Music as an Agent of Change

I recently came across an interesting article in the journal Music and Politics. First off - let me just express my pleasant mystification over the fact that such a journal even exists. I guess they "done got" journals for everything these days...

Anyway...the author, Dard Neuman, teaches at the University of California Santa Cruz, and the article details the focus of his course "Music, Politics, and Protest;" Neuman focuses on, in his words, "four domains where music intersects the political." These domains include 1) music as an agent of change; (2) music as an implicit or explicit commentary on power; (3) music and the politics of spirituality; and (4) music as a mirror of historical, political and cultural change. Click here for the article.

I'm particularly drawn to Neuman's comments regarding the first domain (i.e. music as an agent of change). He cites how early 20th century labor movements in the US, namely the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) and the Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA), would "politicize" traditional and popular songs by changing lyrical content. In this new guise, the songs, well-known by the general public, would become powerful tools for disemminating the respective movements' messages. The fact that a song - especially a catchy song - could be memorized and then passed on to others made it a far more appealing political tool than pamphlets or manifestos - things that you actually had to read (assuming you could read).

Neuman's article made me consider an additional focus for this project. I'm curious how music, if at all, has impacted the political life of my fellow social workers. Are there particular musicians...or songs...that have raised your awareness of social issues? Do you agree with Neuman's view that music can be an agent of change? Got any examples?