By the time the County Press hits the shops today, many thousands will already have enjoyed their first night at the Isle of Wight Festival, whilst many more will be wending their merry way for a weekend of music, dancing and fun.

Fingers crossed the weather stays sunny and the toilets are not too bad. That sorted, everything else is peachy.

Thinking about the festivals of 1968-1970 and the music of that era, I wonder, what has happened to all the protest songs?

The arts have always been a great way to put into words, pictures, dance and song protest and calls for social change that speak to people like nothing else.

In these days where an increasingly authoritarian government seems hellbent on stopping people’s right to protest, the arts may be the one avenue that will not be fenced off.

A safe place that people can raise their voices as one and make it very clear that they are not happy with the status quo.

The first protest song I can find was sung by Billie Holiday in 1939, Strange Fruit (see below for video).

It was about the lynchings taking place during the Jim Crow era, hitting hard with the lynched black people compared to hanging fruit.

Billie Holiday sang it for the first time aged 23 and insisted on singing it at every show she did, in spite of fears from managers and promoters that she would alienate her audience and put herself and her career at risk.

Billie defiantly carried on singing the song. What a woman!

Listed here are some of the classic protest songs that reached millions.

I grew up singing Where Have All the Flowers gone, and even as a young child knew the sadness in the message of peace.

John Lennon, Bob Marley and Bob Dylan all wrote many songs that encapsulated the issues that seemed to be of the day, but ultimately are timeless as it would seem we never learn as a race.

Bob Dylan – A Hard Rain’s A-gonna Fall (1963) Cuban Missile Crisis

Pete Seegar/Joan Baez - Where Have All The Flowers Gone? (1967) Futility of war.

John Lennon – Imagine/Power to the People (1971)

Bob Marley and the Wailers – Get Up Stand Up (1973) Poverty

Sex Pistols – Anarchy in the UK (1976)

The Specials – Ghost Town (1981) Inner City Riots

U2 – Sunday Bloody Sunday (1983) The Irish Troubles

Frankie Goes to Hollywood – Two Tribes (1984) The Cold War

The Special AKA – Free Nelson Mandela (1984)

The Smiths – Panic (1986) Chernobyl

Radiohead – Idioteque (2000) Climate Change

Green Day – American Idiot (2004) Iraq War

In the present day, we have Banksy and satirical comedy doing a superb job of holding people in power accountable and pointing out hypocrisy, cruelty, stupidity and greed.

We have a dearth of music that gives any opposition a voice.

We need young people to stand up and write the protest songs that previously have galvanised the population and embarrassed governments into doing better.

I know there is the talent, we just need to find the courage that Billie Holiday, facing extreme prejudice and violence, performed every single night.

Do you agree with Rebecca? What protest songs do you rate? Comment below or send a letter for publication to editor@iwcp.co.uk