Gil Scott-Heron, American jazz poet and musician known for his spoken-style performances, immortalized the words, “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” in his 1970s hit song.
What does the sentiment mean? A revolutionary himself, Gil Scott-Heron claims that change will not occur through messages delivered to your TV screen, but only by a change of heart followed up with meaningful action.
This playlist is the story of American life and politics in this moment as I see it. From the 60s to the present day, these are songs that make us, influence us, speak out against oppression and war, mirror who we are, and reveal injustice in all its forms. Their relevance is immortal (I’ve also added some modern hits); they continue to provoke us and show us what to strive for.
I won’t be silent in this moment.
This isn’t about left vs. right, and when it comes to Trump, it never was. This is about a deeply egotistical man who aims to silence any opposition and whose presidency is embroiled in corruption. He's not well physically or mentally, and his hateful rhetoric worsens every day. Those who bow to him are no better.
One change that needs to happen immediately is stopping ICE and closing the detention centers. This is not who we are.
I refuse to argue with anyone about this anymore. He puts out proof daily that he is unfit to lead. If people don’t see it by now (or claim they would tolerate these actions by their opposing party) they choose not to.
I’m heartbroken and exhausted, so I’ll let the songs speak for me.
The playlist follows an emotive progression. First, it evokes feelings of confusion and disillusionment; it proceeds toward full-blown rage and disgust of authoritarianism, declares nothing less than a revolution to reverse course (as illustrated by history), asks how to go about it, and finally explores what’s at stake—that humanity is worth our care and compassion, and, ultimately, our diversity and empathy give us strength and make our world a beautiful place.
As U2 sings, “We get to carry each other.”
You can listen to the playlist in order as the progression plays out, or you can shuffle it. (A concentration of angry songs may put you in some kind of mood.)
Many genres are included. A few contain explicit lyrics and others are children’s songs. If I’ve missed an obvious one, drop it in the comments. I’m constantly updating it.
Americans deserve better, and my hope is that we can return to a place of civility, respectful discourse, and even unity.
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