3 Forgotten Protest Songs That Rival the Influence and Impact of Dylan’s “The Times They Are a Changin”

Bob Dylan is the recipient and holder of many titles. Though, one of the premier titles he holds is that of having the best protest song of all time. Songs such as “Blowin’ In The Wind,” “Hurricane,” and “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll” are just a few that come to mind. However, his by far most famous, impactful, and socially inciting song is “The Times They Are A Changing.”

Though, slow your roll, Dylan was not the first, the last, nor the only musician of the generation to release socially inspiring political protest songs. Matter of fact, one could argue that he doesn’t hold the title for the best protest song of all time and it’s thanks to these three others.

“The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” by Gil Scott-Heron

Released in 1971, Gil Scott-Heron’s song is a poignant protest song articulating how the world’s social revolution will happen in small and seemingly uneventful moments. Additionally, the injustices and atrocities that happen will also not grace the screen given the unjust nature of the world. Lastly due to the fact that “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” one cannot sit down and watch. Rather, they will have to participate in order to witness history and be a part of it.

Thanks to the political message and agency it produced, the song has received numerous awards and multiple institutional inductions. Heron’s song and message received inductions from the Grammy Hall of Fame and The Library of Congress.

“Mississippi Goddam” by Nina Simone

Nina Simone is often considered one of the best vocalists of all time, and for that reason, her songwriting talents are criminally overshadowed. Though, her protest song “Mississippi Goddam,” perfectly articulates the injustice embedded in the ’60s civil rights movement.

Her lyrics and voice, rightfully so, haunts viewers in a way that makes them turn inwards. With Simone, there is no escaping the reality she is proposing in the song. Rather, she forces the listeners to digest the issues at hand head-on. With a song such as this, awards are as trivial as watering a plant in a rainstorm. Instead, it’s about the legacy, message, and history it created.

“Ohio” by CSNY

CSNY’s 1971 protest song comes as a direct response to the four students who died at an anti-Vietnam War protest at Kent State University in 1970. The song not only commemorates the fallen but also sheds light on the Nixon administration’s tight grip on the American youth and their progressive ideals.

The song and its message have become a quintessential song of the Flower Power movement. As a result, the song has gone down in history as one of the most prolific pieces of art telling the tale of the Kent State University massacre.

Photo by David Redfern/Redferns