Rise Against Represents The Rock For The MTV VMAs! And For A Good Cause [VIDEO]
FINALLY! MTV has nominated a rock band that deserves it for their Moonman. But with a category like "Best Video With A Message," and Rise Against doing a cover of Bob Dylan's "Ballad of Hollis Brown" its like peanut butter and jelly!
This cover was put together for the Amnesty International's 4 CD compilation album "Chimes of Freedom," which boats tracks from artists in genres ranging from rock, hip hop, pop, country, jazz, blues, and rap. The album is to celebrate Amnesty International's 50th anniversary.
In an odd twist, Bob Dylan played his first show in January 1961 and only a few months later Amnesty International was born. 80 artists pay their respect to Amnesty International and Bob Dylan by doing covers of his iconic songs.
The song, "Ballad of Hollis Brown," is about Hollis Brown, a South Dakota farmer who becomes so depressed with his family's poverty that he kills his wife and children, then himself.
It is a bleak song about what the financial hardships of a farmer can do to a family. The video Rise Against made for the song, shows how modern day farmers still face those hardships Dylan wrote about back in 1963 when he recorded the song. The video and the song gave me chills because this isn't just a story, there are rural farmers out there that live through this everyday. Check out the video below and if you want to purchase "Chimes of Freedom" click here.
To support or donate to Amnesty International click here.
And if you want to vote for Rise Against for the VMAs click here. They are competing against Kelly Clarkson, Demi Lovato, and Lil Wayne and if any of those artists win I'll punch someone. Preferably Lil Wayne.