Songs that piss me off - part 3 - Waiting on the World to Change

Well, it's been about 20 years since this dumb song has been out, and pleased to say it might not have become a 'classic' with regular play, nor cultural background soundtrack staying power.

Thank the gods.

Again, just to remind folks, I am NOT criticizing this, nor any song, on its musical elements, style, nor genre. On some level, I find love for all types of music to different degrees, and if I do find fault with a style or genre, that fault really lies with me and my lack of understanding.

This song, like a number of others (e.g. "parts 1 and 2), I find fault with the lyrical themes.

And I'm not dunking on John Mayer as an artist.

He's fine.

I'm sure he's fine.

But this song is what happens when a whiney disaffected Gen Xer writes a whiney disaffected song for Millennials. 

I'd say it plays right to the heart of Gen X feelings of disaffectedness, being a relatively small and powerless demographic sandwiched between the insufferable boomers (who conveniently forgot all of the messaging on the music and art from their salads days) and the annoyingly coddled millennials (at the time, the leading edge of them were just getting into their 20s). 

All that generational BS aside, what are you saying here, John?

You're talking about the evils of the times. In the vaguest ways possible. I 'get it', it's a three minute pop song with the sonic gravitas of low-fat mayonnaise, but you could've more concretely picked AN issue and write more specifically about that!

But I digress.

There's a lot of 'protest' songs that are somewhat vague, so I can forgive that part of it.

Because that's what this is.

Or at least trying to be.

A protest song.

A clarion call to the youngsters of 2006 that something is wrong and needs to change! 

But what makes this one different in the worst way possible (besides its lack of any real punch), it that the 'solution' offered up by Mayer is to just sit and wait it out.

What the fuck?

Most powerless sentiment ever.

When it comes to the powers that be, none of them.

Ever.

In history.

Never ever.

Have changed because they suddenly realized "Oh, hey, we've been doing bad things, and you see those kids politely waiting over there? Would should change because they've been so super nice about it! 

I can list from the top of the dome anti-war songs and protest songs going back to the seven years' war of the 1750s at least.

This is a theme that has been gone over time and time again.

Because it has to.

Because 'humans are gonna human' and the message needs to be continuously refreshed in the voices of the each generation.

But DAMMIT it requires some teeth!

John, you're stupid fucking Gen X sentimentalism not only doesn't work for the kids to come after you, but you've done them a disservice by allowing them to be passive.

ENCOURAGING them to be passive and now, by the time they've been old enough to vote, and the generation AFTER them are coming of age, inactivity has devastated the world even more. 

Rant over!

Please, if any of you kids are listening, prop up some newer, better songs that are the clarion call for change: What protest song speaks in your generational voice?