Top 10 Anti-War Songs

The Irish band The Cranberries wrote “Zombie” in response to the Irish Republican Army’s 1993 bombing attacks, which killed two small children. Including references to the 1916 Easter Rising, the song decries the violence that had engulfed Ireland and England for too long and which had claimed far too many innocent lives. Featuring an angry, grunge-inspired sound, the sometimes-oblique lyrics of “Zombie” nevertheless condemn the acts of war and violence that tear through the lives of everyday people.

The United States-led invasion of Iraq was a source of great controversy, with many very vocally deriding it – including System of a Down. In “B.Y.O.B.,” which in this case stands for “Bring Your Own Bombs,” the group levels a familiar charge against the architects of war: that those who initiate and maintain wars are never the ones who suffer or fight them. The song hammers home the point about the disproportionate amount of poor people involved in fighting wars while presidents and other leaders sit back and watch.

Said to have been inspired by the tragic World War I film “Johnny Got His Gun,” which is in turn based on the novel of the same name, Metallica’s “One” is a gut-wrenching plea from a wounded soldier. Having been horribly injured by a landmine, the soldier is kept alive by a feeding tube. He can no longer see or hear, smell or taste; all he can do is feel and all he can feel is pain. The soldier longs for release from the hell that his life has become – but is unable to even convey this wish to those keeping him alive.

Another song inspired by the Irish troubles, “Holy Wars” condemns the role that religion has often played in the cause of war. Though the situation in Northern Ireland was the impetus for the song, the lyrics are applicable to many conflicts in which religious differences play a large part. The second half of the song, referred to as “The Punishment Due,” makes references to the Marvel Comics character The Punisher, perhaps implying that the force of justice will someday destroy the forces of war…or perhaps not.

Bob Dylan’s melody for “Masters of War” is based upon a traditional folk song, but the lyrics are pure Dylan. A blunt condemnation of world leaders at the time, and especially those with power in America, the song takes aim at both the military-industrial complex and the Cold War mindset that had gained an unhealthy influence over the course of U.S. affairs at the time. Dylan is giving no quarter here and allowing no excuses in this eloquent diatribe; it’s a harsh denunciation that still packs a tremendous punch.

John Lennon’s elegiac “Imagine” is a beautiful paean in praise of a utopian world; his “Give Peace a Chance” is more prosaic, but it strikes an equally deep chord through its simple, catchy chorus. The verses are simply a rhythmic list of labels applied to those who oppose war and support peace, but they drive home the message beautifully: don’t pay any attention to who people say we are – listen to what we have to say. Eventually, the song takes on the characteristics of a mantra, becoming a spiritual voice against war.

When “Born in the U.S.A.” became a monster hit in 1984, many mistakenly took the title at face value and assumed it was a patriotic anthem. In fact, Springsteen is critical of the country he loves for many reasons – one of them being its tendency to wage wars without regard to what it does to those who fight them. The singer also bemoans the manner in which armed conflict inevitably creates veterans who are out of place when they return home – one of the silent tragedies of war.

The use of call-and-response in music can be very effective, and that’s what gives “War” its considerable impact. Written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, it was recorded first by The Temptations – but it was Edwin Starr’s version that caught fire. A virulent protest against war in general and the Vietnam War in particular, the song benefits greatly from Starr’s James Brown-inspired soul shouting interpretation. Starr mines the song for its emotional heft and makes it difficult to listen to without experiencing a very visceral reaction.

The Vietnam War was still raging in 1970 when Black Sabbath released “War Pigs,” and the anger behind the song is palpable. Comparing generals to evil witches and condemning all those that plot and design war, Black Sabbath makes it clear that a day of judgment will come when they will get their due. “War Pigs” established Black Sabbath as one of the premiere heavy metal bands; the searing lyrics and crashing music make a combination that, even decades later, tears at the listener.

Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- “Hero of War” (2008)
Rise Against
- “Holiday” (2005)
Green Day
- “Orange Crush” (1988)
R.E.M.
- “99 LuftBallons” (1983)
Nena
- “Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World Is Today)” (1970)
The Temptations
- “The Trooper” (1983)
Iron Maiden

War has never been waged in an equitable manner, but in the 1960s and 1970s, more and more people spoke out against the blatant unfairness war engenders. “Fortunate Son” clearly and insistently hammers home the point that the poor and the powerless pay the price in war; those with rich, influential daddies can escape service or at least avoid direct combat. John Fogerty’s impassioned vocals and Creedence Clearwater Revival’s muscular playing make this two-and-a-half minute rock song into a condemnation of rich men playing at war.

Do you agree with our choices? What other songs decrying war deserve to be on this list? For more enthralling top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.