Name
Institutional Affiliation
Music Appreciation
“Holiday in Cambodia” is a 1980’s classic by the dead Kennedys. The lyrics of the song give it a political touch in several instances. A particular verse that caught my attention was the one that said, “Well you’ll work harder/ with a gun in your back/for a bowl of rice a day/Slave for soldiers/Till you starve” (Spinditty, 2016). The singers are criticizing the Cambodian armed forces who are taking part in bloody coup just to fulfill the selfish desires of their superiors. All they will get in return of their unwavering loyalty is a bowl of rice a day. I feel the verse is political because it addresses an issue that is still persistent in our society- the act of soldiers following orders that violate human rights under the pretext of discipline.
Artists also have a role to play in political change and shaping public opinion, apart from entertaining. The huge fan bases that some of today’s artists command make them very instrumental in instituting change in our society. Just like the society expects businesses to give back to society in terms of social corporate responsibility, artists can also give back to the society that shaped them by being role models, preaching political change and social justice. They should not take their ability to influence many people for granted. However, this does not mean that only artists should take part in instituting political change and social justice; it is a collective responsibility for all of us. As the cliché goes, you are either part of the solution, or part of the problem; not in between. But then again, artists have a greater role to play because of the influence they bear.
References
Spinditty, (2016). Holiday In Cambodia — Dead Kennedys. Spinditty.com, Retrieved from <https://spinditty.com/playlists/The-Protest-Movement-The-10-Best-Protest-Songs-of-the-80s> accessed May 19, 2016.