Music With a Message

Here is the play list for my radio program next weekend. I start by playing a number of songs from the civil rights era, some blues, tracks referring to poverty, gay rights and women’s issues. In the later part of the show I am focussing on the environment, Australian indigenous issues, and war/peace tracks.

The minor hitch is that at present there are no computers working/connected to the desk and only 18/30 of these songs are mp3s. At present the only digital music site I can purchase from is eMusic as all other stores use DRM on their tracks – I have even tried the Amazon downloads site but it is only available to US citizens at the moment. This amounts to around 25 tracks I haven't been able to play over the past three weeks - I can understand how customers of MSN Music, Yahoo and WalMart feel.

From first hand experience I have to say that DRM and the geographic limitations imposed because of licensing constraints are a burden that no consumer should have to encounter. It is both frustrating and ridiculous that I cannot access the music I want because I want to pay for it.

Neville Brothers, Sister Rosa
Mamie Brown & The Birmingham Movement Choir, I’m On My Way
Freedom Singers, Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round
Phil Ochs, I’m Gonna Say What I Have to Say
Carlton Reese, Yes We Want Our Freedom
J.B. Lenoir, Remove This Rope
J.B. Lenoir, Livin’ In the White House
Tracy Chapman, Talkin’ About a Revolution
Jonatha Brookes, Madonna on the Curb
Ben Harper, Better Way
Public Enemy, Black Steel in the House of Chaos
Tom Robinson Band, Glad to Be Gay
Sinead O’Connor, No Man’s Woman
Aretha Franklin, Respect

Cat Stevens, Where Do the Children Play?
The John Butler Trio, Treat Yo Mama
The John Butler Trio, Ocean
The John Butler Trio, Company Sin
Our Home Our Land, This Lands Worth More than Silver and Gold
Our Home Our Land, Respect for Eddie Mabo
Morrissey, America Is not the World
Anne Feeney, Rebuild America Keep Hope Alive
Jimi Hendrix, Star Spangled Banner
John Mellancamp, To Washington
Bob Dylan, Masters of War
Country Joe & The Fish, I Feel Like I’m Fixin to Die Rag
John Lennon, Give Peace a Chance
John Lennon, Imagine
James Brown, Peace in the World
Sarah McLachlan, World on Fire