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I think if you’re going to make political art, you have to engage at some level. You can’t just write about politics, you have to try and be politics as well.

Billy Bragg

I’ve had songs written during the Falklands war, and during the first Gulf war I got letters from soldiers saying they were listening to these songs, like Island of no return.
BILLY BRAGG

Country Islands Soldier Song War
Britain is a great country. We can more or less say what we like, and we can walk down the street without anyone trying to kill us. I know it’s tough for some people, but generally we live in a caring society. We live in a great country, but we’re no longer a great power.
BILLY BRAGG

Caring Country Long
So, in some ways, the political songs tend to be a bit more like reportage, whereas the love songs tend to be like novels, you can pick them up off the shelf and go into them any time.
BILLY BRAGG

Love Political Reportage Song Way
Were it not for the Clash, punk would have been just a sneer, a safety pin and a pair of bondage trousers.
BILLY BRAGG

Pairs Pins Punk Safety
I’m still batting away on my politics for the Labour Party. I’m much further to the left of them than I used to be, but that’s because they’ve moved, not me.
BILLY BRAGG

Away Batting Party Stills Used
Just because you’re gay, I won’t turn you away. If you stick around, I’m sure we can find some common ground.
BILLY BRAGG

Common Gay Ground Sticks
If you’ve got a blacklist, I want to be on it.
BILLY BRAGG

Ibacklist Life Want
Being spokesman for a generation is the worst job I ever had.
BILLY BRAGG

Generations Jobs Worst
A nation with their freezers full are dancing in their seats, while outside another nation is sleeping in the streets.
BILLY BRAGG

Dancing Politics Sleep
Start your own revolution, cut out the middleman In a perfect world we’d all sing in tune But this is reality so give me some room So join the struggle while you may The Revolution is just a t-shirt away
BILLY BRAGG

Cutting Middleman Reality Somemroom Struggle
Freedom is merely privilege extended, unless enjoyed by one and all.
BILLY BRAGG

Enjoyed Freedom Privilege
I think that ultimately Trump will lose the election and in the process destroy the Republican party – but then I’m an optimist, ha ha ha! So he might not lose. He might be in charge of the largest nuclear arsenal in the world!
BILLY BRAGG

Charge Election Nuclear Party Republican Ultimately
All the great political music was made at the height of political confrontations.
BILLY BRAGG

Confrontation Height Made Political
You can experience a download, but you can’t download an experience.
BILLY BRAGG

Downloads Experience Feelin
Never trust anyone who has no doubts. And I’m not talking about scepticism either: scepticism can be a healthy thing.
BILLY BRAGG

Better Feel Giving Mean Scepticism Up
All the things about ‘the ugly American’ that we worry about and which the Americans see in themselves, it’s all of that. This is a politics of egotistical display.
BILLY BRAGG

About Country Display Egotistical Themselves
I was in a little punk band and we put out a few punk records that weren’t very political, at all.
BILLY BRAGG

Band Political Records
At some point in your life you have to engage with the fact that you are part of a society.
BILLY BRAGG

Education Free Important Powerful
Part of the problem with some elements of the European debate is that they hanker for the days when we were a great power. Those days are gone, and they went a long time ago.
BILLY BRAGG

Ago Dismissed Long Part Political Problem Songwriter
Without accountability, there can be no freedom. I know it seems like a paradox.
BILLY BRAGG

Accountability Freedom Paradox Seem
Mixing pop and politics he asks me what the use is / I offer him embarrassment and my usual excuses.
BILLY BRAGG

Mixing Use Usual
I came into this whole business by going to see Rock Against Racism gigs with the Clash.
BILLY BRAGG

Racism Racist Rocks
The most important thing for anyone, I think, is to be engaged, whether you’re an artist or a journalist is to be engaged in the process at some level.
BILLY BRAGG

Artist Important Journalist Thinking
Peace, bread, work, and freedom is the best we can achieve.
BILLY BRAGG

Achieve Bread Politics
War what is it good for? It’s good for business.
BILLY BRAGG

Business Inspirational War
I’d like to think that in a generation or two we’ll have politicians whose life experience reflects that of the people who are voting for them.
BILLY BRAGG

People Thinking Voting
It’s like being stung by a bee and going out and smashing up a beehive, and thinking you’ve solved the problem. There are more beehives out there; more bees will come. But they’re bees. They’re not grizzly bears.
BILLY BRAGG

Bee Problem Smashing Solved Think Unspeakables

I think if you’re going to make political art, you have to engage at some level. You can’t just write about politics, you have to try and be politics as well.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

I think if you’re going to make political art, you have to engage at some level. You can’t just write about politics, you have to try and be politics as well.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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