Music is the Message?

The other day as I scrolled through my music library I decided, since it had been a while, that a little Rush was in order. I settled on the album that was probably their best seller, Moving Pictures. Of all of the songs on that album, my favorite isn't the big hit Tom Sawyer but Witch Hunt (part of the four song "Fear" series, each song found on a different album). Though it was written over 30 years ago, some of the song's lyrics still ring true in many ways today. In fact, a few years ago Neil Peart was interviewed by George Stroumboulopoulos on CBC about the album's tracks and here is what he had to say about the song:

GS: Witch Hunt, when you watch the news today do you go "Wow, Witch Hunt was really ahead of the curve?"

NP: Um, yeah, and it was, of course, reacting to the same sort of mob mentality back in those days.

Here is a live version for your listening pleasure:

For better or for worse, I make the mistake of reading a blog every day called "Dispatches From The Culture Wars," and each time there is something there that leaves me angry. And while the author will certainly post when Democrats/liberals do something utterly stupid, most of the content involves some right-wing nut job saying or doing something that just makes my blood boil. The problem, even though they are extremists who each have a relatively small audience, collectively they reach a lot of people. Whether it is Limbaugh, Beck, Pat Robertson, Michael Savage, or the clowns from some of the "family" organizations (Focus on Family, etc.), they are reaching enough people to continue fucking up this country. Their sheep get out and vote based upon the propoganda they are being fed, some of them commit acts of violence (and don't get me wrong, there are some liberal extremists too, but the fact is a significant amount domestic terrorism can be attributed to people on the right). To me the last three verses of Witch Hunt just scream out "ultra right-wing religious conservative pseudo-patriots" (also known as RWNJs - Right Wing Nut Jobs) . . .

And the lyrics:

The night is black

Without a moon

The air is thick and still

The vigilantes gather on

The lonely torchlit hill.

Features distorted in the flickering light

The faces are twisted and grotesque

Silent and stern in the sweltering night

The mob moves like demons possessed

Quiet in conscience, calm in their right

Confident their ways are best.

The righteous rise

with burning eyes

Of hatred and ill-will

Madmen fed on fear and lies

To beat and burn and kill.

They say there are strangers who threaten us

In our immigrants and infidels

They say there is strangeness too dangerous

In our theaters and bookstore shelves

That those who know what's best for us

Must rise and save us from ourselves.

Quick to judge

Quick to anger

Slow to understand

Ignorance and prejudice

And fear walk hand in hand.

(Music: Alex Lifeson/Geddy Lee  Lyrics: Neil Peart)

I have much more I'd like to post on several different topics but, until my internet improves (next week, hopefully), posts will remain very infrequent. I know of several other examples, particularly from Prog bands, that also carry messages or tell stories, and I may make "Music is the Message?" a series. We'll see . . .