How to Write a Protest Song

How to write a protest song:

1. Become enraged

2. Feel helpless

3. Feel guilty

4. Listen to folksinger Phil Ochs

5. Walk around house shouting defiant phrases

6. Create more lyrics to go with your phrases

7. Attach a melody

8. Sing it yourself if you can! don’t worry about lack of talent!

9. Or convince a talented musician to give it a go

10. ASAP: film and post anywhere, everywhere……

11. Good luck! we can do these things!

    “What you do makes a difference, you just have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”

AND HERE ARE THE LYRICS AND CHORDS SO THAT YOU CAN TRY YOUR OWN VERSION….WE HOPE YOU WILL DO SO, AND POST YOURS, TOO!

Guitar Intro Dm                                       

Dm
No kings
No kings
No unfit rulers

C Dm
Coming for us on the bullet train
Dm
No kings
No kings
No lying con men

C Dm
Shoving us into the carnival tent

F
No kings
C
No kings
Dm
No kings
F
No kings
C
No kings
Dm
No kings

Dm
No kings
No kings
No mindless bullies

C Dm
Making us crazy and sick again

Dm
Give us back a sun that shines

(C Dm)

Dm
Give us back a sun that shines

(C Dm)

F
No kings
C
No kings
Dm
No kings

F
No kings
C
No kings
Dm
No kings

Dm|
No kings
No kings
We’ve been there before

C Dm
Turn around! Get out! And Shut the Door!

Dm
No kings
No kings
We’ve been there before

C Dm
Turn around! Get out! And Shut the Door!

F
No kings
C
No Kings
Dm
No Kings
F
No kings
C
No Kings
Dm
No Kings
F
No kings
C
No Kings
Dm
No Kings
——copyright Binnie Klein 2025