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Protest songs

In short

  • Singing together holds a march together and gives courage: a simple refrain is enough.
  • Lyrics are not copied in this guide: many recent texts are protected by copyright. Each song links to the page that publishes it.
  • Old, anonymous songs circulate freely; recent texts (parodies, translations, arrangements) have authors who keep their rights.
  • A song that names people can lead to a defamation complaint: sing about facts, not names.

This guide does not list every protest song. It presents a few, taken from the collection of an activist brass band1, which publishes full lyrics and playing notes. The page gives neither authors nor a licence: check the rights before reproducing any text. The lyrics are in French, Italian or Spanish.

Old or traditional songs

  • Bella ciao: Italian song, partisan words fixed around 1944-1945 on an older, anonymous melody.2 Lyrics and score.
  • La Lega: struggle song of farm women workers in the Po plain, late 19th century. Lyrics.
  • A las barricadas: words by Valeriano Orobón Fernández (1933), anthem of the Spanish CNT, to the tune of the Varsovienne.3 Lyrics.
  • La Semaine sanglante: song about the repression of the Paris Commune in 1871. Lyrics. I could not confirm the author or their date of death.

Recent songs

  • Hymne des femmes: created collectively by MLF activists in March 1971, to the tune of the Chant des marais.4 Lyrics.
  • L'Estaca and El Pueblo: two classics of the protest repertoire, whose authors or rights holders keep their rights. L'Estaca (French version, waltz), El Pueblo.
  • J'ai 2 passions: lyrics.
  • Bella thalasso: parody of Bella ciao about a local project. Lyrics.
  • On n'en veut pas !: about the pension reform. Lyrics.
  • La révolte des sardinières: lyrics.
  • À bas l'État policier: lyrics. The text names victims of police violence; read it again before singing it.

Singing without exposing yourself

  • A short refrain is remembered at once and taken up without paper.
  • No names of police officers or officials: a sung insult or accusation is still an insult or an accusation.
  • A refrain learned by heart avoids waving a lyric sheet.

In one of these situations? a beginner (it's my first protest)

Sources

Each note points to the source of the information. Laws change: check the date of the source and, if in doubt, ask a lawyer.

  1. FIBZH — Chants (lyrics collection of an activist brass band; in French) · AI-sourced on · awaiting human check ↩

  2. Wikipedia — Bella ciao (song; in French) · AI-sourced on · awaiting human check ↩

  3. Wikipedia — A las barricadas (in French) · AI-sourced on · awaiting human check ↩

  4. Wikipedia — Hymne du MLF (in French) · AI-sourced on · awaiting human check ↩

SOS