Spinner

20 Protest Songs That Matter: No. 12

'Little Boxes'
--Malvina Reynolds (1962)

Rebelling Against: Conformity!

The theme to Showtime's 'Weeds' first came to life in the hands of topical songwriter Reynolds, who earned her doctorate from that beatnik haven Berkeley way back in 1938. Her view of the mind-numbing 'burbs -- where the homes are all "made out of ticky-tacky" – explained the problem of the bourgeoisie in terms even a child could understand.
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p curley

This song was also done by the Womenfolk. Their version is I believe, the shortest song timewise to make the Billboard record charts.

January 17 2010 at 4:24 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bruce Pick

Jean Ritchie sang this too. And sang it very well, of course.

December 12 2007 at 5:35 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
QueenB

regina spektor covers this song beautifully http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEvEEcc9iC8

December 10 2007 at 10:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
marleymagic

great. great. song, with a very. very. good point.

September 30 2007 at 10:57 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
bob

Seeger did a great version of this.

September 08 2007 at 9:59 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
dc sarahchild

GRB~~

Apparently many have more recently redone the song...but contemporaniously with Malvina, Pete Seeger did it.

Not sure of his racial extractions, tho.(:

August 22 2007 at 11:49 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
GRB

this tune was re-done about a year later by another folk singer, does anyone remember who? It was a black guy, that's all I remember.

August 22 2007 at 11:04 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
toetallycool

Shes such a hater

August 07 2007 at 4:33 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Smitty

Every once in a while I begin to sing LITTLE BOXES. People don't remember it and think I'm nuts but I love the lilting melody and the lyrics are great.

July 16 2007 at 1:11 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Blind Bob

Malvina Reynolds also wrote "What Have They Done to the Rain". Even more pertinent than it was when she wrote it some 40 or 50 years ago.

July 15 2007 at 8:24 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply