Death Of Political Protest Music

To measure the state of folk/rock music (and has protest/political expression died?), I took up a challenge to listen and “jot down on a piece of paper what any random 6 songs are generally about”

Here’s what I heard on WUMB today at about 10:10am EDT

Song 1: Another Train: [something about] getting on a train. Maybe the next one is yours.

This song seems to be about if you’re lost and confused then another train will come along. I can’t help wondering if this is like that saying about girlfriends and buses? It’s kind of Celtic in flavor

Song 2: Second Wind: now we’re sailing and waiting for a southern breeze. Turns out someone gave him his second wind. Been chasing a dream.

I’ve got a reason to start living again; you’ve given me my second wind.

This song could easily be appropriated as a religious song. The performance is a little country in flavor

Only two songs in and I think I’ve detected a travel theme here.

Song 3: Love stood in my way. On a winters night.
She said the road goes on for ever, every day’s a change.

Definitely have a traveling theme going on here.

The song ends and oh, Peter Morton is introduced as the song writer of those songs (though only the last one was actually him performing.) He’s going to be in the studio later, which explains a lot.

Song 4: Three days in the storm, and three on the flood, the crescent moon her arc.
Deep in the pagan forest.

Hard to figure this song out. It seems to be about some pagan witch or something. I’m always so bad at figuring things out unless they are really obvious.

Song 5: Oh my little [someone] girl, better be making your wedding dress
Oh she wouldn’t say yes, she wouldn’t say no. All she’d do was sit and sew, sit and sew.
Oh, it’s already made, trimmed in red, gonna be married on Saturday night

Oddly, not a happy song, rather sad the way it’s played (with a slow tempo). It seems almost depressed that she’s getting married; like she has no alternative or something. There could be some anti-marriage message here, or equal rights thing, but it’s hard to get inflamed as the song … is …so ….sleepy….

Song 6: It’s a short life of trouble for a boy with a broken heart. You know what you promised, only a week ago, you promised that you’d marry me.
Now you’ve broken your promise.

I was really hoping for a political agenda in this one, but it’s more love and lost love. Now he’s off going round the world but he is still hung up on the person that broke her promise to him. This guy could be potential stalker material.

Could this failed marriage proposal be the result of the legalization of gay marriage? It’s not made clear in the song.