But, in the end, even a song that's as politically bland as Blowin in the Wind, you probably wouldn't get up and sing that now, whereas some of Bob Dylan's love songs that were contemporary with that, like say Girl…

Quote by Billy Bragg

Topics: Billy Bragg Quotes

By the time I was 19, punk had occurred. It had a completely different cultural...

By the time I was 19, punk had occurred. It had a completely different cultural...

We read our own political content into The Clash, and they accepted it.

We read our own political content into The Clash, and they accepted it.

Being spokesman for a generation is the worst job I ever had.

Being spokesman for a generation is the worst job I ever had.

I try and write honestly about what I see around me now.

I try and write honestly about what I see around me now.

Even with politics, stuff comes around again. Woody Guthrie would recognize America today.

Even with politics, stuff comes around again. Woody Guthrie would recognize America today.

It's not a very popular subject amongst my audience, who are by nature more internationalist,...

It's not a very popular subject amongst my audience, who are by nature more internationalist,...

I came into this whole business by going to see Rock Against Racism gigs with...

I came into this whole business by going to see Rock Against Racism gigs with...

I'm still batting away on my politics for the Labour Party. I'm much further to...

I'm still batting away on my politics for the Labour Party. I'm much further to...

There are quite a few honest songwriters out there writing about relationships and their own...

There are quite a few honest songwriters out there writing about relationships and their own...

I'm trying to make a case for those people who don't have a sense of...

I'm trying to make a case for those people who don't have a sense of...

All the great political music was made at the height of political confrontations.

All the great political music was made at the height of political confrontations.

So, in some ways, the political songs tend to be a bit more like reportage,...

So, in some ways, the political songs tend to be a bit more like reportage,...

I've had songs written during the Falklands war, and during the first Gulf war I...

I've had songs written during the Falklands war, and during the first Gulf war I...

In that sense, I became politicized because the people in the coal mining villages who...

In that sense, I became politicized because the people in the coal mining villages who...

That taught me one lesson which is that you're naive to believe that bands can...

That taught me one lesson which is that you're naive to believe that bands can...

The most important thing for anyone, I think, is to be engaged, whether you're an...

The most important thing for anyone, I think, is to be engaged, whether you're an...

Were it not for the Clash, punk would have been just a sneer, a safety...

Were it not for the Clash, punk would have been just a sneer, a safety...

My theory is this; I'm not a political songwriter. I'm an honest songwriter.

My theory is this; I'm not a political songwriter. I'm an honest songwriter.

Most of the people that I went to school with - I went to secondary...

Most of the people that I went to school with - I went to secondary...

I was in a little punk band and we put out a few punk records...

I was in a little punk band and we put out a few punk records...