Good examples of music that has a social justice theme?

Question

For my theology class we have to find a song that speaks about a social justice issue. Issues that include the need for peace, the dangers of war, poverty, and much more. I was wondering if any of you guys had good songs that would has a social justice theme. Thanks for the help. Btw an example of one would be Where is the love by Black Eyed Peas Thanks!

Answer 1

How about Elvis, "In the Ghetto"

Answer 2

mostly anything by Rage Against the Machine.

Answer 3

The Clash --  "Know Your Rights"

Bob Marley -- "Get up, Stand up"

Dar Williams -- "Empire"

Digable Planets  -- "La Femme Fetal"

System of a Down -- "Boom!"

Morrissey -- "America is not the world"

Alan Jackson -- "Little Man"

Iris DeMent -- "Wasteland of the free"

Anything Dead Kennedy's.

Answer 4

One of my favorite BEPs songs!

Here are some more:

Strange Fruit - Nina Simone

Imagine - John Lennon

One Tin Soldier (The Legend of Billy Jack) -Coven

Get Up, Stand Up - Bob Marley

For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield

He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother - The Hollies

Indian Reservation - The Raiders

Shapes of Things - The Yardbirds

Going Gone - BEPs

City Hall - Tenacious D

Forgive Them Father - Lauryn Hill

What Its Like - Everlast

War - Edwin Starr

Mother & Child Reunion -Wailing Souls/Paul Simon

Ok...I'll stop.

Answer 5

War - Bob Marley and the Wailers

Mass Destruction - Faithless

We've got to have Peace - Curtis Mayfield

Love is the Answer - Basement Jaxx

Piece O'Peace - Spearhead

Stop the Violence - Boogie Down Productions

Liberty Song - Levellers

One - U2

Stand - Jewel

Hands - Jewel

Hope this helps :)

Answer 6

Go back to the early works of Bob Dylan,you'll find a wealth of what you are looking for.

Answer 7

Imagine ~ John Lennon

Glorified g ~ Pearl Jam

Blowin' in the wind ~ Bob Dylan

Power to the People ~ John Lennon

For what it's worth ~ CSNY

Ohio ~ Neil Young

Woodstock ~ Joni Mitchell

Do they know it's christmas time ~ the song from Band Aid (80's)

Talkin' bout a revolution ~ Tracy Chapman

Fast Car ~ Tracy Chapman

Establishment Blues ~ Rodriguez

Rich folks hoax ~ Rodriguez

The bourgeois blues ~ Ledbelly

This land is your land ~ Woody Guthrie

War Pigs ~ Black Sabbath

Born in the USA ~ Bruce Springstein

Fight the power ~ Public Enemy

Stars &stripes of corruption ~ Dead Kennedys

Rage against the machine has quite a lot of material relating to your topic

Lets impeach the president ~ Neil Young

Dear Mr. President ~ Pink

I was only 19 ~ Bushwackers

Answer 8

signs -

for what it's worth : Stop, hey what's that sound...

blowing in the wind