Songs about Consumerism?

December 3, 2006 3:07 PM

What are some good songs about consumerism?

As a pre-teen, I was very much into Billy Joel, particularly his 1993 album River of Dreams. The song "No Mans Land" from that album, whatever one thinks of its artistic merits, inspired my first critical thoughts about the skewed, wasteful, buy-buy-buy corporate-centric nature of my society.

When it popped up on my random playlist today, it occurred to me that I couldn't think of too many other songs that so clearly, blisteringly excoriate the American (Western?) culture of consumption. I'm sure that they're out there. Who can name some, especially songs that particularly influenced your thinking on the issue? Bonus points, of course, if the songs are musically noteworthy as well.

posted by Kwine to media & arts (83 comments total)

Pick up the entire Dead Kennedys catalog. The move on to Crass.
posted by DieHipsterDie at 3:09 PM on December 3, 2006

"Then" move onto...
posted by DieHipsterDie at 3:09 PM on December 3, 2006

The current issue of the Onion lists 12 Songs About Shopping.
posted by jrossi4r at 3:12 PM on December 3, 2006

"Nothing But Flowers" by the Talking Heads.
posted by padraigin at 3:18 PM on December 3, 2006

"Buy, buy, buy," The Slits -- I no longer have the vinyl and can't confirm this via google, though.

"Little boxes" and I don't know who recorded it but here's a link to the lyric and the songwriter's name

The entire Dead Kennedy's catalogue? Really? I can't think of a specific song, though, off the top of my head. Maybe Winnebago Warrior, but that's about consuming nature, which may well fit the question.
posted by Listener at 3:21 PM on December 3, 2006

Off the top of my head:

"Merchandise" - Fugazi
"Lost in the Supermarket" - The Clash
"In the Crowd" - The Jam
"Empire of the Senseless" - Mekons
"Dedicated Follower of Fashion" - The Kinks
"Money-Go-Round" - The Style Council
posted by scody at 3:21 PM on December 3, 2006

Pretty much anything by Gang of Four
posted by Razzle Bathbone at 3:21 PM on December 3, 2006

Christmas at KMart by Root Boy Slim; super catchy. Can't seem to find the lyrics online.
posted by LobsterMitten at 3:21 PM on December 3, 2006

I feel I must mention Tom Lehrer's A Christmas Carol, which, as the name suggests, is a Christmas song that's mostly about buying things.
posted by cerebus19 at 3:22 PM on December 3, 2006

oh, and "The Busy Girl Buys Beauty" by Billy Bragg and "Shopping" (the Jam, again).
posted by scody at 3:22 PM on December 3, 2006

Well, okay, maybe here's the link. This is my first time posting here. http://ingeb.org/songs/littlebo.html
posted by Listener at 3:22 PM on December 3, 2006

I'm not quite sure it fits your bill of "good songs about consumerism" but Ka-Ching by Shania Twain at least matches the subject matter.
posted by Phire at 3:25 PM on December 3, 2006

There's always Madonna's Material Girl, too.
posted by cerebus19 at 3:26 PM on December 3, 2006

Dar Williams has a song called Bought and Sold -- it's not exactly about excessive consumption, but it does have a verse attacking Wal-Mart and another one praising people who don't like to buy things.
posted by em at 3:31 PM on December 3, 2006

The title track from Tonio K's "Life in the Foodchain"

Great album.
posted by davebush at 3:36 PM on December 3, 2006

Hard-Fi - Cash Machine
Radiohead - Palo Alto
posted by randomination at 3:37 PM on December 3, 2006

Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money), by the Pet Shop Boys.
posted by hot soup girl at 3:37 PM on December 3, 2006

Chocolate Cake by Crowded House.
posted by Devils Rancher at 3:41 PM on December 3, 2006

You are the Generation the Bought More Shoes and You Get What You Deserve - Johnny Boy.

Here's the video.
posted by Robot Rowboat at 3:42 PM on December 3, 2006

You are the Generation that bought...

Bum.
posted by Robot Rowboat at 3:43 PM on December 3, 2006

Age of Greed by Killing Joke.
posted by The Radish at 3:47 PM on December 3, 2006

"Down in the Mall" by Warren Zevon
posted by solid-one-love at 3:48 PM on December 3, 2006

Goodness Gracious by Kevin Gilbert. I was kinda thrilled to see Gilbert on iTunes, really.
posted by Devils Rancher at 3:50 PM on December 3, 2006

"Shopping" by the Barenaked Ladies
posted by Schlimmbesserung at 3:51 PM on December 3, 2006

http://www.smugglersite.com/03/directors/music/adamfreeland_happy.html
posted by airguitar at 3:52 PM on December 3, 2006

I'm *amazed* that nobody's mentioned Poly Styrene/X-Ray Spex's Conscious Consumer album is classic. Junk Food Junkie is a lot of fun. You could also that The Day The World Turned Day Glo is about the age of plastics.
posted by meehawl at 3:55 PM on December 3, 2006

The album Dispepsi by Negativland
posted by unknowncommand at 3:56 PM on December 3, 2006

Ohh, the tubes have Identity as well.
posted by meehawl at 4:00 PM on December 3, 2006

Fake Plastic Trees - Radiohead
posted by MetaMonkey at 4:04 PM on December 3, 2006

Everything Must Go by Steely Dan. Kind of. Several tracks on it, anyway.
posted by Violet Hour at 4:07 PM on December 3, 2006

Freedom of Choice - Devo

In fact quite a lot of Devo has an anti-consumerist undertone. And Devo rule. Turnaround also springs to mind.

Quite a lot of Nirvana also - particulalry Radio Friendly Unit Shifter, Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle.

Although these suggestions are not so much explicitly excoriating, they have bucket loads of implicit excoriation.
posted by MetaMonkey at 4:18 PM on December 3, 2006

Bought and Sold is a good Dar Williams song, as mentioned above; there's also a horrid Dar Williams song "Play the Greed" which will never see the light of day.
posted by dmd at 4:20 PM on December 3, 2006

Mm. Devo's "Freedom of Choice" is excellent.

Bad Religion's "21st Century Digital Boy" references consumer culture, though it doesn't necessarily focus on it.

Green Day's latest album also has quite a few dystopian consumer hell kind of references.
posted by limeonaire at 4:23 PM on December 3, 2006

"We Like Having These Things" by Numbers.
posted by unknowncommand at 4:27 PM on December 3, 2006

If I Had a Million Dollars.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 4:29 PM on December 3, 2006

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised!
posted by Succa at 4:32 PM on December 3, 2006

Chic 'n' Stu by System of a Down is about how advertising creates desire to buy.

Every minute, every second,
Buy, buy, buy, buy, buy.

Need therapy, therapy
Advertising causes need

I have a few other consumerist (or anti-consumerist, as the case may be) songs in my collection, but Spotlight is failing me.
posted by clord at 4:33 PM on December 3, 2006

"Customer" by the Replacements
Others have mentioned Gang of Four and the Dead Kennedys my favorites by those two are "Natural's not in it" and "My Payola"
posted by martinX's bellbottoms at 4:39 PM on December 3, 2006

I can't believe I forgot "Anti-Matter" by the Aquabats!
posted by martinX's bellbottoms at 4:41 PM on December 3, 2006

If you're looking for anti-consumerism, there's no better place than Reverend Billy & the Church of Stop Shopping. Their act is a mix of preaching by the Rev. & songs by the choir. I caught them the year they came to Burning Man, 2003.

Also I'm surprised nobody's mentioned They Paved Paradise & Put Up a Parking Lot by Joni Mitchell yet.
posted by scalefree at 4:48 PM on December 3, 2006

weapons-grade pandemonium writes "If I Had a Million Dollars."

Which is by the Barenaked Ladies, for those who haven't heard of the song.

I'd also suggest Rivervalley, by Moxy Fruvous. It's not exactly about buy-buy-buy, but the results of that mentality.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 5:01 PM on December 3, 2006

"21st Century Living" by the Matthew Good Band.
posted by oaf at 5:02 PM on December 3, 2006

The Joni Mitchell song is called "Big Yellow Taxi".
posted by bukvich at 5:04 PM on December 3, 2006

Here's the song and an animation for Big Yellow Taxi
posted by spacelux at 5:10 PM on December 3, 2006

'Life's Been Good' by Joe Walsh
posted by ardgedee at 5:16 PM on December 3, 2006

This Will Make You Happy by Furnaceface. Another somewhat related track on that album is If You Love Her, Buy Her a Gun.
posted by crazycanuck at 5:18 PM on December 3, 2006

"Mercedes Benz" by Janis Joplin?
posted by mosk at 5:20 PM on December 3, 2006

For The Love Of Money by The O'Jays, probably best known as the theme tune for The Apprentice. Funnily enough, the song is not pro-cash at all...:

"For the love of money people will steal from their mother,
For the love of money people will rob their own brothers,
For the love of money people can't even walk the streets...".
posted by forallmankind at 5:34 PM on December 3, 2006

It looks like Listener may have had some HTML troubles - "Little Boxes" is by Malvina Reynolds, and is currently used to excellent effect in the opening credits of Weeds.
posted by sarahsynonymous at 5:36 PM on December 3, 2006

So far down the list, but for me the ultimate song about consumerism, Dire Straits: Money for nothing.
posted by Xurando at 5:39 PM on December 3, 2006

"We can't make it here" by James McMurtry (link goes to a free download, from the label). A scathing tune.
posted by jbickers at 5:40 PM on December 3, 2006

"Step Right Up" by Tom Waits
posted by thinman at 5:48 PM on December 3, 2006

Between Angels and Insects, by Papa Roach.
posted by number9dream at 5:48 PM on December 3, 2006

"Lost in the Supermarket" is by The Jam, not The Clash.
posted by kirkaracha at 6:05 PM on December 3, 2006

"Lost in the Supermarket is by the Clash - track 8 on London Calling. See here, for example.
posted by LobsterMitten at 6:16 PM on December 3, 2006

Much of the album "Fortune" by the Mendoza Line touches on this theme. I highly recommend the songs "Fellow Travellers," "Before I Hit the Wall," and "An Architect's Eye" off it.


"The Mess Inside" and "Riches and Wonders" by the Mountain Goats

that's all I got for now
posted by Subcommandante Cheese at 6:20 PM on December 3, 2006

Mark Knopfler recent song Boom Like That is about Ray Kroc and the start of McDonald's.
posted by MsMolly at 6:34 PM on December 3, 2006

The Clash's ="http://www.napster.com/images/buttons/btn_play.gif" border="0" />Lost In The Supermarket
Ben Folds' ="http://www.napster.com/images/buttons/btn_play.gif" border="0" />Lost In The Supermarket
The Afghan Whigs' ="http://www.napster.com/images/buttons/btn_play.gif" border="0" />Lost In The Supermarket
posted by meehawl at 6:35 PM on December 3, 2006

Preview sucks.
posted by meehawl at 6:36 PM on December 3, 2006

The ebay song by Weird Al.
posted by jvilter at 6:51 PM on December 3, 2006

Genesis - "The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging"
Simon & Garfunkel - "The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine"
Furnaceface - "Just Buy It"
Corb Lund - The Counterfeiter's Blues
posted by arto at 6:53 PM on December 3, 2006

"Oh Lord, won't you buy me, a Mercedes Benz", by Janis Joplin.

I can't believe I'm the first one to post that!
posted by Araucaria at 7:13 PM on December 3, 2006

Shoot, mosk got there first.
posted by Araucaria at 7:14 PM on December 3, 2006

This Note's for You by Neil Young
posted by lannanh at 7:19 PM on December 3, 2006

"We can't make it here" by James McMurtry

Duration 7.09 -- Heh. I love Austin.
posted by Devils Rancher at 7:25 PM on December 3, 2006

The Restless Consumer by Neil Young
posted by djb at 7:32 PM on December 3, 2006

It's Money That Matters - Randy Newman (from Land Of Dreams)
posted by rfs at 7:43 PM on December 3, 2006

Thanks for the responses! There's a lot to chew on here over the next few weeks. This isn't really the sort of thing where a best answer tag is appropriate, I don't think, but I've marked robot rowboat as such b/c the Johnny Boy singer is a gorgeous creature. I'm off to bed; with any luck she'll appear in my dreams.
posted by Kwine at 7:52 PM on December 3, 2006

Father Christmas, by the Kinks
posted by frogan at 8:35 PM on December 3, 2006

Gimmee by Alice Cooper
posted by The Deej at 8:35 PM on December 3, 2006

Shelter's album "Mantra" is pretty much entirely about the failings of modern culture. Shelter was part of a punk movement called Krishnacore. It's a good album. In particular a song called "Civilized Man" covers subsidized farming, western medicine and TV propaganda. The lyrics are pretty heavy.
posted by tumble at 9:04 PM on December 3, 2006

"Home Sweet Home" and "The Style I Need" by Bobby Conn
"Shopping Bags" by De La Soul
posted by hydrophonic at 9:18 PM on December 3, 2006

As thinman said, Step Right Up is most appropriate.
posted by wsg at 9:30 PM on December 3, 2006

Ben Folds' Jesusland
posted by matkline at 9:40 PM on December 3, 2006

From Talking Heads' True Stories, you might be interested in:

"Love for Sale"
"Puzzling Evidence"
"Hey Now"
posted by bonobo at 9:58 PM on December 3, 2006

Ben Folds' "All You Can Eat"
posted by bryanzera at 10:58 PM on December 3, 2006

va - Hollertronix #4 [Turntable Lab Money Studies] / A1 - Buy It, Use It ; it's a Diplo/Low Budget hipster burner...
posted by cottoncandyhammer at 2:48 AM on December 4, 2006

Universal Robot Band - Barely Breaking Even
---
Dan Boadi and the African Internationals - Money Is The Root of Evil
---
Jimmy Spicer - Money (Dollar Bill Y'all)
---
Gang of Four - Entertainment! LP
---
Brian Brain - At Home He Feels Like A Tourist (Gang of Four cover by ex-PiL drummer), off of the Culture 12"
---
anything by Crass or The Ex
posted by cottoncandyhammer at 2:54 AM on December 4, 2006

"Go To The Bank" by James - Good one!
posted by alizarin at 8:23 AM on December 4, 2006

This might be a stretch - When I Win the Lottery by Camper Van Beethoven.
posted by matildaben at 11:57 AM on December 4, 2006

Rasputina - Diamond Mind
posted by Adelwolf at 1:45 PM on December 4, 2006

"Lost in the Supermarket" is by The Jam, not The Clash.

Sorry, but it most certainly is not. The Jam's song about being lost in the supermarket is "In the Crowd," from All Mod Cons, which came out in 1978, the year before the Clash did "Lost in the Supermarket" on London Calling.
posted by scody at 2:16 PM on December 4, 2006

Guadalcanal Diary, "Always Saturday":

In the shops are shiny things
I can see them glittering
I wish that I could buy them all
I wish I lived in a shopping mall.

posted by kirkaracha at 2:57 PM on December 9, 2006