Russ Roberts gives me the lead-in I’ve been waiting for:
I was talking to my students last night about inspirational education—writing or music that not only informs but inspires. And I wondered out loud with them about why there isn’t an economics or free market folk song.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have one?
I’d sing it all day. I’d play it on the guitar. I’d teach it to my children.
I can’t recommend any applicable folk songs, but if Russ is willing to play electric guitar for his kids, he could teach them the songs of my latest obsession, the punk band Tsunami Bomb. Here are all the lyrics of all their songs. A few highlights for Russ:
5150, a plea to make the most of your life by ignoring sunk costs:
Forget your torment, What should have been, What's expected of you. Face your fears, Face your open future, And remember the way that you shine.
[…]
Be grateful that you have a brain for thinking And legs to take you places. You can do what you dream about, Just believe in the way that you shine.
20 Going On… adds Julian Simonesque mockery of doomsayers:
Tired at 20 years old Memory collecting before his time Recall the old stomping ground I see a tear welling up in his eye
No, you can't cheat time, don't let that control your life Hold your breath, close your eyes, just jump in, the water's fine
Russ speculates that the scarcity of classical liberal songs “has more to do with the seen and the unseen.” Tsunami Bomb rises to the challenge with a devastating attack on drunk drivers in Headlights on a Handgrenade:
She drinks away her pain As she takes your life into her hands Her memories remain As she takes your life into her hands
Losing control Bits and pieces scatter like small toys She'll never know The lives she has taken and destroyed
The point, of course, is that the victims’ lives are “unseen” to the drunk driver, but just as real as the lives of the people she personally knew.
That’s almost as cool as Bastiat – and if you play it at full blast, it might be even cooler.
READER COMMENTS
Charles Evans
Feb 4 2006 at 10:03am
– Oingo Boingo, “Capitalism,” Only a Lad
=————
– Ramones, “Bonzo Goes to Bitburg,” Animal Boy
=————
– The Ramones, “Learn to Listen,” Brain Drain
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And, let us not forget conservative punk lyrics, for those who like that sort of thing.
– Sex Pistols, “Bodies,” Never Mind the Bollocks
(The song gets even more graphic. This could have been the anthem of the anti-abortion movement.)
Kyle
Feb 4 2006 at 12:28pm
I am not an expert in the genre, but there’s a lot of Filk (What Sci-Fi fandom when they found folk music) that fits the parameters.
larrydj
Feb 4 2006 at 7:56pm
The 80s group Rush had many libertarian songs. They were disciples of Ayn Rand.
http://www.adequacy.org/public/stories/2001.8.22.0219.37804.html
Zac
Feb 4 2006 at 9:26pm
I’m a little surprised.. I’ve known Bryan a while and I would have never pegged him a fan of punk rock.
Daniel J. D'Amico
Feb 5 2006 at 5:26pm
“Liberty”
They say we’re born to lose, we got the right to choose
Do what we wanna do.
Be what we wanna be
They say we’re out of touch.
Well their opinions don’t mean that much to me
Give me liberty or give me death
Give me freedom to my very last breath
Give me liberty or give me death today
They say we’re out of time.
We’ll read between the lines
We don’t believe the propaganda that’s told
They say we’re out of line that we got left behind
Yeah we don’t wanna be nothing like YOU!
They say we’re born to lose
We’ve got the right to choose
We’ll do what the f@#$ we want today
–AGNOSTIC FRONT
“Tax Man”
Let me tell you how it will be
There�s one for you, nin’teen for me
Cause I’m the tax man
Yea I’m the tax man
Should five percent appear too small
Be thankful I don’t take it all
Cause I’m the tax man
Yea I’m the tax man
If you drive a car-car I’ll tax the street
If you try to sit-sit I’ll tax your seat
If you get too cold I’ll tax the heat
If you take a walk I’ll tax your feet
Tax man
Well I’m the tax man
Yea I’m the tax man
Don’t ask me what I want it for
If you don’t want to pay some more
Cause I’m the tax man
Yea I’m the tax man
Now my advice for those who die (tax man)
Declare the pennies on your eyes (tax man)
Cause I’m the tax man
Yea I’m the tax man
And you’re working for no one but me
(Tax man)
–The BeaTles
Scott Peterson
Feb 6 2006 at 12:00am
The band Rush’s great political songs include:
Bastille Day-rock out anthem to overthrow of the aristocracy
The Trees-“Animal Farm”-like narrative of class struggle
Closer to the Heart-criticism of Western political structure
Jim Glass
Feb 6 2006 at 1:04am
It’s not punk, but I always thought
God Bless The Child That’s Got His Own had a sound message.
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