Inside PBS Blog

What's your favorite antiwar or protest song? That's the question that's getting a lot of buzz (and even some protest) over on Bill Moyers's blog.

More than 200 readers have chimed in with their favorites and the suggestions continue to pour in. The question was inspired by the release of a new compilation of antiwar songs, Body of War: Songs that Inspired an Iraq War Veteran.

The veteran in question is Tomas Young, a soldier who was paralyzed within a week of arriving in Iraq. Young is the subject of a new documentary film Body of War, and also acts as the co-executive producer of the compilation CD.

Young listed some of his favorites that inspired him during his recovery:

"Hero's Song" by Brendan James
"Day After Tomorrow" by Tom Waits
"B.Y.O.B." by System of a Down
"The 4th Branch" by Immortal Technique

Young's list unleashed a torrent of other favorites from readers across the country.

The picks included old-school folk protest songs like Peter Paul and Mary's "If I Had a Hammer," and Bob Dylan's "Master of War," Vietnam-era soul classics like Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On?," and more recent Gulf War-era offerings, such as "Disposable Heroes" by Metallica ("Soldier boy made of clay/Now an empty shell/Twenty one, only son/but he served us well").

And quite a few folks picked Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son," a Vietnam-era song that many noted still has strong resonance:

Some folks are born made to wave the flag
Ooh they're red white and blue
And when the band plays hail to the chief
Ooh they point the cannons at you
It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no senators son
It ain't me, It ain't me, I ain't no fortunate one

How about you? What's you're favorite antiwar or protest song? Let us know in a comment.

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