"Brown Sugar" by the Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones were never anybody's idea of good liberals. They have famously been described as the guys who show up at the protest rally to pick up chicks. Still, one might understandably be puzzled that I would pick this tale of decadent S&M in the slavehouse as a "conservative" sentiment.
I can't speak for Mick Jagger, but to me the truly transgressive element of this is not anything to do with sex. I take this as an extremely aggressive rejection of white guilt, and the liberal guilt-driven racial politics emerging that way about the time they were recording the song. Reinforcing that general idea, consider Jagger's famously non-conciliatory response when Jesse Jackson bitched about the supposed racism of the song "Some Girls." "F**k him if he can't take a joke."
"America, F**k Yeah" from Team America
Yes, there is irony in the aggressive nationalism of the Team America theme song. It's parody and satire, and specifically includes such bad things such as slavery. But the real irony of it - and the key to understanding the whole movie - is that this song is essentially sincere. The Americans might to some extent be arrogant "dicks," but they are in fact the good guys on whom the world depends. Again with similar caveats, understand that the country song "Freedom Isn't Free" is likewise basically sincere, however many loop-de-loops they jump through getting there.
"America" by Prince
Prince has never particularly expressed any clear political philosophy, but he's one cat in particular that I would especially never, ever want in a position of power. He's got a strong authoritarian streak that should not be trusted with power. He may be the greatest one musician in the rock era, but when he sings "If you want to play with me, you better learn the rules," well never mind. No, I'm not that interested in playing.
His religious and spiritual mystical stuff often comes across to me as proclaiming a divine kingly mandate to rule. For example, the perfectly good song "Still Would Stand All Time" has stuck in my craw since it came out many years ago. "No one man will be ruler, therefore love must rule us all." Hmm. Exactly WHO is going to get the divine mandate to define "love"? Who better to trust with such a duty than the one who loves so much that he'd sing "I Would Die 4U" - which sounds to me like a straight up guilt-trip power play. Emotional fascism, as per the famous discarded Elvis Costello album title.
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.