Says Alan Dunn:

Since 2007 I have been collecting examples of people recording the word ‘revolution’ – archives, artists, students, children. Each generation seems to want to record it, for posterity, to sound like they want to change the world. I am interested in the sound of the word, how it is broken down and how it crosses almost every genre – pop, punk, reggae, techno, folk, metal etc.

Says I (=Rinus van Alebeek)

The result is like a long list of footnotes to an essay. We don’t have the essay. It is even unsure if it was ever written. It is even more unsure if such an essay should be written at all.

In an other corner of Radio On there is a series of programs that started with the Maidan uprising. In some respect the protests and the occupation of the square could be called a revolution because the president left the country head over heels and a new parliament got elected.

The samples collected by Alan Dunn have one thing in common. The meaning of the word ‘Revolution’ doesn’t come from the dictionary. And it doesn’t come from the action that links the word to worldy events.

In the hermetic world of music and small talk it means as much as what it feels like when you float on with the melodies and the easy points of view: everything and nothing.

Great Show

Here’s the playlist.

Excerpt from A Fistful of Dynamite, dir. Sergio Leone, 1971

2 Black 2 Strong MMG Yes! Yes! Revolution To Rass!, 1990

Stewart Home Towards a gay communism, 1985, courtesy of the artist

John Lennon on Dick Cavett, 1971

Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry Dub Revolution, 1975

Archie Shepp Revolution, 2007

Aldous Huxley The Ultimate Revolution, 1962

Excerpt from Alice in Wonderland, dir. Harry Harris, 1985

Adam Ant on The French Revolution, 2006

The Veronicas Revolution, 2006

Russell Brand on revolution: VICE Shorties, 2014

United Nations Revolutions in graphic design, 2008

The Monkees 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee Ad Promo, 1969

The Revolution 96.2fm

Dot & Sista July Revolution time (demo)

William Burroughs The electronic revolution, 1971

Nina Simone Revolution, 1969

Bob Marley Revolution, 1980

OBAMA YOUTH (U.$.A.) Revolution (live on KLXU), 2013

Excerpt from Casino Royale, dir. various, 1967

Nasio Fontaine Revolution Souljah, 1999

Malcolm X There’s No Such Thing As A Non-Violent Revolution, 1963

Robyn Hitchcock & Heavy Friends Revolution 9 (live), 2004

Los Crudos No Va Haber Revolucion, 2010

Excerpt from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, dir. Mel Stuart, 1971

IG Culture The Revolution Will Not Be Tell Lie Vise feat. Niles ‘Asheber’ Hailstones, Heru Hailstones, Antonio Feola, Spry Crispen & Mr Mensah, 2012

Chellis Glendinning Raw, bloody revolution, 2001

Aimee Allen The Ron Paul Song, 2008

Joe South Revolution of love, 2010

The Artist Taxi Driver The radical Scottish revolution is here!!!, 2015

AD&THEFILMTAXI Revolution slowing (Gonads), 2008

Pantera Revolution is my name, 2000

Robert Wyatt Amber & The Amberines, 1984

Crass Bloody revolutions, 1980

Madonna Revolution, 2014

Excerpt from The Ramones’ End of the century, dir. Fields & Gramaglia, 2003

Rachel & The Revolvers The Revo-Lution, 1962

Errol Flynn on revolution, 1959

Tomorrow Revolution, 1967

Kylie Minogue We Know The Meaning Of Love, 1990

Damage Done By Worms Psycho revolution, 1995

Ultimate Force Revolution of the mind (acapella), 1989

Mexican Revolution advert

Bikini Kill Rebel Girl, 1993

Public Enemy Revolutionary Generation, 1990

Excerpt from Matilda, dir. Danny DeVito, 1996

Hugh Mundell Run Revolution A Come, 1983

Johnny Rotten and Polly Toynbee on Russell Brand, The Guardian, 2014

Fast Set Children of the revolution, 1980

Justin Bieber Talkin’ about a revolution, 2014

Phil Ochs Ringing of revolution, 1966

DJ Vadim feat. Sarah Jones Your revolution, 2000

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