5 Songs That Will Inspire You To Vote On Election Day

Music and politics have been intertwined forever. But I bet you didn't know that there are some songs which would inspire change, give people a reason to get out and vote or even change someone's mind. It's not typical that a musician would be the final word on how polls go, but to know that music influences basically everything (including politics), I present to you some tunes that just might give you a reason to get out and vote!

One of the most misinterpreted songs ever, Bruce Springsteen‘s “Born in the U.S.A.” is actually not about patriotism, but about the mistreatment of our returning Vietnam vets. The original title of the song was “Vietnam.” It seems like almost every politician has tried to use this song in their run for POTUS.

Alice Cooper released “Elected” prior to the Nixon vs. McGovern election in 1972, and got some added notoriety by announcing he was also running for president. Cooper has re-released the song every election year while declaring himself a candidate.

Like “Born In The U.S.A.,” CCR’s “Fortunate Son” is often misinterpreted as a patriotic anthem, when it is actually the exact opposite. John Fogerty himself said “‘Fortunate Son’ wasn’t really inspired by any one event. Julie Nixon was dating David Eisenhower. You’d hear about the son of this senator or that congressman who was given a deferment from the military or a choice position in the military. They seemed privileged and whether they liked it or not, these people were symbolic in the sense that they weren’t being touched by what their parents were doing. They weren’t being affected like the rest of us.”

Another song released during the Nixon years, ”Gimme Some Truth” highlights John Lennon’s frustration with deceptive politicians and condescending chauvinists.

Most believe that John Lennon was referring to a revolution in the streets, he has stated that he truly believed that revolution comes from inner change rather than social violence.