Friday, May 20, 2011

Rage Against the Machine

One of the greatest modern Protest bands is Rage Against the Machine. The band formed in 1991 and lasted as a huge hit all the way until 2000 when they released their last album Renegades. Their music consited entirely of songs meant to uprise a population to how the band was feeling about the Government's Administration and their corruption. Since the class has started I have listened to each of their CD's and I made sure to listen to the lyrics with in the songs. One song made me really think of the class as it pertained to Unions their necessity. Below are the Lyrics to "Maggie's Farm" a song popularized in the 60's by Bob Dylan but has a much longer history that included Earl Scruggs, and Lester Flat. The song talks about a man who is tired of his working conditions.

Maggie's Farm
I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more.
No, I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more
Well, I wake up in the morning
Fold my hands and pray for rain.
I got a head full of ideas
That are drivin' me insane
It's a shame
the way she makes me
scrub the floor
I ain't gonna work on, nah
I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more.
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's brother no more
nah, I ain't gonna work for Maggie's brother no more
Well, he hands you a nickel
And he hands you a dime
And he asks you with a grin
If you're havin' a good time
Then he fines you every time you slam the door
I ain't gonna work for, nah
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's brother no more

I ain't gonna work for Maggie's pa no more
No, I ain't gonna work for Maggie's pa no more
Well, he puts his cigar
Out in your face just for kicks
His bedroom window
It is made out of bricks
The National Guard stands around his door
I ain't gonna work, nah
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's pa no more
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's ma no more
No, I ain't gonna work for Maggie's ma no more
Well, she talks to all the servants
About man and God and law
And everybody says
Shes the brains behind pa
Shes sixty-eight, but she says shes twenty-four
I ain't gonna work for, nah
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's ma no more

I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more
No, I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more
Well I try my best
To be just like I am
But everybody wants you
To be just like them
They sing while they slave and just get bored
I ain't gonna work on, nah
I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more

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