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David_D View Drop Down
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    Posted: July 08 2024 at 08:52

Prog has definitely had different faces, but not least being visionary/utopian and political (broadly defined), of which the Italian scene I guess has been one of the most prominent:

Banco del Mutuo Soccorso - “Canto Nomade per un Prigioniero Politico" (Nomad Song for a Political Prisoner), inspired by the Chilean coup d’état in 1973 and from the album Io Sono Nato Libero (1973)

Edit:
About definition of political, I can say:

To me, a good definition of political (in the broadest meaning) is the one concerning everything about organization and functioning of societies on all levels, the way societies act towards each other, how all human life affects the environments, and of course very much 
about all the acting of people in regard to all this. 


Edited by David_D - July 18 2024 at 02:29
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Coronavirus Rhapsody Dead


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Logan View Drop Down
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There was a recent suspension of political threads from the think tank after many complaints, but as politics can be integral to the art of music, and arts generally, I would be reluctant to close this down.  If it gets rude, then it will be closed. I would just ask people if they participate not to make it about their own politics but to be more factually talking about it from the perspective of Prog.  Obviously the usual rules of decorum apply, including laying off on personal attacks on fellow members as well as others who might get mentioned such as Roger Waters (whom I met under embarrassing circumstances).  This thread will be monitored closely if it keeps going.  Please try to stay on topic and try to keep YOUR politics (particularly when disparaging of others) and any possible insults to yourself.

Henry Cow (and its members), related News of Babel and Art Bears, Robert Wyatt, and principles of Rock in Opposition are some obvious leftist ones. 

The first album I would think of is Art Bears, The World as it Is Today.

Here is the first track, The Song of Investment Capital Overseas.
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Grumpyprogfan View Drop Down
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Nice thread, David! I'm not sure if this is political, as one can interpret lyrics differently than the author intended. But here is a verse from Bubblemath - The Sensual Con.

"Hey there, my confident friend, isn't freedom funny?
We can't help but notice you spend all your time and money
Passing your panicky laws, pulling people under
While happily snapping your jaws, and it makes us wonder
Why you intrude on the lives of adults consenting
When all your intolerant drives are what need preventing"

Edited by Grumpyprogfan - July 08 2024 at 11:37
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There were a number of so called politik-rock prog bands in the 70s primarily in Germany and Sweden.

Checkpoint Charlie, Floh De Cologne, Ton Steine Scherben, Lokomotive Kreuzbuerg, Ihre Kinder, Schmetterlinge, Oktober, Kernbeisser were some of the most blatant almost punk rock types of dissent although many progs in the Italian scene expressed their political views as well

In Sweden bands like Hoola Bandoola Band, Älgarnas Trädgård, International Harvester and others

Even the mainstream bands did it more subtly with albums like The Wall standing out

For the most part prog was more sublte in its political jabs but some offered a punk brashness before punk existed






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David_D View Drop Down
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Originally posted by Grumpyprogfan Grumpyprogfan wrote:

Nice thread, David!

thanks  Smile
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Originally posted by siLLy puPPy siLLy puPPy wrote:

There were a number of so called politik-rock prog bands in the 70s primarily in Germany and Sweden.
In Sweden there was an entire musical movement called "progg". Not related to prog rock one bit. It was more like a folk rock thing. The lyrical themes would orbit around anti-commercialism and left-wing progressivism.
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Pink Floyd
https://www.youtube.com/c/LoyalOpposition

https://www.scribd.com/document/382737647/MortSahlFan-Song-List
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siLLy puPPy View Drop Down
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Then of course there's this classic which through the art of rock opera showed how crime syndicates, politics and religious institutions all work together

Queensrÿche Operation: Mindcrime album cover



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Prog-jester View Drop Down
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We place our faith in human rights
In the paper wars that tie the red tape tight
I know that I would rather be out of this conspiracy

In the gulags and internment camps
Frozen faces in nameless ranks
I know that they would rather be standing here besides me

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You can shut your eyes, you can hide it away it's gonna come back another day
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especially true today

"Waiting, the season of the button"
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Unlike punk most prog bands stay away from politics probably out of fear of alienating their listeners. I can't think of any prog band that seems to have some kind of political agenda. 
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Originally posted by Prog-jester Prog-jester wrote:

We place our faith in human rights
In the paper wars that tie the red tape tight
I know that I would rather be out of this conspiracy

In the gulags and internment camps
Frozen faces in nameless ranks
I know that they would rather be standing here besides me

Racing the clouds home, racing the clouds home
You can shut your eyes, you can hide it away it's gonna come back another day

It would be nice if telling the artist name, song and album titles, and maybe year too.
                      quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond
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Psychedelic Paul View Drop Down
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The Waterboys - Red Army Blues (no doubt a popular song amongst Mother Russia's political commissars during The Great Patriotic War) Smile
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Originally posted by AFlowerKingCrimson AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

Unlike punk most prog bands stay away from politics probably out of fear of alienating their listeners. I can't think of any prog band that seems to have some kind of political agenda. 

Many of the early prog bands were anti-war, in reaction to the horrors of Viet Nam.  

King Crimson comes to mind immediately, with "Epitaph." 

Also Yes, with "Relayer." 

Not overtly for/against any type of politics except reducing bloodshed and suffering from human conflict.  Strawbs also. 
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David_D View Drop Down
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Marillion - "Forgotten Sons", about soldier victims of wars, and from the album Script for a Jester's Tear (1983)
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Psychedelic Paul View Drop Down
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Rick Wakeman - Theme to Election Day 1997 (better-known to prog fans simply as "Arthur") Smile
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Twelfth Night - We Are Sane (Live)
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Originally posted by cstack3 cstack3 wrote:

Originally posted by AFlowerKingCrimson AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

Unlike punk most prog bands stay away from politics probably out of fear of alienating their listeners. I can't think of any prog band that seems to have some kind of political agenda. 

Many of the early prog bands were anti-war, in reaction to the horrors of Viet Nam.  

King Crimson comes to mind immediately, with "Epitaph." 

Also Yes, with "Relayer." 

Not overtly for/against any type of politics except reducing bloodshed and suffering from human conflict.  Strawbs also. 

Relayer isn't anti war though. You probably say that because of the Gates of Delirium. Jon Anderson has stated that it is based on War and Peace but it's not anti war or pro war. It's just a musical interpretation of the novel. It wasn't meant to be an anti war song.
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^On the other hand, Yours Is No Disgrace IS an anti-war song. Also there's a metric heck-ton of prog bands that have politically-charged lyrics. Though it was usually a little more subtle amongst the classic era anglo heavy-hitters on average, excepting Pink Floyd, of course. Ian Anderson wrote pretty socio-politically charged lyrics, though they were very dense and shrouded in allegory and lofty references. The US had bands that were more overt in the classic era, I find. Kansas had many a message about colonialism in North America. And Frank Zappa... well, this is a man who is quoted to have written "politics is the entertainment division of the military industrial complex." Marillion, Dream Theater, Haken, IQ have all written several songs dealing with politics, including on an international scale. And those are just the big names. Italy in the 70s was rife with prog bands decrying fascism, as did many a band from South America from the 70s onward. Mediabanda comes to mind immediately. And the aforementioned Bubblemath, and the RIO scene. Even Steven Wilson takes a break from the sad boi stuff for a socially conscious message or two. Not to mention Rush and... well, I'll stop there. The list goes on.
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