Protest songs don’t pack the societal punch they once did.
In an increasingly fragmented music culture, political activism has moved away from the record studio onto social media platforms. Factor in growing corporate cowardice and social cultural fatigue, and you’ve got an inhospitable landscape for protest songs to take hold and flourish – and that’s a fucking shame, because if there was ever a time for unifying the power of music against political corruption and maleficence, it’s today.
People who follow me on Instagram or subscribe to this blog might know about my musical project “Sapient Rain,” where I use the AI Music Engine Suno to showcase my poetry as song lyrics. They also likely know my deep displeasure with America’s turn towards fascism under the criminal Donald Trump.
For the Sapient Rain project, I’ve dropped two albums and multiple singles on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music, and nearly half of the songs protest the intellectual, emotional, and physical carnage that Donald Trump, his poisonous MAGA minions, and the feckless cowards in Congress have visited upon America and the world.
For me, Donald Trump is the unwanted muse who creeps into my thoughts whenever I hear him babble incoherently about subjects of monumental importance to humanity, forcing me to put my pen to paper.
Believe me, I’d rather be writing about other things.
In the next phase of my Sapient Rain project, which I am calling “Sapient Rain – Humanized,” I’ll be looking to work with actual musicians and singers on these songs, inviting them to take my lyrics and create their own renditions.
Until then, and for the upcoming 2026 midterm election, check out these protest songs (my lyrics, Suno’s music).
Feel free to share them with friends or comment on them here.
| Song Title and Links | Overview | Favorite Lyric |
| Liar’s Spit and Gravel Listen free on Suno Stream on Spotify | A grunge-infused rap about the callousness of Donald Trump and a cabinet stocked with cronies and sycophants. The song is desperate plea for the emergence of true leaders and strong voices like Dylan, Bobby Kennedy, and Martin Luther King. | Autocratic In his tone His swelled-up ego overblown A head that’s crammed with nothing known Cuts lady justice to the bone He snaps her picture with his phone He loves how she’s become so prone to misogyny and testosterone |
| Weed Killer Listen free on Suno Stream on Spotify | An unplugged-alternative-rap about the abusive, lying, war criminal-pedophile and the supporters who enable him. | Redacts his name from the files Flips the script like Simone Biles Shames the victims starts a war He’s got no values at his core |
Donny on Dementia Listen free on Suno Stream on Spotify | A post-punk-new-wave ditty about the cognitive decline of our commander in chief and the need to invoke the 25th amendment to remove his sorry ass from office. | I have no idea what I’m doing You’re all paying a steep price I miss the days when I was screwing Instead of being Jesus Christ |
On the Other End of Rockets Listen free on Suno Stream on Spotify | A dire song about the human consequence of war. | We’re living in a danger that gets darker by the day Drifting further from forgiveness alone inside our passion play |
| A Message from Michelle Listen free on Suno Stream on Spotify | A hard rocking song about the need for fresh blood and ethical leaders to counter the explosion of crass grifters and incompetent know-nothings ruining our country and putting the rest of the world in grave danger. | We’re appalled at what he’s normalized the hatred he’s unfurled Embarrassed by the crassness that he vomits on the world We truly feel abandoned Like our voices are not heard As the beatings and harassment strip us from our words |
| From Maine to Minnesota Listen free on Suno Stream on Spotify | Inspired by the violence that ICE agents perpetrated on communities in Maine and Minnesota and the need to stand up against the fascist tactics of ICE. | Full mags and clips they carry chips of grievance on their shoulder The hateful raids of ICE brigades turn citizens to soldiers |
| Strung Along Listen free on Suno Stream on Spotify | Inspired by the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, this song laments the cowardice of republicans in congress, while preaching on the value and importance of peaceful protest. | It’s remarkable how neatly this all falls apart In a congress full of cowards with hate inside their hearts |
| What Would Jesus Do? Listen free on Suno Stream on Spotify | A song about the hijacking of Christianity by the MAGA movement. Shame on those motherfuckers. | We’re bastardizing Jesus ignoring what he said not welcoming the stranger terrorizing them instead |
| Barbarians at the Gate Listen free on Suno Stream on Spotify | A warning about what happens after Trump exits the earth for good – because lets face it, he’s provided a blueprint for autocracy in America and there are plenty of crooked politicians waiting in the wings to take over the brand. | The despot is dead he’s pushing up daisies but there’s a fresh bumper-crop of the morally hazy With a blueprint for hate tightly clenched in their hand they arrive at the gate to take over the brand |
| I Wanna to Bomb Iran Listen free on Suno | I wrote these lyrics originally to be sung to the tune, “I wanna Hold Your Hand” by The Beatles well before Trump launched his illegal war against Iran. | When Bibi hugs me I feel happy inside It’s such a feeling that I scream genocide! genocide! genocide! |
| The Ballad of New Bobby and Joan Listen free on Suno Stream on Spotify | If only there were a couple of angry folk-inspired musicians crisscrossing the country, spreading the word about a corrupt administration at small concert halls and clubs where Americans gather – if only. | This is the ballad of new Bobby and Joan Fender guitar-lords with truth microphones This is the ballad of new Bobby and Joan bending their chords to the story they own |
| Hey Fascist, Catch Listen free on Suno Stream on Spotify | The lyrics are from a poem I wrote after the Charlie Kirk assassination. It’s about how dangerously divided America is and the potential for spiraling political violence that seems increasingly likely in the second Trump term. | We ought to run from martyrdom not pin it to our chest not canonize the hateful guys who scream that they know best |
| The Orange King Listen free on Suno Stream on Spotify | A rockabilly humdinger about the dangers of blind obedience to a power-thirsty politician who cares only about himself. Sound familiar? | A congress full of weaklings’ cowards one and all afraid of the dull shadows that they cast upon the wall |
| Oligarchic Kings Listen free on Suno Stream on Spotify | Intended to be belt-out in anger, this classic rock inspired song warns against an oligarchy overtaking American Democracy. | Oligarchic Kings are here to clip your wings to wrap a rope around your throat to cast dark shadows over hope to crush your dreams of better days to dress your colors in shades of greys |
| The Orange Morass Listen free on Suno Stream on Spotify | A song about a nation under the control of a bigoted, thin-skinned, criminal liar. | He’s the tear in the fabric that holds us together He’s the kink in the hose, and the blood on the feather He’s the drip in the faucet that keeps us awake He’s the menace in orange a thug on the take |
| Get a Load of Elon Listen free on Suno Stream on Spotify | I wrote the poem “Get a Load of Elon” after seeing the sickening footage of that smiling dirtbag laughing it up and swinging a chainsaw around like some fake-ass efficiency hero. Fuck that guy and everything he represents. | Killing all the agencies that assist the weak and poor Indiscriminate firings Pushing veterans out the door “Hey this what we sold you no need to be so sore” and he smiled a shitty grin at the blood that’s on the floor |
If you haven’t had a chance yet, please check out my book, My Paper, My Words: Rantings from a Progressive Boomer and Peeved Parent, from Amazon. And if you feel moved to write a review of the book, on Amazon, or anywhere else, I’d be honored.
My Paper, My Words is a collection of essays, stories, and poems that reflect the challenges of a middle-class husband and father trying to navigate a rapidly changing political, religious, and technological landscape of post-911 America.
bendingtheneedle 