The Leftist political song in Lebanese broadcast media during the 1975-1990 Civil War: a lasting ideological phenomenon?

Abstract

The Lebanese leftist political song is an expression of a position and a belief, at times political and at others cultural. This study explores the reasons behind the emergence of the leftist political song. It analyzes more specifically the role of the Lebanese communist party and other leftist parties in supporting the artists that produced this type of songs and their role in using this particular genre as a motivator and a communication tool to mobilize their public. The study therefore examines the relationship between the political engagement of the artists and the existence of this song as well as the role of the artists in the Lebanese society. One of the study’s aims is also to find out the reasons behind the relative disappearance of the Lebanese leftist political after the end of the war while investigating people’s point of view about the existence of this song and perhaps its demise today. Finally, this study suggests considering the political song not only as “a product of the war culture” and a tool to understand social conflict and reconciliation but also as an artistic form represented by all its elements (lyrics, melody and music management).