Why do rock stars record protest songs that only showcase their stupidity?

Question

At times, Neil Young can be a great singer/songwriter. However, his protest songs are generally childish and poorly written.

Pink recently recorded "Dear Mr. President" (with help from The Indigo Girls). Pink has a great image and I like her music, but this song is just embarrasingly immature and ignorant. Why do these rock artists strip away their false mask of sophistication and show us they're barely the intellectual equivalent of an 8th grader?

What is it about politics that makes musicians believe they have expertise in matters they can't even articulate well?

One thought that occured to me is that they are passionate about something they really don't understand, so they can't express their ideas in a coherent, articulate manner.

I remember Grace Slick recording a song called "Panda" which was just embarrassingly bad. She tried to record an environmentally-conscious song, but it was to music what a paint by numbers drawing is to art.

Kelly B: I think Pink can be pretty awesome sometimes too. But this silly, immature song is something like a high school nerd would write. It's just abominable. I can't believe the Indigo Girls would collaborate.

Sublime stylie: Yes, rock music is supposed to convey feelings and opinions. But the point is to do it artistically. RUSH produced a song called "New World Man". That is art! Patti Smith sang "People Have The Power" which makes Pink's attempts at protest seem pathetic.

Lady Zania, I wish I could agree with you because I really like Pink, but now I realize she's not exactly some savvy observer of the human condition. I gave her a lot more credit than she deserves for wit, insight, and common sense.

Have you actually listened to the lyrics of the song? Forget the cloyingly morose video that is supposed to compensate for those 8th grade lyrics. Just listen to the actual words. They are beyond pathetic. She blames poverty on the President. Gee, I guess it would really be a stretch to blame it on the people themselves, especially "Minimum wage with a baby on the way". It doesn't take a genius social observer to understand that people who cannot afford children should not be indiscrimintely pumping them out, and expecting us to feel sorry for them. It's their choice. The government was never intended to be a nanny.

"Hard Work"? Have you ever compared the Before & After pictures of any President, especially those who served in times of war? They age 10 years for every term in office. Pampered, whining musicians and actors don't understand hard work. A President is compelled to keep a rigid schedule every day. He never has a true vacation because the White House literally follows him wherever he goes. Every morning he must have a briefing, sign important documents (which he must first carefully read..... what's the last thing Pink read, huh?). It's just beyond stupidity to say that Bush doesn't know about hard work. You think Liberating two countries from tyranny was a cake walk? You think that the thousands upon thousands of issues a President must deal with on a weekly basis is not the hardest, most thankless job in the world?

Pink has exposed herself as just another limosine liberal. All talk and no work. Her childish song does not impress me.

Answer 1

I like the ones that espouse corporate greed, decry poverty, lament the troubles of the down trodden, etc, etc, etc as they cruise around in their private jets, drive $300,000 cars, live in $20,000,000 dollar homes, negotiate $40,000,000 contracts from those who are "greedy", and dine at $500 a meal restaurants.

Answer 2

Not everyone can be Bob Dylan...'Masters of War' still holds up. Donavan 'Universal Soldier' still has legs....which is a better deal than many of our former serviceguys have. Their legs are still in Iraq. Buffy St. Marie's 'Now That the Buffaloes Gone' still has meat on its bones. Peter,Paul and Mary had it going on, as did Country Joe and the Fish....'Fixin' 'Ta Die Rag'...now there's a classic. Arlo Guthrie's 'When a Soldier Makes it Home' and John Prin's 'Your Flag Decal Won't get 'ya Into Heaven Anymore'...(It's already overcrowded with 'yer dirty little war..) Actually I have to reject your thesis that the songs you mentioned WERE childish. What's 'childish' about protesting a bogus war lead by a bogus president who's a stooge for the Oil Mafia? (Yeah, I know..It's not about oil!) Poorly written? I dunno....maybe not up to the grandmasters of the genre, but how many people have the talent of Joan Baez? What bothers me is that there are fewer such songs..it's like nobody really cares about this war one way or the other...it hardly makes the news and when it does people change the channel. Dear Mr. President may not have been the greatest protest song in history, but this George Bush guy for certain is the worst president in history. Pink will stop singing when Bush stops getting people killed and maimed for nothing! How's that for a deal?

Answer 3

This is really just your opinion. They sell pretty well so I guess there must be some people who like listening to them. Maybe they are not as cultured as you are. Political songs are not the only songs that might be accused of being immature and ignorant. There is plenty of inane rot on the charts right now that is not politically inspired - or at least I don't think it is - it is hard to tell sometimes. I don't think that popular music has ever been expected to be highly sophisticated.

Answer 4

OMG, I cannot believe that anyone with any heart or soul could ever say what you just said about Pink's Dear Mr. President. I agree with Kelly B. When I saw that video, it brought tears to my eyes, and I emailed the link to several people and they reacted the same way I did. None of the people I emailed it to, are immature...they are all in their 40s and 50s and 60s! *sm*

Answer 5

Consider the audience they have, who buys their stuff, and anything complicated probably wouldn't sell. Besides isn't protesting the US rather immature to begin with?

Answer 6

Many protest songs like other lyrics have to be read between the lines like CSN&Y unfortunately some people don't know how to read between the lines.

Answer 7

Same reason "Country Stars" make big bucks off of 9/11.

Answer 8

You mean like Toby Keith?

Answer 9

first of all Pink is NOT a rock star, shes pop. second, just cause you hear one song from pink you think all rock stars write dumb protest songs? please, i bet you couldn't give me a list of all rockers' protest songs (cuz you wouldn't know).

btw, music (for real rockers) is a method of expression. Rockers express their views, feelings and opinions in music form.

Answer 10

Because they have followers of the same mentality who will purchase their 'music'.