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music has shaped the course of history songs can be vehicles for social change and happened speired rebels pioneering thinkers and freedom fighters from bela chao to the good duncanson fi the old freedom songs are still played today and new versions of classics are really recorded i think that music can help give people courage help remind people that they're not alone. music does not stop at borders it connects people brings hope and unites communities people of found singing together gives them a sense of being my. last concert and that solidarity of song i think is the most powerful tool we use. come the sound of freedom has no creed culture or color. i.

this is injustice and inequality there's going to be a protest song. and it can feel entirely personal. comes it comes if it's news you can help build bridges sanny can give people strength and courage. has an ability to convey a message because there's a physical vibrational quality to the way that message is being received. the right music at the right time can change the course of history. ta-ta told about one of the most successful freedom songs of all time has what it

takes to become a hit. the pickup of that song and who came up with that but it was a smash hit. in finnish i know it pretty much off by heart it's a classic i think. this is it's the n t fascist song. job a little bit less of a let's go bela cha are 2 relatively easy words. maybe that helped the song become a hit outside of italy. in the consoling us. right. bella chow has been both a summer hit and a favorite among revolutionaries and protesters. around the world people recognize

it as a freedom anthem from beijing to istanbul from town squares to stadiums. marching very religious ouch ouch ouch you know but the lyrics are actually very personal and very intimate the song describes the moment when someone is taking leave of their partner of their lover and they might not see them again where they've made a very personal decision to join a resistance movement to johnny and he didn't come that. way but when a child was 1st sung by women rice pickers protesting harsh working conditions in 1000 century italy during the 2nd world war italian partisans rewrote it for their own purposes bella chalte became

a hymn against fascism and against hitler and mussolini. today populism is once again on the rise musicians are using songs to respond in a variety of ways. it's congo anything it just can't be that the modernist studies nationalism or fascism has started growing again in certain sick minds copenhagen come. up. with. rougher unfeminist suki has. also chosen to take a firm stand against the far right in her lyrics. a negative the fact that we had this dominant center with a misguided tolerance of right wing structure is the argument that democracies have to withstand that that's led to the problems we're now facing i'm given half of.

the scots on it was covered by the press and members a sort of outrage but i don't think it was really authentic because they still kept being described as angry citizens would come on people who said house is on fire and they want to kill others they're not angry citizens. why are there so many racist hate crimes and how far has the center shifted to the right these are questions french german singer songwriter model of a asks in his music. it's definitely got much worse since migration and refugees have been in the spotlight. because it's my i have no idea how many arson attacks there have been people stopped counting and it's unbelievable and hardly any of been solved that's also worth bearing in mind as well in the ferguson frenzy

as it goes on from all of you did not see. some of the mentioned liberation. constantine beca hopes his music can serve as a call for action against racism together with as it went one i mean station from burkina faso who now lives in germany becker recorded a new version of his song say no featuring many celebrities who say we have to build it together we need to finally learn that we stand with each other and not against each other. like. that and. i. the old anti passion song has also managed to stay current. mode in a city ramblers recorded their hit version of by the cho in the ninety's. the oldest church in the struggle to get out there was wherever people are fighting for

freedom wherever they're resisting oppression is the children hear them sings ballot charts. it's a timeless song a true freedom anthem. by freedom song. in 2018 multiple cover versions of bella chow hit the charts the catchy song was sung across generations. but the commercial success didn't please everyone. from the audience and to just rewrite it and turn it into this plastic junk this be a keg cheap sangria kitsch i really don't think that's ok. i find it painful let us finish on. this.

is it wrong to turn an anti-fascist battle song into a commercial summer hit. in the us if the message is gone if i just sing bella challen rhyme it with whatever then he can really mean anything. by sometimes it's time to say i don't think you should be too strict about it to say you shouldn't take it personally. it doesn't take anything away from you. from the moment that we start talking about whether this is making the song worse the songs being brought back to life. and free to excess tends to lot more people are coming into contact with it in feeling it's energy in themselves. and the history. whether it's good or bad gullet shall was back on everyone's lips.

part in john. take me with. american jazz guitarist mark repos interpretation is very different it's closer to the original meaning of the song. i like the fact that it was both political and deeply personal with i like the marching versions but i can't do that that's just not me you know maybe it's not our times. die. for freedom. i think an army would be a more effective means of protesting but i don't have. so. i lose what i have. in. the sounds of freedom can carry a very different messages. freedom sold so says it all in itself is just something that would create that feeling in you of freedom rebellion joy. you

know known conformity and done good is the vendor of those songs that don't explicitly speak of freedom in the lyrics but where the music on the message served to free people. well pop culture was liberating when the flight. left her. job you. get. tired. now bruised. and freedom songs can have strong political messages or they can reach people on a personal level doesn't and i love those things like that which make you go wow things because there's always a take on that song is all busily glorious because it's one of those iconic empowerment songs an empowerment song.

there are a lot of queer anthems where once people have learned to break down there in a berry is that can finally break free and finally be themselves into this design can visit. the drama being dumped but drawing strength from that and slamming the door no song expresses that like this one kind soul but this was. the most profound and rewarding way in which i will survive has changed my life is an enabling me to bring hope encouragement and empowerment to people all over the world. but gloria gaynor recorded the song in the end of the 1970 s.

she had no idea that it would one day become an l g b t q anthem here again as i was about it was a great example of the song having political content without harming us it understands their ability to grow. it understands that it has to be ultimately optimistic and it also has that timeless quality it's not. in any theory. in the late 1960 s. the 1st gay night clubs in new york relieved allies to disco music proved the perfect soundtrack. 1 many classic party songs date back to this time. but only one combined glamour and groove with the message i will survive. they have shown us before though some of my do feel that the rise of aids had a big effect but all it was

a real threat and especially in gay circles people felt they were exposed to a constant danger and so it was a kind of survival song because that's just not it by leaving song. you have to remember people who were infected with hiv or who had aids then we're facing a situation which isn't comparable to today when it can be treated where you no longer necessarily die of aids but. at the time it was a death sentence. steps there was real fear nobody knew exactly how it was transmitted if you and people were ostracized socially. and. had parades all over the world the gay and queer community would sing i will survive loudly and proudly turning the party song into a survival anthem. even

today christopher street day is not only a celebration of sexual diversity the parade also commemorates a historic moment in 1969 in manhattan when l.g.b. t.q. patrons on the stonewall inn on christopher street decided to fight back during a police raid. the ensuing riots marked a turning point. still stonewall was in 69 and it marks a new dawn of we're not going to take this anymore. gives us an unsafe megaphone. many l.g.b. t.q. people happened to be in new york during the stonewall riots they had come for judy garland's funeral. or song somewhere over the rainbow expressed the wish many queer people had for a better world.

is the culmination of the song this go kind of an adult this and i think that probably sums up the freedom song that you express and the pain suffering but you also being the winner and saying count in. the economist own up to the name of. the rainbow of garland song became the symbol of the l.g.b. t.q. pride movement. and judy garland one of its 1st icons. the. 21st century queer icons uncleared madonna carly minogue lady gaga. all campaign actively for l.g.b. t.q.

issues the fasting as your gay men are so fascinated by deaver's because inside every propagate man lives a drag queen at least i think so. which gays has probably also developed their own way of taking their femininity. as a given that made. me cry behind big sunglasses or in a taxi or they're up on stage being applauded. there's glamour and sparkle so there's a little. touch of fantasy element to this. david bowie claimed all of those elements and brought gender ambiguity to mainstream culture. that was about crossing gender boundaries which has always played

a big role in pop i think of david bowie descending from space toward us as and i'm dragoons creature ziggy stardust. let's be honest david bowie had an light style i had he was one of those people who could make rejects weirdos and gender benders cool. he was almost a messiah. one gender bending star of the 21st century as thomas noir that who performs as drag queen conchita voiced. for me a perfect world we don't have to talk about sexual orientation the color of his skin your religious beliefs. she presented her dream center stage at the euro vision song contest and 2014 and one says. look with that video in the background how great was that.

part of the reason why so many clerics went to the barricades after it was that she looked like both a virgin mary and jesus christ of the grand prix that's a feat in itself. as. conny scientists now going to be that we have only 2 genders but 15 different cell phone tariffs gender identity is surely more important shift here and it is most interesting go. for french musicians as always lead to ca presents a more fluid understanding of gender she records under the name christine in the queen's and explores topics like sex and desire in her songs. which if you stop. and today we have a more fluid understanding of gender we no longer see gender as too extreme poles but rather as varying levels of femininity and masculinity and that plays a huge role in pop music right now or.

like. 2 2 the more that i thought about it the less i understand what it is he wants what it really means to be a woman or a man and everyone doesn't like to have their own individuality and i don't see why gender should be any different. british musician on a calvi has also freed herself from gender conventions. and this i feel that's why i love playing music so much as i finish completely genderless when i'm playing i feel. i feel that. i'm going to play somewhere between 3 things.

that seem to post no explicit concept for me. in the sense of how i feel about it and how it makes me see that rather than general statements and that's my job is not just to see it through the prism. even humble folksongs can have the power to become global freedom anthems. such as the german folk song duncan simplify or thoughts are free. and clear. but in the age of the n.s.a. all thoughts really as free as we think i wouldn't say every line still applies 100

percent today but a great many do this if you must it's knowing what the song is about what it's telling us to look after us is freedom and thoughts free of censorship or plant. you can dumb things in pa it dates back to the late 18th century. b.c. . you get drunk couldn't you. when the melody was added around 815 the enlightened german population took the tune as their battle song against the establishment in nazi germany in 1942. that's a good start on it's about bringing courage to those who feel alone and powerless.

and you are about to give up with the right of people. during the soviet blockade in 1948 over $3000.00 berliners sang the song together. they had been galvanized by the words of man's voice to the mayor at the time. but. thank god. i. think it's all my german songwriter constantine's vaca said his own version of the lyrics to the classic melody thank. you so. this is the of political that's the purpose of octal. art isn't for pushing people toward one political party or another i just thought has to touch our souls it needs to resonate in our hearts and remind us of our humanity. that's always

been the essence of poetry and art this is emotional dismays and to put. this. in 2005 the folk song was used in a german ad for an email provider a cheap advertising gimmick or proof the song's message has universal appeal. to signify and we chose the topic freedom and that quickly let us to the song for thoughts to remain free you need free letter exchange so basically email and the floating people are a metaphor for free spirits that's been tough and tight guys. and those for they to sell out the out industry has no scruples see him they take

whatever they want. to get i sure thought so free on the internet i guess you could see it like that and now the question is are thoughts free or aa people free dimension fi. then it is if you don't come. it's an interesting question especially considering that whistleblower edward snowden and the n.s.a. scandal taught us that our electronic communications are not safe for private. electronic music pioneer johnny shows jock has long been invested in freedom of thought in the digital age together with edward snowden he recorded the song exit. yet i have a deep respect for any person who has the courage to stand up and say no. what i admire about edward snowden is that he's a modern hero he ultimately put his life on the line and today his life is ruined.

you know when he said he was going to i think you know. his rights are not just there. he was the 1st one that led the way to companies like facebook apologizing for leaking people's personal data. yeah he showed us the danger of current technologies invading our privacy. there are also songs that make very specific political demands artists from around the world showed solidarity with south african freedom fighter nelson mandela he had been imprisoned by the apartheid regime since the 1960 s.

. something mom said to me music doesn't affect change it only reflects change i'm here to tell you different. that that i'm not and that. when the song free nelson mandela was released by british band the special aka mandela had already been incarcerated for over 20 years. the song sought to bring global attention to his plight and to put south africa in the spotlight. i. and 6 string lead touching and impressive to see how you can change the world with one song. the song storm the charts millions of people heard its political demands and the world's understanding of the apartheid regime shifted.

back in the 1960 s. following the massacre of unarmed black demonstrators and sharpe bill abandoned his nonviolent stance called on paramilitary groups to fight south africa's government . 964 mandela was convicted of treason and sabotage and sentenced to life in prison a move which on winningly turned mandela into a hero nelson mandela was classified as a terrorist state which is interesting and they blew up stuff on the people of god he was a terrorist and now he's like a freedom fighter it's my perspective you know like who was controlling the narrative. south africans began protesting mandela's imprisonment almost as soon as

he was arrested. i. later when people in western countries became aware of the injustices inflicted by south africa's government they also took to the streets they demanded mandela's release young people and many musicians were invested in the anti-apartheid movement especially in the u.k. the. singer songwriter billy bragg was among them nelson mandela's. african national congress had strong support human long it would be demonstrations every weekend outside the south african embassy arresting one weekend we sat down in the streets to traffic and arrest. the palpable anger among younger generations in the seventy's and their feelings of powerlessness and speired

a new music genre. bands like the sex pistols caused outrage with their provocative lyrics and performances. you know it's interesting that when people talk about the sex pistols they say the sex pistols would make you want to smash your head against the wall but the clash would give you a reason. the clash managed to take widespread discontent and funnel it into political demands their music combines punk rock with reggae influences their songs include free nelson mandela one of the things. of the marriage between reg music was the 2 time movement in 97 you know i'm led but especially. the specials described in great britain riddled by unemployment discrimination and ethnic tensions. this was black kids from what keeps in the sign back. playing

a kind of spiky version of scar music from from west indian culture. the black and white album cover was intended to signify the collaboration between white and black musicians. and. those of music that was there were some signs that you know the music and everything you know so it was just sort of became a culture really. keyboard player jerry dollars was the driving force within the special a.k.a. after attending an anti-apartheid concert he decided they should write a song about nelson mandela. when jerry didn't feel smug you know a lot of people or you know news monday that was so the songs and get some of them to talk about this guy he was in prison for 20 years.

what's interesting is that as most plots full songs are quite. either i know great or are in for specks of and that was a great example of political soul that was incredibly out and celebrate a tree and souls torn invade and spread it you know so this is not just not true many of them to my mate. but you can spend your life on the dance floor you know you do have to engage with reality and the special song in a free nelson mandela was one of those moments. where you know they saw an obvious injustice and used then use it as a tool for social change to get people involved to international solidarity with mandela took on a life of its own more and more musicians took

a stand. peter gabriel sang about the anti-apartheid activist steven biko who had been murdered. when you watch the noose but it does something to you but when you hear a song like the call if it catches you emotionally that's what it didn't mean. that's the funny you know like a part of that whole eighty's rock against racism sort of like there's so many bands in the u.k. at that time who are super political. over in south africa musicians such as johnny clegg who are also beginning to use their music to protest. planned. i. would. say. the

a luxury resort casino in south africa while apartheid was apparent throughout the country this enclave kept up the pretense of treating its black population as equals. numerous international stars performed at the resort initially many turned a blind eye but steve. just from all over the world when invited there i'm paid extremely well to perform for rich white south africans. fans and call for an international boycott of sun city many musicians both black and white joint including springsteen bondo and run d.m.c. together they produced the popular song ain't going to play sun city. 988 the solidarity movement reached its high point a concert in london's wembley stadium with an international star studded lineup. talking about it. together with

$72000.00 audience members the cream of pop saying special aka's free nelson mandela. 20 months after the concert mandela was finally released after 27 years in prison. in 2011 protests against banks and reckless financial institutions gave rise to the occupy movement. here to an old classic took on a new role the internazionale. the song has long been a hymn of working class movements and protests against capitalism sun come. and believe rock was there as well close. or we saw. the sun not the law the.

associated the internationally with the tradition of the left when we sing that song we keep the fight for those people pulling the strongest force the. load. the sun was the odd the *. god *. the 1. 1 when i 1st heard it i was like all this is like like the old men you know like old men and women singing this song and you know word more than you haven't guard of revolutionary music but no i do think it said. if you look at the history of that song there are things pretty cool little you know mom is one of those songs that fits anybody struggle because he's as he says the sound of international socialism or communism left wing or do you

have. the birthplace of the internacional a is paris site of the recent yellow vests protests some 150 years ago the poet. wrote internazionale for the $871.00 worker uprising. that rebellion was suppressed but the song lives on. from france the internacional a journey to russia where it again stirred the hearts of workers. after the communists seize power internacional they served as an anthem for the soviet union. it was also played at official ceremonies and other soviet republics. cause

indeed it was a song of oppression of suppression you know it was forced on people but that's not how it works it's our national anthems work but movement anthems songs that move people don't work like that. in western europe the internacional they carry different meaning here it was not played by governments but by protesting workers and students they think that music serves a huge role in making our lives better and giving us energy to struggle so i do think that is good for. i think. these things that saw games can do that slogan. cat one thing is that this song especially the songs that are in our history. as they give us friends in history in the ninety's that you capitalism look different than his looks and came

up with the slogans lamenting the consequences of globalization such as capitalism stole my virginity. my activism his right to write the swears to do the songs and to play these shows and i mean. really just because times are tough you can't really give and so i just keep on doing this until. i'm a heart attack on stage. they do think the music in itself changes things and changers. people strategic tree life we here we are proud of how we came to represent here we do not deny deny deny deny and now to sit. during the occupy wall street movement which cast a critical light on capitalism the musical message of the rap duo rebel diaz went from the streets to the ears of millions of people in seconds just one percent with

social platforms and online connectivity the protests quickly grew into a global movement. you. see well get out there with the people organizing with the streets because you understand we watch we believe there is young people and the how being tentative values i don't want to be on m.t.v. then i want to walk a red carpet and the minute you have new values the world's a really exciting place but of course they're not going to get pushed to the front of the queue because they're going to spoil the party. the central questions of current times are pushing younger generations out onto the streets once more. 17 year old got to turn back has inspired children teens and young adults to join her in her fight to save the planet. i. look at something like the climate protests right now with all these kids going on strike from school i mean that's

all because of social media and i think that's pretty i if you're 19 years old now and you're angry about the world you no longer have to learn to buy tickets all you can write a blog you can make a film on your phone and distribute. we will never stop fighting for this plan that's it for ourselves our future for the futures of our children and grandchildren. music will continue to play its part in future generations fight for freedom. is. art is something that hits people. right here right in the gut you know and i think you can't really replace that with with like instagram i think that's just i mean it doesn't really hold the same value and you realize there are still a lot of people that are going to talk about and for that reason alone protest

music always be relevant the thing about music is it. it really hits even if a profound deep way it gets into implant stream straight away in a way that maybe other forms cards and its ability to communicate means that i do think it can carry messages to people i. love. songs of praise. comes of. thanks.

to the point of strong opinions clear positions international perspectives. to me is not known for disruptive politics but regional election has the political earthquake that is shaking the christian democratic party to its foundations will be a hefty destroyed manholes legacy find out until the point. to point at which damage has been missed on g.w. . it's our superhero. my mission is clear to crush the good and to me culturally should explore germany. take died there. everything out there is a lot going on in. germany tried and tested. checking. w. play.

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defense crisis takes the spotlight at this year's munich security conference nato members have been vowing for decades to defend vulnerable allies but as apathy in the alliance replaced commitments also coming up. china's coronavirus epidemic seems yet another rise in.