- alle zwei WochenErscheinungsrhythmus
- 54 mintypische Länge
- 28. Okt.letzte Folge
Some songs entertain. Some songs endure. And some songs…change everything.
Music and Revolution explores the tracks that didn’t just climb the charts — they were the soundtracks to movements that reshaped society. Each week, we take one track and unpack the moment it was born into: the strikes, the marches, the wars, the uprisings, and the cultural shifts that artists captured on tape.
From civil rights and labor movement hymns to anti-war rock songs, hip-hop protest tracks, and global anti-imperialist anthems, every episode traces the story behind a song that helped people see the world differently.
From Nina Simone to Woody Guthrie, Joe Hill to Lauryn Hill, Bob Marley to Public Enemy, James Brown to Dolly Parton, Paul Robeson to Bruce Springsteen, Creedence Clearwater Revival to Janet Jackson, Billie Holiday to Kendrick Lamar, you’ll hear about the political and social movements behind iconic songs, the artists who risked their careers to speak up, the lyrics that became rallying cries, and the legacy those songs still carry today.
This is a show about protest songs, political music, and the power of culture to shape society. If you’ve ever wondered how three minutes of music can alter the course of history, you’re in the right place.
New episodes every Wednesday.
Folgen
Living Colour, Cult of Personality
In this election season episode of Music and Revolution, Rolf Straubhaar breaks down Living Colour’s explosive 1988 hard-rock masterpiece, "Cult of Personality." Opening with a sampled speech from Malcolm X, the NYC Black rock outfit spend
Sam Cooke, A Change Is Gonna Come
In this episode of Music and Revolution, Rolf Straubhaar dives into Sam Cooke’s 1964 masterpiece, "A Change Is Gonna Come." Recorded in January 1964, less than a year before Cooke’s tragic death at age 33, this orchestral soul classic trans
Nena, 99 Luftballons
In this episode of Music and Revolution, Rolf Straubhaar breaks down Nena’s iconic 1983 Cold War synth-pop hit, "99 Luftballons." Inspired by a moment during a 1982 Rolling Stones concert at West Berlin's Waldbühne amphitheater, guitarist C
Fela Kuti and Afrika 70, Zombie
In this episode of Music and Revolution, Rolf Straubhaar dives into Fela Kuti and Afrika 70’s 1977 Afrobeat masterpiece, "Zombie." Born out of the Lagos nightclub known as the Afrika Shrine, Fela’s extended, hypnotic grooves were created no
Joe Hill / Billy Bragg, There Is Power in a Union
In this special Labor Day episode of Music and Revolution, Rolf Straubhaar breaks down two powerhouse anthems that share a title: "There Is Power in a Union"—one written by IWW martyr Joe Hill in 1913, and the other by British folk-punk ico
Woody Guthrie and Martin Hoffman, Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos)
In this episode of Music and Revolution, Rolf Straubhaar dives into Woody Guthrie’s 1948 masterpiece, "Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos)". On January 28, 1948, a plane carrying 28 Mexican farmworkers crashed in California, killing everyon
Announcement!
Hey everyone! Quick format update for you today: moving forward, Music and Revolution is shifting to a biweekly schedule. So instead of dropping every single week, you’ll be getting a fresh episode every two weeks. Because of the new pace,
Stevie Wonder, Living for the City
In this episode of Music and Revolution, Rolf Straubhaar dives into Stevie Wonder’s 1973 masterpiece, “Living for the City.” This seven-and-a-half-minute centerpiece from Innervisions is a devastating, cinematic compression of the Black exp
Bob Dylan, The Times They Are A-Changin’
In this episode of Music and Revolution, Rolf Straubhaar dives into Bob Dylan’s timeless 1963 classic, “The Times They Are A-Changin’.” Written by a twenty-two-year-old kid in a Greenwich Village apartment, this wasn't just another 1960s fo
Edwin Starr, War
In this episode of Music and Revolution, Rolf Straubhaar dives into Edwin Starr’s explosive 1970 anti-war masterpiece, “War.” Released only a month after the tragic Kent State shootings, the track became the definitive sonic flashpoint for
Florence Reece, Which Side Are You On?
In this episode of Music and Revolution, Rolf Straubhaar dives into Florence Reece’s legendary 1931 labor anthem, “Which Side Are You On?” What started in the bloody coalfields of Harlan County, Kentucky, has become one of the most enduring
Nina Simone, Mississippi Goddam
Some protest songs hide their anger behind metaphor. This one forces you to laugh at a show tune, right before it breaks your heart with the truth. In this episode of Music and Revolution, Rolf Straubhaar breaks down Nina Simone’s ferocious
Bruce Springsteen, Born in the U.S.A.
When you hear the explosive snare hit and driving synth line of Bruce Springsteen’s 1984 masterpiece “Born in the U.S.A.,” it’s easy to understand why it became a stadium-packing anthem. But underneath the celebratory, red-white-and-blue im
Bronski Beat, Smalltown Boy
Some songs top the charts. And some songs change the world. In this final Pride Month episode of Music and Revolution, Rolf Straubhaar dives into Bronski Beat’s groundbreaking 1984 debut masterpiece, "Smalltown Boy." At a time when queer na
Sylvester, You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)
Some protest songs change the world with slogans. This one does it by teaching you how to live inside your own body. In this Pride‑month episode of Music and Revolution, Rolf Straubhaar dives into Sylvester’s 1978 disco classic “You Make Me
George Michael, Freedom ’90
In this episode of Music and Revolution, Rolf Straubhaar digs into George Michael’s “Freedom! ’90” as more than a catchy breakup letter to MTV. We trace how a former Wham! heartthrob went from neon shorts and “Choose Life” shirts to a leath
Diana Ross, I’m Coming Out
Some songs top the charts. Some songs quietly rewrite who gets to feel seen. Diana Ross’s “I’m Coming Out” is now an undeniable Pride anthem—blaring from parade floats, drag shows, and dance floors every June. But it started as something fa
Tracy Chapman, Talkin’ ’Bout a Revolution
In this episode of Music and Revolution, host Rolf Straubhaar dives into Tracy Chapman’s “Talkin’ ’bout a Revolution” — a song that opened her 1988 debut album and has never really left the political soundtrack since. We start with Chapman’
Dolly Parton, 9 to 5
In this episode of Music and Revolution, host Rolf Straubhaar dives into Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” — a song that is unapologetically feminist, deeply rooted in the realities of labor and workplace exploitation, and somehow still gets played a
Sly and the Family Stone, Everyday People
Some songs top the charts. Some songs change how we imagine living together. In this episode of Music and Revolution, host Rolf Straubhaar digs into Sly and the Family Stone’s 1968 hit “Everyday People” — a song so catchy it can fade into b
Bob Marley and the Wailers, Get Up Stand Up
Most listeners recognize “Get Up, Stand Up” as a classic Bob Marley anthem, long before they hear it as a fierce challenge to colonialism, poverty, and the kind of religion that tells people to wait quietly for heaven. In this episode of Mu
KRS-One, Sound of da Police
Most of us think we know “Sound of da Police.” But for many listeners, it lands as a hook before it lands as an argument. In this episode of Music and Revolution, host Rolf Straubhaar takes us back to 1993, in the aftermath of the Rodney Ki
The Impressions, People Get Ready
Most of us think we know “People Get Ready.” But on the surface, it doesn’t sound like a protest song at all. In this episode of Music and Revolution, host Rolf Straubhaar takes us back to 1965, a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement
Creedence Clearwater Revival, Fortunate Son
Most of us think we know “Fortunate Son.” But the version we carry around in our heads is often more movie soundtrack than protest song. In this episode of Music and Revolution, host Rolf Straubhaar takes us back to 1969, when Creedence Cle
James Brown, Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud)
Most of us think we know “Say It Loud—I’m Black and I’m Proud.” But the version we carry around in our heads often misses what made it so powerful—and so controversial—when it first hit the airwaves. In this episode of Music and Revolution,
Woody Guthrie, This Land Is Your Land
Most of us think we know "This Land is Your Land." But the version we learned in school left a few things out. In this debut episode of Music and Revolution, host Rolf Straubhaar takes us back to 1940, into a cold New York City hotel room w
