By Amy E. Wong
1. Bob Dylan - Hurricane
After visiting the imprisoned Ruben Carter in 1975, Bob Dylan was convinced that this former middleweight contender was falsely accused of murder. "Hurricane" tops my list because Dylan does what he does best: belt out poetic narrative that has profound social impact. "Hurricane" summarizes the events that led up to Carter's arrest—all the while revealing how Carter was framed by a racist legal system. Carter is heroically portrayed as someone who "coulda been the champion of the world," but instead winds up a "Buddha in a ten-foot cell," living in "a land where justice is a game." The lyrics are one of the most compelling ever penned.
2. Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues
"Folsom Prison Blues" is quintessential Cash, infused with a bit of folk, country, and rock edge. Only with Cash will you have a heartfelt and engaging first-person narrative from a man who "shot a man in Reno / just to watch him die." In fact, by the end of the song, one begins to sympathize with this unrepentant and tortured killer. Like all other Cash songs, "Folsom Prison Blues'" simple song structure is propelled forward by his distinctive baritone croon, catchy melody, and the steadily bouncing bass line.
3. Sublime - Date Rape
You got to hand it to the punks: They treat the ladies right. The Clash admonished men for irresponsibly spreading his seed in "Lover's Rock," and Fugazi screamed out, on behalf of frustrated women everywhere, "Why can't I walk on the street free of suggestion!" in "Suggestion." But, Sublime's "Date Rape" takes home the prize for having the most hilarious and catchy pro-feminist lyrics. First and foremost, it's about a man who was sentenced to 25 years in jail for drugging and raping a woman. And get this: lead singer, Brad Nowell, says, "I can't take pity on men of his kind / Even though he now takes it in the behind!" The punk-ska song, which recounts the harrowing tale of a rapist, is an easy anthem for women everywhere.
4. The Clash - Know Your Rights
The Clash is the best British punk band ever. Joe Strummer and Mick Jones, the geniuses responsible for the band's popularity and success, wrote politically-charged lyrics and experimented wildly with different musical genres. "Know Your Rights" exemplifies all this perfectly. The song may seem like a couple of jaded punks lamely criticizing the law, but the important thing to remember is that The Clash rebels with a cause in mind. In "Know Your Rights," Strummer sings about how even the most basic human rights—life, food, and speech—come with harsh legal repercussions. The Clash's upbeat song highlights the wide gap that separates citizens who know their rights and rebels who exercise their rights.
5. Public Enemy - Shut Em Down
Public Enemy, hailed by many as the definitive rap group, perfectly blends hard beats with politically-charged lyrics in Shut Em Down. In the song, Chuck D addresses the social ills plaguing the black community, problems such as poverty, crime, and a judicial system that just doesn't give a damn. Chuck D famously raps, "Civil liberty, I can't see to pay a fee / I never saw a way to pay a sap / To read the law / Then become a victim of a lawyer / Don't know ya, never saw ya / Tape cued / Getting me sued / Playin' games wit' my head / What the judge said put me in the red / Got me thinkin' about a trigger to the lead / No no / My educated mind say / Suckers gonna pay." The anthemic chorus, "Shut Em Down," is a wake-up call for the black community to take action and rebel, to shut this system down. The song reflects the black community's ongoing struggle to overcome and defend themselves. More importantly, it is a testimony of black power.
6. The Righteous Brothers - Unchained Melody
Before Ghost engrained the song in our heads, Unchained Melody was originally part of the soundtrack for 1955's Unchained, a movie about a convict torn between the need to finish his prison sentence and the desire to return to his wife and children. When The Righteous Brothers covered the song, they already had a really strong foundation to build upon, with profound lyrics like, "Oh, my love, my darling / I've hungered, hungered for your touch / A long, lonely time / And time goes by so slowly / And time can do so much / Are you still mine?" It perfectly encapsulates the feelings of loneliness, hope, and uncertainty. Additionally, Phil Spector's production is brilliant, starting off with lullaby-esque piano notes, building with somber violin and background vocals, then propelling into a dramatic crescendo with the urgency of the drums.
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