The Smiley Smile Message Board

Just wondering what some of you think are the band's best political songs. Here's my take:


Surfers Rule - This track is obviously a statement sent back at Duane Eddy who had been drafted and decried that "surfers are squares" before being killed in Korea. A blunt, well-written statement from a band about to have the US Government shaking in their boots. "It's a GENUINE fact that the surfers rule..."


Pom, Pom Play Girl - This classic tale about the burgeoning women's rights and sexual movement from Carl's point of view of a young man masturbating to Playboy centerfolds was certainly shocking for its era, but what made it so profound was the gender bending "Play Girl" meaning that posing nude for a magazine could actually be empowering or that Carl was down with posing for Playgirl....which didn't even exist yet, I believe. Forward thinking crusaders? Yes.


Salt Lake City - What many don't know is that the proceeds of this song went to the Salt Lake Preservation Fund which was set up in 1961 to counteract the endless amount of waste that had been dumped in the lake when it was being used as a refuse site for materials scrapped from Eisenhower's Interstate Highway project.



I have some more favorites from later in their career, but just wanted to get the discussion started.

What'chu talkin' 'bout KokoNo?

Funnily enough, one of their more obvious political songs, Student Demonstration Time, is actually a thinly veiled warning from Mike Love that, should he ever find himself on a college campus in America, he will turn anyone who does not 'stay outta sight' into a 'bachelor of bullets'.

Hence the working title, "Student Obliteration Time"

I feel the evidence that you are, in reality, ghost returned, is piling up like snow in a blizzard.  ;D

Carry Me Home is told from the point of view of a soldier in Vietnam which could be considered political or anti-war.

I agree and at this stage am delighted to welcome him back.

One of this board's shortcomings is that we have no way of telling whether a poster has dual identities; I'm sure the mods have the ability to check ISPs etc though, so maybe we'll have a great unveiling soon.

I'd prefer it was all kept secretive though as I'd like to retain my "AGD" and "mikie" pseudonyms a little longer.

Don't Go Near the Water

The Trader

Summer in Paradise

Heroes and Villains

Student Demostration Time

It's About Time

"A Day In The Life Of A Tree."

Summer in Paradise  :lol :lol

Lookin' at Tomorrow

What you have as yet failed to realize John, is that apart from AGD and Mikie, I am actually everyone else on this board, and this is all just a plot to freak you out. This is no joke, or is it?

Wait, WHATTTTTTTTTT? Iron Horse-Apples, I thought I was YOU!   :-\

Everybody Wants To Live

Shortnin' Bread

Political songs almost always suck.  Mixing god-given talent, with man-made politics is a bad idea. 

Music is a powerful tool to change and enlighten all of society, not just those fortunate enough to be blessed with higher education. 

The 60's and 70's are all about the political landscape being shaped by music.  Anti-war, pro-evironment, race relations, equal rights...and so on...

 

One of my favorite Beatles songs Blackbird is about the civil rights movement.

Dylan wrote some pretty great ones.

As did a lot of the folkies, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, etc.

They only suck to the people who don't like the songs, the politics therein, the personalities of the performers, or some combination thereof. But plenty of people obviously have found a lot of value, validation, etc. in them. I think it's safe to say that pretty much every aspect of life is represented in art. The good news is that people who are more interested in political songs can find them, and similarly, those more interested in silly fun, romance, anger, relaxation, escape, or anything else can find that, too.

That was well said. However, one reason why I love the BB's so much is because they rarely stray into the politcal arena.

There are truly much more pertinent issues that need to be addressed- Where the Girls on the Beach are, why The Beach Boys Love You, the need to express the joys of Friendship, and the list goes on and on...

Don't forget Phil Ochs!