Where Has the Protest Music Gone?

We don't care about the wars we are in. No one cares about Iraq. No one cares about Afghanistan. That's just the way it is in America right now, and seemingly, that's the way it is with the mainstream music industry.

Tell me if you have heard one song on the radio that seems to challenge the authority figures in this country? Tell me if you have heard one song that challenges the reasons why we are in two wars currently? Instead, we are stuck listening to artists such as Lady Gaga and Christina Aguilera sing about getting so drunk that their shirts somehow wound up inside out, and the fact that their phones have gone missing in their drunken stupors.

Where have the Bob Dylan's and the Joan Baez's gone? Where's the social fight and protest that was present during the Vietnam War in the 1960's and the 1970's? The lack of passion and emotion in this country is somewhat worrisome, but at the same point, is understandable with the amount of apathy that is plaguing the youth of this country.

I was beginning to truly lose hope in my generation, until about two weeks ago when my friend Steven Lyzak returned home from his first tour in Afghanistan as a Marine.

While just sitting around his grandma's house during his leave, Steven went to his computer and clicked a song on his iTunes. The name of the song he clicked is 'Hero of War' and is performed by an alternative band called Rise Against.

I had never heard such a poignant song during this lost and frazzled contemporary time in this country. The song is shaped by the lead singer of the band taking on the role of a military man who is abroad, fighting for America. It chronicles the pride, strength, and struggle that every military personnel goes through while going abroad, but the band acheived this in a realistic and underproduced way.

The opening lines have the singer calmly and cooly singing, "He said, 'Son, have you seen the world? Well, what would you say if I said that you could? Just carry this gun and you'll even get paid.' I said, 'That sounds pretty good.'

I stared on as Steven, and two of his friends from the Marines that he brought home, with their muscles and tattoos, sang along to this acoustic song. They became part of the song while singing it, which was an emotional thing to witness. I could never understand or even begin to feel the connection that they have to this song, but I can still appreciate the fact that at least one band is attempting to sing about, and touch on this important issue. I had been finally exposed to a new age protest song.

Steven then looked at me, and said "I mean, I've listened to the lyrics of this song and shit," as he began to trail off, "And it's kind of fucked up, but, shit like that happens, you know? The stuff in that song, well, it does happen."

The Marines have since gone back to their posts in California, as I sit here, listening to 'Hero of War' on a loop while I write this. This song has given me hope for the future of contemporary music, and hope for the youth of this country. Maybe the apathy that I fear isn't so wide spread, and maybe it can be reversed.