October is a fun month to start planning Halloween costumes and sip on pumpkin spice lattes or pumpkin flavored beers. The month of the gourd serves another purpose- vegetarianism. Today happens to be World Vegetarian Day, which kicks off Vegetarian Awareness Month, so stock up on some hummus.
If you're flirted with the idea of going vegetarian, today is the day to try it. There plenty of of benefits and misconceptions when it comes to not eating meat. When done right, the diet is healthy and cheap, and you can get plenty of protein. To quote master vegan chef Isa Moskowitz in Appetite for Reduction, "Next time someone tells you that veganism is expensive, you answer 'lentils.'"
If you're planning on making today a Meatless Monday, check out these 10 songs about vegetarianism/veganism and animal rights.
Dead Prez - Be Healthy I don't eat no meat, no dairy, no sweets Only ripe vegetables, fresh fruit and whole wheat
Dead Prez promotes a healthy lifestyle with some tasty suggestions like curried falafel, barbequed tofu, and sweet yam fries. The hip hop duo discusses lentil soup- the mental fruit- as well as eating natural food and smoking weed as an alternative to taking Excedrin and smoking cigarettes.
A Tribe Called Quest- Ham N' Eggs I don't eat no ham n' eggs, cuz they're high in cholesterol A yo, Phife do you eat em? No, Tip do you eat em? Uh huh, not at all
It's been awhile since I've had ham and eggs, but I do remember it being a tasty dish. It's not the best thing for you, watch out for that cholesterol. Consider apple sauce and red beets as an alternative...okay, that's definitely not the same, but vegan bacon rules. Frank Zappa- Call any Vegetable Call any vegetable And the chances are good Ooooh! The vegetable Will respond to you
This song is pretty wacky, but it is a testament to the importance of eating veggies. Your mom would be proud, tell her about those ruta-bayyy-gahs. NOFX- Clams Have Feelings Too No chowder for you, 'cause clams have feelings too Actually they don't have central nervousness No Manhattan style, clams have the right to smile Come to think about it, they don't have a face
Fat Mike poses important questions- do clams really have feelings, and is it selfish to eat defenseless shellfish? The band has a mixed stance on vegetarianism with songs like "Vegetarian Mumbo Jumbo" and "You're Wrong," but continues to succeed at combining politics and humor.
The Smiths- Meat is Murder And the calf that you carve with a smile Is murder And the turkey you festively slice Is murder Do you know how animals die ?
Morrissey is a big cheerleader for animal rights. In 2009, he was forced off of a Coachella stage because he was disgusted by the smell of meat. "I can smell burning flesh ... and I hope to God it's human," he said. Yikes!
Here's the good news for all you diehard Smiths fans- if Coachella went 100% vegetarian in some sort of alternate universe, Moz would consider a Smiths reunion. Spicy pies and veggie dogs, anyone?
The "Meat is Murder" music video is pretty graphic, so watch with caution. Good Clean Fun- Beat the Meat Join us! We need all the help we can get Together! We'll hedge our karmic bets Join us! Self-righteousness is fun Together! We'll convert everyone
Not everyone takes vegetarianism as seriously as Moz. Good Clean Fun pokes fun at militant vegetarians/vegans, but the underlying message is still good. Propagandhi- Nailing Descartes to the Wall/(Liquid) Meat is Still Murder But you cannot deny that meat is still murder. Dairy is still rape.
Canadian punks Propagandhi have a lot of pro-vegetarian songs, in case you couldn't tell from the opening line of "stop consuming animals." One YouTube commenter even said that this song is what motivated them to give up meat.
Goldfinger- Open Your Eyes A shot to the head They're better off dead Will you wake up, wake up?
The band's fourth album, Open Your Eyes is covered with PETA and animal rights artwork. This song encourages listeners to question the advertisements put out by greedy meat corporations. The Pretenders- I'll Stand By You Won't let nobody hurt you I'll stand by you Take me in, into your darkest hour And I'll never desert you I'll stand by you
The music video shows a drug addict in need of support, but the beauty of this song is that it can apply to so many situations. When I saw The Pretenders live, Chrissie Hynde (a vegetarian), said the song was about animal rights.
Moby's Animal Rights album Famed electronic musician and vegan Moby put out an experimental album that dabbled in punk rock and ambient music.
Animal Rights included a Mission of Burma cover. Pretty crazy, right?
