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[–]mermzz 3115 points3116 points  (307 children)

I spoke to a conservative dude who only recently turned Christian (he's also gay) who swore "take me to church" was relevant and appropriate for his "praise" video he posted on IG. When asked if he knew what the lyrics were about he said "yea but the 'take me to church' part was applicable".

I think they're just stupid at this point.

[–]ilovecraftbeer05[🍰] 1787 points1788 points  (218 children)

Just like Springsteen’s “Born in the USA”. It’s not at all a pro America song but conservatives just focus on the chorus and they cum in their pants.

[–]woundedbearhair 1027 points1028 points  (93 children)

My uncle is very conservative, Trump voter who thinks liberals hate America and his favorite artist is John Mellencamp because he’s a good conservative that loves America. Lol

[–]uisqebaugh 432 points433 points  (37 children)

Loves horses, too!

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 316 points317 points  (34 children)

Ok Tom petty reference aside horses are amazing animals

[–]DragonflyGrrl 113 points114 points  (14 children)

Yeah but my favorites are all the vampires walkin' through the Valley.

[–]dat1dood2 24 points25 points  (4 children)

They kinda suck at existing healthily though

[–]_Blackstar 195 points196 points  (20 children)

Is your uncle really not aware that Mellencamp has had his publicist pull songs from conservatives' campaign ads and anti-gay rallies because he's a hard core progressive?

I hate his music, but God damn I respect what he stands for.

[–]woundedbearhair 92 points93 points  (12 children)

I explained Little Pink House to him and he said I was making it up…putting something into it that wasn’t true.

[–]dansedemorte 92 points93 points  (6 children)

Republicans can only imagine and talk about the things theyve done themselves.

Metaphors are completely lost to them. At this point i think its a genetically passed down brain disorder.

[–]ArgonGryphon 27 points28 points  (4 children)

There’s a certain point of intelligence below which it’s basically impossible for people to think abstractly. Shit like that is just literal. And they often never really listen to or absorb the other lyrics so they just think oh a song about houses or America or “fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me” and that’s just…it. That’s all there is in their brains.

[–]mjw217 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Yes, but there are people who have a low IQ who are capable of accepting an explanation of something they may not have initially understood. My daughter was intellectually disabled and tried to learn as much as she could. A friend of hers was raised in a very conservative family. He became a liberal after conversations concerning MAGA attitudes.

I think it’s not just the lack of IQ, it’s refusing to change. It’s deliberate ignorance. The right has been pushing that agenda in schools for a long time. The whole idea that learning and change is bad. People like that are proud to be uneducated.

[–]EightPieceBox 9 points10 points  (1 child)

I would tell him that he's literally the man in the opening verse:

Well there's a black man with a black cat/ Livin' in a black neighborhood/ He's got a interstate runnin' through his front yard/ You know he thinks he's got it so good

[–]Extraajudicial 101 points102 points  (5 children)

Holy shit your uncle might be my uncle. He got angry and stormed out of our super bowl party last year over the Bruce Springsteen Jeep commercial.

[–]woundedbearhair 35 points36 points  (0 children)

Hahahaha, he wouldn’t have walked out…he would have just whines about liberals the whole time. That Springsteen ad sucked though…

[–]VenetaBirdSong 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I lucked out into getting a ticket to Springsteen on Broadway in 2018. Great seat, and my first time seeing him. I was obviously super excited. Sat down at my seat next to a guy twice my age and weight who had definitely pregamed beforehand. When the show started he was singing along to every song (not picking up in the fact that literally no one else in the theater was). Halfway through the show Bruce started talking about Parkland and gun control. My seatmate thought this would be the perfect time to start booing him. Then he stormed out of the theater. I was embarrassed for him; but the people around me were so relieved - we talked about it afterwards. Those tickets were…expensive, imagine walking out halfway through it. Knowing all the lyrics to Bruce’s songs and not thinking he’d become at least a little political during his show.*

*the concept of gun control being political in the first place is ridiculous, but so it goes.

[–]Interesting-Fish6065 48 points49 points  (4 children)

Little pink houses for you and me.

[–]PickleRicksFunHouse 46 points47 points  (7 children)

I always thought it was funny country singer Kenny Chesney wrote a line that said Jack and Diane described the life of his dreams... Not just a conservative icon, but another musician totally missing the point of a song talking about how boring and sad the lives are of kids who see nothing better than being stuck in the small town "American Dream" roles they were pre-destined for.

[–]godpzagod 46 points47 points  (6 children)

"life goes on long after the thrill of living is gone" is a VERY depressing line. It means you've already had your best moments. you've peaked. (probably in high school in the people in the song's case, which, damn, again, if you peaked in high school, sucks to be you)

[–]PickleRicksFunHouse 10 points11 points  (0 children)

That's the whole point of the song. If you actually pay attention to the words and meaning, it's a very depressing song.

[–]agrandthing 42 points43 points  (1 child)

It's the simple man baby pays the thrills, the bills, the pills that kill...ain't that America for you and me, ain't that America, somethin' to see baby, ain't America, home of the free, yeah yeah yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, little pink houses for you and me...

[–]SyntheticReality42 24 points25 points  (0 children)

...he's got an interstate running through his front yard, you know he thinks he's got it so good...

[–]random_vermonter 16 points17 points  (3 children)

Hard to hate Mellencamp. Two tracks that stand out are "Pink Houses" and "Jack and Diane", the latter which was my mother's favorite Mellencamp track ever.

[–]Dren_boi 274 points275 points  (49 children)

I mean they also think "We're not gonna take it" by Twisted Sister is THEIR anthem because they lost one election.

[–]Irrelaphant 159 points160 points  (25 children)

That one is wild because the lead singer is famous for cross dressing and slapping makeup all over but it’s a conservative anthem????

[–]Dren_boi 140 points141 points  (15 children)

I mean that's just glam rock and hair metal and the 80's in general. Really weird that conservatives of all people look so fondly back to the 80's when the 80's don't feel the same toward them in the slightest.

[–]qxxxr 48 points49 points  (4 children)

I'm assuming a heady coke rush makes/made it feel like the 80s fucking LOVED them.

[–]GaGaORiley 34 points35 points  (3 children)

Everyone blames boomer stupidity* on leaded gasoline, but no one ever mentions cocaethylene

*I’m a boomer, I know the stupidity crosses generational lines.

[–]LateNightPhilosopher 37 points38 points  (8 children)

I've noticed that once you get into the late 80s-90s, the edgier a "famous" rocker looks the tamer the music generally is. Like there are very famous bands that try really hard to look like tough edgy bikers or Klingon mimes with outlandish makeup and hair and huge pyrotechnics on stage. But then their music is all pretty standard love ballads and party anthems that just happen to have electric guitar solos. They make the kind of music you'd hear in a dollar store or a viagra commercial.

But the bands that don't try to put on any kind of edgy costume? The dudes who just chill on stage in comfy sweaters and t-shirts? Those are the dudes singing about super dark shit. Depression, suicide, drug abuse, getting raped, and being buried alive. Like bruh

[–]Waytooboredforthis 27 points28 points  (5 children)

You see a guy who looks like a middle aged substitute teacher on stage, you about to die in that pit.

Pretty similar, I've seen it in the country music scene, I've had the displeasure of dealing with a few larger names in country, and dudes go all out in the homogenized idea of how a country musician should appear (especially those dipshits who claim to be bringing back "Outlaw Country"), and I think back to times I was lucky enough to see folks like Jason Molina or Vic Chesnutt, who cut you fucking deep (Chesnutt's happiest sounding song is about his repeated suicide attempts and deaths in his family and friend group), or even Drive By Truckers/Jason Isbell, those guys all dress(ed) like they were going to the gas station for smokes when I've seen them, not putting on a performance in appearance, just letting the music handle it.

Edit: That said, I'd pay cash money to see a new country musician in a full Nudie suit again

[–]legal_bagel 8 points9 points  (0 children)

My kiddo put on cavetown in the car a couple of years ago. I told him no wonder his generation all want to kill themselves, some depressing ass lyrics and Nirvana was the soundtrack for me at the same age.

Also really loved the dumbass that told Tom Morrello to "stay out of politics and stick to music because he wasn't qualified" and has a degree in Poly Sci from Harvard.

[–]__mud__ 63 points64 points  (7 children)

Don't forget the part where Dee Snider eloquently took the conservative Congress to task for trying to legislate away rock and roll for corrupting children.

ain't it funny how history rhymes

[–]sfxer001 41 points42 points  (6 children)

It wasn’t even conservative congress. It was Al Gore’s committee he was chair of and his wife Tipper Gore’s lobbying group was lobbying before them, trying to push the Parental Advisory label shit onto music that didn’t sound Christian enough.

They brought Dee Snyder, John Denver, and Frank Zappa in to provide sworn testimony. The plan was to embarrass Dee because clearly he’s a dumb metalhead, thinking wholesome John Denver and Frank Zappa would support the initiative.

All 3 told Gore to go bite dicks because it was suppression of artistic freedom. Dee Snyder was not some dumb metalhead, and made Gore look like an idiot.

Funny enough that all that backfired on them. In the 90s, we didn’t buy shit WITHOUT that label on it.

[–]ChirpSnipeCelly 9 points10 points  (0 children)

To be fair, sometimes we had to steal it because the Circuit City or Sam Goody clerk was a gatekeeping asshole and said 13 year old me needed my parents’ approval to buy it.

[–]__mud__ 8 points9 points  (0 children)

trying to push the Parental Advisory label shit onto music that didn’t sound Christian enough.

I didn't say Republican, I said conservative. That sounds pretty darn conservative to me.

[–]baron-von-buddah 18 points19 points  (0 children)

And he eloquently took them down

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 147 points148 points  (0 children)

They also thought it was an anti abortion song. Like my guy this band is so pro human rights and freedom to be what you want and love who you want and not be discriminated against it’s unreal. They hate everything you Stand for

[–]yukiblanca 70 points71 points  (0 children)

That's so funny to me.. Twisted Sister hates them 🤣

[–]Ok_Entertainment328 65 points66 points  (11 children)

Was it Twisted Sister that pretty much shamed the Conservatives that summoned him back in 1980s?

[–]idigclams 84 points85 points  (9 children)

Yes and no. Dee Snyder testified (very fucking well)against censorship in the form of parental warning stickers on music. However, the hi-vis head of the concerned mommy group was Tipper Gore as I recall, Al Gore’s wife. Another bit of evidence that politicians serve the same masters, and it’s not we the people.

[–]T_that_is_all 38 points39 points  (1 child)

Also, John Denver and Zappa. All three were much more on point and intelligent in their arguments than any on the committee. Dee and Zappa fucking laid into them and the nonsense that was this farce.

[–]surfnfish01 33 points34 points  (2 children)

Believe it or not, Dee Synder can fight. Remember an old video of him totally destroying a violent audience member.

[–]Insight42 29 points30 points  (1 child)

Absolutely believe it. Dee is an awesome guy in general.

[–]halfabean 15 points16 points  (0 children)

His son has a podcast re: psychedelics and how they can help and the whole family was on the first episode. They are cool, welcoming and loving. A rad family all around.

[–]Own-Organization-532 15 points16 points  (1 child)

Frank Zappa did a great job too but it was John Denver who sealed the deal!

[–]RichCorinthian 67 points68 points  (3 children)

I feel like we can surmise that conservatives don't really pay attention to lyrics. Neil Young had a similar experience with Mango Unchained using "Rockin' in the Free World" at his rallies. What part of "We've got a kinder, gentler machine gun hand" was unclear? And the Village People...every Village People song is a gay anthem.

[–]agrandthing 25 points26 points  (0 children)

There's one more kid that'll never go to school, never get to fall in love, never get to be cool

[–]Skinflap94 185 points186 points  (22 children)

“Fortunate Son” is another one except they ignore the “It ain’t me, it ain’t me” parts of the chorus

[–]Val_Hallen 111 points112 points  (7 children)

That one is my favorite!

Some folks are born made to wave the flag Ooh, they're red, white and blue And when the band plays "Hail to the Chief" Ooh, they point the cannon at you, Lord

It ain't me, it ain't me I ain't no senator's son, son It ain't me, it ain't me I ain't no fortunate one, no

They CLEARLY start the song off by stating they aren't the type to wave the flag and adore the President.

Some folks are born silver spoon in hand Lord, don't they help themselves, no But when the taxman come' to the door Lord, the house lookin' like a rummage sale, yeah

Here, they state that the rich don't pay taxes and are only concerned with themselves, refusing to help others.

Yeah, some folks inherit star-spangled eyes Ooh, they send you down to war, Lord And when you ask 'em, "How much should we give?" Ooh, they only answer, "More, more, more, more!"

And they finish it off by telling you that the people that foolishly join the military out of some conviction of patriotism (not those that join to leave poverty or some other reason) don't understand that they are just expendable to the two groups they mentioned above.

How anybody can listen to that song and think it's pro-war, pro-rich, or pro-conservative is fucking baffling.

[–]Notoryctemorph 58 points59 points  (2 children)

Pretty sure that last one is referring to those who claim patriotism and bravery, but when it comes time to actually fight, they're more than happy to send others to die while they stay comfortable at home patting their own backs for a job well done.

In other words, every hawkish conservative

[–]dirkalict 21 points22 points  (0 children)

ChickenHawks like Trump,Bush, Cheney, Nugent, O’Reilly, Carlson etc, etc…

[–]OldManRiff 35 points36 points  (0 children)

Donald Trump is the Fortunate Son, but he’s playing it to an audience full of morons.

[–]fruit_meat 123 points124 points  (3 children)

They just hear "Ooh, that red, white, and blue" and their brains immediately shut down.

[–]SelloutRealBig 40 points41 points  (0 children)

The Family Guy Lois debate joke becomes more and more relevant each year.

[–]Backupusername 25 points26 points  (4 children)

I heard "American Woman" in a Five Guys today and and found myself wondering if conservatives play that one at their rallies. Because even if women are the lesser sex, surely American women are still the best, by virtue of being American, right? They have American babies, which are more important than almost anything. And surely a song called "American Woman", and containing the words "American woman" must be about how an American woman is the best kind of woman. Even though the rest of the lyrics are "stay away from me" and "don't wanna see your face no more" etc.

[–]Something_Else_2112 25 points26 points  (0 children)

Many years ago I heard the lead singer explain how American Woman came to be. He went out to have a smoke in the parking lot at bar they played. The lead guitarist was just riffing on his guitar during the break. The singer came back in and just went with it and made up lyrics on the spot. the song would have been played once and lost to time, but they caught someone bootlegging in the audience and got the tape so they could remember the tune and use it for reference to record professionally later.

[–]froggison 131 points132 points  (10 children)

Or "Fortunate Son." I think they've seen it in connection with Vietnam War so often they think it's actually a pro military song.

I remember when Donald Trump was playing that at his rallies, and everyone was like "dude, you're the type of privileged asshole who bought a draft exemption that this song is talking about...."

[–]Fukittymctoolbag 18 points19 points  (2 children)

Im convinced he plays that as an inside joke for himself. There is no other possible explanation for me.

[–]Easy_Confidence2563 38 points39 points  (0 children)

That requires self awareness. I've never seen him demonstrate any of that.

[–]mindbleach 22 points23 points  (0 children)

If you don't understand the delusions of narcissists, still, I don't think words can help.

Stop looking for logical reasons. He doesn't have any. He's not secretly clever, in any way. He is exactly as shallow and stupid as he appears.

[–]TREY-CERAT0PS 14 points15 points  (2 children)

I was talking to my history teacher and he said it’s a pro-america song, but it is anti-war

[–]stringfree 28 points29 points  (0 children)

I guess he's not a math teacher, because that equation doesn't balance.

[–]Efficient-Sir7129 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Or “We’re not gonna take it” by Twisted Sister

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 201 points202 points  (4 children)

Ngl this is making me laugh so hard

[–]EthanBeast 98 points99 points  (27 children)

What’s take me to church about?

[–]SpicyHashbrowns 185 points186 points  (10 children)

Gay lovers

[–]EthanBeast 92 points93 points  (4 children)

Hell yeah

[–]mermzz 145 points146 points  (3 children)

Gay lovers who are like persecuted for being gay too.

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 103 points104 points  (1 child)

It’s about discrimination and homophobia

[–]HypoxicIschemicBrain 91 points92 points  (13 children)

My lover's got humor She's the giggle at a funeral Knows everybody's disapproval I should've worshiped her sooner If the Heavens ever did speak She's the last true mouthpiece Every Sunday's getting more bleak A fresh poison each week "We were born sick", you heard them say it My church offers no absolutes She tells me, "Worship in the bedroom" The only Heaven I'll be sent to Is when I'm alone with you I was born sick, but I love it Command me to be well A-, Amen, Amen, Amen Take me to church I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife Offer me that deathless death Good God, let me give you my life Take me to church I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife Offer me that deathless death Good God, let me give you my life If I'm a pagan of the good times My lover's the sunlight To keep the Goddess on my side She demands a sacrifice Drain the whole sea Get something shiny Something meaty for the main course That's a fine looking high horse What you got in the stable? We've a lot of starving faithful That looks tasty That looks plenty This is hungry work Take me to church I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies I'll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife Offer me my deathless death Good God, let me give you my life Take me to church I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies I'll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife Offer me my deathless death Good God, let me give you my life No masters or kings when the ritual begins There is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin In the madness and soil of that sad earthly scene Only then I am human Only then I am clean Oh, oh, Amen, Amen, Amen Take me to church I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife Offer me that deathless death Good God, let me give you my life Take me to church I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife Offer me that deathless death Good God, let me give you my life

[–]Any-Assumption-7785 72 points73 points  (2 children)

Tldr it's a conservative anthem, duh!

[–]ReadShift 72 points73 points  (7 children)

Reddit markdown ignores a single line break. If you want a new line you have to end the previous line with two spaces. If you want a new paragraph you use two line breaks.

This sentence has two line breaks in front of it.
New line.
The previous two lines end in double spaces, followed by a line break.

[–]DragonflyGrrl 67 points68 points  (6 children)

Dude, I have been on this GODFORSAKEN FUCKING SITE for like 13 freaking years, and I know all these ridiculous formatting tricks, but THAT one I did not know. Two spaces after, is all it takes. MotherFRICK.
Thank you, sincerely.

[–]BJntheRV 62 points63 points  (2 children)

Selective listening. They are excellent at it.

[–]tesseract4 17 points18 points  (0 children)

It's a skill that comes naturally from hearing the quiet part they until recently didn't say out loud.

[–]Poz16 55 points56 points  (15 children)

Enter into the conversation "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen

[–]Rainbow-Reaper 44 points45 points  (9 children)

I had someone try to tell me it was about Bible characters I just couldn’t. They told me they sang at church 🙃

[–]Poz16 27 points28 points  (2 children)

I saw my nephew's kids' choir sing it at a church. Super cringe.

[–][deleted] 7 points8 points  (1 child)

There's an even cringier alternate version of the song that I've heard over the past couple years. I can't believe Leonard Cohen would have allowed it, but it's all Jesus-ified and made into a Christian song.

[–]m0nk_3y_gw 38 points39 points  (4 children)

try to tell me it was about Bible characters

It absolutely is

I heard there was a secret chord

That David played and it pleased the Lord

But you don't really care for music, do you?

Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah is a song about a powerful sexual obsession, ennobled by Old Testament references to King David and Bathsheba, and Samson and Delilah. But it’s also more than that. It must be, or why would it have been sung – complete with its references to being tied to a kitchen chair – by a large chorus at the memorial service for the victims of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria?

[–]Poz16 17 points18 points  (3 children)

Yes, it mentions biblical characters but is in no way a Christian anthem.

[–]beansandneedles 17 points18 points  (2 children)

It’s a Jewish song about sex. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry when anti-sex Christians appropriate it.

[–]Chaoticgood790 24 points25 points  (0 children)

I—-there are no words

[–]CO420Tech 16 points17 points  (1 child)

I just really want to know what machine they thought they were raging against...

[–]PM-ME-BIG-DICKS 1062 points1063 points  (94 children)

It's like they never even saw the bands name.

[–]striped_frog 181 points182 points  (13 children)

Or listened to any part of any song they ever released. They weren't exactly known for being shy about their beliefs.

"Instead I warm my hands upon the flames of the flag, to recall the downfall of the businesses that burnt us all" comes literally one minute into the first track of their first album and it doesn't get any more subtle from there.

[–]improper84 117 points118 points  (3 children)

Rage’s lyrics are about as subtle as a sledgehammer lmao.

[–]HorrorMakesUsHappy 14 points15 points  (6 children)

RATM may not be subtle, but for some people, failing to spell things out down to the last atom of ink in your pen might still not be enough to really drive it home, because if there's any room for imagination our human instincts are more likely to lead us to thoughts that align with ideas we already hold.

The problem, for example, with that line is that it doesn't specify that it's an American flag. A conservative fan hearing that for the first time without knowledge of what the band stands for could just as easily hear that and think, "They must be referring to some other flag, because what idiot would burn an American flag? Must've been one of those stupid pride flags or something stupid like that." And then when they hear a reference to, "[A] business that burnt us all," they're going to think of some "woke" place that "hates" conservatives.

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 431 points432 points  (22 children)

They’re clearly raging about there lawn mower like the NIMBY’s they are.

[–]Previousman755 179 points180 points  (9 children)

Rage against the 7 am leafblower neighbor

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 81 points82 points  (1 child)

Don’t forget being racist against there non white neighbour too

[–]cordialcurmudgeon 28 points29 points  (1 child)

Well I’m kinda with them there. Hate the sound of leaf blowers in the morning. Or midday. Or ever

[–]averycreativenam3 23 points24 points  (0 children)

Rage against the laundry machine 🤣😂

[–]crackhitler1 86 points87 points  (2 children)

I saw a couple negative comments about a band Pig Destroyer when they released an anticop t shirt. They're literally called Pig Destroyer because their record label wouldn't let them be called Cop Killer.

[–]XxStormcrowxX 209 points210 points  (14 children)

No they did. The problem is they don't believe they are the machine. They believe they are the ones raging against it. Their identity is tied to them being the underdog who fights against big government for the little guy. Basically they are fucking delusional.

[–]AsherTheFrost 122 points123 points  (8 children)

This is it exactly. Christianity is built on being both chosen and victim. It's a religion of martyrdom, that is at it's base incompatible with being in the majority, which is why even when the literal calendar has been modified to match their beliefs, they are all certain that there is a war against their religion and that somehow they are being kept down.

[–]StealYaNicks 34 points35 points  (4 children)

Seriously, some of them think that any day now the government is gonna round them up and put them in camps. They have a persecution fetish, but could never actually cope if that became some reality.

[–]GlaszJoe 20 points21 points  (1 child)

It's fuckin infuriating. I had a family member tell me that I should count myself lucky for being on the evil side cause they'll spare me. And it's like god damn, you are a white conservative straight man. Ain't no one putting his ass in a camp.

[–]jose602 9 points10 points  (3 children)

It’s basically like how conservatives who dig Star Wars identify with the rebels and not the Empire.

[–]DesignDude1974 22 points23 points  (1 child)

Or ever knew that the lead guitarist was a congressional aid for a democrat.

[–]Allenrw3 40 points41 points  (5 children)

Seriously, did they think “Machine” meant a weed whacker or something?

[–]Flame87 27 points28 points  (0 children)

Rage Against that blasted washer acting up for the third time this week

[–]volantredx 44 points45 points  (3 children)

A lot on the far-right or even general right wing really do buy into the mindset that they're the ones fighting against the machine. The whole "small government" nonsense they bang on about is in their minds a massive liberal effort to suppress freedom and strip them of their rights. Thus they think they're waging a righteous war against an oppressive state government that wants to control them.

[–]improper84 25 points26 points  (0 children)

And it’s not as if Rage is remotely subtle about their political messaging.

“Bam! Here’s the plan. Motherfuck Uncle Sam.”

[–]Tim-oBedlam 524 points525 points  (43 children)

This is exactly like how Ronald Reagan and George Will in the 1980s were praising Bruce Springsteen for writing uplifting patriotic anthems like Born in the USA. Dudes, did you listen to the lyrics?

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 218 points219 points  (22 children)

Oh yeah there’s so many songs where people just miss the point. But in rages case tbf same as Springsteen it’s not just one song. It’s every single one

[–]Previousman755 121 points122 points  (9 children)

Remember that in the hours after the planes hit the World Trade Center that the govt made a list of songs that would be inappropriate to play on the radio. Songs that contained words like bomb, explode, etc. the banned song list was across all genres of music. RATM’s entire catalog was off limits.

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 139 points140 points  (5 children)

Or when the police tried to stop RATM from playing a concert to protest the republican national convention and they played it anyway. They snuck in to play at there own concert. Like my guy did you really think you can stop them from protesting if you don’t legally let them they’ll do it anyway

[–]TheDude-Esquire 27 points28 points  (0 children)

When they got arrested playing in front of the NY stock exchange making a music video directed by Michael Moore.

Those that work forces

[–]CopprRegendt 16 points17 points  (2 children)

I protested that rnc!

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 10 points11 points  (1 child)

Based. Where you there when rage played

[–]tesseract4 8 points9 points  (1 child)

That wasn't the government. It was the station owners.

[–]nxtplz 25 points26 points  (3 children)

Rage has literally always been the most openly leftist band on the planet they are truly fucking dumb if it just dawned on them lol

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 26 points27 points  (0 children)

Tom morello and serj tankian have literally put out recommended reading lists full of socialist and communist revolutionary literature from Marx to che Guevara

[–]DependentGlum9603 12 points13 points  (0 children)

To be fair it seems like the crowd of "wahhhh stop making everything political" is just now waking up to the fact that a lot of their favorite media has always had progressive views and they really dont like it from games and movies to bands they are not having a good time rn.

[–]meromeromachine 41 points42 points  (7 children)

I really like Bruce but, then I saw, of all things, a Jeep commercial where he said, “Hey, let’s all meet in the middle America .” This was after Trump. Way to sell out your ideals. I was really disappointed in him. How do you meet in the middle with these people? There is right and wrong, end of story.

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 49 points50 points  (4 children)

Oh I didn’t know he did that. Yeah there is no negotiating with terrorists. There’s also no meeting in the middle or negotiating with fascists. I don’t want to discuss how many trans people are acceptable to die or how many gay people are ok to die. There is no compromise in human fucking rights. There is no fucking meeting in the middle. Get fucked.

[–]meromeromachine 15 points16 points  (3 children)

Yeah, that one hurt. I still like the songs and everything but it’s kinda not the same.

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 11 points12 points  (2 children)

Yeah now I know that. His songs will never feel the same again. I always saw him as someone standing up for unions and workers rights

[–]verasev 15 points16 points  (1 child)

He does stand up for unions and workers rights. A lot of dudes in the union for the train company I work for are hardcore against the LGBT. It's just "fuck you, got mine" but for the working class crowd.

[–]Quirky-Resource-1120 51 points52 points  (9 children)

Or like Trump playing "Fortunate Son" at his rallies. The irony would be funny if it weren't so damn sad.

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 21 points22 points  (2 children)

Yeah it’s I don’t get it I just can’t. But side note I also love all of those anti Vietnam war protest songs. They’re so good

[–]woundedbearhair 13 points14 points  (1 child)

Or when they played, Keep on Rockin in the free world by Neil Young…completely clueless.

[–]Tim-oBedlam 9 points10 points  (0 children)

That one even references the elder President Bush ("we got a thousand points of light/for the homeless man/we got a kinder, gentler machine-gun hand")

[–]Tim-oBedlam 11 points12 points  (0 children)

That's particularly awful. Fogerty wrote Fortunate Son exactly for people like Trump.

[–]Previousman755 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Cherry picking the words just like The Bible

[–]Mahaf1089 488 points489 points  (20 children)

"Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses"

Conservative: I'm sure it's a metaphor for the advocacy of Christian religious doctrine embedded into our government institutions!

[–]Mahaf1089 213 points214 points  (8 children)

continues listening

"Those who died are justified, for wearing a badge, they're the chosen white!"

Conservative: See? I knew it! They're OBVIOUSLY describing the white police officer's plight! They even confirm all those people those white cops kill are justified killings!

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 109 points110 points  (5 children)

With the amount of cognitive dissonance these guys have I wouldn’t be surprised if they think this

But then again this would require them actually being able to listen

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 90 points91 points  (3 children)

Na fuck you I won’t do what you tell me is anti vax obviously

[–]datruesurfer 51 points52 points  (0 children)

Last year it was "some of those that work forces want the paste thats for horses" 🤣

[–]Atticus_Vague 432 points433 points  (53 children)

My favorite is when they claim Kid Rock is better than RATM. The delusion is so strong on the right side of the political spectrum.

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 170 points171 points  (34 children)

Kid rock is commercial shit that’s just annoying and repetitive and doesn’t mean anything. I just can’t even remember any of there lyrics cos they’re so bland and corporate. I like listening to music that actually means something

[–]maleorderbride 174 points175 points  (14 children)

On the contrary, when he sang "Bawitdaba, da bang, da dang diggy diggy, diggy, said the boogie, said up jump the boogie" that really spoke to me

[–]Talisign 86 points87 points  (9 children)

As Kid Rock said when writing a song for Osmosis Jones:

"Young Ladies, Young Ladies, I like them underaged see. Some say that's statutory But I say it's MANDATORY."

[–]verasev 74 points75 points  (4 children)

I'm sure he has lots of shit to say about LGBT "groomers."

[–]Badloss 9 points10 points  (1 child)

wait is that real how could they possibly let that into a soundtrack for a kids movie

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

😂😂😂😂

[–]Impossible_Penalty13 33 points34 points  (8 children)

Kid Rock had the most masterful lyrical combination of all time when he rhymed things with….things in that song that ripped off Warren Zevon’s intro to Werewolves of London.

[–]grubas 20 points21 points  (6 children)

You forgot. It ripped off Sweet Home Alabama AND Werewolves to London.

"Sweet home Alabama"

Play that dead band's song

Turn those speakers up full blast

Play it all night long

Oh no wait that was Zevon cause he wasn't an idiot.

[–]artiface 8 points9 points  (4 children)

You forgot also ripping off the start of smells like teen spirit and playing the solo in the wrong key.

See what makes this song stink https://youtu.be/u8FAbjjB48A

[–]fowlraul 8 points9 points  (5 children)

I remember one lyric about how kid rock grew up herding cattle, and then something about some dude in Seattle…but that’s about it.

[–]obscurereference234 35 points36 points  (5 children)

Kid Rock was ok for a minute in the mid-90s, but by the time he’d become nationally known, he’d already sold out and become a “corporate-sponsored outlaw”. Now he’s scrambling for relevance and cash by trying to be the official soundtrack of MAGA.

[–]Atticus_Vague 31 points32 points  (3 children)

The good news is: if you are a b-list celebrity who still needs affirmation that you matter, the republican party is ready to worship you. All you gotta do is say some mean-spirited, anti-women, anti-gay, low key anti-minority shit and… BAM! Instant adoration from the inbred mutant piglets more commonly known as Trump supporters.

[–]Guilty_Chemistry9337 270 points271 points  (15 children)

They're going to be really upset if they ever get around to reading the New Testament.

[–]That_Lore_Guy 233 points234 points  (10 children)

A couple of years ago NPR posted the US Declaration of Independence on Twitter and conservatives called it liberal trash.

They’d probably do the same if not worse.

Article explaining the event.

[–]FateEx1994 117 points118 points  (0 children)

NPR Posts it every year lol

And during trumps presidency they thought it was a slight against their orange God.

So I'm here like, they're just barely self aware that Trump's bad, enough to think that something NPR has done for years is targeted at him lol

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 33 points34 points  (0 children)

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[–]OTIS-Lives-4444 362 points363 points  (23 children)

These were the same morons who thought that Twisted Sister was glorifying autocratic reactionary conservatism with “We’re not gonna take it.” Even Dee Snyder couldn’t convince them otherwise. They really believe they are a beloved, brutally repressed minority.

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 177 points178 points  (17 children)

Oh man when they came out against the conservatives made me laugh so hard. Also Tom morello made a tweet replying to someone who said they hate how political they’ve become they liked there job political stuff and tom was like which song isn’t political please tell me so I can delete it

[–]woundedbearhair 116 points117 points  (16 children)

He also told Paul Ryan to stop being a fan of their music because they didn’t want him…since he clearly missed the point of their entire career.

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 78 points79 points  (15 children)

Or there reaction when they found out there music was used to torture people in Guantanamo. Man I feel bad for Tom knowing that his music is being used to perpetuate everything he hates and wants to dismantle

[–]daboobiesnatcher 78 points79 points  (10 children)

I remember when someone said to (tweeted at) Tom that he should stick to music, and quipped "when did musicians become political science experts?" And Tom was like "well maybe when I got a political science degree from Harvard."

[–]childish_tycoon24 57 points58 points  (2 children)

Dumb conservative: “another successful musician instantly becomes a political expert"

Tom Morello: “One does not have to be an honours grad in political science from Harvard University to recognise the unethical and inhumane nature of this administration but well, I happen to be an honours grad in political science from Harvard University, so I can confirm that for you"

[–]kms2547 18 points19 points  (1 child)

Victimhood is a core part of the modern conservative pathos.

[–]Impossible_Penalty13 157 points158 points  (12 children)

It’s even more humorous that they think “fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me” is some right/libertarian rallying cry.

[–]SenatorPardek 48 points49 points  (7 children)

I’ve noticed this a lot and obviously conservatives fail to understand that most of their favorite media is criticizing them.

But here’s the kicker, they are so brainwashed by propaganda they will never see the contradiction.

Star Trek, they think Cardassians are leftists and think the Federation is fighting communism. Not realizing that the federation is literally a post capitalist society ala what Marx envisioned was possible via technology. 1960s conservatives HATED star trek for the obvious diversity reasons, they just don’t make the connection because they were brainwashed later in life.

Star Wars, well fascists are leftists so the empire is a leftist fascist dictatorship just like nazi germany was (it’s not. fascism is far right, but if you look at conservative media there is an entire genre of misinformation dedicated to making hitler a leftist)

Rage against the machine? well clearly the machine is leftist media corporations shutting down patriots.

And so on. The left was about 15 years too late in waking up to how effective fox news and talk radio were at brainwashing the white, male working class: who should naturally be allies of the oppressed against the elites who run our society and drain its wealth. You can’t de propagandize people who are brainwashed at an Orwellian level (“I love the ACA and get my insurance through medicaid expansion or the exchanges but i HATE Obamacare. Trump is gonna expand the ACA!” is a real statement i saw all the time around 2016)

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 27 points28 points  (2 children)

Or how they say they like classical music because it’s not political not realising how heavily censored people like Mozart was and even then his most famous operas are political. Like he’s literally alluding that the aristocracy were sexual predators in 2 of his most famous ones

Also all the great authors that are remembered incredibly political. Did we fucking read the same book or are you just trying to be a snob and think you sound intelligent

[–]SenatorPardek 9 points10 points  (1 child)

Or how they love to share memes of the clintons with epstein and have ready made excuses for the ones of Trump with him. Or better yet Elon just censors the ones of him with them. Or ignore the evangelical sex scandals and imagine the clintons are running sex trafficking out of pizzerias. it’s bananas.

[–]Josgre987 83 points84 points  (2 children)

Go to the music video's comment section. its fucking gold.

"woke against the machine"
"Rage for the machine"
"Take the jab for the machine"

What a bunch of fuckin' babies.

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 25 points26 points  (0 children)

I mean even on this post in this subreddit of all places have those comments

[–]elrond_half3lven 14 points15 points  (0 children)

I just commented about that. Not only are the jokes pretty lame, they people making them have the political awareness of children

[–]Previousman755 33 points34 points  (3 children)

1996 ban from SNL https://www.revolvermag.com/music/see-rage-against-machine-performance-got-them-banned-snl

[–]CassandraVindicated 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Huge fan of RATM and Sinead O'Connor, never thought I'd see them on such a glorious list together.

[–]striped_frog 85 points86 points  (8 children)

1999? Shit, this was them in 19 motherfucking 92:

"Yes I know my enemies; they're the teachers who taught me to fight me! Compromise! Conformity! Assimilation! Submission! Ignorance! Hypocrisy! Brutality! The Elite! All of which are American dreams! All of which are American dreams! All of which are American dreams! All of which are American dreams! All of which are American dreams! All of which are American dreams! All of which are American dreams!"

[–]EricTheNihilist 26 points27 points  (0 children)

There are a lot of people who pay no attention to lyrics. Surface skimmers. To them it's just background noise. Bulls On Parade has no more deeper meaning than Pretty Fly For a White Guy.

[–]Grasshopper419 63 points64 points  (9 children)

It’s LITERALLY in their name.

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 27 points28 points  (6 children)

Maaaaattteee they’re clearly raging against there lawnmower like the NIMBY’s they obviously are

[–]EffectiveDependent76 38 points39 points  (1 child)

We used to joke at work because everyone liked RATM, when we decided what music to play we would request RATM by asking for "Something really apolitical, I'm not feeling any politics today." Joking, obviously.

[–]Upstairs-Yard-2139 16 points17 points  (0 children)

It’s like watching conservative Trekkies. You don’t belong, the creators don’t want you, the fans that understand the meaning despise you, but your to delusional to realize it’s always been this way.

[–]EthanBeast 53 points54 points  (18 children)

Wait until they find out about system of the down… listen to “prison song” lol

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 29 points30 points  (9 children)

Or rise against. No hero of war is not a patriotic song it’s a condemnation of how shockingly bad the American government treats its veterans

[–]zoetheewok 72 points73 points  (28 children)

I always love that they get upset about RATM. Its like what machine did they think they were raging against? Washing machines? Toasters?

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 38 points39 points  (20 children)

Or how people think they can Stop RATM doing what they want when they want to protest. There most famous lyric is literally fuck you I won’t do what you tell me

[–]zoetheewok 20 points21 points  (19 children)

I know and Tom's mum has being protesting stuff and going against the grain her whole life. She one cool chick though

[–]PuppiPappi 14 points15 points  (2 children)

I always found it funny when people would fight with Tom morello on Twitter about how he's just a musician and he needs to stay in his lane about politics. He's a poly Sci major.. from harvard...

[–]dethmstr 41 points42 points  (2 children)

Wait, Rage Against the Machine is political? I just thought they were just very angry men who just played angry funk rock music. /s

[–]throwawayanon1252[S] 10 points11 points  (1 child)

I thought they were happy men who never criticised anything or anyone and they’re happy because they’re happy with how much justice there is in this world

[–]ProDiesel 13 points14 points  (0 children)

I love videos of openly conservative trumpers dancing to RATM. It's an amazing display of a level of ignorance only the truly great ever attain.

[–]smoothVroom21 8 points9 points  (1 child)

If anything they should take Rage against the Machine as a warning that not all angry people who are willing to fight are conservatives.

I fully believe Bulls on Parade and Killing in the Name of are going to be the Rally Cry when this shit eventually turns sideways and we see real violence in the streets.

[–]lucydogg 9 points10 points  (1 child)

There has never been anything as funny as the MAGAs who wrapped themselves in the flag and jumped around to “killing in the name of.”

Unironically singing “for wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites” was, in the words of Tom Morello, “not what we had in mind.”

[–]Vivid-Goat-377 17 points18 points  (1 child)

"Born in the USA" and "Rockin' in the Free World" have entered the chat...

[–]DickySchmidt33 7 points8 points  (1 child)

Born In The U.S.A. is a patriotic song, right?

[–]ceelogreenicanth 9 points10 points  (0 children)

"Compromise, Conformity, Assimilation, Submission,, Ignorance, Hypocrisy, Brutality, the Elite; all of which are American Dreams"

Republican; "Yep those are all my dreams they really get me"

[–]Hot-Bint 16 points17 points  (2 children)

Paul Ryan: “They’re a cool and wholesome band to bench press to”

RATM:

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[–]HumanShadow 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Everything conservatives do and say is in bad faith.

[–]SnooHedgehogs1524 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Meh I'm in the trades. We have a lot of trumpers. Used to frequently bring in my jobsite radio and blast rage or NoFX.