In Otto Rank's "Art and Artist", his thesis is that the artist is always walking a line between what his art leads him to do and what the public will accept. If singing political songs leads to no gigs, the artist has no outlet for his art. If the artist feels he dare not express his views through his art, then there is no art where that is his aim.

In Dick's concept, if people are not "entertained" there is no outlet. Early Bob Dylan and early Phil Ochs definitely entertained and expressed a political viewpoint. But it can limit your audience.

I don't sing many political songs. I believe they do have the capability to change views. Music is powerful enough for people to sing along to words they do not really believe. Many Irish songs can do that.

Just as music can change what you believe, it can change how you feel. My musical expression is to leave people feeling "better" than when they felt when they came in. It is not more or less nobler than leaving people thinking differently then when they came in. It is just another choice for the performer.

Roger in Baltimore