Civil Rights Songs

200 songs · chronological · Annotations and notes by Justin A. Brummer

A collection of songs referencing Civil Rights and the Vietnam War This forms part of the larger Vietnam War Song Project, an interpretive examination of over 6,000 Vietnam War songs identified, revealing how the war's significance is represented through music. The project also collects spoken-word recordings about the conflict. This unique collection of voices advances scholarship by providing insights into people’s views about the war over time as represented in music, looking at diverse communities and vibrant music scenes. It is crucial in developing our knowledge of the war and the humanities, through the use of a digital research platform.YouTube playlist: Vietnam War - Civil Rights

  1. Jeff Johnson & The Shorthands – What's This World Coming To (1964)
  2. Various Artists – Is Freedom Academic? A Documentary of the Free Speech Movement at the University of California, Berkeley - Fall 1964 (1964)
  3. Various Artists – Battle of Berkeley Talking Blues (1965)
  4. Various Artists – Berkeley Teach-in: Vietnam (1965)
  5. Barry McGuire – Eve Of Destruction (1965)
  6. The Spokesmen – Dawn of Correction (1965)
  7. The Jayhawkers – Dawn of Instruction (1965)
  8. Tony Mammarella – Eve of Tomorrow (1965)
  9. Phil Ochs – Days of Decision (1965)
  10. Phil Ochs – Draft Dodger Rag (1965)
  11. Alan Klein – Age of Corruption (1965)
  12. Mac Davis – I Protest (1965)
  13. Mac Davis – Bad Scene (1965)
  14. The Freedom Singers – I'm a Demonstratin' G.I. From Fort Bragg (1965)
  15. Jacqueline Sharpe – No More War (1966)
  16. Jacqueline Sharpe – Chant for the Murdered (1966)
  17. Jacqueline Sharpe – To the Right - March (1966)
  18. The Ram Ram Go-Go Biz. Man – Vietnam Cries U.S.A. (1966)
  19. Don Hinson – The Protest Singer (1966)
  20. The Spokesmen – Better Days Are Yet to Come (1966)
  21. Son of Mississippi – The Voice of Alabama (1966)
  22. Pat Boone – Wish You Were Here, Buddy (1966)
  23. Burl Ives – The Sixties (1966)
  24. Richie Havens – Handsome Johnny (1966)
  25. Simon & Garfunkel – 7 O'Clock News / Silent Night (1966)
  26. Nina Simone – Backlash Blues (1967)
  27. Mark Comfort – Damn Vietnam (1967)
  28. Mark Comfort – Damn Vietnam (Part 2) (1967)
  29. T. Valentine – Massius Ray (1967)
  30. Jimmy Holiday – I Wanna Help Hurry My Brothers Home (1967)
  31. Eddy Giles – While I'm Away (Baby Keep the Faith) (1967)
  32. Cool Sounds – Where Do We Go From Here (1967)
  33. Bill Frederick – Hey, Hey LBJ (1967)
  34. Bill Frederick – Hands Off (1967)
  35. Pete Seeger – Waist Deep in the Big Muddy (1967)
  36. Pete Seeger – Down By the Riverside (1967)
  37. Tom Parrott – The Freedoms We've Been Fighting For (1967)
  38. Paul Kaplan – I've Been Told (1967)
  39. Johnnie Wright – American Power (1967)
  40. Rex Gardner – Sam Said Do It (1967)
  41. Victor Lundberg – Open Letter To My Teenage Son (1967)
  42. Victor Lundberg – My Buddy Carl (1967)
  43. Marceline – An Open Letter to My Dad (1967)
  44. Chris Howard – Open Letter to Dad (1967)
  45. Happy Fats – The Day of Indecision (1967)
  46. Peter, Paul and Mary – Eugene McCarthy for President (If You Love Your Country) (1968)
  47. Peter, Paul and Mary – If You Love Your Country (Song and Speech Excerpts) (1968)
  48. Stanley Morgan's Ink Spots – Here Comes the Prez When Humphrey Wins This Year (1968)
  49. Jim Hartley and The Orange State Playboys – Telling It Straight in '68 - Part 2 (1968)
  50. Jim Hartley and The Orange State Playboys – Telling It Straight in '68 - Part 1 (1968)
  51. Fred De Moss – Richard Nixon Is the Man (1968)
  52. Odetta – Peace and Harmony (1968)
  53. The Impressions – Dont Cry My Love (1968)
  54. Various Artists – Send Me Instead (1968)
  55. Russ Rayman – Symbol of Peace (1968)
  56. Russ Rayman – Are We Really Civilized (1968)
  57. Barry Mann – Young Electric Psychedelic Hippie Flippy Folk & Funky Philosophic Turned on Groovy 12 String Band (1968)
  58. The Shurfine Singers – Silent Night & the 11 O'Clock News (1968)
  59. Paul Gamble – Rite Now (1968)
  60. Paul Gamble – Rite Now (Part 2) (1968)
  61. Various Artists – Everybody Crying About Vietnam (1968)
  62. John Lee Hooker – I Don't Wanna Go to Vietnam (1969)
  63. Johnny Holiday – Show the Peace Sign (1969)
  64. Bishop J. M. Smith – Soldier's Plea (1969)
  65. Dr. John – Patriotic Flag Waver (Long Version) (1969)
  66. Dr. John – Patriotic Flag Waver (Short Version) (1969)
  67. Jeri Jorden – Riots (1969)
  68. Dawn – 5th Day of June (1969)
  69. The Green Berets – We Must Make Things Right (1969)
  70. The War Babies – War Baby (1969)
  71. U.S. Apple Corps – Prayer for Peace (1969)
  72. U.S. Apple Corps – Peace-Love (1969)
  73. Roscoe Robinson – Don't Forget the Soldiers (Fighting in Vietnam) (1969)
  74. Various Artists – Democratic National Convention (1969)
  75. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Human Beings, People, Persons & Homo Sapiens / The Zanies – Oh Mr. Nixon (1969)
  76. Karen Austin – I Hear Voices (1969)
  77. Karen Austin – How (1969)
  78. Various Artists – Star Spangled Banner (1970)
  79. Gil Scott-Heron – Comment #1 (1970)
  80. J.B. Lenoir – Vietnam Blues (1970)
  81. Guitar Slim Green – This War Ain't Right (1970)
  82. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – Why I Oppose the War in Vietnam (1970)
  83. Matt Jones – Hell No, I Aint Gonna Go! (1970)
  84. Various Artists – Broadside Ballads Vol. 5: Time Is Running Out (1970)
  85. The Temptations – Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today) (1970)
  86. Dr. William Truly, Jr. – (The Two Wars Of) Old Black Joe (1970)
  87. Paul Richey – Billy Love-Beads, College Joe and Old Tennessee (1970)
  88. The Equals – Black Skin Blue Eyed Boys (1970)
  89. The Last Poets – The Last Poets (album) (1970)
  90. The Last Poets – Surprises (1970)
  91. Dot Rhodes – We Gotta Get Along (1970)
  92. Bobby Seale – Bobby Seale Speaks Live (1970)
  93. The Lumpen – Free Bobby Now (1970)
  94. Dick Gregory – Tricks: Black Power; Money; Chicago Trial; Panthers (1970)
  95. Dick Gregory – Bobby Seale / The Real Criminals (1970)
  96. Charlie Haden – Circus '68 '69 (1970)
  97. Charlie Haden – We Shall Overcome (1970)
  98. Barbara Dane – Ballad of Richard Campos (1970)
  99. Barbara Dane – Bring 'Em Home (1970)
  100. Barbara Dane – Hallelujah, I'm a Bum (1970)
  101. Laura Nyro – Christmas in My Soul (1970)
  102. The Original Last Poets – Die Nigga (1971)
  103. Marvin Gaye – What's Happening Brother (1971)
  104. Marvin Gaye – What's Going On (1971)
  105. Freddie Hubbard – What a Good Time for a Kent State (1971)
  106. Freddie Hubbard – Sing Me a Song of Songmy, Part I (1971)
  107. Freddie Hubbard – Sing Me a Song of Songmy, Part II (1971)
  108. Memphis Slim – Chicago Seven (1971)
  109. The Bells – Sing a Song of Freedom (1971)
  110. Eugene McDaniels – Tell Me Mr. President (1971)
  111. The Dixie Drifter With Black River Junction – Let the Soul Roll On Pt. I (1971)
  112. The Rock – Charlie, Brother, We Got to Love One Another (1971)
  113. The Relatives – Speak to Me (1971)
  114. Swamp Dogg – Do You Believe (1971)
  115. Swamp Dogg – God Bless America for What (1971)
  116. Swamp Dogg – Remember I Said Tomorrow (1971)
  117. The Dynamic Hughes Gospel Singers – Viet Nam (1971)
  118. Helen Hollins Singers – Sad Sad (War Is) (1971)
  119. Troy Keyes – If I Had My Way (1971)
  120. Lou Jackson – Peace to You Brother (1971)
  121. Laurel Canyon – Stand and Be Counted (1971)
  122. Guy Drake – Marching Hippies (1971)
  123. Tom Clay – Victors (1971)
  124. Tom Clay – What the World Needs Now Is Love - Abraham, Martin and John (1971)
  125. Billy Watkins – We Need to Be Governed by McGovern (1972)
  126. Billy Watkins – We Need You to Register and Vote (1972)
  127. Gary Grande and The New Brass Revolution – We've Got the Vote Now (1972)
  128. Marty Jensen – Freedom's All We've Got (1972)
  129. The Jesters – Sing a Song of Peace (1972)
  130. Vernon Garrett – Jody Can Ease the Pain (1972)
  131. Vernon Garrett – Think People (1972)
  132. The Last Poets – Hands Off (1972)
  133. The Last Poets – Black Soldier (1972)
  134. Curtis Mayfield – We Got to Have Peace (1972)
  135. Barbara Stant – That Man of Mine (1972)
  136. Various Artists – Guess Who's Coming Home - Black Fighting Men Recorded Live in Vietnam (1972)
  137. Loyce Cotton – Everybody Wants to Be the President (1972)
  138. Angels of Joy – Mr. President (1972)
  139. Bill Perry – Things Have Got to Change (1972)
  140. Larry Norman – Great American Novel (1973)
  141. Curtis Mayfield – Back to the World (1973)
  142. Sonny Blake – Thank God, Calley Wasn't Black (1973)
  143. The Charades – You Better Believe It (1973)
  144. O.C. Smith – La La Peace Song (1973)
  145. Holly Near – No More Genocide (1973)
  146. Holly Near – Hang in There (1973)
  147. Holly Near – Hang in There (1973)
  148. Barbara Mason – Lady Love (1973)
  149. The Staple Singers – City in the Sky (1974)
  150. Robin St. Pierre – Ballad of the Plastic Prince (1974)
  151. Don Evans – The Black American (1974)
  152. Don Evans – Battle Hymn of the Republic (1974)
  153. Champion Jack Dupree – Vietnam Blues (1974)
  154. Champion Jack Dupree – Vietnam Blues (Alt. Take) (1974)
  155. Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson – From South Africa to South Carolina (1975)
  156. Bernice Johnson Reagon – Give Your Hands to Struggle: The Evolution of a Freedom Fighter (1975)
  157. Various Artists – Huff-Cook Bicentennial Album (1976)
  158. Mike Pearson – Amnesty (1977)
  159. Vivian Walton – Muhammad Ali Is the Greatest Champ of All (1979)
  160. AK-47 – Badge Means You Suck (1980)
  161. Public Enemy – Black Steel In The Hour of Chaos (1989)
  162. Geto Boys – Fuck a War (1991)
  163. Rage Against the Machine – Wake Up (1992)
  164. Chuck D – The Pride (1996)
  165. American Steel – Rogue's March (1999)
  166. Nas – Doo Rags (2002)
  167. Talib Kweli – Happy Home (2007)
  168. Myka 9 – 1969 (2009)
  169. R.A. the Rugged Man – Learn Truth (2013)
  170. Little Simz – LMPD (2016)
  171. JAY-Z – Blue’s Freestyle/We Family (2017)
  172. Pete Seeger & Bernice Johnson Reagon – Backlash Blues
  173. Buelah Palmer – My Man in Vietnam
  174. Alphonso Hamilton – I Came Back (I Know I Am Equal)
  175. Alphonso Hamilton – I Came Back (I Just Want Peace)
  176. The Love Machine – Brother Show a Little Love
  177. Johnny Peoples and the Exciting Gospel Crowns of Brooklyn, NY – I Want to Be Free
  178. Johnny Gilliam – Peace on Earth
  179. The Dixie Hummingbirds – Our Prayer for Peace
  180. Phyllis Smith – Let Freedom Ring
  181. Dick Kapusta – Is This Free?
  182. Sammy Marshall – The Last Letter From Heartbreak Viet Nam
  183. Paul Parker – Our Man From Alabam
  184. Michael Pietzsch – Ballad of Stoney Burns
  185. Casey Jones – Thank You Mr. President
  186. Mary Juma – Motherhood, Apple Pie, and the Flag
  187. Hal Southern – Mom, Apple Pie, the Bible and the Flag
  188. Mike Oatman – These Are the Times We're Living In
  189. Mike Roman – Mr. Politician Man
  190. The Centars – Ghosts in the Night
  191. Vince Sanders – A Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King
  192. Ronnie Cochran – Vietnam Freedom for Man
  193. Jerry Lee "Smoochy" Smith – World Si-Tuation
  194. Bill Gold – Both Sides of the Tracks (Bussing God's Children)
  195. Elbie Jay – L.B.J.
  196. T'n T & Friends – American Patriotism
  197. Larry Dismond – The Canaan Land
  198. Sensational Angels – Trouble in This World
  199. KRS-One – What I Know
  200. Jerry Hayes – Back From Nam (album)