Better song: Fortunate Son, For What It's Worth, or Ohio?

[True Dough]

Choose the best of these three:

43 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Fortunate Son
	13 (30%)
	For What It's Worth
	25 (58%)
	Ohio
	5 (12%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
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[Mopar151]

1. Check out the Del McCoury version of

For What its Worth. Superb.

[malthaussen]

2. "For What it's Worth," based on the criterion...

... that it is more applicable to multiple eras than the other two. "Fortunate Son" is very much a Vietnam-specific song in my mind, and "Ohio" applies only to a very extreme incident which is (as yet) something not universal in the US. But "For What it's Worth" is something that seems to be relateable every year.

But one could make the argument that "Fortunate Son" applies to more than Vietnam, and is representative of the vast gulf that currently separates the privileged class from the regular folk, and I wouldn't say they're wrong.

Judged only as a piece of Music, "Fortunate Son" wins out, IMO, because it is a real rocker, unlike the other two.

-- Mal

[True Dough]

7. On the surface,

these are worthy arguments, Mal. And debm makes a good counterpoint a couple of posts below yours.

But that's taking the songs on their merits as symbols of protest. Another important factor to consider is people's attachment to any given song, which cannot be accounted for by others. One of those three may have been the soundtrack to the best summer of some young DUer's life. So that song will evoke memories that they cherish. Those individuals may choose the best song best on their association with that song from their own personal history rather than breaking down the lyrics and composition.

[highplainsdem]

9. Fortunate Son does apply to more than Vietnam, as this wonderful official video released in 2018 shows:

And it's a great song. As are the other two, but I'll listen to this much more often.

[Norrrm]

3. All are excellent.

[debm55]

4. thank you True Dough. I can't pick one as a stand out. All three are excellent songs reflecting on events of the Vietnam

War era. However, of the three. Fortunate Son can more be applied to the very rich and the power they have always had in this country. Being equal has always been a bullshit concept it this country.

[LakeVermilion]

5. How about "Give a Damn"

This sealed my liberal identity:

[lastlib]

6. FWIW and Ohio are a close 1-2 on my list.

I will never get over the Kent State massacre--it was kind of a "coming of age" event for me, and I was only 12 at the time.

[biophile]

12. Same here

I was 14 and it was right after the first Earth Day, another memorable day for me- those two events in 1970 sealed my fate as an environmentalist and an anti-authoritarian.

[Paladin]

8. Gratifying, to see Stephen Stills leading the pack after all these years. (nt)

[KitFox]

10. I relate to them all, but I voted for Fortunate Son because

every time I hear it, it transports me immediately to my college years protesting. We would crank it up full volume in the dorm and sing (shout) along and then head out to a protest. Sometimes someone at the protest would have it on a cassette and play it over a loudspeaker and everyone would wave signs and rock out and sing. I’m 75 and still protesting and still appreciating the power of music in advancing the message. Thank you for the posting of all these great songs and for those in the comments. Together in spirit, we resist.

[Clouds Passing]

11. FWIW

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[lastlib]

13. I'll add this one as a protest song of sorts:

A GREAT piece of music, and timeless in its message.

"Tax the rich,
Feed the poor
Til there are no
Rich no more...."

[hlthe2b]

14. One was an anthem for generations; the other a poignant memorial and stark lesson for the future....

So, they should both be transcendent and lasting.