Song Analysis on Revolution by John Butler

“Countries are starving because of the World Trade Organization or the World Bank or from mining the hell out of the world. My state is completely infested with mining companies that are basically digging holes everywhere and are disenfranchising people in the process. When I look at all this stuff, it’s quite overwhelming. As a citizen of the world, it doesn’t feel natural, and it doesn’t feel right. The song is an observation of those things and trying to find some redemption in it. It’s so overwhelming to be completely surrounded by that feeling all the time; I had to find some redemption and to take back the definition of revolution.” – John Butler. (Change slide)
Good morning/afternoon, students and teacher,
Through songs, emotions and issues within society are expressed through the lyricists’ perspective. Through music and poetic devices, songs can appeal to an audience by engaging them through a nice beat, as well as the subject of matter in the lyrics. The audience may or may not agree with the lyrics depending if mutual emotions and opinion is shared within the song or a personal relevance can be found with the lyrics.
The song ‘Revolution’, by the John Butler Trio is about contemporary issues going on in our society and finding redemption in it. ‘Revolution’ appeals to me by involving me in part of what the song is portraying. ‘Revolution’ should be included in Triple J’s song anthology of “Songs that Shape Us,” as it’s about all of society standing together and slowly resolving the current issues we face.
The song is about negative issues that are on a global level. In an interview about the song Butler says “It’s hard not to look around and try to ask the questions, “Does anybody see the insanity that’s going around at the moment? Is it just me, or has anyone else seen this craziness, this madness of destruction, whether through war or killing people through the economy?”” The theme of the song is about standing up for a change and the fact that