Twitter definitely beats work. On Monday, Oxfam’s Max Lawson kicked off a discussion on the best song about economic inequality, which got enough candidates for an impromptu ‘Song for Davos’ competition – check these out and vote.
Creedence Clearwater Revival, Fortunate Son [Max Lawson]
Bob Marley, Them Belly Full [me, with post on Marley v IMF]
Motorhead, Eat the Rich [Phil Evans]
Juliani (Kenyan rapper, more here), Utawala [Jenny Ricks]
UB40, 1 in 10 [Phil Evans]
Tracy Chapman: Mountains O’ Things [Max Lawson]
The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Everything’s Raising but the Wages [Mark Furness]
Abba, Money Money Money [Max again]
Afraid I ruled out a couple of other suggestions because they weren’t strictly about economic inequality, were piss takes (sorry Spinal Tap) or were just bad. Anyway, there’s only so many Facebook ads any human being can bear.
So please vote for your favourite, and if you think I’ve missed a really good one suggest it in the comments because, who knows, we may do this in a more organized fashion for Davos 2018 – also, this lot feels pretty dated even to me, so can we have some more recent songs please?
Over to you – you’ve each got 3 votes
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Duncan Green
This is a conversational blog written and maintained by Duncan Green, strategic adviser for Oxfam GB and author of ‘From Poverty to Power’. This personal reflection is not intended as a comprehensive statement of Oxfam's agreed policies.
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What about The Pop Group’s “Feed The Hungry”, this gem of British post-punk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLh_xwqbxd0
Hi Duncan, how about Strange Fruit by Common featuring John Legend: https://youtu.be/0L3B0-ajza8 You can see the lyrics here: https://genius.com/Common-strange-fruit-lyrics
Showing my age and nationality, I’d like a write in vote for Everlast’s ‘What It’s Like’, not in the least because the final clip looks an awful lot like the PEOTUS and his family. Homelessness, reproductive rights, the ‘left behind’…all here, along with some mid-1990s grunge/hip hop/blues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCZ1YteCv5M
PEOTUS Family look like Motorhead meets Creedence Clearwater Revival meets Bob Marley? Now I’m alarmed.
Well you have to add to this fine list the ultimate inequality song: Billie Holiday’s God Bless the Child. ‘Them that’s got shall get, them that’s not shall lose, so the Bible said, and it still is news…’ She nailed Piketty’s analysis in 1939.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKNtP1zOVHw
Surely John Lennon’s “How Do You Sleep?” is a contender?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNjTPZW7GCU
Can I suggest the resplendent full six minute version of The Members ‘Offshore Banking Business / Pennies in the Pound’? Okay, so it’s more about tax dodging, but still pertinent to campaigning against inequality. A dub punk classic, with an ahead-of-its time lyrical expose of brass plaque companies’ dubious tactics in Bermuda – recently ranked number one in the list of the world’s worst tax havens.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXKak8AzBpg
Sorry Duncan, it’s even older than some of those on the shortlist, but the song is now more relevant than ever!
I have an additional suggestion.
Pulp
“Common People”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuTMWgOduFM
Less well known, but the angriest and most pointed song I’ve heard since early Dylan and Masters of War. Hugely relevant to today’s Trump and Brexit world
Iris Dements Wasteland of the Free. And I’m not even a country fan!
https://youtu.be/hhgb9hYjX3g
Duncan and Max – great effort but missing some classics from the South – e.g. Fela Kuti International Thief Thief and Victor Jara Las Casitas del Barrio Alto
Thanks for the list! I’m a bit late in this, but how about two more recent songs?:
Mos Def – The Embassy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AS3tHPbW4EM
Mumford & Sons – Dust Bowl Dance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z2yY5GhDto