Playing for Change

Music has long been woven into the major social movements of the modern era, yet scholars have seldom examined what it actually does for political causes. Is it the lifeblood of a movement, as some activists have claimed, or just the filler between speeches? Rob Rosenthal, with the help of interviews, case studies and close readings of songs and lyrics, tackles this question. The book surveys how movements in the United States and other countries have used music over roughly the last hundred years. Its interview subjects include Pete Seeger, Ani DiFranco, Tom Morello and Holly Near, whose firsthand accounts bring the material to life.