10 Best Songs About Courage

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This article is about songs that inspire courage, and I am going to keep it simple and let the music speak for itself. These songs do not need a long explanation or a sales pitch. They are powerful in their musical presentation, their lyrics, or both.

# 10 – While You See a Chance – Steve Winwood

We open with Steve Winwood’s magnificent “While You See a Chance.” I really enjoyed the music Steve Winwood put out as a solo artist in the 1980s. The song appeared on his second solo album, Arc of a Diver, and Winwood played all the instruments himself. Written by Winwood and Will Jennings, it became his first major solo hit and reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100. Okay, I talked a little too much about this one. I just can’t help it.

# 9 – Bravado – Rush

The title says it all. Is that simple enough? Rush released “Bravado” on the 1991 album Roll the Bones. Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson wrote the music, and Neil Peart wrote the lyrics. It is one of Peart’s most moving songs about sacrifice, conviction, and paying the price for something you believe in.

# 8 – The Warrior – Scandal featuring Patty Smyth

We all wondered what Patty Smyth and Scandal would do after “Goodbye to You.” This was it, and it did not disappoint. “The Warrior” became the title track of Scandal’s first and only full-length studio album in 1984. The song gave Patty Smyth another defining performance before she moved on to her solo career. Good for her.

# 7 – I Won’t Back Down – Tom Petty

I miss Tom Petty. His music always seemed to exist in its own category, part Southern rock and roll, part country rock, part straight-ahead American rock, and somehow all Tom Petty. “I Won’t Back Down” appeared on Full Moon Fever in 1989 and was written by Petty and Jeff Lynne. Years later, Petty and Lynne were added as co-writers of Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me” because of the melodic similarity, although Petty himself called the situation a musical accident and said there were no hard feelings.

# 6 – None But The Brave – Bruce Springsteen

It is amazing how many brilliant songs Bruce Springsteen kept under wraps for years. I really wish he had released more of this music in the 1970s and 1980s when we were younger and such huge fans. “None But the Brave” was recorded during the Born in the U.S.A. era but did not receive an official release until The Essential Bruce Springsteen in 2003. The man has always had his own artistic vision and has always been very particular about what he releases. That is his prerogative.

# 5 – Change – John Waite

When I think of the early days of MTV, I think of this video. John Waite recorded “Change” for his 1982 debut solo album, Ignition. Written by Holly Knight and produced by Neil Giraldo, the song became one of the standout tracks from Waite’s first years as a solo artist. Sticking to your guns is what courage is all about, my friends.

# 4 – Hold Your Head Up – Argent

Do we even have to explain what this song is about? The title and chorus tell you almost everything you need to know. How many times have you told your kids, your friends, your partner, your students, or even the guy working at 7-Eleven to hold their head up? Argent released the song in the early 1970s, and it reached number five in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

# 3 – Faith Of The Heart – Rod Stewart

Diane Warren wrote “Faith of the Heart,” and Rod Stewart recorded it for the soundtrack to the 1998 film Patch Adams. If you have seen the film, you understand why this song belongs here. I am pretty sensitive to songs about people facing horrible diseases, health problems, and trauma, especially when young people are involved. There is nothing more courageous.

# 2 – Get Up, Stand Up – Bob Marley

“Get Up, Stand Up” is not just a song. It is a declaration of defiance. Bob Marley and Peter Tosh wrote the track, which opened The Wailers’ 1973 album Burnin’. Its message of standing up for your rights turned it into one of Marley’s most enduring rallying cries and one of the most obvious choices for a list about courage.

# 1 – Kentucky Avenue – Tom Waits

Some will understand immediately why “Kentucky Avenue” sits in the number one spot, and many probably will not. The song appeared on Tom Waits’ 1978 album Blue Valentine. If you don’t understand the choice, dig into the story and pay close attention to where the song ultimately goes. If you get it, you get it.