Last week I enjoyed listening to Shannon Murray perform at the Governor's Cup while I pretended to take a sociology test. She was cute in this lovely nymph like way and sang with the earnestness of Kasey Chambers and the disregard to key of Alanis Morisette. She was all about the IWW and labor rights, so I chuckled to myself for most of the set while she pronounced her stern judgement on Walmart, corporations, bosses the world 'round and work in general. While I disagreed with just about everything she said, she made a point about the power of music to transform ideas that really struck home.

It is fascinating to me how music has been used to point out injustice or make social commentary at times in history when all other forms of communication fail. Shannon was referring of course to the initial movement of oppressed workers, rising up against the "establishment" to the tune of re-worded hymns and bar songs. Music will always capture the intellect in way that mere words cannot: it dis-arms the psyche through the emotional charms of melody, harmony and rhythm. While most lyrics today are behreft of much thoughtful commentary or social insight, perhaps it is just a matter of time before a new movement captures the evocative power of song.