Yes. Written by P.F. Sloan.

Please don't take offense, but as a protest song, this one just pisses me off. It's a pussified outcry for... nothing in particular.

In this day and age -where the world is just aching for another Lennon or Dylan - Mayer is simply afraid to name names or point fingers.

"I'm waiting for the world to change."

Why not do something instead of just... wait?

I understand that, but I think the song is a bit deeper than that and an anti-war song doesn't necessarily mean it has to be about people actively protesting.

I think definitely the most well known would be masters of war, fortunate son, imagine and blowin in the wind

I'd like to put in a good word for "2 + 2 = ?" by Bob Seger (actually the Bob Seger System). It's a great 60's garage rock tune with very angry anti-Vietnam lyrics. Highly recommended.

Not only that, but did you notice it's a chord-for-chord rip-off of a far-better change-inspired song -- Curtis Mayfield's People Get Ready? I was wondering why Mayer's song sounded so familiar until that hit me. It should go right into the Rip-Off Hall of Fame alongside My Sweet Lord, Ghostbusters, Given To Fly and Dani California.

Three songs came to mind right away, all of which have been mentioned:

pharoahe monch - agent orange

Simon and Garfunkle-'He was My Brother' and 'Last Night I had the Strangest Dream'

hard to say the best since it's only a few months old but I'll put in a vote for Jason Isbell's "Dress Blues"


What can you see from your window?
I can't see anything from mine.
Flags on the side of the highway
and scripture on grocery store signs.
Maybe eighteen was too early.
Maybe thirty or forty is too.
Did you get your chance to make peace with the man
before he sent down his angels for you?

Mamas and grandmamas love you
'cause that's all they know how to do.
You never planned on the bombs in the sand
or sleeping in your dress blues.

Your wife said this all would be funny
when you came back home in a week.
You'd turn twenty-two and we'd celebrate you
in a bar or a tent by the creek.
Your baby would just about be here.
Your very last tour would be up
but you won't be back. They're all dressing in black
drinking sweet tea in styrofoam cups.

Mamas and grandmamas love you.
American boys hate to lose.
You never planned on the bombs in the sand
or sleeping in your dress blues.

Now the high school gymnasium's ready,
full of flowers and old legionnaires.
Nobody showed up to protest,
just sniffle and stare.
But there's red, white, and blue in the rafters
and there's silent old men from the corps.
What did they say when they shipped you away
to fight somebody's Hollywood war?

Nobody here could forget you.
You showed us what we had to lose.
You never planned on the bombs in the sand
or sleeping in your dress blues.

No, no you never planned on the bombs in the sand
or sleeping in your dress blues.

"Rise Up Move", from
http://www.myspace.com/modelminority

The man deserves serious respect for this track

I agree.

Some Dylan ones not mentioned:

With God On Our Side
John Brown (the version on Unplugged is haunting)

How about "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" -- awesome song.

"Love Power" by Lorenzo St. DuBois

That was an Easy choice, and also what came to mind for me also.

I'm sure it's the most up-beat anti-war song out there.

Come on all of you big strong men, Uncle Sam needs your help again
He's got himself in a terrible jam, way over yonder in Vi-et-nam.
So put down your books and pick up a gun, we're going to have a whole lot of fun!

Let's have a War - FEAR
Beating Up Hippies for Their Drugs at a Phish Concert - Anal ****
F.T.W ( fuck the world)- Turbonegro

those are best war songs i can think of off the top of my head.

I'll second Metallica's One. Musically, if far and away my favorite.

THE WAR SONG by Culture Club

Something today made me think of One Tin Soldier by Coven and i think it belongs on this list as well.

For my money it's:

Black Sabbath - "War Pigs"

Sure, rhyming 'masses' with 'masses' is a cheat, but the sentiment is perfect and it works. It's a true working class man's view of war and those starting the wars.

Agree with the politics or disagree with them you have to admit that this is one powerful anti-war song.

I like the lyrics to this one, but the video's more than a little silly:
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I thought we had another, longer thread on this subject, however...

Two of the ones I find most powerful, which haven't been mentioned, are Willie Nile's "Now That the War is Over" and Bob Seger's "No More". Brilliant stuff:

The gradual crescendo in intensity in this song is breathtaking.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/wYjowtvceQo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Beautiful piece, with an amazing strings interlude:
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/njodBPjdgbM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

noone mentioned "born in the u.s.a."????

or "unknown soldier"