Songs of Protest: How “Do You Hear the People Sing?” Tells the Universal Story of Rebellion
The song “Do You Hear the People Sing?” from the celebrated musical and movie “Les Miserables” lyrically symbolizes the heart of all protests and popular movements — people who believe that their voices are being silenced.
Music is one of society’s best teachers. In Songs of Protest, writers analyze some of music’s greatest hits, using their findings to make sense of the world around them.
Written by Andrew Zhang
Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures
A funeral procession — a group of army men eerily march down a silent street lined by crowds of ordinary men and women. Suddenly, a few men begin singing, quickly growing to include the entire crowd of onlookers, who with every word become more enraged to incite a fight with the soldiers.
The setting is 1832 France, and the song being chanted in this scene is “Do You Hear the People Sing?” This awe-inspiring moment from the revered “Les Miserables” encapsulates much of the spirit of French history in the late 1700s and the 1800s — a volatile period of French history that saw repeated uprisings against an oppressive government, rampant class divide, and social instability. While the lyrics of “Do You Hear the People Sing?” seem applicable to this particular scene, where the citizens are symbolically revolting against government tyranny, they universally depict the spirit of protests everywhere.
In 2011, thousands of workers and union activists protested for three weeks in the Wisconsin state capitol to rally against the passage of the 2011 Wisconsin Act 10, also known as the Wisconsin Budget Repair Bill. This bill, which eventually became law, would wreck public sector unions by severely reducing the collective bargaining power of workers over wages. On the 13th day of these demonstrations, activists loudly sang “Do You Hear the People Sing?” in the building’s halls.
Eight years later, the song found a home in Hong Kong, a city-state designated as a special administrative region of China that has recently been turned upside down by sweeping, large-scale protests against a proposed extradition law. This legislation was seen by many as another attempt from the Communist Party of China to assert dominance in the supposedly free territory. These protests have seen massive amounts of Hongkongers — sometimes numbering in the millions — rally together against a much more powerful China.
With “Do You Hear the People Sing?” being heard in these two events and many others across the world, a question arises as to why the anthem so often appears in these real-life demonstrations. The answer lies in the song’s lyrics. The chorus, which appears three times throughout the chant, depicts that the revolt stems from the need to permanently break free from chains of oppression.
“Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again!”
Moreover, the chorus also illustrates the emotional intensity of protesting: the people have to rise so that they “will not be slaves again” to the injustice they experience. Since these activists usually face a much more powerful opponent, the song demonstrates how a movement’s success requires an active pulse, much like the one that runs through our bodies.
“When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes!”
In addition to this declaration of demands, part of the song is also a call to action, a rallying cry for everyone who has experienced persecution. These lines help illuminate that the power of these protests lies in how many people participate, as more followers form a collectively stronger force.
“Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Beyond the barricade
Is there a world you long to see?
Then join in the fight that will give you
The right to be free!”
Since one keystone of democratic society is the freedom to protest, the mention of the “right to be free” in “Do You Hear the People Sing?” shows that protestors, by nature, are fulfilling a societal responsibility. By taking to the streets and shouting their voices, they stand up to wrongful powers and advocate for change that betters society.
Ultimately, “Do You Hear the People Sing” is the quintessential chorus for protests, even beyond the bright lights of a Broadway stage. Heard from rallies from 19th century Paris in the fictional “Les Miserable” to today’s real-world protests in locations like Hong Kong and the United States, the lyrics of “Do You Hear the People Sing?” illustrate the key importance of protests: raising the voices of suppressed people who have been silenced. More importantly, the song’s ubiquitous nature emphasizes the importance of unity; once people are united to fight against injustice, their created passion and strength can never be extinguished.