Non- Angry Activist Music

I just wanted to emphasize that not all activist music in the US is angry. My favorite example of this is Jack Johnson. He speaks out about environmental tragedies all the time. He also speaks about common descency, violent trends in youth, the modernization of our world...etc. He was born in Hawaii and then moved to California later in his life. He became a surfer at a very young age and so his music is very very chill and relaxed. Here are some examples of some of my faaaavooorite Jack Johnson songs: (these are just exerpts of the song lyrics - the lyrics that demonstrate the point the most)

The Horizon Has Been Defeated

future complications in the strings between the cans. But no prints can come from fingers if machines become our hands And then our feet become the wheels And then the wheels become the cars And then the rigs begin to drill Until the drilling goes too far. Thingamajigsaw puzzled. Anger don't you step too close Because people are lonely and only animals with fancy shoes. Hallelujah zig zag nothing. Misery it's on the loose Because people are lonely and only animals with too many tools that can build all the junk that we sell sometimes it makes you want to yell.

This song is talking all about the way our society is going nowadays... people are being replaced by machines.... all we want to do is buy more and more...producing the overdevelopment and destruction of our own planet - and thus we start to lose our purpose in life. But notice that he takes a stance against anger.

The News

A billion people died on the news tonight But not so many cried at the terrible sight Well mama said It's just make believe You can't believe everything you see So baby close your eyes to the lullabies On the news tonight. Who's the one to decide that it would be alright To put the music behind the news tonight? Well mama said You can't believe everything you hear The diagetic world is so unclear So baby close your ears On the news tonight .... On the news tonight. Why don't the newscasters cry when they read about people who die? At least they could be decent enough to put just a tear in their eyes Mama said It's just make believe You cant believe everything you see So baby close your eyes to the lullabies On the news tonight.

When I first heard this song I fell in love with it. Ive often said myself that the fact that the news always picks the horrible things to report on first puts our society in an endless circle of violence. Not that we should pretend that it didnt happen, but maybe make it less trivial by avoiding reporting one, then another, then another. They might as well read the obituaries. It's sad that there is so much violence that it has come to this. Then people get scared by watching it, buy more guns, and it just continues.

Cookie Jar

I would turn on the tv, but its so embarrassing to see all the other people, i dont know what they mean. It was magic at first, when they spoke without sound but now this world is gonna hurt, you better turn that thing down -turn it around. It wasnt me, says the boy with the gun sure i pulled the trigger, but it needed to be done because life's been killing me ever since it begun, you cant blame me cuz im too young. You cant blame me, sure the killer was my son but i didnt teach him to pull the trigger of the gun, its the killing on his tv screen you cant blame me, its those images he seen. You cant blame me, says the media man, i wasnt the one who came up with the plan. I just point my camera at what the people want to see, its a two way mirror and you cant blame me. You cant blame me, says the singer of the song or the maker of the movie which he based his life on. Its only entertainment, as anyone can see, its smoke machines and makeup, you cant fool me. It was you, it was me, it was every man, weve all got the blood on our hands. We only receive what we demand and if we want hell then hells what well have. I would turn on the tv, but its so embarrassing to see all the other people, dont know what they mean. It was magic at first, but let everyone down and now this world is gonna hurt, you better turn it around... turn it around

How perfect is this song? The epidemic of child and teenage violence is destroying our nation's youth. We all are to blame for it because we've created this world... and we've let it progress this way, without thought for consequences.

If you'd like to hear these songs go to:

The Horizon Has Been Defeated: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7Hb-Q8qE4M

The News: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scpOFHeNftU&feature=related

Cookie Jar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uF7TqmNKID8&feature=related - this video is not an official video for Cookie Jar; it was made by someone on youtube and is not endorsed or officially approved by Jack Johnson - but since there is no music video for Cookie jar, it's probably the best on there. (although I don't agree with some of the images he strings together though).

Let me know what you think of the songs and the style! :)

Also check out Traffic in the sky:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtJIu0Tylb0