But "America" from Around the World in a Day has an odd and uniquely right-wing patriotic flavor. "Communism is just a word/But if the government turns over, it'll be the only word that's heard." But most distinctly right-wing is the curious accusatory attack on the patriotism of public school teachers in the extro. "Teacher, why won't Jimmy pledge allegiance?"
"I Don't Want Nobody to Give Me Nothing (Open Up the Door, and I'll Get It Myself)" by James Brown
I'd be particularly loathe to presume to say that James Brown is "conservative," but at least this particular song undeniably flies in the face of the demanding "welfare rights" rhetoric of the era when it was recorded, or the scattershot crazed rhetoric more common today proclaiming that anyone who doesn't believe in appropriate annual increases in welfare spending is a Nazi. Then again, I could imagine a liberal trying to argue that "opening up the door" would mean affirmative action programs and such.
It's not exactly my idea of "conservative," but if you wanted a less clearly positive JB sentiment that might be described as rightwing you could throw in the highly enthusiastic 13 minute celebration of brutal corporal punishment "Papa Don't Take No Mess." Some days it almost sounds like demonic possession. "When we did wrong, Papa beat the HELL out of us. HIT ME!"
"Long Haired Country Boy" by Charlie Daniels
The whole tone of the song is distinctly opposed to believing in government, preachers, or anybody else solving problems for the narrator or society. It particularly came to mind coupled with the JB "I don't want nobody to give me nothing" theme. In this case, the key line of chorus is "I ain't asking nobody for nothing if I can't get it on my own."
"Get Over It" by OK Go
It's not any kind of statement on public policy, but the cutting power chords of my favorite song of 2002 are an absolutely brutal rebuke to the whole culture of helpless victimhood that is a large part of the justification for modern leftists.
"(Nothing But) Flowers" by the Talking Heads
This beautiful and gentle funk from the underappreciated Naked album is the dis-ease of a good, conscientious liberal. David Byrne has been thankfully discreet about his voting habits and such, but this fantasy of returning to nature is a liberal's despairing lament. He WANTS to believe in unpaving Joni Mitchell's parking lots from the "Big Yellow Taxi" and returning to paradise. But the whole song is built on his angst of knowing how utterly untenable that perfect idealistic liberal environmentalist paradise is. "I can't get used to this lifestyle." He WANTS to believe in all that stuff, but he knows better.
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.