Give some examples of pieces of music (any genre) you would identify as having a libertarian feel or sound to them. Adjectives to describe it might be joyful, optimistic, hopeful, or others you think exemplify a libertarian spirit. If you want, you can explain specific elements of the piece that influenced your decision. Hopefully we can create a great playlist of music!
Here are a few of my pieces:
Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, Mvt. 1 (Herbert von Karajan conducting)
I chose this piece because I love the sound of the ascending chords of the piano. The first few measures for me create a hopeful and joyful atmosphere; an atmosphere of freedom and personal drive.
Turandot: Act 3, “Nessun Dorma”
The translated lyrics of this piece are of a more romantic nature, but the crescendo at the end makes me think of a longing for freedom, a desire to break from political constraints.
This song “The Trees” sounds anti-egalitarian, like when you try to make us all equal you have to do it by force, and you wind up bringing us all down to grinding poverty. I don’t really know if they’re all that capitalist but it seems that way to me, anyone else know?
“and the trees were all made equal by hatchet, axe, and saw!”
Neil Peart, the drummer and lyricist, was heavily influenced by Ayn Rand. There is a libertarian and individualist spirit in many songs. Listen to Tom Sawyer.
my tastes may not be as refined as ytterbium, but I believe there are many tunes that fit the bill. here are a few country/folk tunes that come to my mind.
long hair country boy - charlie daniels (rely on yourself)
puttin’ people on the moon - the drive by truckers (because you can’t rely on the govt)
subterannan homesick blues - bob dylan (trust no one, question everything)
the night they drove ol’ dixie down - the band (but remember defiance has its price)
I don’t like your examples. Optimistic is not the same as libertarian although modern libertarianism is, in its very fundamental state, what I would consider a very light hearted and optimistic ideology. However if this thread is going to really be about libertarian music it should not focus upon the attitude inspired by the melody, for such is very much open to interpretation in both the attitudes inspired by the music and the attitude inspired by the ideology, but instead focus upon lyrics combined with the tone of the music itself.
Anyway
We can work it out: The Beatles
Focuses upon the benefits of social cooperation and the need for social cooperation. It also displays the desire for experimentation with societal problems which is what anarcho-capitalists have been begging for for decades
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da: The Police (Yes I am cool enough to write out the whole name of the song)
Focuses upon the desire of people to control others, particularly focusing on the politicians who, logically if they are attempting to control people, would be in the best position to control people because after getting into office they would be in a direct position to forcibly control people. Furthermore it focuses upon the need for independence from others ideologically (AKA respecting the value preferences of others) and the fact that just because the rhetoric that someone uses may have great intentions behind it (socialism) does not mean that it will bring about the intended results.
Then the Sting songs “Children’s Crusade” and “Russians” are both fairly libertarian (although not by any means only libertarian they can be equally employed by most anti-war ideologies… And libertarianism is one of these.
The songs “Sit on My Face” by Monty Python has actually always reminded me of the United States Military… Don’t ask me why… And then “piggies” by the Beatles is actually about the military and has a fairly libertarian cynicism to it on the matter.
“Neil Peart, the drummer and lyricist, was heavily influenced by Ayn Rand. There is a libertarian and individualist spirit in many songs. Listen to Tom Sawyer.”
Oh yeah that is probably their most famous song. Good point.
In the song “Freewill” they say “if you choose not to decide you still have made a choice!” - sounds very Misean.
Who can forget the Beatles song “Taxman”. It includes such libertarian lyrics as
if you drive a car, car;)- I’ll tax the street;
if you try to sit, sit; - I’ll tax your seat;
if you get too cold, cold; - I’ll tax the heat;
if you take a walk, walk; - I’ll tax your feet.Taxman!'Cause I’m the taxman,
Yeah, I’m the taxman.Don’t ask me what I want it for, (ah-ah, mister Wilson)
If you don’t want to pay some more. (ah-ah, mister heath)
'Cause I’m the taxman,
Yeah, I’m the taxman.
Fairly interesting, as it points out both the Labour and Conservative parties will tax you for their benefits and not some glorified notion of social justice etc.
Actually, now that I think about it The Kinks song 20th Century man has some pretty libertarian lyrics
I was born in a welfare state
Ruled by bureaucracy
Controlled by civil servants
And people dressed in grey
Got no privacy, got no liberty
Cos the twentieth century people
Took it all away from me.
I have seen some people claim that ‘people dressed in grey’ refers to businessmen, but I hardly think that makes sense in the context of the rest of the lyrics. It is kind of strange that though, as people will do their best to make their input conform to their ideological sense.
I have always listened to that song as a satire of Cold War culture and the Beach Boys, especially their song California Girls. However the song it self shows no awarness to the totalitarian nature of the USSR really.
It is just a fun song. But as a side effect it ends up saying that Russians are regular Joe’s too and probably like the places they live in as well as anyone else.
A section taken from Crass’ “Bloody Revolutions” song:
You’re far too much of a man for that, if Mao did it so can you
What’s the freedom of us all against the suffering of the few?
That’s the kind of self-deception that killed ten million jews
Just the same false logic that all power-mongers use
So don’t think you can fool me with your political tricks
Political right, political left, you can keep your politics
Government is government and all government is force
Left or right, right or left, it takes the same old course
Oppression and restriction, regulation, rule and law
The seizure of that power is all your revolution’s for
You romanticise your heroes, quote from Marx and Mao
Well their ideas of freedom are just oppression now