Striving Against Opposition

A few thoughts on the politics of Rock and Roll

For Christmas I got the Creed's Greatest Hits album. Its a fairly solid CD, although I always have to question the virtues of putting out a greatest hits album after only three CDs. However, it does save me the trouble of buying all three since I can't borrow them from my brother if I feel like listening to them anymore. It also does tend to eliminate the flagantly mediocre tracks.

However, its kind of entertaining to listen to Creed as most rock bands occassionally feel the need to mingle their politics into their music Matthew Good and Green Day are examples of that tendency. However, when politics get blended into music it tends to be rhetro 1970s style socialism which was never plausible and quite antiquated by now. Creed, however, is as far as I can tell a Conservative rock band. Although this isn't likely a shocking relevation, considering people often claimed they were a christian rock band (eww) which they denied simply stating they mentioned god in their music not infrequently. Its surprisingly pleasant when one hears politics entering music which doesn't significantly lower your opinion of the muscian (yes, I mean you Matt Good, stick to your day job)

However, the song "One" is something of a polemic against the crash stupidity of robbing Peter to pay Paul that is affirmative action, and whatever wealth transfers you can imagine.

Affirmative may be justified take from one give to another
The goal is to be unified take my hand be my brother
The payment silenced the masses sanctified by oppression
Unity took a back seat sliding further into regression

Chorus:
One oh One the only way is One
One oh One the only way is One
I feel angry I feel helpless, want to change the world yeah..
I feel violent I feel alone, don't try and change my mind no..

Society blind by color why hold down one to raise another
Discrimination now on both sides seeds of hate blossom further
The world is headed for mutiny, when all we want is unity
We may rise and fall, but in the end we meet our fate together

Chorus:
One oh One the only way is One
One oh One the only way is One
I feel angry I feel helpless, want to change the world yeah..
I feel violent I feel alone, don't try and change my mind no..
I feel angry I feel helpless, want to change the world yeah..

I feel violent I feel alone, don't try and change my mind no..
I feel angry I feel helpless, want to change the world yeah..
I feel violent I feel alone, don't try and change my mind no..
I feel angry I feel helpless, want to change the world yeah..
I feel violent I feel alone, don't try and change my mind

posted by Chris @ 1/16/2005 04:57:00 p.m.