The Top 10 Best John Lennon Political Songs
John Lennon was always the radical one in The Beatles, but it wasn’t until he left that his politics exploded. These are his 10 greatest rebel songs.
The advent of John Lennon’s solo career in 1969 coincided with his immersion in the anti-war movement, human rights issues and various other radical causes. Though his opposition to US involvement in Vietnam brought him into conflict with the authorities, leading to a protracted deportation case and FBI surveillance that posited Lennon as a national threat. Inevitably, his music reflected his polemical stance, popularising the message with user-friendly anthems like Give Peace A Chance, Power To The People and others. “Now I understand what you have to do,” Lennon declared. “Put your political message across with a little honey.”
10. Attica State (1972)
First performed at the John Sinclair Freedom Rally at the University of Michigan in December 1971, this bitter condemnation of the American judicial system was sparked by the Attica State prison riots that had erupted two months earlier, leaving 43 people dead. Lennon’s plea for better living conditions also carries a wider remit: “Come together, join the movement/Take a stand for human rights.”
9. Woman Is The Nigger Of The World (1972)
Yoko Ono’s contention that “woman is the nigger of the world”, during an interview with Nova magazine in March 1969, became the basis for one of Lennon’s most controversial songs. His central argument - that his use of the racial slur was to draw a parallel with gender inequality - failed to convince radio stations to lift their airplay ban. Before Lennon performed it on The Dick Cavett Show in May ’72, his host was directed to apologise in advance.
By: Rob Hughes
Source: Team Rock
