After spending Saturday at Occupy Denver to try to figure out for myself what the Occupy movement, at least the one in Denver, is all about, I was interested to see today’s NPR’s Song of the Day, “No Doctor” by the Seattle band Virgin Islands. It’s basically a timely rant about health care in this country, not something that’s ever been the focus of protest songs. NPR calls it “a scathing post-punk screed against the system’s failures that matches lyrical bite with musical intensity. More than a mere political statement, ‘No Doctor’ …is hyper-melodic, compelling and intelligent. A bracing, guitar-driven romp, ‘No Doctor’ turns frustration into a rugged jam that speaks equally to the brain and the body. It slices to the heart of the issues at hand while never sacrificing its own heart and soul.”

Music, like art, poetry, and writing, has always been a viable outlet for channeling emotions, making a profound statement, and facilitating change. Throughout history, it has awakened and mobilized passion and purpose.