Gully Foyle wrote: I doubt I would appreciate a 6-part epic on how cutting taxes creates growth (to fit in with the 'high fantasy' aspect of some prog)

I think that's the theme of the next Magma trilogy. I can deal with most political lyrics, no matter where they fall. They don't have to be left-wing for me to enjoy it (I enjoy many of Rush's lyrics for example). Nor do I only like anti-religious lyrics (although I agree with the comment about Neal Morse - his are too over-the-top preachy religious), but Yes, The Flower Kings, Iona, etc. all have spiritual themes in their lyrics which in no way offend me.

Dean wrote: If Peter Hammill and/or Peter Gabriel had sung songs in honour of P W Botha instead of Steve Biko would we like them as much?

No, we wouldn’t. Because they wouldn’t be Gabriel or Hammill if they did.

I remember that Hammill once said he didn’t think a song was the right medium for politics. He preferred to discuss philosophical thoughts in his lyrics instead. Even so, he made A Motorbike in Africa (about apartheid) and, much later, Every Bloody Emperor (about the Western invasion of Iraq, written just before it happened). Especially the last one is a favourite of mine, and today we can see the consequences (not of the song but the invasion) with ISIL taking control in the area.

As Daevid Allen says 'Rock n' Roll is - Opium for the People' 

After I heard "Beelzebubba" from James LaBrie's Mullmuzzler project, I couldn't take the man seriously anymore. He became a cartoon to me. Not because of what he was saying, it was just such a stupid and childish piece of hateful writing. And, the trombone made it even more ridiculous. There's a reason many don't care about prog lyrics, and it's because a lot of good bands write them very badly.

I don't have issues with general political themes being explored in music. I did, and still do, find Zappa to be both funny as hell and kind of uncomfortably embarrassing, depending on how far he went with his humiliation lyrics. Sometimes it was just hateful, instead of pointed.

Can't say I've heard much that's very specific in its meaning, or representing any ideology. I think I'd prefer not to. Music is an escape for me. And politics used to get me pretty worked up. I've given up trying to figure out who the "good guys" are (to me) anymore and just keep my head down and out of it. So, I guess what I'm saying is that I'd like to keep those two things separated as much as I can.

I'd say no. In the US, everything's split between the Conservative Camp and the Liberal Camp. Almost any choice somebody makes puts them in one camp or the other. We don't need either camp to claim genres of music. They've already claimed TV shows (Duck Dynasty), grocery stores (Whole Foods), restaurants (Chick-Fil-A), etc.

I haven't read all the posts regarding this topic, but I know Henry Cow, Chris Cutler and Co. added a lot of political views within their music. Even Vander and his Kobaian philosophies include a degree of politics.

Indeed, Zappa had his say for sure.
Kraut rockers 'Floh de Cologne' used politics as a basis for their musical expressions too, although it's pretty much lost on non-German speaking folks.......(the music is great.....)

Hercules wrote: I would welcome political messages in the lyrics. But anyone who pushes a Tea Party standpoint can leave the planet for me.

Would you therefore only permit songs that had a political orientation you agree with? You can see where I'm going with this I'm sure.... i.e. would your forced repatriation of right wingers to say, Uranus be deemed any less intolerant that their forced repatriation of left wingers to say, the Red Planet?

C'mon T, you wouldn't listen to an album with catchy song titles like "I Hate Taxes" and the side-long "Obamacare is the Work of the Devil"?

Speaking of repatriation to another planet, I've been hoping to be repatriated since my youth, to no avail. Guess I need to join the Tea Party to get that honor.   

^ Somewhere Over the Texas Rhino Taxes Way Up High (Man)