Bruce Springsteen, in 2013, remarked: ‘Musicians are a sorry lot who destroy lives and can’t manage their money or their relationships,’ as he accepted the MusiCares Person of the Year Award on Friday night in downtown Los Angeles. But, he added, they’re also a glorious fraternity who make life worth living.’

In his speech, which came about midnight after a long and stirring show in which musicians like Mumford & Sons, Elton John, Neil Young, John Legend and Alabama Shakes performed his songs, Springsteen offered appreciation to the Grammy charity MusiCares for its help with musicians in need of aid.

“Thank you MusiCares for taking care of musicians, because we are bad with our money,” he said, prompting laughter among the 3,000 people in the huge hall at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

“We spend too much on the wrong things … We love the wrong people. We are the wrong people … We fuck up many people’s lives while setting fire to our own dancing down the street.”

And yet, he said, music is a vital force in life. “You can’t  triumph without music, because music is life.”

He added that the Taliban (and, of course, other fundamentalists) had banned music and dancing – yet these were the most natural responses of people everywhere, expressing feelings of joy and freedom. Most creatures, he went on, sing and dance (in their own way) so to repress it was to try and repress life itself.

I took this idea of singing and dancing being banned by revolutionaries – afraid perhaps of its power. But throughout history many political establishments have criticised or tried to supress music and dancing as they know it may be subversive. Here’s my take – inspired by Springsteen’s words.

REVOLUTION BALL (The)

They’re tearing up the carpets at the revolution ball,

Along with all the buildings that used to stand so tall.

But there’s nothing much to cheer about, given half a chance,

Just more executions for those who sing and dance

C:  Ooh ooh… those who sing and dance.

There’s blood upon the highway and in the market square,

Body parts are flying like matchsticks in the air.

But they’re all bound for paradise you hear the mad men’s chants,

But I don’t see no virgins queuing up to dance.

Can’t you hear the birdies? The whistling on the wind?

Every one of God’s creatures sometimes has to sing.

And it ain’t for the money, the fortune or the fame,

Just for joy of living – and to cry, ‘let freedom reign’.

There’s death and destitution among the refugees,

Fleeing from the conflict upon their hands and knees.

Their homeland’s turned to rubble in the worst of circumstance,

Let’s hope that one of these days they may sing and dance.