U2, Guns N' Roses, The Clash - The 20 Greatest Protest Songs
Raging against the machine...
17. The Beatles: 'Revolution' – One of The Beatles' rockier numbers, the Lennon/McCartney penned track was inspired by the Parisian riots of May 1968 when students took to the streets and the largest ever economic strike in an industrialised country took place. Directly addressing and prompting the world's young revolutionaries, Lennon pertinently sings: “You say you want a revolution, Well, you know, We all want to change the world” and perhaps the most inspired lyrics: “But if you go carrying pictures of chairman Mao, You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow.” " />
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17. The Beatles: 'Revolution' – One of The Beatles' rockier numbers, the Lennon/McCartney penned track was inspired by the Parisian riots of May 1968 when students took to the streets and the largest ever economic strike in an industrialised country took place. Directly addressing and prompting the world's young revolutionaries, Lennon pertinently sings: “You say you want a revolution, Well, you know, We all want to change the world” and perhaps the most inspired lyrics: “But if you go carrying pictures of chairman Mao, You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow.”
To mark May Day on Monday – a date synonymous with public demonstrations – we're counting down the 20 greatest protest songs of all time.
From Marvin Gaye's soul classic 'What's Going On?' to Billie Holiday's 'Strange Fruit', we present 20 anthems that rage against racism, war, society and, of course, the machine.
Other acts included are The Beatles, John Lennon, Guns N' Roses, Kate Bush, Black Sabbath, U2, Rage Against The Machine, The Rolling Stones and Neil Young.
Check out the full top 20 below:
May Day Special: The 20 Greatest Protest Songs
