Song #1: "Keep Ya Head Up" By Tupac Shakur

"It seems tha rain'll never let up

I try to keep my head up, and still keep from gettin wet up

You know it's funny when it rains it pours

They got money for wars, but can't feed the poor

Say there ain't no hope for the youth and the truth is

it ain't no hope for the future

And then they wonder why we crazy...

We ain't meant to survive, cause it's a setup

And even though you're fed up

Huh, ya got to keep your head up"

-"Keep Ya Head Up" by Tupac

This song portrays Thoreau’s precepts of free thought, society’s effect on the individual, and standing up to a ruling force. Tupac stressed the importance of trying to express your issues with the government by critiquing it from the inside and from the outside by peaceful protest. A famous quote from Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience is “I could not help being struck with the foolishness of that institution which treated me as if I were mere flesh and blood and bones, to be locked up.” Thoreau and Tupac have both gone to jail for expressing their complaints with regard to the government. They were not agitated with the government for locking them up. However, they were upset that the government has continued to corrupt society with unjust laws. “I would rather sit on a pumpkin, and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion.”  This quote from Walden explains that Thoreau is not impressed with the material belongings of the wealthy and would prefer to live a more simplistic lifestyle away from the mainstream issues of society. Tupac understood the issues with today’s society and wrote about them in his song “Keep Ya Head Up.” Tupac truly believed that standing up for one’s beliefs is quintessential to one's true freedom. Transcendentalism is found throughout this song as Tupac referred to the corruption in our government.  He believed that the youth of this country's future is doomed because our government does not provide the support to the nation’s impoverished. He indicated that the nation’s poor would be saved from a life of crime only if changes are made in the government. Additionally, he encouraged impoverished people to fight back against the corruption and stand up for what they believe is right. One of the primary reasons Shakur was disliked amongst government officials was because he often discussed the flaws in the government policies. Tupac was criticized by the government for sending negative messages to the youth. “They got money for wars but can't feed the poor
. Say there ain't no hope for the youth and the truth is 
It ain't no hope for the future
. And then they wonder why we crazy…. We ain't meant to survive cause it's a setup. And even though you're fed up
 Huh, ya got to keep your head up” This message from this song is that even though society does not function the way it should, it is our goal to rise above the frustrations that we have with this country. We need to hold our heads up high, and try and make the most of our lives. The idea of this song is transcendental in nature.

Song #2: "Minority" By Green Day

"Minority" By Green Day fits under the umbrella of ideas known as transcendentalism. There are many transcendental ideals that have made their way into the lyrics of this song. In Henry David Thoreau’s On Civil Disobedience, he says, “If the machine of government is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law.” Thoreau felt that if a certain piece of legislature was unjust, then it was his duty to defy it, even if he was in the minority. “Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but follows religiously the new.” In this quote from Walden, Thoreau explains that it is positive to change things from what they were if they need to change, but do not conform to the rest of society’s new requests. Each generation laughs at what was done in the past but quickly conforms to what is happening now. It is okay not to just accept what is happening now, question it, and follow what you believe. If you are the minority in wanting to change something, it is okay because you are trying to find what you believe is your own truth. This song falls under the precepts of free thought and non-conformity because its message is to show that people should have their own thoughts and pursue their passions regardless of who tries to stop them. There are many ideas that Billy Joe Armstrong is trying to portray to his audience composed of young rebellious teenagers. He wants them to believe that not only is it acceptable to be different; it is one's best attribute. He believes that a majority of society's actions and expectations are ways for the government  to control you. To respond to this, he encourages his audience to continue their free and unique thoughts. It exemplifies the desire to be unique and defy authority that transcendentalism is known for. The title and main line of this song, "I want to be the minority" is a bold statement that encourages standing up for who you are and what you believe in, even if you are standing alone. "Marching out of time to my own beat now" endorses the individuality that is highly valued in the transcendentalist society.

Song # 3: "We're Not Gonna Take It" By Twisted Sister

 "We're Not Gonna Take It" by Twisted Sister is a famous rock and roll song that can be considered transcendental. This song's message is very similar to Henry David Thoreau's quote from Civil Disobedience, "Unjust laws exist; shall we be content to obey them, or shall we endeavor to amend them, and obey them until we have succeeded, or shall we transgress them at once? Men generally, under such a government as this, think that they ought to wait until they have persuaded the majority to alter them. They think that, if they should resist, the remedy would be worse than the evil. But it is the fault of the government itself that the remedy is worse than the evil." Thoreau recognizes that a moral unjust law needs to be corrected and fighting is worth any punishment that you may receive for doing so. Transcendentalists believe that you can ultimately stand up to a larger force and accomplish many things because they believe in the power of the individual. “I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” This quote from Walden explains that Thoreau wants people to trust their instincts and believe in what they are doing, so that they can realize their dreams. This song would fit under Thoreau's precept of non-conformity not only because of it's radical rebellious lyrics of standing up for yourself and defending what you believe in, but also in the loud rock and roll rhythm that makes you want to stand up and fight for your rights. The song's title explains how they will not conform to what society will tell them to do. The song's lyrics are intended to send a message to the youth that it is not justified to accept laws if you feel they are unjust. The song discusses the story of generations past and future that  unwilling to give up their rights and unwilling to accept being pushed down, much like transcendentalists, in the lines "We're not gonna take it anymore. We've got the right to choose and there ain't no way we'll lose it. This is our life, this is our song. We'll fight a 1000 legions, don't pick our destiny 'cause you don't know us, you don't belong." The hardcore guitar tone encourages the audience want to stand up out of their seats and fight for what they believe in, which is what transcendentalists believe in.