Counting Down the Greatest Anti-War Songs Ever Written

[@Nitramessahc]

Excellent video! I was expecting Child in time. Some of my favorites here: Dylan - With God on our side CSN - Wooden Ships Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms Hendrix - Machine gun and Izabella

[@Lachlanmacdiarmid]

A subject that is close to my heart, so many great anti-war songs through the decades. Hopefully one day the world will be at peace. Wars are easy to start but difficult to end. Lachlan.

[@twatson4887]

Great selection Phil, totally agree. I think I would add 'Bells of Berlin' and 'Lonely Soldier' by Lone star. Thank you- keep doing what you do, its thought provoking

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Lone Star, great choice !

[@stuartwaby3081]

Emerson, Lake and Powell, Lay Down Your Arms and Mars the bringer of war springs to mind both on the 1986 album 😊

[@rogertemple7193]

Where Have all the Flowers Gone (Pete Seeger, the Kingston Trio), Eve of Destruction (Barry McGuire) are great anti war songs and i listen to them occasionally thank you Phil.🎶🎤🎸🎸🎹🥁🎶

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Thank you 🙏 great choices

[@bengthertzman9918]

A very important subject, Phil! Some of mine favourites In no order: Universal Soldier- Buffy Saint Marie (made more known by Donovan and Glenn Campbell) I am not at war with anyone - Luka Bloom War Pigs - Black Sabbath Happy X-mas War Is Over - John Lennon Eve Of Destruction - Barry McGuire Imagine - John Lennon Masters of war - Bob Dylan Whats going on - Marvin Gaye I feel like I'm fixing to die rag - Country Joe & The Fish A plea for the planet - Mungo Jerry Day of the jackal - Lindisfarne

[@miguelangelmontenegro9939]

Hi Phil ! Nice list ! My List : ELP Farewell to arms ELPowell Lay down your.... Greg Lake I Believe in... Lisa Hannigan Swan Dire Straits brothers in... Please check Lisa Hannigan Swan with stargaze. Well..., i pick 3 Greg Lake songs 😂😂😂 Greg was My hero ! The Best for You , Phil ! Cheers from Buenos Aires Argentina 🤙

[@54macdog]

Geezer is a genius. Some other anti-war songs: CCR - Fortunate Son The Jam - Little Boy Soldiers The Clash - Charlie Don't Surf Masters Apprentices - War or Hands of Time Monkees - Last Train to Clarksville Animals - Sky Pilot

[@libermetallicus]

Got to agree on War Pigs Phil. Probably the first one that comes to mind. Others for me that spring to mind but I’m sure there are hundreds: Metallica - One Iron Maiden - Passchendaele Iron Maiden - Where The Wild Wind Blows Cranberries - Zombie U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms Another great video as always. 🙂👍

[@davidstafford9921]

Great video, Phil. When it comes to anti-war/protest music, Chicago's "It Better End Soon," a rock suite protesting America's involvement in Vietnam, always comes to mind. Another poignant track is "The Tea Leaf Prophecy," by Joni Mitchell--"Lay down your arms (study war no more)."

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Great choices David! Thank you for sharing :)

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

Excellent choice a better end soon is fantastic suite

[@thomasroth4533]

But the 60s was the decade for anti war songs. One of my favorites is Donovan's "To Susan On The West Coast Waiting". It's so intimate and so quiet. He almost whispers the words. Andy is in Vietnam and he is writing a letter to Susan at home. Very gripping. In this case less is more.

[@abdulbasheer6551]

Great episode. Sadly War is a topic that was and is and will be always going on. Here are some of my favourites. 1. Who's Gonna Win the War by Hawkwind 2. Army Dreamers by Kate Bush 3. Forgotten Sons by Marillion 4. Soldier of the Line by Magnum 5. Invisible Sun by The Police I like Masters of War alot and like the version by Joan Osborne. Lots more anti war songs I like but these are some that I just like to mention.

[@tombaranyai6683]

What a great topic Phil. I'd forgotten about Gillan's Mutually Assured Destruction. I'll have to dig it out of my collection and play it. It's been a while.

[@INSTITUTE22-BG]

Uriah Heep - Come away Melinda is my number two after War Pigs, always leaves me with a lump in my throat & a tear in my eye

[@Lachlanmacdiarmid]

@@INSTITUTE22-BG Come away Melinda, one of my favourite Heep songs. Definitely anti-war.

[@garym6688]

Great list, Phil! One track that came to mind for me after you named your first two "Christmas-themed" anti-war songs, was "I Want To Come Home For Christmas" by Mr. Marvin Gaye. It's also one that you rarely (if ever) hear whilst out shopping, but the tale of a P.O.W. dreaming of being home for the holidays and hoping his family hasn't forgotten him isn't the typical grocery store fare, I suppose. Of course, the man himself did feature later in your rankings with the sublime "What's Going On," a track that belongs on ANY list of great songs, but if you don't know "I Want To Come Home For Christmas," please check that one out.

[@makka7890]

Great list Phil, mine would include. Fortunate Son - CCR Happy Xmas - Lennon IBIFC - Greg Lake War Machine - Bryan Adams Eve of Destruction - Barry McGuire Pipes of Peace - McCartney A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall - His Bobness Us & Them - Pink Floyd

[@daicullinane7746]

Phil, this video was top of the list of YT recommendations.

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Wow 🤩 that’s good to know :)

[@dogfight2008]

Don't forget the song from Magnum "don't wake the lion"

[@christanner3761]

Great list Phil. "I believe in Father Christmas" by Greg Lake is such a great choice. I had forgotten all about how beautiful that song is. I really miss Greg Lake. RIP. Lennon's "All you need is Love" could be a anti-war song. It makes me want to kiss my wife. The Animals "Sky Pilot" is another good anti-war tune. Thanks for the entertaining video.

[@AJAndyO]

My fav Xmas song is also Greg Lake’s, and 2nd favourite is John & Yoko. I actually have the custom label single of Happy Xmas War Is Over, with their faces morphing between one another. When you mentioned The Stones, I just knew it was gonna be Gimme Shelter. The guitar at the beginning still always gives me goosebumps, it’s just sublime, and when the off-beat drums come in, well, it’s just one of the best things they ever did. Of course, War Pigs had to be top of the pile! What did you miss? How about War’s ‘Why Can’t We Be Friends?’ as an alternative approach? And then there’s Edwin Starr’s (I saw him perform, once, in a nightclub, in Ipswich!) ‘War’ - “What Is It Good For!”. Blondie’s ‘War Child’. The Cranberries also did their own track called ‘War Child’ Lastly, the Y&T track ‘Rock & Roll’s Gonna Save The World’ (check out the lyrics) is definitely a contender. Thanks 🙏. for another great and thought provoking video ! 🤘😎🤘 AJ.

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Some great choices Andy, thank you 🙏

[@mikemclintock3893]

Great list, I have all my CDs ripped to FLAC files and have a 1.5 TB micro SD card in my DAP so I'm going to make a playlist out of what I own. I'd say I have about 75 percent of the songs. "Some Mother's Son" by The Kinks is a great anti war song, essentially at the end of the day every soldier was some mother's son, on each side. A couple McCartney songs, "Give Ireland Back to the Irish" and "Despite Repeated Warnings", a brilliant song from his Egypt Station album which is more about the corrupt leaders and blindly following them. A fantastic song, the second one is. Off to make my playlist, thanks Phil!

[@theglavine]

I was thinking about that Kink's track from their rock opera Arthur! I figured it would not be mentioned as that album came out when the Kinks were still banned from America, although 'Victoria' did chart mid 60s on Hot 100! The Outlaw country singer and great writer Billy Joe Shaver had a great song about the ambivalence of going to war called 'Good Christian Soldier' that was so good Kris Kristofferson covered it! Shaver was probably the favorite songwriter amongst the Highwayman supergroup!

[@BlackDog-ur9tq]

Excellent topic Phil. Some of the go to Anti-War tunes for me are - Nena - 99 Luftballoons Redgum - I Was Only 19 (A Walk In The Light Green) Johnny Hates Jazz - I Don't Want To Be A Hero Eric Bogle - (And The Band Played) Waltzing Matilda

[@KevinButler-bm8lw]

For me one track outshines all others by a country mile-------------Twelfth Night, Sequences 2018------------------brilliant epic music, lyrically genius. RIP Geoff Mann.

[@terrydaktyllus1320]

A nice choice but I prefer the original version on the "Live at the Target" album, which was a gig I was actually at. But, yes, Geoff Mann was a sad loss.

[@mikethebloodthirsty]

Fortunate son by Credence is the most powerful anti war song ever... Saying it how it was, the sons of the rich avoided Vietnam, the poor became cannon fodder. Then for me War Pigs is second... Both make the point that poor people die for the rich who end up often profiting from war.

[@jazzpunk]

Great list...since you mentioned Marvin Gaye - Obviously, Edwin Starr "War" & "People Let's Stop The War". One under the radar? "People, Let's Stop The War" by Grand Funk on E PLURIBUS FUNK. Mel Schacher's fuzz bass dominates. ;-)

[@Behind_the_Wall_of_Sleep]

Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings feels like it should be an anti-war piece.

[@AskoHolli74]

Certainly effectively used in Platoon.

[@thomaswery3087]

The two that came to me were Edwin Starr-War and The Temptations-Ball Of Confusion(That's What The World Is Taday)

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Two excellent choices - thank you 🤩

[@duncanleith9172]

Has to be Morning Dew for me. So many covers, but will always be Grateful Dead's version that resonates.

[@FVD]

Bonus Track!! Edwin Starr's "collaboration" with Slayer. War (On the South Side of Heaven) mashed up tastefully by Mister Bill McClintock... 😄👌

[@davidcurry8440]

Great video, I was just thinking the other day that many of todays artist lack consciousness and/or are afraid to speak out against any of the ills that exist in the world today. Here’s a list of honorable mentions, but I also know the list is endless: Deep Purple: Child in Time Jimi Hendrix: Machine Gun U2: Bullet The Blue Sky Paul Rodgers/The Firm: Live In Peace The Fixx: Red Skies

[@kenfrederick6223]

Great list. I'd include "Juggernaut" by Frank Marino and "Countdown To Zero" by Asia as well. Take Care! 🕊

[@grahamcole1539]

A good topic Phil, and thank you for your heart felt thoughts and reflections. Some of my favourite songs and yours are classics, one or two i must check out that i have not heard. I would add "War" by Edwin Starr, "Ball of Confusion" by The Temptations, "Universal Soldier" by Donovan (written by Buffy St Marie), "Peace-an End" by King Crimson, "Wooden Ships" by Crosby, Stills and Nash AND Jefferson Airplane.

[@burnett179]

Great choices Phil.my personal favourite anti war song is civil war by guns n roses and if I coul pick a lyric that sums up war it's(I don’t need your civil war it feeds the rich while it buries the poor).

[@karenjoannawarwick]

Stop the Cavalry Jona Lewie comes to mind , great video and great channel .

[@garrypye1916]

Hi Phil. I’m new to your channel - found my way here via your interview with Andy Edwards. Such a great heartfelt list. I would add these: 1. Scott Walker - Hero of the War, a bitter song about a mutilated soldier’s return home and how his family, his former girlfriend and his community relate to him. Also The Clash, “The Call Up” (it’s up to you not to heed the call up) and Dylan’s “With God on Our Side” (funny how every side prays for victory rather than the end of conflict). ❤

[@julianirving9868]

Phil, a number of great songs in your lists and in the comments already listed. Forgotten Sons by Marillion would be on mine. Kind regards

[@PatJenningsGloves]

Absolutely The Unknown Soldier by The Doors❤ and I Ain't Marching Anymore by Phil Ochs, Draft Morning by The Byrds, Simple Song Of Freedom by Tim Hardin.

[@anthonyferguson4102]

I’m your captain ( closer to home grand funk railroad ) and also eve of destruction ( Barry McGuire) 2 top key Selections from that era --- Anthony ( queens NYC)

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Thank you 🙏

[@anthonyferguson4102]

@ you are welcome great content- Anthony

[@mrsmith7939]

Interesting topic Phil! Those Christmas tunes are classics with Stop the Cavalry - wonderful. Good call with Savage - you don't need a reason to listen to JP - but I always find the vocals on Stained Class difficult to understand

[@risingstar7161]

Summer Soldier Barclay James Harvest from Baby James Harvest. I feel sorry for the bomber who all life and limb dishonours For the people he's maimed and left alone anti war is all over this track

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Great choice - there are so many

[@slobodanudarac5]

Phil, could you create a Spotify list from that? Maybe it's too much hassle. Sometimes I think it would be an idea to make a list of uplifting songs too.

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Thank you 🙏 what a great idea. I will do this and also start to include this on any future ranking video where I focus on songs / tracks. Phil

[@douglasweston126]

Hi Phil - very good choices. For me - Jimi Hendrix - "The Star Spangled Banner at Woodstock" - just listen to it, no words needed !! Say no more. Cya Doug

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Thank you - Phil

[@nigelleaney8266]

Eve of Destruction by Barry McGuire, Where Have all the Flowers Gone - Pete Seeger.

[@Mikesmallfanclub]

Hi Phil a great choice not heard of some of those tracks before so checking them out now how about peace is free by Black stone cherry and maybe at a push Rooster by Alice in chains, enjoyed has always Phil.

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Thank you 🙏

[@merikblackmore]

Lyrics are not my focus when I listen to sonsg so my few are a bit route 1 Edwin Starr's War has been mentioned but I like Bruce's version from Live 75-85 a lot too. Dad's Gonna Kill Me by Richard Thompson 1916 by Motorhead Military Madness by Graham Nash The Bravery of Being Out of Range like a lot of Roger Waters output would qualify

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Brilliant choices - thank you for sharing

[@lawrencejhutchinson]

1.The Green Fields Of France - The Fureys 2.Shipbuilding - Elvis Costello 3.A Day To Myself - Clifford T.Ward

[@craigryan3069]

Good list Phil. I'll nominate 2 by Kate Bush: Breathing & Army Dreamers.

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

Very cool list Although I would have to put in a protest song without saying it's a protest song The absolutely beautiful golden ribbons from loggins & Messina Also Jimmy Cliff Vietnam I know many people with the how they're going to put happy Xmas war is over from John Lennon but I would also add the imagine cut I don't want to be a soldier Bob Seger 2+2 check it out online Other side note I agree with you about the great what's going on Stevie wonder's innervisions is another one of those albums that will just blow you away when you really dive into that album

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Thank you for adding your suggestions - Phil :)

[@BanalayerPete1972]

Hi Phil. I was sure Under the Gun by Deep Purple would feature. It's my top anti-war song. "Stupid b******s and religious freaks, So safe in their castle-keeps..." feels so relevant exactly 40 years on. And Rainbow's Eyes of the World comes across as a comment on the evils of war - it's not sword-and-sorcery at all. Am sorry about your Dad in '85. I hope next year brings a kind of peace 40 years on. Hope it's ok to say that on here. Anniversaries can help, I think. Agree 100% on the Ian Hunter song! In fact, Something's Going On from the same (underrated) album is a great and clever comment on the Cold War that seems relevant again. The Lynott-Moore duo excelled at serious themes like war. Although Military Man seems to address Phil's own situation at the time, it also shows war from a soldier's perspective.

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Hi Pete, totally ok to mention my feelings about my Dad. I want to ensure I talk as openly and honestly here. We have all suffered loss and have days when we feel down. I know as a bloke I never really talked about how I was feeling. I want to help other see its good to talk. Under the Gun, how did I forget that one ! Great choice - Phil :)

[@BanalayerPete1972]

@@NowSpinningMagazine: Thanks Phil. We've touched on serious issues a couple of times (I was AlexAlexon and BlueBlazer on here, but kept forgetting passwords, so I've named myself after a robot we made at school in '72!), and, as you've said, music really is a healer. And blokes talking about their feelings is strength-giving. Cheers.

[@willieluncheonette5843]

check out Stiff Little Fingers and Discharge, two GREAT punk bands with many terrific anti war songs.

[@jazzpunk]

Darn...just remembered Hendrix's "Machine Gun". How 'bout it?

[@danneeson7056]

Jimi Hendrix Experience 1983 (A Merman I Should Turn To Be) Moon Turn The Tides....gently gently away and Jimi's Band Of Gypsy's Machine Gun.

[@JohnFreeman-d6t]

I agree with War Pigs being number with you, for me it's a tie for number 1, Ten years after, Id love to change the world, because of one phrase, Stop the war, to me I believe it was being played first here in America before War Pigs, Thank you for stating Mountain, I was thinking of that one before you mentioned it

[@derekthompson1759]

Great video Phil. Here is a possibly not well known one (you will know it though), Redman by Rare Bird

[@jonholmes1845]

I agree War pigs is the sure number 1 by a mile but Slayers Angel of death is painful to listen to and certainly makes you hate war so would be my number 2

[@waynegoucher4503]

Chris Wood - '1887'

[@johanquintana4943]

White Lion - Cry For Freedom

[@jimekberg]

1. War Pigs (Black Sabbath) 2. Child in Time (Deep Purple) 3. War Ensamble (Slayer) 4. Savage (Judas Priest) 5. Into the Void (Black Sabbath) 6. Gimme Shelter (Rolling Stones) 7. Angel of Death (Slayer) 8. Holy Wars... The Punishment Due (Megadeth) 9. Children of the Grave (Black Sabbath) 10. Bomber (Motörhead)

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Fantastic list ! Thank you for sharing- Phil

[@briansmith9356]

Dont wake the lion magnum

[@freedmarine]

I hope we also get the Top Pro-War Songs.

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

I’m sure someone will be working on that right now.

[@jasongaylor2232]

@@NowSpinningMagazine Yeah, I'm sure there are some right-wing, warmongers chomping at the bit. Why would anyone be "pro-war"?! Oh, almost forgot. Defense contractors profit from war. Bunch of psychopaths.

[@bobparr4723]

Off the top of my head Frankie - Two tribes Marillion - Forgotten sons XTC - Wardance

[@davesmusictank1]

Marvin Gaya and Black Sabbath - definte YES to both.

[@stephensdygert7600]

Amy Grant "Breath of Heaven" is a magnanimous Christmas song. Judas Priest "Never a hero" is a great anti-war song, from Fire power. Jimi Hendrix "Machine gun" Black Sabbath "War pigs" Uriah Heep "Come away Melinda" The greatest song that explains the history of the human race in one five minute song "Brutal Planet" by Alice Cooper. Black Sabbath "After Forever" Michael Schenker "Cry for the nations" Ten Years After "I'd love to change the world" Thin Lizzy "Angel of Death" Jerusalem "Sodom" Deep Purple "Child in time" Country Joe and the fish "What are we fighting for" Woodstock live version. Edwin Star " War is good for nothing" Iron Maiden "Paschendale" Steve Taylor"Over my dead body " from the Meltdown album. First CD I ever bought in 1984. Still plays perfect. Wasp "Heaven's hung in Black" and "Trail of Tears"

[@piripi40]

‘Disposable Heroes’ by Metallica hits hard for me. Also ‘Home Back’ by Jinjer. Though I also think ‘War Pigs’ is the ultimate antiwar song.

[@will121]

Good version of 'Masters of War' by Roger Taylor of Queen from Strange Frontier CD

[@chobson8602]

where are the anti war songs of today against Joe and DOnald!!!Just so sad the dreams of the boomers are dead!

[@JohnFreeman-d6t]

I would like to add to the list one more song, People let's Stop the war Grand Funk Railroad

[@EmmaZainal-d9u]

Child in Time by Deep Purple

[@gerrylambert5225]

Iron Maiden Run To The Hills

[@nigelwatson8992]

War, huh, yeah, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing. I would add Military Madness by Graham Nash.

[@neilbower9052]

Barry McGuire - Eve Of Destruction... and of course the Woodstock sing-a-long Country Joe & The Fish - I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag

[@Godzilla-t1z]

2 Minutes To Midnight

[@Godzilla-t1z]

Emerson Lake and Palmer....Epitaph