an EdChange project by Paul C. Gorski |
Home Teachers Corner Workshops & Training Equity Case Studies Awareness Activities Equity Curriculum Equity Awareness Quizzes Printable Handouts Research Room Humane Education Social Justice Speeches Social Justice Songs Social Justice Quotations Multicultural Links Contact Us Receive Email Updates Awards & Recognition About Paul Gorski |
Race and Racism Songs Submit a song!
Ar Fol Lo La Ro "And whether your blood be high land or low,The Beauty of Gray performed by Live from the album Mental Jewelry (Purchase from Amazon.com) about examining one's racial prejudices: "This is not a black and white worldBeds are Burning performed by Midnight Oil from the album Diesel and Dirt (Purchase from Amazon.com) about the taking of and ruining of aboriginal lands in Australia: "The time has comeBein' Green performed by Kermit the Frog (Jim Henson) from the album Muppet Hits about the difficulty and the beauty of being "the other": "It's not easy bein' greenBiko performed by Peter Gabriel from the album Shaking the Tree (Purchase from Amazon.com) about the death of South African anti-apartheid activist Steven Biko: "When I try to sleep at nightBirmingham Sunday performed by Joan Baez from the album 5 (Purchase from Amazon.com) about the 1963 bombing of an African American Baptist church in Birmingham, Alabama (four girls were killed - all named in the song): "The church it was crowded but no one could seeBlack and Blue performed by Fats Waller about longing not to be judged by the color of one's skin: " I'm white inside.Black and White performed by Three Dog Night from the album The Best of Three Dog Night (Purchase from Amazon.com) "The world is black,Black Boys on Mopeds performed by Sinead O'Connor from the album I Don't Want What I Haven't Got (Purchase from Amazon.com) about police brutality against Black people in England: "England's not the mythical land of Madame George and rosesBlack or White performed by Michael Jackson from the album Dangerous (Purchase from Amazon.com) about racial equality and an individual attempt to mend race relations: "And I told about equality and it's trueBuffalo Soldier performed by Bob Marley from the album Legend (Purchase from Amazon.com) about enslaved African soldiers used to fight against Native Americans: "Buffalo Soldier, Dreadlock RastaBury My Heart at Wounded Knee performed by the Indigo Girls from the album 1200 Curfews (Purchase from Amazon.com) about corporate America oppressing Native Americans: "We got these energy companiesColored People performed by dctalk from the album Jesus Freak (Purchase from Amazon.com) about appreciating diversity as a gift from God: "A piece of canvas is only the beginningColors of the Wind performed by Vanessa Williams from the album Pocahontas Soundtrack (Purchase from Amazon.com) about the the cultural conflicts between Native Americans and European settlers: "You think the only people who are peopleCry Freedom performed by Dave Matthews Band from the album Crash (Purchase from Amazon.com) about apartheid in South Africa and the need for racial unity: "Hands and feet are all alikeCortez the Killer performed by Neil Young from the album Zuma (Purchase from Amazon.com) about Cortez' "conquering" of the Aztecs: "He came dancing across the waterDoes It Really Matter? performed by Up With People from the album Face to Face about making a difference for racial equity: "Free at last, we should be free at lastDon't Call Me Nigger, Whitey performed by Sly and the Family Stone from the album Stand! (Purchase from Amazon.com) about racial tension
Don't Drink the Water "Away awayDouble Agent performed by Amanda Marshall from the album Everybody's Got a Story (Purchase from Amazon.com) about being multiracial: "What do you know when you know me?Dragon to Butterfly performed by David Roth from the album If You Can't Fly (Purchase from Amazon.com) about the eventual friendship between a KKK Grand Dragon and a Rabbi: "He said, Do you remember the day we met, MichaelDrowning performed by Hootie and the Blowfish from the album Cracked Rear View (Purchase from Amazon.com) about teaching, learning, and carrying racial hatred: "Drowning in a sea of tearsEbony and Ivory performed by Paul McCarney and Stevie Wonder from the album Tug of War (Purchase from Amazon.com) about racial harmony: "Ebony and ivoryElla's Song performed by Bernice Reagon from the album We All... Everyone of Us and Selections 1976-1988 about being an anti-racist activist: "Until the killing of Black men, Black mothers sonsErase Racism performed by Kool G Rap, DJ Polo, Big Daddy Kane and Biz Markie from the album Wanted Dead or Alive (Kool G Rap) (Purchase from Amazon.com) about the need to unite against racism: "The ink is BlackFight the Power performed by Public Enemy from the album Fear of a Black Planet (Purchase from Amazon.com) about the empowerment of Black people despite the efforts of disempowerment by "the powers that be": "What we need is awareness, we can't get carelessFree Your Mind performed by En Vogue from the album Funky Divas (Purchase from Amazon.com) about opening one's mind by challenging stereotypes: "Oh now attidue, why even botherGuinivere and the Fire performed by Fred Small from the album Everything Possible (Purchase from Amazon.com) about a little girl growing up in Australia who was taught to distrust the aboriginal people: "Sometimes she heard the musicHeartbeat Props performed by Digital Underground from the album Sons of the P (Purchase from Amazon.com) about recognizing and appreciating achievement in the Black community in the present as well as the past and making a personal effort to make a difference (includes a few historic references): "If you're really that down, then act what you sayHeartspark $ performed by Everclear from the album Sparkle and Fade (Purchase from Amazon.com) about oppression of interracial couples: "My mom said not to bring her aroundI Ain't Movin' performed by Des'ree from the album I Ain't Movin' (Purchase from Amazon.com) about the importance of self-love despite struggles with racial oppression: "Cause I ain't moving from my face, from my race, from my historyI Am Australian performed by The Seekers from the album Night of Nights Live (Purchase from Amazon.com) about appreciating the diversity within Australia: "We are one,I Believe performed by Blessed Union of Souls from the album Home (Purchase from Amazon.com) about biases related to interracial relationships: "I've been seeing Lisa now for a little over a yearIndian Reservation performed by Paul Revere and the Raiders from the album 12 Classic Tracks (Purchase from Amazon.com about the dismantling of Cherokee language and culture with being forced onto a reservation: "They took the whole Cherokee nation, put us on this reservationIndian World performed by Blackfoot from the album No Reservation about the loss of Native American culture and identity on reservations: "My heart belongs in an Indian worldIt's a Hard Life Wherever You Go performed by Nancy Griffith from the album Storms (Purchase from Amazon.com) about racism and inequities in opportunity: "And I'm thinking this man wears a white hoodLet's Face It performed by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones from the album Let's Face It (Purchase from Amazon.com) about questioning the motivation of one's racial hatred: "Why so cut and dryLincoln Freed Me Today performed by Joan Baez from the album Blessed Are... (Purchase from Amazon.com) about one slave's response to the news that he is "free": "Recollect when I was just fourteenMaria performed by Rage Against the Machine from the album Battle of Los Angeles (Purchase from Amazon.com) about Mexican-immigrant workers in the U.S.: "Tha sun ablaze as Maria's footMr. Cab Driver performed by Lenny Kravitz from the album Let Love Rule (Purchase from Amazon.com) about racism through cab drivers who don't want to pick up African American riders: "Mr. Cab Driver wont you stop to let me in.No Mirrors in My Nana's House performed by Sweet Honey in the Rock from the album Still on the Journey (Purchase from Amazon.com) about blackness and beauty: "I never knew that my skin was too BlackOne performed by Creed from the album My Own Prison (Purchase from Amazon.com) about racial discrimination and the need for unity: "The goal is to be unified,Proud to Be Black performed by Run DMC from the album Raising Hell (Purchase from Amazon.com) about pride and strength in being Black and having pride in African American history: "I'm proud to be Black y'allPump Your Fist performed by Kool Moe Dee from the album Knowledge Is King (Purchase from Amazon.com) about racism and Black empowerment through education and addressing issues in the African American community: "Can you feel itRedemption Song performed by Bob Marley from the album Legend (Purchase from Amazon.com) about slavery and oppression in Jamaica: "Emancipate yourselves from mental slaverySacrifice performed by Robbie Robertson from the album Contact: From the Underworld Of Red Boy (Purchase from Amazon.com) about injustices against Native American people: "Sacrifice your freedom, Sacrifice your prayerSay It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud) performed by James Brown from the album 20 All Time Greatest Hits (Purchase from Amazon.com) about Black pride and self-worth
Society's Child "My mother went to answer, you know,Steals of the White Man performed by John McCutcheon from the album How Can I Keep from Singing? about Native Americans losing land, home, place, and people to the onslaught of European migrants: "Alas, said an Indian,Strange Fruit performed by Billie Holliday from the album No Regrets (Purchase from Amazon.com) about a history of African Americans being hung: "Southern trees bear a strange fruit,Tear Apart Hate performed by Cindi Lauper from the album Hat Full of Stars (Purchase from Amazon.com) about illogical hate and Apartheid: "Why are the rainbows stolen from the sky andThird World Child performed by Johnny Clegg from the album Third World Child (Purchase from Amazon.com) "They said I shouldTrouble Everyday performed by Frank Zappa from the album Freak Out! (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000009RT/qid=1072303151/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/103-3278463-2967804) "Listen....I ain't blackWar performed by Bob Marley from the album Rastaman Vibration (Purchase from Amazon.com) about ways in which racial inequality can lead to war "Until the philosophy which holds one race superior,We March performed by Prince from the album The Gold Experience (Purchase from Amazon.com) about equality: "If this is the same avenue my ancestors fought 2 liberateWhat Color Is God's Skin? performed by Up With People from the album Face to Face about making a difference for racial equity: "What Color is God's skin?Why Can't We Be Friends performed by War (also remade by Smash Mouth) from the album Why Can't We Be Friends (Purchase from Amazon.com) about interracial sympathy and compassion: "The color the colorWhy I Sing the Blues performed by B.B. King from the album Why I Sing the Blues (Purchase from Amazon.com) about a history and lifetime of racial and economic oppression: "I stood in lineYour Racist Friend performed by They Might Be Giants from the album Flood (Purchase from Amazon.com) about supporting racism through association by not addressing a friend's racial prejudices - if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem: "This is where the party endsQue pais e este? performed by Legiao Urbana performed in Portuguese about among other things, the exploitation of Brazil's Indians: "Terceiro mundo se for |