Anti-War Anthems | Blown In The Wind to Give Peace A Chance, the Essential Listening

Music Related | 13th June 2025 anti-war songs theBeat.ie

The late 1960's would see a boom in anti-war songs as a result of Americas interference in Vietnams civil war and the US invasion of Cambodia. As the decades passed, and new wars started, artists have continued to use music as a call for peace.

Heres the essential anti-war anthems from the 60/70's and beyond -

10

Give Peace A Chance

Emerging from his 1969, bed-in, which was a protest against war, John Lennon's, Give Peace A Chance, is a call for world peace. Recorded with a small group of friends in a hotel room in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Lennon urges individuals to prioritize peace and non-violence through a simple, and singable, repetitive chorus.

9

The Unknown Soldier

Released in 1968, The Doors, The Unknown Soldier, is Jim Morrison's objection to the way media was presenting the Vietnam War to ordinary Americans. Chronicling the harsh reality of war, the song is about an unknown faceless soldier dying while life carries on as normal at home.

8

War Pigs

English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, anti -war song, War Pigs, tells the age old tale of how politicians and the wealthy fuel the fires of war. Released in 1970, the song critiques those who benefit from war while sending others to die, regarding them as war pigs.

7

For What Its Worth

Originally inspired by 1966's Los Angeles riots, Buffalo Springfield's, For What Its Worth, has been adopted by the anti-war movement. Responding to heavy actions by the police against peaceful protesters the song invites listeners to question the authority and consider the underlying issues, rather than directly condemning them.

6

War

Recorded first by The Temptations, followed by Edwin Starr, War, is a song with a strong anti-war message which on its release resonated strongly with the American public, who were increasingly disillusioned the Vietnam War. Highlighting the destructive nature of war, and the suffering it causes, the song questions the point of conflict.

5

Two Tribes

Expressing a sense of despair and nihilism, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, 1984 release, Two Tribes, is a song about the dangers of division, strongly rooted in the anxieties of the Cold War era between the US and USSR. The lyrics sarcastically celebrate the potential for nuclear war, expressing the band's frustration with the political climate.

4

Ohio

A protest song, and counterculture anthem, Ohio is Neil Young's response to the Kent State shootings. Released under Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, the song attacks the National Guard actions during a rally opposing the expanding involvement in the Vietnam War and the U.S. invasion of Cambodia. The song mourns the deaths of four unarmed students with the chilling phrase, Four dead in Ohio, becoming a powerful symbol of the anti-war movement

3

Fortunate Son

Criticizing the social injustice and privilege associated with war, Creedence Clearwater Revivals, Fortunate Son highlights how some individuals, particularly those from wealthy or influential families, could avoid military service. Highlighting those who had the privilege to avoid the draft, Fortunate Son, addresses leaders who spoke of patriotism while allowing the wealthy to avoid the risks of war.

2

Blowin In The Wind

Released in 1962, Bob Dylans, folk classic, Blowin' In The Wind, is a song that explores the themes of peace, war, and freedom. Through a series of questions Dylan questions humanities struggle with conflict, oppression and the search for happiness.

1

Zombie

Written in response to the 1993 IRA bombing in Warrington, England, The Cranberries, Zombie is a powerful anti-war song. Focusing on the impact war has on innocent civilians Zombie is a universal condemnation of violence and loss.

The lyrics are directly linked to the specific incident in Warrington, when two children, Tim Parry (age, 12) and Jonathan Ball (age,3), were killed. A condemnation of violence and war the song highlights the Troubles in Northern Ireland, and is not meant to be a nationalist or unionist song.

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