John J Miller published an article a few days ago at National Review listing the top 50 "conservative" rock songs. It's been quite the talk of the net, getting responses from, among others, Pete Townshend himself- author of the #1 song on this list, "Won't Get Fooled Again." Lots of folks on the 'net have been talking it up, down, and sideways. This includes particularly brother Blogritic Pete Blackwell. Indeed, it's been so popular that Miller himself took another bite of the apple.
I've avoided jumping on this because I'm real skeptical of the general idea of sticking ideological tags on art. For one thing, it's an invitation to hijack the artist's intentions. For example, I was most sympathetic to Bruce Springsteen's displeasure with the Reagan re-election team glomming onto "Born in the USA." Lots of Miller's choices are REALLY reaching, such as "Wouldn't It Be Nice" by the Beach Boys — as if marriage and family are only of interest to right-wingers. Likewise, labeling religious themes as inherently "conservative" definitely seems like cheating.
Most of all though, even when they're not misappropriation, attaching ideological labels to songs tends to reduce the meaning, grinding down the complexities of a work of art 'til they lose the beauty of the melody. I can see how Miller got "conservative" out of "Won't Get Fooled Again," but Townshend's response is pretty much making my point. Miller was dumbing it down till there was not much left of the larger spiritual thrust of the Who song.
So I don't believe in this whole type of thing very much- but I'm going to get in on some of it anyway. I can't help myself. I love music lists. Rand knows I've written enough of them. They're fun. Plus, they might reasonably be good at provoking some consideration of the actual meaning of an abstract word like "conservative."
To minimize the damage to propriety though, I'm going to slightly re-frame this humble addition to the Miller list. I certainly will not claim that any of these artists are "conservatives." Rather than distort the artist's intent, I'll bring this in from the consumer side. I won't even say that these songs are conservative. Rather, here are a dozen rock songs that might likely have special appeal to "conservatives" as I understand the term, regardless of the intent of the creators.
Article comments
1 - Glen Boyd
Nothing by the Dixie Chicks Al? I'm truly disapointed in you.
-Glen
2 - Al Barger
Yeah Glen, I wanted some DC, but I just couldn't think of anything vaguely appropriate. Don't think the idea didn't occur to me, though.
3 - Delanie
The fact that these artists make oodles of money (isn't that a major complaint against conservatism??) and are obliged to corporate record producers seems to be lost on a lot of people. Oh the irony.
4 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
and the problem with working hard and making "oodles of money" is...?
...and being obliged to the largely undemanding bosses who hired them to do a job is...?
Oh the stupidity.
5 - IgnatiusReilly
The fact that producers are not corporate nor are artists obliged to them seems lost on one person. The artists are signed to labels.
Oh, the humanity!
6 - Baronius
I completely disagree with your interpretation of "If 6 Was 9". For years I've used it as an example of 1960's cynicism. People forget how the happy early days of voter registration turned into the years of the Weathermen. The anti-war movement turned out to be an anti-draft movement - a perfect example of "fall mountains, just don't fall on me". When Dad stopped sending tuition money, jobs suddenly made sense, and the principle of free love disappeared as soon as the herpes sore showed up.
Hendrix's lyrics illustrate the selfishness of the era. The only way the song is conservative is if you assume right=selfish and left=virtuous.
7 - Dave Nalle
With all this interest in 'conservative' music, I wonder where the country music entries are. Surely there are some good old down home values to be found there.
Dave
8 - Al Barger
Yes Dave, that's just the point with why there's not attention going to "conservative" themes in country music- it's too easy and obvious.
The other side is that there people working up lists of LIBERAL sentiments in country songs.