Songs that spoke/speak for a generation

[Icy Gull]

Having had my ears assailed by Bob's dreadful xmas album I thought I'd remind myself just how good he can be. Got me thinking, there used to be loads of songs that spoke for a generation, are there any modern songs that do this?? I guess the Kaiser Chiefs song about cool to know nothing must be the modern equivalent Am I wrong?

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[Jahooli]

Can't find it on you tube (haven't tried too hard) and I can't claim it spoke for a generation but this certainly spoke to me and still raises the hairs on the back of my neck.

WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG - Paul Weller
Life is timeless, days are long when you're young
You used to fall in love with everyone
Any guitar and any bass drum
Life is a drink and you get drunk when you're young
Life is new and there's things to be done
You can't wait to be grown up
Acceptance into the capital world
You pull on some weed, then you pull on someone when you're young

But you find out life isn't like that
It's so hard to comprehend
Why you set up your dreams to have them smashed in the end

But you don't mind you've got time on your side
And they're never gonna make you stand in line
You're just waiting for the right time

You're fearless and brave - you can't be stopped when you're young
You swear you're never ever gonna work for someone
No corporations for the new age sons
Tears of rage roll down your face
But still you say "it's fun"

And you find out life isn't like that
It's so hard to understand
Why the world is your oyster but your future's a clam

It's got you in its grip before your born
It's done with the use of a dice and a board
They let you think you're king but you're really a pawn

You're fearless and brave - you can't be stopped when you're young
You used to fall in love with everyone
Any guitar and any bass drum

 

[El Presidente]

Conflict between the police and the working man, race riots in the summer that set Haringey, Manchester, Bristol and Liverpool ablaze. As the fourth estate tried to convince us that all was well with the world with the sham of a wedding between Chas and Di, THE SPECIALS said it how it really was in Thatcher's police regime with Ghost Town

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ2oXzrnti4

 

[El Presidente]

Is this what you are looking for?

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[xenophon]

"Smells Like Teen Spirit" - Nirvana

 

[twickers]

YouTube - My Generation

 

[Jahooli]

Excellent stuff...Thanks for that El Presidente...Funny how amateur that "promo" looks..There's a sort of naive honesty though.

 

[Danny-Boy]

YouTube - My Generation

Yes I'd go with that too.

I was WELL angry when they played it at Live Aid in 1985 and all the yuppie brats sang along with it. I was shouting "It's MY generation they're singing about you pillocks"...

Nobody could hear me of course, then they played "Won't Get Fooled Again". Now that IS a song for the present generation!

 

[WATFORD zero]

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[coventrygull]

"White Riot" The Clash

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Cigarettes And Alcohol - Oasis

 

[Martinf]

"White Riot" The Clash

Yawn.

 

[Martinf]

Down in the tubestation at midnight - the Jam

...I could now smelll their breath
They smelt of pubs
And Wormwood Scrubs
And too many right-wing meetings

YouTube - The Jam Down In Tube Station At Midnight

 

[coventrygull]

Yawn.

Don't you think "White Riot" by the Clash was a song for a generation. Well it was for mine. As a few old punks on here will tell you. Listen to the words mate.

 

[coventrygull]

Down in the tubestation at midnight - the Jam

...I could now smelll their breath
They smelt of pubs
And Wormwood Scrubs
And too many right-wing meetings

YouTube - The Jam Down In Tube Station At Midnight

 

[bhaexpress]

Ohio, CSNY.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Don't you think "White Riot" by the Clash was a song for a generation. Well it was for mine. As a few old punks on here will tell you. Listen to the words mate.

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White riot - I wanna riot
White riot - a riot of my own
White riot - I wanna riot
White riot - a riot of my own

Black man gotta lot a problems
But they don't mind throwing a brick
White people go to school
Where they teach you how to be thick

An' everybody's doing
Just what they're told to
An' nobody wants
To go to jail!

White riot - I wanna riot
White riot - a riot of my own
White riot - I wanna riot
White riot - a riot of my own
All the power's in the hands
Of people rich enough to buy it

While we walk the street
Too chicken to even try it

Everybody's doing
Just what they're told to
Nobody wants
To go to jail!

White riot - I wanna riot
White riot - a riot of my own
White riot - I wanna riot
White riot - a riot of my own

Are you taking over
or are you taking orders?
Are you going backwards
Or are you going forwards?

White riot - I wanna riot
White riot - a riot of my own
White riot - I wanna riot
White riot - a riot of my own

 

[Driver8]

"White Riot" The Clash

Nazi Punks f*** Off - Dead Kennedy's

 

[Milton Keynes Seagull]

YouTube - Matthews Southern Comfort - Woodstock

 

[Martinf]

Don't you think "White Riot" by the Clash was a song for a generation. Well it was for mine. As a few old punks on here will tell you. Listen to the words mate.

Firstly, we both know the real reason you chose that and it's got nothing to do with being 'an old punk' and secondly I'm not your 'mate' and never will be.