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Editor, News-Register:
In a world with $5.00-plus a gallon gasoline and where little kids are finding there really are boogie men out there (they just are in their schools, not under their beds), I can't help but think back to my youth about three popular protest songs at the time. First was "Eve of Destruction" by Barry McGuire. For those too young to remember, Lyndon Johnson was president at the time of "Eve of Destruction's" popularity and the Vietnam War was in full swing in 1965. On a good note, the song was partially responsible for lowering the voting age to 18. ("You're old enough to kill but not for votin'/you don't believe in war, but what's that gun you're totin'"). I'm pretty sure Barry McGuire is still alive. He may need some help, but is there a better time than now to do an updated version? I suggest changing the lyrics, "Think of all the hate there is in Red China/but then take a look around to Selma, Alabama." Alabama has appeared to change over the past 60 years. The Bull Conner and George Wallace era is a distant past. I'm sure finding two new locations to rhyme won't be too hard. Plenty of hate being promoted out there, real and artificial.
The next protest song I remember from my early teenage years was "Ball of Confusion" by the Temptations. To be equal politically, this stroke of timeless and genius lyrics was written during the first term of Richard Nixon, a Republican. You know the one who thought it was a great idea to open the doors to Red China. I'm sure Tricky Dicky would be seeing "red" if he saw what problems this idea caused today. Among the many classic and never aging lines by the Temps are "Politicians say more taxes will solve everything" and "Vote for me, and I'll set you free." Does anyone reading this feel any more free than when the late Melvin Franklin repeatedly uttered the worlds "and the band played on" in this classic Motown song in 1970?
Finally, I'd be remiss if I didn't include the Steppenwolf classic "The Pusher" with the current border situation getting worse by the day. One of the earliest mainstream songs I can remember which contained profanity along with the line, "People walking around with tombstones in their eyes/but the Pusher don't care if you live or if you die." Are today's "pushers" those who don't care about or are ignoring for their long-term goals the influx of drugs from foreign lands? Would our parents and grandparents believe in today's world it's easier to get fentanyl than to get baby formula? And we thought explaining to them about paying for water would be difficult.
Oh, I need to add one more for a nation where people want to blame groups or inanimate objects and not the individual for the problems which surround us. This is aided by a media which constantly wants to label us by groups in order to divide us further. In a little known song from the late 1960s, "Are You Ready" by Sly Stone (yes he's still alive) and the Family Stone. "Don't hate the Black/Don't hate the White/if you get bit/just hate the bite."
Now go google (or get your grandkids to do it for you) these half-century old tunes and agree or disagree. You currently still have that freedom.
Jay Knapp
Moundsville