After a stunning loss in South Carolina, Mitt Romney learned that he would have to release his tax information before the Florida primaries if he was to stand a chance. So to celebrate Mitt Romney’s tax releases, scheduled for later today, we count down a couple of our favorite tax songs.
10. Cheap Trick “Taxman, Mr. Thief”
Its not like a million bands haven’t ripped off the Beatles but no one has done it as blatantly as Cheap Trick on their track, “Taxman, Mr. Thief.” The track’s message is applicable. You’re a hard working everyman and an inhuman taxman is going to take your money. It sounds like a South Park episode.
MP3: Cheap Trick “Taxman, Mr. Thief”
09. Rick Ross featuring Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy, and Trick Daddy “Luxury Tax”
Rick Ross, who is known for his ridiculously lavish lifestyle (at least in his lyrics, is in favor for a higher tax for the rich. As Lil Wayne raps “you gotta pay for this.”
MP3: Rick Ross featuring Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy, and Trick Daddy “Luxury Tax”
08. Erase Errata “Tax Dollar”
On their 2009 track, “Tax Dollar,” Erase Errata connects the paying of taxes to the funding of war. Jenny Hoyston venomously spits “Yes, I really got away with murder/manslaughter/ All funded by my tax dollar.”
MP3: Erase Errata “Tax Dollar”
07. Cake “Rock ‘n’ Roll Lifestyle”
“Is it you or your parents in this income tax bracket?” lead singer, John McCrea asks in this Cake classic. The answer is probably parent if your name is Tagg Romney.
MP3: Cake “Rock ‘n’ Roll Lifestyle”
06. Drake “Over My Dead Body”
Although Drake’s “Over My Dead Body” is not a song about taxes, he does rap “shout out all to all my niggas living tax free/nowadays it’s six figures when they tax me.” While I am sure Mitt Romney’s taxes do rack up to six figures, I do not think it will stop the criticism of being taxed 15% when the average American is taxed 35%.
MP3: Drake “Over My Dead Body”
05. Zookeeper “Tax Collector”
Chris Simpson, formerly of Mineral fame, penned “Tax Collector.” The song sounds like the Decemberists but the sentiments is very Beatles.
MP3: Zookeeper “Tax Collector”
04. Perfect “Tax Extortion”
There is a surprising amount of tax protest songs by reggae artists. The income tax rate in Jamaica is fairly similar to the United States; although the sales tax is significantly higher in Jamaica than the US national average. Perhaps that is why Perfect is so upset on his 2011 track, “Tax Extortion.”
[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/9739333″]
03. Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings “What If We All Stopped Paying Taxes?”
Sharon Jones has never seemed like the most political of singer but “What If We All Stopped Paying Taxes?” is definitely just that. The singer suggests that if people stop paying taxes, it will cut off the funding for unwanted war. It does not get more political than that.
MP3: Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings “What If We All Stopped Paying Taxes?”
02. Mowgli “Tax”
Mowgli‘s “Tax” starts by sampling the musical Oliver: “why should we break our backs stupidly paying tax?” before the London emcee kicks in with his flow. His lyrics recount scenes of London of people being robbed and knived in the street.
01. The Beatles “Taxman”
Anyone who read the title of this post, immediately knew that the Beatles’ “Taxman” would be the top track. The George Harrison-penned classic is, of course, not about American taxes but rather about the 95 percent tax rate among Britain’s top earners in 1966, a far cry from Mitt Romney’s 15%.
[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/445335″]
