Green Songs: Tunes To Get You Pumped About Saving The Environment

Kermit the Frog may have known that "It's not easy being green," but environmentally-motivated music is nothing new and spans several decades and genres.

One of the most famous environmental songs may be Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi." Written about a trip to Hawaii, the song became famous for its lyrics lamenting the ones who "paved paradise and put up a parking lot."

More recently, American roots band Magnolia Mountain released a song protesting the practice of mountaintop removal coal mining. "The Hand of Man" joins other Appalachian mining songs and "various grassroots activists defending mining communities against mountaintop removal operations," according to HuffPost blogger Jeff Biggers.

Often associated with mid-20th century folk music and some of its later revivals, environmentally-themed topics have also been broached in genres not typically associated with green philosophies. Rock bands like the Talking Heads, The Pixies and even California punk bands Bad Religion and the Dead Kennedys have raised environmental awareness through their music.

Below, check out some of our favorite environmentally-themed songs and get inspired about saving the planet. Some of the songs on the playlist came from our readers, what other #greensongs have inspired you?

Check out some of your favorite songs tweeted below (and a few included above as well!):

Also on HuffPost:

From our partners

• Widespread Greenland Melting A Sign Of Things To Come - Climate Central
• Limiting Methane Leaks Critical To Gas, Climate Benefits - Climate Central
• 11 Images And Facts About A Misunderstood Creature - Mother Nature Network

Comments

[TownCalledMalice]

01:46 PM on 04/13/2012

"Moon Over Marin" was written by The De@d Kennedys. Matthew Good's version is a COVER SONG. The original should have been listed here.

[TownCalledMalice]

01:42 PM on 04/13/2012

The Eagles "The Last Resort" should have been on this list.

[TownCalledMalice]

01:41 PM on 04/13/2012

For the record. Matthew Good's "Moon over marin" was not written by him. It was written by the Dead Kennedy's. So to put his COVER VERSION in this list is just wrong.

[Agarnado]

10:57 PM on 04/11/2012

Richard Thompson: "The New St. George" (HENTRY THE HUMAN FLY)
Martin Carthy: "Palaces Of Gold" (written by Leon Rosselson)
John Prine: "Paradise"
Tom Waits: "Earth Died Screaming" (BONE MACHINE)

[frayjumper]

07:40 PM on 04/11/2012

Mother Nature's Son by Paul McCartney.

[BluesManStew]

05:11 PM on 04/11/2012

Hmm. Where's "Nature's Way," by the band Spirit? Or Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi?"

[baxtron]

04:10 PM on 04/11/2012

Across the Universe - The Beatles.

[Issaquah79]

03:28 PM on 04/11/2012

Hawaii '78 by IZ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrbaN42tDFE&feature=related

[Conspiracy2Riot]

12:12 PM on 04/11/2012

'Have a Global Warming Day' by the DePavers would be my choice, because it's hard to get pumped about something we're not doing zhit to change but plenty to exacerbate and accelerate.

http://www.culturechange.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=225&Itemid=53

[BBaldo]

10:19 AM on 04/11/2012

"Treat Yo Mama" by John Butler Trio

[Artemesian]

12:01 PM on 04/11/2012

Perfect! :)

[BBaldo]

12:35 PM on 04/11/2012

Is it not? Yes, that was rhetorical.

[Mirror Ball]

10:16 AM on 04/11/2012

"I Had a Dream I Was Falling Through A Hole in the Ozone Layer" by Deee-lite.

[Hoz Hoven]

08:28 AM on 04/11/2012

"More Than a River" Jerry Vandiver and the One Match Band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znihfATfgKc

[Ned Earley]

08:00 AM on 04/11/2012

Green Tambourine.