What do we mean by "leftwing"? The intro to the blog mentioned both "pinko" and "liberal". Lenin described leftwing socialism as "an infantile disorder", which doesn't sound much like an endorsement, but let's go with socialism as our catch-all for the time being and jump on board the Ethiopians' Socialism Train to see what's out there.
You want to change the world? No point in half measures, as Tracy Chapman explained in Talkin' 'Bout a Revolution: "Poor people gonna rise up." Inti-Illimani make the same point about oppression and solidarity with their version of the Chilean socialist anthem El Pueblo Unido Jamás Será Vencido (The People United Will Never Be Defeated).
So are we talking class and economic systems here or political equality and human rights? Many songs were adopted as anthems for the 1960s civil rights movement in the US. Nina Simone's rendition of I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free is one of the most affecting. A slow burner that builds in intensity and eventually becomes irresistible.
On this side of the Atlantic, Billy Bragg celebrates the British postwar dream of a better world – "build me a path from cradle to grave" – and denounces the spectre of militarism in Between the Wars.
Bragg praised "sweet moderation", but some artists consider more radical stances. Death metal band All Shall Perish make their views on capitalism pretty clear (once you've read the lyric) with their song Wage Slaves: "We live in exploitation." And what to do about it? "Break these shackles." Marianne Faithfull questions who the radical Marxist Red Army Faction were fighting for in Broken English. Nicolette, meanwhile, dreams of a peaceful anarchist utopia where "people would do what they wanted" and there would be No Government.
No dreaming or vacillating for That Petrol Emotion who deride those who would flee the fight in their single Big Decision: "You gotta agitate, educate, organise." In Israel, Mosh Ben-Ari takes a more inclusive route to a better tomorrow with the epic Jah Is One. "I'll raise my look beyond hatred, on my route I want to wear a coat of hope."
Finally, two takes on a potent leftwing symbol. The Chinese dissident Cui Jian tells his rulers that A Piece of Red Cloth is covering his eyes like a blindfold but he can see happiness. Is he denouncing a government of the left or is he more leftwing than they? For Robert Wyatt the dream is still alive as he interprets the socialist anthem The Red Flag. He may well be the only singer who could make this sound so poignant. A love song to his ideals no less.
The list
Socialism Train – The Ethiopians
Talkin' 'Bout a Revolution – Tracy Chapman
El Pueblo Unido Jamás Será Vencido – Inti-Illimani
I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free – Nina Simone
Between the Wars – Billy Bragg
Wage Slaves – All Shall Perish
Broken English – Marianne Faithfull
No Government – Nicolette
Big Decision – That Petrol Emotion
Jah Is One – Mosh Ben-Ari
A Piece of Red Cloth – Cui Jian
The Red Flag – Robert Wyatt
• Listen to these songs on a YouTube playlist.
• See all the readers' recommendations on last week's blog.
• Here's a Spotify playlist containing readers' recommendations on this theme.
