Jacques Coetzee

15911446

History 318,

YOU SAY YOU WANT A

Professor Sandra
[Swart.

REVOLUTION? ]
Topic 2:” John Orman noted that “Rock music reflects society” and Clive Davis said
music is “a footnote to the events within society.” Discuss how developments in the music
world both influenced and were influenced by socio-political developments in the 1960s.”
Contents

1. Short Introduction..........................................................................................................................2
2. A Brief and Relevant History of Music.........................................................................................2
3. The Civil Rights Movement..........................................................................................................4
4. Significant Characters and Genres.................................................................................................5
4.1 Folk Music and Bob Dylan........................................................................................................5
4.2 Rock Music and the Beatles.......................................................................................................5
5. Lennon versus Lenin.....................................................................................................................6
6. Psychedelics: The Hippies and the ‘Yippies’.................................................................................7
7. Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................8
Bibliography........................................................................................................................................10

1
 1. Short Introduction

The effects of music, reflecting the socio-political values, can be traced back through many
different eras in the development of music. The history of blues music can be traced back to
African- American slavery in the 1800s. This genre evolved into rock & roll which could be
seen as the pinnacle of the 1960’s movements. Out of Rock & Roll, with the emergence of
bands like Pink Floyd, a sub-genre was created; psychedelic rock. All of these genres reflect
the significant social changes of their specific periods. Words like oppression, rebellion and
revolution play important themes throughout this essay. When looking at how the music of
the time reflects the social circumstances it is important to look at the manifestations thereof
and how those came to be. Why it was popular and successful is relevant to its conditions.
The conditions are relevant, vis-à-vis, as what emotions and ideas drove musicians to inspire
millions thus reflecting the social-political aspects of life. Looking at artists ranging from the
Deep South like Mahalia Jackson and her involvement in the Civil Rights Movement, to
Elvis Presley in his involvement in bringing ‘African- American music’ to the mainstream
and artists like the Beatles and Bob Dylan challenging American conservatism a detailed
overview of each would be the key points in understanding music and its relationship with
socio-political developments.

2. A Brief and Relevant History of Music

The 1960s was a time of “…contestation, activism, experimentation, energy…”1 which could
manifest itself in all spheres of life whether it be cultural or political- it goes hand in hand. As
quoted from FM radio DJ Dave Hermann when referring to music’s impact of the sixties:

“If music hadn’t happened, nothing would be happening […] The mode of the music
changed; it changed in the 1950s, and the walls of the city are shaking. And there
would be no women’s lib; there would be no Panthers, no Lords, no civil rights
movement – no nothing – if we were still listening to Patti Page records.” 2

1
C Grunenberg and J Harris, eds. Summer of Love: Psychedelic Art, Social Crisis and the Counterculture in the
1960s (Liverpool University Press: 2005), 35-62.
2
Ibid.

2
 KMPX, a radio station in San Francisco was the first FM station that played psychedelic
rock in 1967 featuring groups like the Beatles, Rolling Stones, the Doors and Jefferson
Airplane.3 These groups were considered as part of the hippie counterculture which only
consisted of 0.1 % of the American population. The group was small but as McKay notes “its
soundtrack was appealing, fashionable and very popular.” 4 It is relevant how through radio,
concert and media minority artists can have an influence on many. By tracing back the steps
of the musical influences of the sixties one could better understand the social circumstances
and its meanings.

During the 19th century, the Deep South gave birth to hundreds of influential blues musicians
who helped to shape the music. The legacy of the blues pioneers can still be heard in 1920s
and the 1930s recordings from Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia and other Southern states. 5
Initially, blues music was associated with the African- American slaves as it originated out of
the folk lore of the time. Many of the earliest blues musicians included the blues into a wider
range that included traditional folk songs, vaudeville music, and minstrel songs. 6 During this
period blues, jazz and soul music were associated with the African-Americans and not the
white community.

Until artists like Elvis Presley used elements of blues and folk music in a successful attempt
in bringing ‘black music’ to the mainstream white audiences. As noted by Lung “in the still
heavily segregated American society, it wasn't acceptable to listen to Black influenced music,
but with the emergence of Elvis, a White male, it allowed a large scope of audience to enjoy
this genre of music openly.”7 Rock & Roll was born, contrasting the “air conditioned
nightmare; the boring and conservative” social structures and values of the time. Songs made
famous by Elvis like If I Can Dream inspired the young population and was also notable for
its direct quotations of Martin Luther King Jr. The Song was recorded in June 1968 two
months after the assassination of King.8 Elvis is seen by many as the King of Rock & Roll,
though it was mainly groups such as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones who perfected the
3
C Grunenberg and J Harris, eds. Summer of Love: Psychedelic Art, Social Crisis and the Counterculture in the
1960s (Liverpool University Press: 2005), 35-62.
4
Ibid.
5
“A Brief History of the Blues.” Last modified August 16, 2005, http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?
id=18724
6
Ibid.
7
“American Politics & Pop Culture: 05. Elvis, the Beatles, & Dylan Archives” Last modified March 2, 2008,
http://blog.lib.umn.edu/arrig002/politicsandpopculture/05_elvis_the_beatles_dylan/
8
“ASCAP ACE”, http://www.ascap.com/ace/search.cfm?
requesttimeout=300&mode=results&searchstr=390231515&search_in=i&search_type=exact&search_det=t,s,
w,p,b,v&results_pp=30&start=1

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genre. The transition from ‘African- American music’ to ‘white people’s music’ is worth
noting because of the segregated racial structure of the time. The segregation of jazz cafés
became a significant issue and the ‘organizing’ and uniting aspects that this music brought to
the Civil Rights Movement could be seen as the roots of what will become active protest in
the form of protest marches and rallies.

3. The Civil Rights Movement

Musicians like Mahalia Jackson became icons for the African-American community’s strife
for civil rights. Mahalia Jackson was a world renowned passionate gospel singer. She used
gospel music as a tool to inspire hope. She is quoted saying that “blues are the songs of
despair”9 and "Gospel songs are the songs of hope. When you sing gospel you have the
feeling there is a cure for what's wrong, but when you are through with the blues, you've got
nothing to rest on."10 This transition of inspiring hope rather than succumbing to the
oppressor and “wallow in despair” is a distinctive example in showing how music and its
genres change according to social change and vice versa. Jackson is most famous for her
involvement in the Civil Rights Movement as she was chosen to sing during the Washington
Rally in March 1963. “I been 'buked and I been scorned/ I'm gonna tell my Lord/ When I get
home/ Just how long you've been treating me wrong,"11 she sang to more than 200,000 people
as a preface to Martin Luther King Junior’s "I've got a dream" speech. 12 Her lyrics inspired
the transition from oppression to achieving equal and fair rights. Soul music became the
driving tool used by black artist who fought for equality. Songs by Aretha Franklin, Curtis
Mayfield and James Brown expressed the sentiments of the times.13 When morale was down
songs like Curtis Mayfield’s “We are winners” and James Brown’s “Say it loud, I’m black
and I’m proud” provided support to the downtrodden black youth. Aretha Franklin’s song
“Freedom” was written after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968. It inspired
the world to “think about what you are trying to do to me, think, let your mind go and let
yourself be free, ooh freedom, freedom, I said freedom”.14

9
“New York Times, On This Day Obituary”, last modified January 28, 1972,
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/1026.html
10
Ibid.
11
Ibid.
12
Ibid.
13
D. P. Szatmary. A Time of Rock: A social History of Rock and Roll. (New York: Schimer Books: 1996), 62-63
14
Ibid.

4
 4. Significant Characters and Genres

4.1 Folk Music and Bob Dylan

Another root of rock music ‘borrowed’ by African-American’s is folk music. It lays emphasis
on the character of society and focuses more on lyrics which translates issues of the time
whether it be personal, political or philosophical. Bob Dylan's song "Political World"
illustrates these issues by saying that “we live in a political world, Wisdom is thrown into jail,
It rots in a cell, is misguided as hell.” Folk songs such as these encouraged listeners to start
questioning the politics that ruled their lives. 15 Given the common principal that governs
mainstream music, the popularity reached many people, especially the young that were
previously not interested in questioning authority or any other ideas that preside over or affect
their lives. Issues and concerns were raised through music, whether it be the lyrics, the energy
or the mere innovative features that drives its success. Also, songs such as Blowin in the wind
by Bob Dylan began ‘opening up the minds’ of the youth referring to the social problems
facing America such as the civil rights movement and the war in Vietnam.16

4.2 Rock Music and the Beatles

Rock music is mostly characterized by its energy and its rebellious attitude. Another attack
on American conservatism was Elvis's controversial movement “which was broadcasted on
television brought sexuality in the open, which was considered as taboo.” 17 It was not until
The Beatles came and brought in European views that challenged the Christian and
conservative America that conservative society became aware of its challenged views. 18 The
Beatles was “overtly political” during the peak of their popularity except for the one incident
where they refused to accept “their knighthood because of the Crown’s support for America’s
war on Vietnam.”19 This rejection was part of the group’s objection towards the Crown’s
support for America’s war on Vietnam. Another controversy that the Beatles created was
when John Lennon, during an interview, said: “Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink.

15
“Impact of Music in the 1960s” last modified March 9, 2009,
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1526392/impact_of_music_in_the_1960s_pg2.html?cat=9
16
Ibid.
17
American Politics & Pop Culture: 05. Elvis, the Beatles, & Dylan Archives” Last modified March 2, 2008,
http://blog.lib.umn.edu/arrig002/politicsandpopculture/05_elvis_the_beatles_dylan/
18
Ibid.
19
“Counter Punch”, last modified February 10, 2004, http://www.counterpunch.org/jacobs02102004.html

5
I needn't argue about that: I'm right, and I will be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus
Christ now; I don't know which will go first—rock 'n' roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right,
but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It's them twisting it that ruins it for me." 20 This
statement obviously resulted in an outrage among conservative Christians and almost ruined
the groups ‘charming and innocent appearance’. John Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono,
became increasingly active in upholding humanitarian values of peace as a sign of protest
against government policy-making. Instances like the 14 day bed sit-in were a means of
peaceful protest and attracted a lot of media attention. Or the billboard they created saying in
big bold letters “The War is Over”21 followed by a footnote stating “if you want it to be...”
resulted in journalists attacking Lennon’s values and his means.22

With the release of the Beatles hit titled “Revolution” Lennon admitted saying that it was a
“reaction to the mindless violence of the year- the shooting of Kennedy and King, Tet, the
riots in Chicago and Paris, and the increasing fondness among youths for Maoist tactics.” He
also clearly stated: “Don’t expect me to be on the barricades unless it’s with flowers.” In
Britain, however, Mick Jagger took a totally different approach to the ‘revolutionary values’.
He “joined the crowd outside Governor Square and took delight in throwing stones. He went
home, wrote “Street-Fighting Man,” and made millions off the revolution.” 23 Many different
motives for taking part in the ‘revolution’ can be identified, whether it be to simply act
according to how your fans wanted you to and making millions off it or simply because of a
genuine aspiration for change and a emotional and social frustration for post hoc
establishment.24

5. Lennon versus Lenin

The influence of the Beatles stretched further than the Western boundaries and made its way
to the other side of the world. Some theorists argue how the Beatles ‘destroyed communism’.
The Beatles not merely referring to the group but the ideas they stood for and the significant
aspects of which they characterized in the Cultural Revolution. Some Beatles’ fans of the
20
“Rock ‘n’ Roll: According to John- TIME”, last modified August 12 1966,
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,842611,00.html#ixzz1IruAMOJp
21
“Rock ‘n’ Roll: According to John- TIME”, last modified August 12 1966,
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,842611,00.html#ixzz1IruAMOJp
22
Ibid.
23
DeGroot G.J. The Sixties unplugged: A Kaleidoscopic History of a Disorderly Decade (Cambridge: Harvard
University Press: 2008), 362-363
24
Ibid.

6
U.S.S.R. “...identified more with John Lennon than Vladimir Lenin—began calling
themselves followers of Lennonism.”25 During the reign of the Soviet Union news and myths
made their way through cracks of the Berlin Wall "They were considered the big capitalist
threat during the Cold War,"26 As Russian cultural commentator Artemy Troitsky says: "The
Beatles turned tens of millions of Soviet youngsters to another religion." 27 The famous
Beatles’ song “Back in the USSR” is a tribute to Chuck Berry's "Back in the U.S.A.” and
inspired many citizens of the communist regime. As quoted by a Beatles fan "I fell in love
with the Beatles 40 years ago. They became my friends, my spiritual brothers." The group
really served as an emotional outlet that could not be expressed politically. 28 Although it was
not the individual members of the Beatles that influenced communist social life but rather
what they represented and contrasted. The impact of Western music on citizens of the
U.S.S.R. gave people hope for change and served as an outlet.

6. Psychedelics: The Hippies and the ‘Yippies’

For reasons such as the Vietnam War, the conservative ideals of the 1950s, assassinations of
great leaders (Kennedy, King, Malcolm X) and merely a need for change; for the sake of it,
the culture-revolution took its toll, bringing thousands of ‘Baby-Boomers’ together mostly
gathering at what is referred to as ‘happenings’ which took many forms that included rock
concerts and weekend festivals29. LSD became increasingly popular in the ‘social
experiment’. For some acid was “the personal tool for social revolution, for others it was the
path to personal enlightenment.”30 Starting off in the U.S. and eventually reaching Britain and
France, among many other countries in the world. Together with the ‘anti-establishment’
ideas and peace and freedom came experimentation whether it be socially or spiritually. As
noted by McKay “within the youthful counterculture, new socio-cultural gatherings were
used to foster movement identity.” The striving and search for change took on many forms
“angled variously towards hedonistic experience or lifestyle choice, political statement or
avant-garde expression, though again with significant blurring and merging.”31 A mixture of
psychedelic drugs and experimentation, folk and blues rock gave birth to psychedelic rock
25
“Lennon vs Lenin”, last modified July 10, 2010, http://www.bohemianink.net/?p=610
26
“Beatles Influence on Russia”, last modified November 17, 2010, http://beatles.ncf.ca/deachman.html
27
Ibid.
28
“How the Beatles Destroyed the Soviet Union- MarketTicker Forum”, last modified September 6, 2009,
http://tickerforum.org/cgi-ticker/akcs-www?post=109739
29
Ibid.
30
C Grunenberg and J Harris, eds. Summer of Love: Psychedelic Art, Social Crisis and the Counterculture in the
1960s (Liverpool University Press: 2005), 35-62

7
music. Needless say the experimentation of the Beatles, both spiritually and musically, was
reflected in their music and became prominent in their song “Strawberry Fields”.

Out of this counter-culture yippies originated and figures like Abbie Hoffman took the
leadership role. Hoffman defines a yippie as being “a political hippie. A flower child who’s
been busted. Yet the yippie political agenda included a blank demand with words, ‘you can
fill in what you want.”32 This idea of a yippie in contrast to the passive hippie became
increasingly popular and could be seen as John Lennon’s approach to protest in contrast with
that of Mick Jagger as discussed above; the peaceful means of demonstrating for the sake of
peace against the active revolt ‘necessary in bringing about a revolution’. It questions the
lines between the cultural forms and audience expectations, between participants and
observers and the ‘posers’ and the ‘genuine activists.’ 1969, the “counter-culuture’s great
white Bacchanalia- Woodstock saw the African-American guitarist and ex-military
serviceman Jimi Hendrix playing his distorted, defamiliarized version of ‘The Star-Spangled
Banner’. This is described by some as being “the most complex and powerful work of
American art to deal with the Vietnam War and its effects on successive generations and
American psyche.”33 An African-American, who had served in the military, inspired millions
of people weather it be African-American, hippie, ex-veterans and music lovers, even today,
Hendrix achieved a lot. Dying of a suspected overdose at the age of 27, he is remembered as
being a product of the sixties and remains a symbol of inspiration to this day.

7. Conclusion

Music is used as an expression which can be shared and connects people. It defines identity
and it reflects the conditions of the time. Throughout the development of music, the
development of social expression has evolved. From jazz being used as a tool to fuel and
unite African-Americans, gospel-singer, Jackson using her music to inspire people, to rock
and folk music being used as tools of communicating to the masses; articulating emotion and
ideas rather than the “tainted media” being concerned with issues of authority and freedom.
Also, as noted, the emergence of psychedelic rock in the late sixties reflected the social
31
C Grunenberg and J Harris, eds. Summer of Love: Psychedelic Art, Social Crisis and the Counterculture in the
1960s (Liverpool University Press: 2005), 35-62
32
Ibid.
33
C Grunenberg and J Harris, eds. Summer of Love: Psychedelic Art, Social Crisis and the Counterculture in the
1960s (Liverpool University Press: 2005), 35-62

8
divide of the time between active and passive means of protest and the dangers of freedom
without comprehensive responsibility as the excessive use of LSD and other drugs begun to
influence various people leading to destructive consequences. Music was, among other things
used as a means in itself as the impact of the Cultural Revolution was witnessed in countries
such as the U.S.S.R. where songs of the Beatles were listened to reflecting the need, or rather,
the curiosity of the Western world and served as a beacon of hope.

9
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10
Time, Rock ‘n’ Roll: According to John, last modified August 12 1966,
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,842611,00.html#ixzz1IruAMOJp
(Accessed on April 7, 2011)

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