I love that Berger’s list mentioned the Black Eyed Peas song, “Where is the Love?” both because it’s a superb song and because the video features people plastering question mark logos around a city.
The first song not on Berger’s list that came to my mind is Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car,” with the repeatedly heartbreaking line, “You got a fast car. Is it fast enough so you can fly away?”
The second song that came to my mind is Ferron’s too-little-known song imagining global nonviolent revolution, “It Won’t Take Long” which centers around a series of questions, concluding with, “Don’t you want to see yourself that strong?” There’s an audio version at
Ferron’s song reminded me of another revolution song, from the 4 Non-Blondes, “What’s Up” which features the question, “What’s going on?” as a refrain.
Ani DiFranco’s song linking domestic violence to wars and other kinds of oppression, “Out of Range,” asks a similar, though harshly phrased, question,
“If you’re not angry
you’re just stupid
or you don’t care
how else can you react
when you know
something’s so unfair”
“Out of Range” also echoes some of the imagery and themes of Chapman’s “Fast Car.”
Another song that critiques the lack of questioning is Judy Small’s feminist anti-war anthem, “Mothers, Daughters, Wives,” with the chorus:
“The first time it was fathers,
The last time it was sons
In between your husbands
Marched away with drums and guns.
But you never thought to question.
You just went on wi’ your lives.
Cause all they taught you who to be,
Was mothers, daughters, wives.”
One more from Ani DiFranco, because she memorably rewrote and updated the 1930s union anthem, “Which Side Are You On?”
Roger Waters of Pink Floyd lost his father in WWII, and wrote an album in tribute to him, “The Final Cut.” In the title song, he asks:
“if i show you my dark side
will you still hold me tonight
and if i open my heart to you
and show you my weak side
what would you do”
Warning: the (strange) video has some graphic images of dead soldiers:
On the subject of fathers, I think of Billy Bragg mostly as a protest singer, but his mournful song written in memory of his father, “Tank Park Salute,” asks plaintive questions about mortality:
“Daddy is it true that we all have to die?” and “You were so tall. How could you fall?”
One thing I’ve noticed about many of these songs. They ask BIG questions. Along these lines, see Supertramp’s “Logical Song,” with the conclusion:
“The questions run so deep
For such a simple man.
Won’t you please, please tell me what we’ve learned
I know it sounds absurd
But please tell me who I am.”
(by the way: note this video is an homage to Dylan’s famous video for Subterranean Homesick Blues, which, come to think of it, ends with question marks).
Two more ideas (not my own, but from the person I live with and love):
First, “Mother,” by Pink Floyd’s “The Wall,” includes many questions, including, “Mother, do you think they’ll drop the bomb?”, “Mother, should I trust the government?”, and “Mother, will they put me in the firing line?” (though it has at least one lyric that might not be appropriate for school classrooms).
Second, Bob Dylan’s “Blowing in the Wind” consists almost entirely of questions, including:
“how many years can some people exist
Before they’re allowed to be free?
Yes, and how many times can a man (sic) turn his head
And pretend that he just doesn’t see?”
And those lyrics reminded me of one more song, K’Naan’s “Waving Flag” which has been recorded in many different versions, including the incredibly catchy but depoliticized version for the men’s soccer World Cup in South Africa, but was written originally about his experiences growing up during civil wars in Somalia. It contains the statement:
“We’re wondering, if we’ll be free…”
Here’s the Young Artists for Haiti version:
Okay, I’ll stop here before another song comes to mind. Any comments on these songs? Which is your favorite? As I asked up top, what other beautiful question songs come to mind?