Protest Songs

These are some songs that have been used as anthems for different causes.

Ohio - by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young is a song about an anti-war protest at Kent State University in Ohio. The National Guard opened fired and shot into the crowd of peaceful protesters. 4 students were killed. It was an event that shocked the nation.



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For What It's Worth always reminds me of the 1960s and the turbulance that was about to happen. The 60s were a time of hope and massive change, but it was also very messy. There were protests and riots, people were killed, beaten and arrested. The world was changing and the United States was experiencing massive changes.

This song is by Buffalo Springfield, "For What It's Worth"



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The changes that started in the 1960s continued for many decades. In the 1980s however, Ronald Regan was elected president, and the mood in the country became more conservative. The gap between the rich and poor began to grow again. Mental hospitals were closed and people with mental illness began living on the streets as homeless people. Arrests for drug possession increased and more people were in prison. The government engaged in secret wars in Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala, and sold guns to Iran (also in secret). It was a dark time for many, but there was still hope for change. Tracy Chapman captures the spirit of these times in her song, "Talkin' Bout a Revolution".