"The Hold Up" by David Bromberg
This old fave was co-written by George Harrison, though I don't know of him ever recording it. It's a groovy little Mexican fiesta of an anti-tax song where tax collectors and bandits are pretty much the same thing. As the banditos express it, "Tax time is coming, give alms to the poor, or I'll put a bullet right through your best liver."
"If 6 Was 9" by Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix wouldn't have made much of a Republican (HA!), but the whole thrust of this classic blast is a denial of liberal social responsibilities, or any idea of being his brother's keeper. It's the anti-"He Ain't Heavy." "Fall mountains, just don't fall on me." Not his problem. You could argue that this is a bad, antisocial sentiment — "selfishness." But it sure ain't some liberal goody two-shoes crap.
"Look at All Those Idiots" by Montgomery Burns and Waylon Smithers
Let us conclude this list with the ruling evil arch-conservative of television land, J. Montgomery Burns from The Simpsons. This is from The Simpsons Sing the Blues, which had the massive hit single "Do the Bartman." But as a right wingnut, I was of course immediately and forevermore taken with Burns totally appropriate and effective factory produced funk, particularly Smithers kickass guitar solo.
Obviously one would have to take any sentiments coming out of Burns' mouth with some idea of ironic artistic distance to get at what exactly the creators might have meant. Burns is the root of all evil. But the true beauty of the Burns character is that as evil as he is, he's very often got an undeniable point. Homer Simpson and the general lot of American workers that he represents DESERVE Burns in spades. Poor downtrodden workers my butt.
Burns is an effective devil's advocate, and there's a strong ring of truth to his complaints against lazy, thieving workers who "never give a thought to honest work for honest pay."
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.