Conservatives rock

John Miller lists the top 50 conservative rock songs in the June 5 issue of National Review. You need a subscription to read it, but some are fairly obvious. "Taxman" and "Revolution" by the Beatles, "Right Here, Right Now" by Jesus Jones, "Heroes" by David Bowie, "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynrd Skynrd and a series of more obvious but less well known songs. Still there are some gems. How about "Sympathy for the Devil" by the Stones, which Miller, calls, correctly I think, the Screwtape Letters of rock? Miller also argues that the song from which Limbaugh derives his theme, the Pretenders' "My City Was Gone," really is a conservative song. As someone who has had an inexplicable crush on the lefty Chrissie Hynde for about 27 years, I actually agree. The song is about hanging on to tradition and denounces centralized planning. Miller also includes U2's "Gloria" - not because it's a song about faith, but because the chorus is in latin. "Gloria/in te domine/Gloria/exultate

This game is fun, so I want to add a few that aren't on Miller's list.

"I'd Love to Change the World" by Ten Years After.

Everywhere is freaks and hairies
Dykes and fairies, tell me where is sanity
Tax the rich, feed the poor
Till there are no rich no more

I'd love to change the world
But I don't know what to do
So I'll leave it up to you

"My Back Pages" by Bob Dylan

A self-ordained professor's tongue
Too serious to fool
Spouted out that liberty
Is just equality in school
"Equality," I spoke the word
As if a wedding vow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.

"Six Days on the Road" written, I think, by Dave Dudley and done by many people including Graham Parsons and Steve Earle:

Well it seems like a month since I kissed my baby goodbye
And I can have a lot of women but I'm not like some other guys
I can find one to hold me tight
But I could never make believe it's alright
Six days on the road and now I'm gonna make it home tonight

And, since I just love her (but not as nearly as much as the Reddess), two more by Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders, one called "The Adultress"


Don’t try to stop me
Don’t get in my way
It’s too late
I’ve made my play
Does misery love company
I’ll be in the bar
You’ll find me

And "Chill Factor" - not one of their best, but appropos:

When the hard parts over
And the kids are almost grown
Youll be their big hero
Whenever you make it home
Shower them with presents
Things she could never buy
Delight them with your stories
About the great big, great big world outside
But dig -

Its cold to leave a woman
With family on her own
Its chill factor
Chill factor
To the bone