Anti-war movement
- Protest songs
- List of anti-war books
- List of anti-war films
- List of anti-war plays
- List of peace activists
- Vietnam War Song Project
Notes
[edit]- ^ The song had been previously released but was re-released with amended lyrics to raise money to support charities aiding those affected by the conflict.
- ^ Features uncredited vocals from Oleksandra Zaritska, Artem Pivovarov, Sergii Tanchynets, Fahot, Nataliya Mogylevska, Ivan NAVI, and Ruslana.
References
[edit]- ^ Rothschild, Matthew (24 May 2006). "Dar Williams Interview". The Progressive Magazine.
- ^ "Anti-war songs (AWS) – Empire".
- ^ Yanik, Sophia K. (2016) "A Narrative Inquiry of Protest Songs: Comparing the Anti-War Music of Vietnam and Iraq" Sociology and Criminal Justice Undergraduate Honors Theses. 2.
- ^ Quinn, Michael. "The Proclaimers – Notes & Rhymes – Review". BBC – Music. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
- ^ Hertsgaard, Mark (1 March 1995). A Day in the Life: The Music and Artistry of the Beatles. London: Pan Books. p. 22. ISBN 0-330-33891-9.
- ^ "Running Wild – Little Big Horn – Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives".
- ^ Harding, Mike. "Christmas 1914 | Mike Harding". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
- ^ "These Are Paul Weller's 10 Best Songs". Radio X. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
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External links
[edit]- Anti-war Songs a website collecting thousands of antiwar songs from all over the world
- Folk&More: Songbook & Tabs a growing collection of chords, tabs, and lyrics of anti-war songs from Bob Dylan to Bob Marley
- [3] The page contains an interview with Judy Small the writer and composer of Mothers, Daughters, Wives.