Bunch Of Fives: Andrew Johnson

When writing songs for my latest album I found myself gravitating towards current events, particularly those folding out daily across the pond in the US. About half the album is presented in some form of ‘“reportage” which has been a little different for me. More direct but also less overtly judgmental. For this item I’ve chosen to focus on five socially aware songs and acts from across the decades that have had some impact on myself , my political outlook and my music.

BOB DYLAN – MASTERS OF WAR
Straight out the gate with a classic of the early 60s protest and folk revival movements. Bob Dylan in his early, acoustic incarnation shines a stark light on society and those in power. Masters of War highlights how those with money and influence are happy to start wars and send young people to fight them for their own personal gain. Along with others he wrote early on, such as With God On Our Side and Only A Pawn In Their Game he invokes religious imagery often used to manipulate the population into rallying behind a cause. 

BILLIE HOLLIDAY – STRANGE FRUIT
Written in 1937 but still lyrically brutal in its visceral juxtaposition, Strange Fruit is a song about the lynching and murder of black people in the Southern United States. Comparing the bodies hanging from trees with the crops that would be harvested for the population’s wealth and consumption it’s hard not to visualise the scene when hearing the song. Billie Holliday’s version has a sombre, uneasy emotional texture and her vocal delivery is filled with pain, mourning and frustration.

THE CLASH – CLAMPDOWN
From the band’s 1979 double album London Calling and often cited as a fan favourite, Clampdown is one of many songs by the band that throws a spotlight on how the ignorance of the masses is used by those with twisted intentions to push a racist agenda. From the older workers on the factory floor to “evil presidente” across the world it’s a powerhouse of a song that encapsulates a century of Fascism bubbling under the surface across society.

SAM COOKE – A CHANGE IS GONNA COME
For once, a protest song of hope. Sam Cooke was killed shortly after the song was completed but the feeling that the civil rights movement in the US was finally taking hold and making a positive impact is threaded through the song. It can be easy to rail against the perceived evils of the world and wallow in the futility of protesting alone but this song recognises the need to work together in overcoming oppression. Sadly the same battles are being fought again right now.

THE HOUSEMARTINS – FLAG DAY
During my teens in the 1980s it was music, and particularly “indie” music, which helped shape my world view and political outlook. From listening to The Clash, The Specials and The Housemartins, amongst others I was drawn more and more towards left-leaning ideals which focussed on the class struggle and inequalities in society. There was, of course, a great deal of idealism about this and many of the songs present a simplified or naive viewpoint but there are also some which have stood the test of time for sure as human nature and fundamental behaviour hasn’t changed in that time (it never does). Flag Day is probably my favourite Housemartins song. It suggests that there shouldn’t be a need for charity in a world where there are people with more money than they will ever spend. Paul Heaton’s best songs distill political ideas like this into 3 minutes and wrap them in such nagging melodies that he’s managed to place left wing politics at the heart of pop music for decades. 

My new album – To Call Me A Cult Would Be Somewhat Misleading – is out on the 5th of June via my own Shoebox Records label. Pre-order from andrewjohnson1.bandcamp.com