Musicians React To Supreme Court Overturning ‘Roe Vs. Wade’
Dead & Company, Phoebe Bridgers, Jon Fishman and Billie Joe Armstrong were among those who weighed in on the decision.
By Team JamBase Jun 28, 2022 • 10:23 am PDT
On Friday, the Supreme Court overturned Roe Vs. Wade, a case from 1973 that legalized abortion throughout the United States. Abortion rights will now be determined on a state level with many states passing or set to enact laws that will ban or severely limit the procedure.
A number of musicians protested the decision on Friday and in the days that followed. To be clear, JamBase stands in support of reproductive justice and full bodily autonomy. For those looking to attend a protest, head to WeWontGoBack.com to find an action near you. Additionally, Mashable has assembled a list of abortion funds and reproductive justice groups for those who want to donate, volunteer or contribute in other ways to the fight to protect abortion rights. Most importantly, weigh in with your opinion by voting. Visit HeadCount to check your registration status or to register to vote.
The statements from musicians came both on-stage and off from artists across a wide spectrum of genres. Some of those reactions are laid out below:
Dead & Company
Dead & Company stood in support of a woman’s right to choose by including songs referencing women or featuring female characters during their concert at Wrigley Field on Friday. Additionally, guitarist Bob Weir took aim at the Supreme Court by changing the lyrics to “Throwing Stones.” Images including women’s rights logos and scenes from protests were displayed on screens throughout the evening. The band has put Save Our Rights t-shirts on sale through its website with net proceeds going towards non-profit organizations supporting women’s rights.
Phoebe Bridgers
Phoebe Bridgers voiced her displeasure at the decision during her set at the Glastonbury Festival on Friday. “I’m having the shittest day,” Bridgers said from stage and went on to lead the crowd in chanting “Fuck The Supreme Court” before adding, “all these irrelevant old motherfuckers trying to tell us what to do with our fucking bodies.”
Olivia Rodrigo
Olivia Rodrigo played Glastonbury on Saturday and addressed the situation. “I’m devastated and terrified,” Rodrigo told the audience. “So many women and so many girls are going to die because of this.” Rodrigo then called out the five justices that voted in the majority by name and dedicated a duet with Lily Allen on “Fuck You” to “the five members of the Supreme Court who showed us that, at the end of the day, they truly don’t give a shit about freedom.”
Kendrick Lamar
Pulitzer Prize-winning hip-hop star Kendrick Lamar concluded his performance at Glastonbury on Sunday with a message supporting women’s rights. Lamar ended his set with “Savior,” leading a chant of “They judge you! They judge Christ! Godspeed for women’s rights!” The intense performance was enhanced by Lamar wearing a replica crown of thorns that made it look like he was bleeding.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRb3HDA2DyEJon Fishman
Phish drummer Jon Fishman put together a special episode of his Phish Radio program The Errant Path devoted to a woman’s right to choose. Fishman shared his reasoning for why Roe Vs. Wade should have remained in effect as he spun tunes that had the abortion issue front and center within its lyrical content. “I’m not here to address (the right to choose) in an attacking way, I’m here to present my side of the argument,” Fish said towards the start of the powerful five-hour installment. “A woman who is pregnant should be able to hear all the different voices that she wants to or doesn’t want to hear and then she should be able to make the decision for herself.”
Goose
Goose multi-instrumentalist Peter Anspach took a moment at the start of the band’s debut concert at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Friday to address the court’s decision. “It is a very difficult day for a lot of people and we are for the right to choose,” Anspach told the capacity crowd. “We encourage anybody who’s on that side to take action and vote when it’s time to vote.”
Billie Joe Armstrong
Green Day‘s Billie Joe Armstrong yelled “fuck America” during the band’s concert in London on Friday. “I’m fucking renouncing my citizenship,” Armstrong proclaimed. “There’s too much fucking stupid in the world to go back to that miserable fucking excuse for a country.” He added he “wasn’t kidding” and promised “you’re going to get a lot of me in the coming days.”
Pearl Jam, P!nk, Taylor Swift, Jason Isbell, Stevie Nicks, Jack White, Margo Price, Carole King and Eminem were among those who spoke out against the ruling. Scroll down to for those and additional statements made recently by musicians in reaction to the Supreme Court’s decision:
