#and joan baez? oh forget it it's so good

[menlove]

it ain't me babe has GOT to be one of the songs of all time in any iteration

[powderblueblood]

I hope this isn't too random but I really like your taste in movies and media and one of my favourite movies ever is Dogfight (1991) with River Phoenix (which I think you'll like if you haven't seen it already) and I love the idea of a Dogfight AU with Eddie or maybe Steve. It's pretty convenient that the lead character's named Eddie in the film too lol. Anyway, I'm not making a request or anything like that I just wanted to say that ever since I started following your blog I've felt that you're the perfect kind of writer to do a story like that. I watched the movie again a few days ago and I was reminded of your blog and I kept thinking oh man if anyone could get this AU down the right way it would be powder

so I want to preface this with telling you that I hadn’t seen dogfight when I received this ask but I read this and I was like you know what. I’ve got nothing on this morning lets pop in a movie

and jesus christ anon, have you ever got my number. i really, really liked it. took a few notes during. this was one of them

and i also got to thinking about this little sketch-- i mean, i have a bias towards wisecracking tragedy boy eddie munson lets be so serious, so i watched it with him in mind. (i also think there's such fertile real estate with steve as berzin-- i wanna talk about the marcie of it all with him!)

but you've got eddie, okay, eddie with a crew cut and a malaise that seems boyish but isn't. in boot camp, they cut off one of the last things that made him him (his hair, i am always thinking about his hair) and dressed him up to send him off to die.

on the one hand, he's dabbled in the counterculture by virtue of being an outsider all his life (he knows the war is fucked); on the other, he doesn't want to be a draft dodger like his father. the more he's surrounded by something like the rigidity and after-dark feral lost boy-ishness of the marines, the easier it becomes to surrender to it. forget himself. make a bunch of jarhead buddies and put money on a dogfight.

they're calling for okinawa in the morning. he's got twelve hours in frisco and a mission to find the ugliest date that he can.

and then he meets you.

you, and you are sweet and weedy in nature with a guitar in your hand, with hands you hold like there oughta be rosary beads webbed between your fingers. your shrine to joan baez and odetta holmes on the wall of your bedroom in the apartment above the diner that he stumbles into, sweating and desperate and running low on that classic munson charm, trying to find the gnarliest bitch hound in all of san francisco.

your hair is a little too done up in a poor imitation of girls in the magazines and you move your body like it's a constant obstruction, apologetic to everyone in your path. you're perfect-- for this. he asks you to a party, a party set up to humiliate you and amuse him and that's all well and good until--

you pluck off the chords of dink's song and you remind eddie of something he'd tried to beat down, you pressed little flower you.

and this eventual exchange.

'what are you grinnin' about?'

'i was just wondering what you'd look like with your hair a little longer and without that bruise on your face...'

sweetheart, i need to have a fucking LIE DOWN. this really might end up on my WIPS by VIRTUE OF THIS ASK ALONE. DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE! I LOVE YOU

[pearlescentttttt]

@goldenphlox tagged me in this lovely questionnaire. ✨

Nicknames: My name, alas, has no viable nickname options, but my go by on tumblr is Pearl and it feels very sweet to me. The pearl is my birthstone.

Zodiac: Gemini sun, Virgo moon, Libra rising. (I love astrology and will always talk about it happily with anyone, especially if you want help looking up your chart.)

Last movie: Cronos. I am taking a film class and this was assigned for the week of Halloween- it's Guillermo del Toro's first movie and was a really interesting inversion of typical vampire/monster flicks. Would recommend if you like spooky things or thoughtful things.

Height: 5’5- which feels to me to be quite average.

Last thing I googled: "pink floating shelves"- I am decorating a new apartment and I want a shelf to put my iPad while I do dishes.

Fav musicians: Adrianne Lenker, SZA, Moses Sumney, Mac Miller, Phoebe Bridgers, Joan Baez, Laura Marling, Frank Ocean, Anna Mieke, Stevie Nicks, Vashti Bunyan, Billie Eilish, Waxahatchee, Billie Holiday, The Staves, Solange, and so many others.

Song stuck in my head: Godspeed by Frank Ocean

Other blogs: @locketfullofpoetry - but I forget about this blog a lot. It's just a place to keep poems I like as I read them.

Amount of sleep: Oh god, this is so variable. I have started waking up at 4am no alarm no nothing, even before daylight savings kicked in, and it sucks.

Lucky number: 6

Dream trip: Going to visit Emily Dickinson's grave and doing a literary tour of Amherst, Massachusetts.

What I’m wearing: Velvet headband, cat eye glasses, pink and red striped fluffy sweater, black mini skirt, black tights, black patent oxford Doc Martens.

Languages: Regrettably, I only speak English. I have taken Spanish classes, but I don't use those language skills enough, and they have atrophied.

Play an instrument: Absolutely not. I love to listen to music, but I cannot sing or play an instrument, and I have no desire to try.

Fav food: Cheesecake. Of absolutely any variety.

Fav songs: Go Gina by SZA, Dreams by Fleetwood Mac, Only the Strong by Laura Marling, Good Woman by The Staves, Cranes in the Sky by Solange

Random fact about me: I was an English teacher for quite a few years.

If you see this and you do it, please tag me so I can read your answers! Especially @honey-eyed-kisses and @ohsofttouch @aatalante and @andromedae-veritate if y’all have time. ✨🥰

[cleoselene]

music decades, judged

everything pre-1940 idk dude i’m barely old enough to have grandparents who listened to 40s music

‘40s - oh yeah let’s swing dance and piss off the Nazis by listening to Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington.  Timeless enough music for there to be a whole swing revival in the late ‘90s that for some reason heavily overlapped with ‘90s goths.  I don’t know why, man.  But I was there.  We goths loved that swing.

‘50s - cheese, ugh, barf.  props for beginning rock’n’roll but the ‘50s reminds me of shit like that “Lollipop” song or “Mr. Sandman” and that shit is BEYOND hokey

‘60s - amazing, motown, folk rock... Joan Baez and Jimi Hendricks and Simon & Garfunkel and The Supremes like fuck yeah the 60s are an ICONIC music decade

‘70s - hoooooly shit singer-songwriters are MY SHIT.  yeah Led Zeppelin is kind of crap but Stairway is fun.  DISCO RULES.  Americana rock like The Eagles and Bob Seger rule.  So do legendary singer-songwriters like Carly Simon and Elton John and John Denver and Barry Manilow.  Music starts to come pretty.  Soft rock is rising.  Fuck yeah, the ‘70s.

‘80s - half on crack with their weird shit like “She Blinded Me WIth Science” that only the ‘80s could have pulled off.  POP MUSIC BECOMES SO MUCH FUN.  Punk, goth, new wave all finding their stride.  HEAVEN IS A PLACE ON EARTH.  All the soundtracks to the moves I watched growing up. Fuck yeah, the ‘80s.

‘90s - SHIT WAS AMAZING.  PRETTY MUCH ALL OF IT.  EVEN TUBTHUMPING.  Every genre was on its game.  Alternative music is amazing.  Industrial really makes its mainstream rise.  It was a good time, whether you were a country fan or a candy raver or a grunge fan or a goth kid or, especially, that feelgood about being a vag owner music that was all the Lilith Fair artists.  Fuck you if you have shit to say about the ‘90s!!  Go listen to a Gin Blossoms cd and cheer the fuck up!

‘00s - darkest of times.  numetal.  rock-rap horror.  a few gems rise out of this, like Evanescence, but it’s miserable music for a miserable decade.  To be fair, Beyonce was out there doing her thing and there were good points but like... as a whole... let’s forget it.  Except for American Idiot.  Fucking genius album.

‘10s - too early to judge but pop music got better.  A lot better.  I’m sorry these are just facts.  We’ll see how the decade closes off.

*****these are my opinions so if you don’t like them I’m sorry

[whatisdereklisteningto]

I haven’t really listened to much Dylan in a while beyond, like, the occasional tunes that pop up on Pandora or the odd recommended Spotify playlist. But I got a sure-why-not hankering to hear the Live 1975: The Rolling Thunder Revue volume in The Bootleg Series last weekend, then I ended up listening to it during the work commute for the past week, which is a pretty good test for whether or not I think something is a solid, re-listenable album. So, I proberly should blog it before I get sick of re-listening to it and forget again that it hasn’t appeared here before! Because I really like this double CD of recordings from the first half of the Rolling Thunder Revue tour, and I really, really like the sound of this group, the hard-country-folk-rock arrangements on a lot of these tunes, and Dylan’s voice and lyric variations. Special mention for band members Mick Ronson on guitar and Scarlet Rivera on violin; they’re both highlights on a number of these recordings (especially when one or both are using that nice chunky-sounding phase shifter.) Speaking of special mentions, I offer the following: my favorite solo performances here are “Tangled Up in Blue,” “Simple Twist of Fate,” and “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue”; my favorite / the best full-band tunes are “Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You,” “It Ain’t Me, Babe” (groovin’!), “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” (fast and rockin’), “Mama, You Been On My Mind” (with Joan Baez), “Romance in Durango,” “Isis,” “Oh, Sister,” “Sara” and “Just Like A Woman.” And “Hurricane,” I guess.

[stephenjaymorrisblog]

The Past, the Future, and Nothing in Between

By Stephen Jay Morris

May 21, 2019

©Scientific Morality

             It was either 1974 or 1975, I forget.  The Peace and Freedom Party was having their State meeting in Isla Vista, California.  I caught a ride with Bill M., treasurer of the L.A. County Peace and Freedom Party.  It would be a 150-mile ride to the site.  Bill had a mustard color, 1958 Studebaker station wagon.  Including me, there was a total of five passengers.  I sat in the back seat on the left side, next to the widow.  This really old decrepit white guy, with pale blue eyes, sat to my right.  I would render a guess he was in his early 80’s; he was as wrinkled as a discarded prune.  The skin beneath his chin hung like that of a chicken.  What remained of his hair was a thin tuft of gray strands he’d combed over his bald spot.

At the point we got onto the Hollywood Freeway, he turned his head and flashed me a reptilian smile.  In a quivering voice he said, “Would you look at that hair!?  (Mine was shoulder length back then.)  It’s a good thing we weren’t cellmates!  We would be sharing the same bunk every night!”

Then it started.  For the next hour and a half, this old man proceeded to give me a history lesson.  I managed to ask my first question, “Oh?  Did you serve time?”

“Son?  My police record is longer than your hair!  I was arrested in 1921 for “Failure to Disperse.”  That was my first.  Spent the night in the local pokey in some hick town in the South. My factory had a wildcat strike and the cops didn’t like me too much.   I was the organizer for The IWW.”

I was taken aback!  “You mean the Industrial Workers of the World?  You were a Wobblie?”

He chuckled and said, “As sure as you are looking at me!”

It was the most interesting ride I have ever had!  You know something?  I never got his name.

His last statement to me was, “I guess you have better things to do than listen to an old man babble on for hours.”  I wish he’d talked another hour.  

           So what is my point?  Since I first became acquainted with my grandfather Lewis, I’ve continually found elderly people to be fascinating.  The curse of ageism is part of this country’s national fabric and considered humorous.  Gerontophobia looms large in the USA, where you are either too old or too young.  My point is that old people are not your problem, they are your salvation.  Okay, perhaps salvation is too strong of a word.  Maybe “valued resource” is better.  Not only by talking to an old person, but through respecting them as well.

           This whole Trump soap opera reminds me of the Nixon days of the early 70’s.  We were obsessed with “Tricky Dick.”  Historically, a Trotskyite and a Maoist hated each other, but if you mentioned Dick Nixon, the Trots and Mickey Maoists took turns bashing him!  Everybody on the Left, or even in the Center, hated Nixon. I had always thought that Nixon was the worst president ever—until now.

           American history has a tendency to repeat itself. On August 6, 1974, Nixon resigned. Until then, the Nixon administration seemed to go on and on and on, adnausean.  The impeachment process in the USA is as slow as molasses.  It could have gone on into the Bicentennial, 1976.

           On April 30, 1975, the Vietcong captured Saigon and the war was over.  Until then, it seemed like the war would never stop!  By 1974, the Anti-War movement became anemic.  I went to a protest at Exposition Park in Los Angeles; there were 250 people in attendance.  You’d think Joan Baez would have drawn a huge crowd!  Also, the main speaker was Daniel Elsberg, of “The Pentagon Papers.”  Ultimately, that day turned out to be a big relief and we all exhaled with a major closure.

However, American Imperialism would find another land to invade.  

           The Watergate scandal seemed endless. Everyday there surfaced another piece of the puzzle.  Nixon called the Watergate investigation a “Witch hunt.”  Sound familiar?

           My whole point is, this Trump regime will eventually end and there will be another to replace it.  Some milquetoast, tepid centrist will take on the role for eight years, and then another right wing fuck will replace him.  It is the pattern of American politics and always will be.  The only way things will change is by revolution.  What type of revolution?

That is up to you.

[kevinmoyer]

Fun Modern Wedding in New Orleans :: Alicia & Mathew

Photography by G. Chapin Studios.

Let me start by saying, this is not your average wedding! Alicia & Mathew’s day included plenty of unique touches and was relaxed, cool and seriously fun. From stylish Alicia’s bridal looks (oh yes, she donned both a jumpsuit and a cape!), to semi-gothic twists (the groom’s ring inlaid with a skeleton, those romantic blood red florals), to a brass band, food trucks and a never-empty dance floor, this is a classic New Orleans good time. And how do you top off a day like that? With most everyone ending up in the pool, of course!

If you had it to do over again, is there anything you would do differently? We really can’t think of anything we would do differently. Perhaps similar to what other people say, slow down and take it all in. But we were both too excited to slow down!

Did you have a first look? Why or why not? We did, but not in my wedding look! Instead, I wore a jumpsuit with my hair down. Since we did our cocktail hour before the ceremony I didn’t want our guests to see me in my wedding dress. So our planner, Brooke Casey Weddings, who was magical, made a perfect timeline for us. We did a first look before everyone arrived, had a drink with our guests, then I quickly changed into my wedding dress and cape for the ceremony. My hairdresser was so sweet and put my hair up in a matter of five seconds, and just like that it was a new look. Our planner really convinced us to do a first look and I am so glad we did. It’s nice to say hello, hi, I love you, before things turn into a crazy love fest with everyone else.

Why did you choose this location for your wedding? We currently live in New York City, but being from Louisiana Mathew and I knew we had to get married in New Orleans. When planning our wedding we wanted a more laidback, less formal venue. Race and Religious had everything. Every inch of the building screams New Orleans, plus it has a cozy yet romantic vibe, and a beautiful, inviting outdoor space that wasn’t stuffy.

Are there any DIY details you’d like to tell us about? I have to mention our cat coozies! We had the cutest coozies with our cat’s face on them. And we had thank you bags made with the traditional Chinese double happiness symbol, filled with tea bags.

Do you have any budget tips for other brides? Hire a wedding planner. They can help you save money! Our wedding planner Brooke Casey Weddings pointed us in the right direction every time. She recommended vendors in our price range and made sure we never splurged on things that weren’t needed.

The Ceremony

Your ceremony in three words. Non-traditional, emotional, fun-spirited.

How did you go about planning your ceremony? I used Snippet & Ink! I also spoke to friends who were officiants or had used friends as officiants. Getting everyone’s advice really helped us settle on the style, and most importantly how we wanted to share our love story with our friends and family.

What was your ceremony music? We had the awesome Kinfolk Brass Band play In My Life by The Beatles for the wedding party. Then they switched to La Vie en Rose for my dad and I to enter. It’s such a beautiful song, and it immediately reminded me of my childhood watching old movies with Audrey Hepburn and Louis Armstrong. It totally did the trick in calming my nerves.

Who officiated your ceremony? My dear friend from graduate school, Rachel.

How did you choose him/her?  First of all, she has a great speaking voice and knows how to use a microphone! Also, she is so eloquent and knows us so well that we knew she would be the perfect person to perform the ceremony and to keep us both calm.

Did you include any traditions in your ceremony? I wanted to make the statement that Mathew and I were in this together; that together, we decided on this union. Rachel did a great job with the wording to make it less patriarchal, and added feminist touches here and there.

What were your ceremony readings? We searched high and low and found two that we both have never heard before – To My Valentine By Ogden Nash  and an excerpt from The Irrational Season by Madeleine L’Engle.

What were your vows like? We wrote our own and when it was time to say them, it got very emotional. Mathew is an excellent writer and wrote his alone in thirty minutes. I took a whole month and had multiple friends read and edit them. I again used Snippet & Ink and found a few vows that emulated the flow we were after and the love I wanted to convey. I also stole a line or two from an episode of Grace and Frankie!

What was your favorite thing about your wedding ceremony? That it was the perfect representation of our personalities and our relationship. If you didn’t know us before, just listening to our vows you could get a clear picture of what makes us tick and why we operate well together.

Is there anything else that you’d like to share about your wedding ceremony? We wanted our friends and family to be a part of our ceremony.  At one point our officiant asked us to turn around and look at all our friends and family. Seeing everyone’s faces and taking a moment to acknowledge the love around us is something I will never forget.

Did you include any other traditions in your wedding? We really didn’t follow any rules or traditions. Whatever felt right we did it. If it was a tradition that was simply a wedding tradition with no meaning behind it for us, we tried to avoid it. But one classic New Orleans tradition that we had to do was the second line. A second line parade has two parts. The first line is the couple and the brass band, and second line are the guests. It was so fun to dance in the streets right after the ceremony. All the locals get into it, honking and waving from their cars. I think our out of town guests especially got a kick out of it.

Is there anything else that helps tell the story of your wedding? A photographer! I think this is one of the most important things to do your research on. With so many great wedding photographers out there, we really focused on the photographer and their personality. We wanted to find someone that was like us, and who felt like a friend. After looking at so many photography websites, we ended up choosing G. Chapin Studios. As soon as I talked to her on Skype and read her blog I knew we had found the one. Finding someone that can make you comfortable and feel like yourself I really think is the formula to getting the best pictures.

The Reception

Why did you choose this location for your reception? We loved that our ceremony and reception could be at the same venue. We knew we wanted a fun laidback vibe, and we knew with our group of friends people would end up in the pool!

What inspired you when you were planning your wedding?  Following the spirit of the Big Easy, our goal was to keep it relaxed, no fuss, and not pretentious or sterile. I kept telling our vendors to picture a fun laidback tailgate or backyard party!

What was your wedding menu? We had two food trucks!

Rue Chow served Louisiana staples: Chicken and sausage jambalaya / Chicken and waffles / Truffle bacon mac n’ cheese / Roast beef sandwiches / Roasted vegetable bruschetta.

And the second truck served our favorite food, tacos! Taceaux Loceaux offered three types of tacos (vegetarian, beef, and pork) and gazpacho salad.

What was your first dance song? Father/daughter or mother/son dance? I am going to be honest – I did not want to do a first dance. I hate being the center of attention, slow dancing in front of everyone! Forget it! But Mathew put his foot down and begged me to dance with him for ninety seconds (up from the original one minute I agreed to!) I feel like there has to be other brides out there that feel this way!?

Our first dance was Louis Armstrong’s A Kiss to Build A Dream On. Thankfully my dad and I are likeminded when it comes to dancing, so we skipped the father/daughter dance. Mathew and his mother danced to Forever Young by Joan Baez.

What type of cake or dessert did you serve? We had three cakes from The Sweet Life Bakery. They were buttercream with vanilla icing, chocolate peanut butter with chocolate icing, and my favorite, red velvet with cream cheese icing. We also had local coffee provided by the Petite Rouge coffee truck.

What advice do you have for other couples in the midst of planning a wedding?  Think about weddings you have attended. What did you remember and what can’t you remember? If you can’t remember if you had glass or plastic cups then maybe don’t worry about paying extra for the finest china. If you loved getting in the photo booth at that one wedding, then don’t even think twice: get the photo booth! And if you can afford it, hire a wedding planner!

What was your favorite moment or part of the reception? It may be very cliché, but seeing all our friends from childhood to adulthood dancing together. And also turning around and realizing half of our guests were dancing in the pool.

What was the best advice you received as a bride? It’s just one night so don’t sweat the small stuff. Focus on the love and marriage. And don’t forget to eat!

Please tell us about any other special details or moments from your reception. Watching a guest strip down to his red swimsuit and get in the pool.

How would you describe your reception overall? One huge, sweaty, dance-and-pool party!

The post Fun Modern Wedding in New Orleans :: Alicia & Mathew appeared first on Snippet & Ink.

[tragicbooks]

Trump-proof your playlist with 11 resistance-ready protest songs.

<br>

Historically, music has played a vital role in American war and resistance movements.

During the Revolutionary War, "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and other popular dance songs were sung by both the British soldiers and the American rebels to keep spirits afloat in trying times. This continued throughout history, with songs like the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" and "God Bless America" motivating troops and civilians during the Civil War and World War I.

But war is never straightforward, and when American involvement in Vietnam escalated, patriotic songs like "The Battle of the Green Berets" were soon outnumbered by protest and anti-war music like Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind," Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son," and Martha Reeves and the Vandellas' "I Should Be Proud."

Folk singers Joan Baez and Bob Dylan perform during a civil rights rally in Washington, D.C., in 1963. Photo by Rowland Scherman/National Archive/Newsmakers.

Nearly in tandem, the civil rights movement had protest and resistance music of its own. Generations of artists and performers, inspired by marches, demonstrations, and tragedies during the fight for civil rights, created some of the country's most enduring musical contributions — songs like James Brown's "Say it Loud — I'm Black and I'm Proud" and Gil Scott-Heron's spoken-word piece "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised."

James Brown performs at the Olympia hall in Paris. Photo by AFP/Getty Images.

But protest and resistance music didn't end in the 1960s. Now more than ever, we need songs to keep us moving forward.

We need songs that make people want to stand up, speak out, and fight back.

We're facing an unprecedented American political landscape, and there are inexperienced, unpredictable people in charge. It's important to pay attention and speak up against bigotry, ignorance, and policies that affect the most vulnerable.

This is the soundtrack to the resistance. Turn it up. Share it. Let them hear us coming.

Demonstrators protest President Donald Trump's executive order which imposes a freeze on admitting refugees into the United States and a ban on travel from seven Muslim-majority countries at the international terminal at O'Hare Airport in Chicago, Illinois. Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images.

1. Andra Day, "Rise Up"

Warm up with this beautiful, haunting ballad by songstress Andra Day. It may not get your heart racing, but it will get your mind prepared to face a new and uncertain challenge.

Lyric for your protest sign: "All we need, all we need is hope/And for that we have each other"

2. Pharrell Williams, "Runnin'"

If you haven't seen "Hidden Figures," stop what you're doing and go. I'll wait.

OH MY GOODNESS WASN'T IT SO GOOD?! This true story was brought to life on screen with powerhouse performances and a soundtrack of contemporary soul music. This particular song from Pharrell Williams would be at home on black radio in 1963 or 2017, which is a sobering reminder that even though we made it to space, there's still a long way to go.

Lyric for your protest sign: "I don't want no free ride/I'm just sick and tired of runnin'"

3. Isley Brothers, "Fight the Power, Pts. 1 & 2"

A pretty much perfect song about standing up against the powers that be. Ever wonder what you would've done during the civil rights movement? Turn on these songs, go outside, and find out.

Lyric for your protest sign: "When I rolled with the punches/I got knocked on the ground/With all this bullshit going down"

4. K'naan feat. Snow tha Product, Riz MC, and Residente, "Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)"

There are a lot of songs on the "Hamilton" original Broadway cast recording and the subsequent "Hamilton Mixtape" remix and compilation album, but few possess the energy and passion of "Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)."

As President Trump looks to restrict the number of refugees entering America, it's important to remind people of troubling and dangerous circumstances many immigrants and refugees flee in the first place and the difficult journeys they face once they're in America, whether or not they're documented.

Lyric for your protest sign: "It’s America's ghost writers, the credit's only borrowed."

5. Dixie Chicks, "Not Ready to Make Nice"

This song was about the Dixie Chicks' political saga with country radio and outraged fans. (Doesn't that feel downright quaint these days?) It holds up as a pop-country song about refusing to find common ground with ignorance and bigotry. I think of this song every time someone suggests I "give President Trump a chance." Candidate Trump said some awful things about people like the people I love and the people who make this country a great place to live. President Trump seems to be following through on his potentially devastating campaign promises. Forgive and forget? Not when lives and livelihoods are at stake.

Lyric for your protest sign: "I'm still mad as hell and I don't have time to go 'round and 'round and 'round."

6. Kendrick Lamar,  "Alright"

You could hear this song break out at Black Lives Matter demonstrations and marches across the country. This powerful anthem struck a chord at just the right time, a three-and-a-half minute tonic against fear, anguish, and systemic oppression. As Desire Thompson wrote in Vibe, "While listening to it on repeat, I was reminded of the lesson that pain isn’t permanent and getting through the tough times are what make us all stronger."

Lyric for your protest sign: "We gon' be alright"

7. Solange, "F.U.B.U."

We don't deserve two talented, powerful Knowles sisters. But it's younger sister Solange's new album that's been in heavy rotation during this winter of discontent. It's empowering and ethereal, with lyrics covering so many issues on the minds of black women. "F.U.B.U." is an acronym for "for us by us," and this song is just that. Sorry not sorry white folks, this one isn't for you.

Lyric for your protest sign: "All my niggas let the whole world know/Play this song and sing it on your terms/For us, this shit is for us/Don't try to come for us"

8. Marvin Gaye, "Mercy, Mercy, Me (the Ecology)"

Like "Inner City Blues" and "What's Going On?" "Mercy, Mercy Me" is a grim reminder of how little has changed in the last 45 years. That's not a cue to get despondent. That's a cue to get bold. It's a cue to keep pushing, keep tapping into fresh ideas and new approaches, especially when it comes to the environment. As the saying goes, "There is no Planet B." Let's do this.

Lyric for your protest sign: "What about this overcrowded land/How much more abuse from man can she stand?"

9. The "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" theme

It's a 30-second theme song for a show about a woman starting her life over after 15 years in an underground bunker. What's more resistance-ready than that?

Lyric for your protest sign: "'Cause females are strong as hell!"

10. The Pointer Sisters, "Yes We Can Can"

Long before Obama used it to galvanize millions of believers, Allen Tousissant's song of a similar name galvanized people on the dance floor and in the streets. Performed by the Pointer Sisters, the socially conscious funk song reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100, but the timeless classic remains relevant nearly 44 years later.

Lyric for your protest sign: "We got to make this land a better land than the world in which we live/And we got to help each man be a better man with the kindness that we give"

11. Elton John, "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting"

I was going to pick "Philadelphia Freedom" for its soaring horns and unintentional bicentennial spirit, but this song felt better for Nazi-punching. Now, I'm not condoning violence, but what you and your fists do to fight fascists is your business.

Lyric for your protest sign: "Saturday night's alright for fighting, get a little action in."

This playlist is just the beginning.

There are countless songs, new and old, that belong on this list. When it comes to music that inspires you to do good and get involved, there are no wrong answers. Pick it out, turn it up, and let's get moving.

Thousands of people gather at City Hall in San Francisco to protest President Trump and to show support for women's rights. Photo by Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images.

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[socialviralnews]

Trump-proof your playlist with 11 resistance-ready protest songs.

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Historically, music has played a vital role in American war and resistance movements.

During the Revolutionary War, "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and other popular dance songs were sung by both the British soldiers and the American rebels to keep spirits afloat in trying times. This continued throughout history, with songs like the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" and "God Bless America" motivating troops and civilians during the Civil War and World War I.

But war is never straightforward, and when American involvement in Vietnam escalated, patriotic songs like "The Battle of the Green Berets" were soon outnumbered by protest and anti-war music like Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind," Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son," and Martha Reeves and the Vandellas' "I Should Be Proud."

Folk singers Joan Baez and Bob Dylan perform during a civil rights rally in Washington, D.C., in 1963. Photo by Rowland Scherman/National Archive/Newsmakers.

Nearly in tandem, the civil rights movement had protest and resistance music of its own. Generations of artists and performers, inspired by marches, demonstrations, and tragedies during the fight for civil rights, created some of the country's most enduring musical contributions — songs like James Brown's "Say it Loud — I'm Black and I'm Proud" and Gil Scott-Heron's spoken-word piece "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised."

James Brown performs at the Olympia hall in Paris. Photo by AFP/Getty Images.

But protest and resistance music didn't end in the 1960s. Now more than ever, we need songs to keep us moving forward.

We need songs that make people want to stand up, speak out, and fight back.

We're facing an unprecedented American political landscape, and there are inexperienced, unpredictable people in charge. It's important to pay attention and speak up against bigotry, ignorance, and policies that affect the most vulnerable.

This is the soundtrack to the resistance. Turn it up. Share it. Let them hear us coming.

Demonstrators protest President Donald Trump's executive order which imposes a freeze on admitting refugees into the United States and a ban on travel from seven Muslim-majority countries at the international terminal at O'Hare Airport in Chicago, Illinois. Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images.

1. Andra Day, "Rise Up"

Warm up with this beautiful, haunting ballad by songstress Andra Day. It may not get your heart racing, but it will get your mind prepared to face a new and uncertain challenge.

Lyric for your protest sign: "All we need, all we need is hope/And for that we have each other"

2. Pharrell Williams, "Runnin'"

If you haven't seen "Hidden Figures," stop what you're doing and go. I'll wait.

OH MY GOODNESS WASN'T IT SO GOOD?! This true story was brought to life on screen with powerhouse performances and a soundtrack of contemporary soul music. This particular song from Pharrell Williams would be at home on black radio in 1963 or 2017, which is a sobering reminder that even though we made it to space, there's still a long way to go.

Lyric for your protest sign: "I don't want no free ride/I'm just sick and tired of runnin'"

3. Isley Brothers, "Fight the Power, Pts. 1 & 2"

A pretty much perfect song about standing up against the powers that be. Ever wonder what you would've done during the civil rights movement? Turn on these songs, go outside, and find out.

Lyric for your protest sign: "When I rolled with the punches/I got knocked on the ground/With all this bullshit going down"

4. K'naan feat. Snow tha Product, Riz MC, and Residente, "Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)"

There are a lot of songs on the "Hamilton" original Broadway cast recording and the subsequent "Hamilton Mixtape" remix and compilation album, but few possess the energy and passion of "Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)."

As President Trump looks to restrict the number of refugees entering America, it's important to remind people of troubling and dangerous circumstances many immigrants and refugees flee in the first place and the difficult journeys they face once they're in America, whether or not they're documented.

Lyric for your protest sign: "It’s America's ghost writers, the credit's only borrowed."

5. Dixie Chicks, "Not Ready to Make Nice"

This song was about the Dixie Chicks' political saga with country radio and outraged fans. (Doesn't that feel downright quaint these days?) It holds up as a pop-country song about refusing to find common ground with ignorance and bigotry. I think of this song every time someone suggests I "give President Trump a chance." Candidate Trump said some awful things about people like the people I love and the people who make this country a great place to live. President Trump seems to be following through on his potentially devastating campaign promises. Forgive and forget? Not when lives and livelihoods are at stake.

Lyric for your protest sign: "I'm still mad as hell and I don't have time to go 'round and 'round and 'round."

6. Kendrick Lamar,  "Alright"

You could hear this song break out at Black Lives Matter demonstrations and marches across the country. This powerful anthem struck a chord at just the right time, a three-and-a-half minute tonic against fear, anguish, and systemic oppression. As Desire Thompson wrote in Vibe, "While listening to it on repeat, I was reminded of the lesson that pain isn’t permanent and getting through the tough times are what make us all stronger."

Lyric for your protest sign: "We gon' be alright"

7. Solange, "F.U.B.U."

We don't deserve two talented, powerful Knowles sisters. But it's younger sister Solange's new album that's been in heavy rotation during this winter of discontent. It's empowering and ethereal, with lyrics covering so many issues on the minds of black women. "F.U.B.U." is an acronym for "for us by us," and this song is just that. Sorry not sorry white folks, this one isn't for you.

Lyric for your protest sign: "All my niggas let the whole world know/Play this song and sing it on your terms/For us, this shit is for us/Don't try to come for us"

8. Marvin Gaye, "Mercy, Mercy, Me (the Ecology)"

Like "Inner City Blues" and "What's Going On?" "Mercy, Mercy Me" is a grim reminder of how little has changed in the last 45 years. That's not a cue to get despondent. That's a cue to get bold. It's a cue to keep pushing, keep tapping into fresh ideas and new approaches, especially when it comes to the environment. As the saying goes, "There is no Planet B." Let's do this.

Lyric for your protest sign: "What about this overcrowded land/How much more abuse from man can she stand?"

9. The "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" theme

It's a 30-second theme song for a show about a woman starting her life over after 15 years in an underground bunker. What's more resistance-ready than that?

Lyric for your protest sign: "'Cause females are strong as hell!"

10. The Pointer Sisters, "Yes We Can Can"

Long before Obama used it to galvanize millions of believers, Allen Tousissant's song of a similar name galvanized people on the dance floor and in the streets. Performed by the Pointer Sisters, the socially conscious funk song reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100, but the timeless classic remains relevant nearly 44 years later.

Lyric for your protest sign: "We got to make this land a better land than the world in which we live/And we got to help each man be a better man with the kindness that we give"

11. Elton John, "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting"

I was going to pick "Philadelphia Freedom" for its soaring horns and unintentional bicentennial spirit, but this song felt better for Nazi-punching. Now, I'm not condoning violence, but what you and your fists do to fight fascists is your business.

Lyric for your protest sign: "Saturday night's alright for fighting, get a little action in."

This playlist is just the beginning.

There are countless songs, new and old, that belong on this list. When it comes to music that inspires you to do good and get involved, there are no wrong answers. Pick it out, turn it up, and let's get moving.

Thousands of people gather at City Hall in San Francisco to protest President Trump and to show support for women's rights. Photo by Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images.

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