“The Hammer Song” (Pete Seeger). This protest classic needs to be understood in its historical context of Cold War America. The lyrics might seem tame compared to other protest ballads but its call for warning, justice and universal brotherhood was powerfully subversive at the beginning of 1950s complacency and paranoid McCarthyism. We had a difficult time choosing between the Weavers classic 1950 recording, the Weavers live from their 1963 Carnegie Hall reunion concert, and the classic cover by Peter Paul and Mary of 1962.
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Protest Songs: A Turnip Truck(s) List
The word “protest” comes from the Latin noun testis, “one who attests, witness.” To protest thus is to bear witness, to testify publicly, to invoke, in front of or before the public. With this in mind, the editors at The Turnip Truck(s) have compiled a list of what we consider the greatest protest songs of all time. Songs that testify or bear witness to an idea, issue, political or humanitarian problem. Songs that invoke or call upon people to listen, be aware, act. Look for a new protest song every Sunday at The Turnip Truck(s).