Sandinista!

Their next album “Sandinista!” was also extremely political, including songs about not only British politics, but about leftist revolutions around the world, the US draft, and covert military operations. The song “Washington Bullets” was their most specific and extensive political statement where they commented on the tortures occurring in Chile, the Bay of Pigs in Cuba, the revolution in Nicaragua, Soviet killings in Afghanistan, and communist China’s interference in Tibet.

“As every cell in Chile will tell
The cries of the tortured men
Remember Allende, and the days before,
Before the army came
Please remember Victor Jara,
In the Santiago Stadium,
Es verdad - those Washington Bullets again

And in the Bay of Pigs in 1961,
Havana fought the playboy in the Cuban sun,
For Castro is a colour,
Is a redder than red,
Those Washington bullets want Castro dead
For Castro is the colour...
...That will earn you a spray of lead

For the very first time ever,
When they had a revolution in Nicaragua,
There was no interference from America
Human rights in America

Well the people fought the leader,
And up he flew...
With no Washington bullets what else could he do?

'N' if you can find a Afghan rebel
That the Moscow bullets missed
Ask him what he thinks of voting Communist...
...Ask the Dalai Lama in the hills of Tibet,
How many monks did the Chinese get?
In a war-torn swamp stop any mercenary,
'N' check the British bullets in his armoury
Que?
Sandinista!”

Eleni Mitoulis

London Calling

Their most well-known album, “London Calling,” was named number 8 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The title track was partially influenced by the March 1979 nuclear accident on Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania. It also comments on rising unemployment, racial conflict, and drug use in Britain. Their lyrics about equality in job opportunities and racial equality are all anarchist ideals.

"The ice age is coming, the sun's zooming in
Meltdown expected, the wheat tastes so thin
Engines stop running, but I have no fear
'Cause London is drowning, and I live by the river

London calling to the imitation zone
Forget it, brother, you can go it alone
London calling to the zombies of death
Quit holding out, and draw another breath
London calling, and I don't wanna shoutBut while we were talking, I saw you nodding out
London calling, see we ain't got no Hyde
Except for that one with the yellowy eyes

The ice age is coming, the sun's zooming in
Engines stop running, the wheat tastes so thin
A nuclear error, but I have no fear
'Cause London is drowning, and I live by the river"

Eleni Mitoulis

Leftover Crack

The band Leftover Crack has been described as anarcho-punk.  Its 2004 album Fuck World Trade sparked much controversy, considering the title of the album and also the album cover, which shows  George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and Rudy Giuliani standing in front of the towers as the second plane approaches.  Songs speak out about a number of social and political issues, and the band considers themselves, among other things, anarcho-communists.  Anti-Flag made guest appearances on this album as well.  The album was banned by several stores.

 - DEREK HOLDEN

P!NK- Dear Mr.President

In her song, "Dear Mr. President" P!NK focuses on criticizing the President of the United States and all other  politicians as well. The song suggests that the President and all other politicians are simply working for themselves, and not for others. 

 "Dear Mr. President,

Come take a walk with me.
Let's pretend we're just two people and
You're not better than me.
I'd like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestly."



These lyrics are very deep because the President is looked at as better then the rest of people on earth, and that anything he says is the most important. P!NK single handedly critiques the President by saying "How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?". The song came out while Bush was still  President and he refused to speak to P!NK when he asked about it. Bush became blamed for the economy, and even some blamed him for the terrorist attacks of 9/11. P!NK goes against everything Bush pushed for in her song, and became an anarchist because of it. 
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/pink/dearmrpresident.html

- RYAN WINNICK

Green Day- Minority

"I want to be the minority

I don't need your authority
Down with the moral majority
'Cause I want to be the minority

I pledge allegiance to the underworld
One nation under dark
There of which I stand alone
A face in the crowd
Unsung, against the mold
Without a doubt
Singled out
The only way I know"

In this song, Green Day sings about how they do not want to fit in with the "majority", and instead become the "minority". The song is about doing things because YOU want to, not just because everyone is doing them. Green Day pledges to follow their heart and doesn't give a damn what anyone thinks about them, because as long as they are doing what they love, they will be happy. Green Day is part of the pop-punk rebellious movement and continues to produce such punk songs today. 

Motorhead and "Orgasmatron"

It is noteworthy that not only is Motorhead's lead singer, founder, and songwriter, Lemmy, an anarchist, but also that the band covered "Anarchy in the U.K." by  the Sex Pistols, which has been mentioned before as obviously anarchist in nature.

Furthermore is Motorhead's song "Orgasmatron".  The lyrics are as follows:

I am the one, Orgasmatron, the outstretched grasping hand
My image is of agony, my servants rape the land
Obsequious and arrogant, clandestine and vain
Two thousand years of misery, of torture in my name
Hypocrisy made paramount, paranoia the law
My name is called religion, sadistic, sacred whore.
I twist the truth, I rule the world, my crown is called deceit
I am the emperor of lies, you grovel at my feet
I rob you and I slaughter you, your downfall is my gain
And still you play the sycophant and revel in you pain
And all my promises are lies, all my love is hate
I am the politician, and I decide your fate
I march before a martyred world, an army for the fight
I speak of great heroic days, of victory and might
I hold a banner drenched in blood, I urge you to be brave
I lead you to your destiny, I lead you to your grave
Your bones will build my palaces, your eyes will stud my crown
For I am Mars, the god of war, and I will cut you down.

This song is basically a long hyperbole.  We get a bunch of apocalyptic imagery, being led to believe this Orgasmatron is some extraterrestrial monster, and then we're slammed with the truth in a simple statement:  "I am the politician, and I decide your fate".  From "emperor of lies" and "I rule the world" and "my crown is called deceit", we can see that this is no ordinary politician, but one that is high up.  The "servants" that "rape the land" are those who are below this politican and carry out his evil will.  "Two thousand years of misery, of torture in my name" would then lead us to believe that the Orgasmatron is not a single political leader, but rather, a generalization of all the political leaders for a very, very long time.  Therefore, this song is not about just any modern-day politican, or even the president or a king, but the institution of government in general.

 - DEREK HOLDEN

Rise Against- Make It stop (September's Children)

The song “Make It Stop (September’s children) has various different meanings throughout. The song is about how being different such as a being a homosexual, is not accepted in today’s society. The title “Make It Stop” serves one meaning, to put bullying and treating people different to an end.

           

                      “Born free, but still they hate.

Born me, no I can't change.”

These lyrics mean that a person cannot change who they are simply because others begin to hate, and in some cases it can bring them to the edge.

“Bang bang from the closet walls,

The schoolhouse halls,

The shotgun's loaded.

Push me and I'll push back.

I'm done asking, I demand.”

Continuing from the other set of lyrics is that once someone is bullied to their limit for simply just being themselves, they cannot hold it inside anymore. School shootings and violent crimes are a way kids in today’s society release their emotions and feelings.  Rise Against wrote these lyrics I believe in order for those listening, to make it all stop. 

http://www.metrolyrics.com/make-it-stop-lyrics-rise-against.html

- RYAN WINNICK