...The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s All forms of Black music, from jazz to rock and roll, played an important part in the Civil Rights Movement. The songs were sung for multiple purposes and played a critical role in inspiring, activating, and giving voice to the people involved. The evolution of music during the early 1950’s and 1960’s in the Black freedom struggle reflects the evolution of the Civil Rights Movement itself. The progressive thought of the 1950s nurtured new ideas and cultures including the Civil Rights Movement and the fast spread of rock and roll. One such cultural revival occurred after the end of World War II during a time of change, prosperity and restoration. The “Puritan dicta” outlined by Baldwin represents the American ideology before the Second World War. As the first settlers of this nation, the Puritans set the mold for many common American ideologies. In the Puritan view white represented good and black represented evil, including Africans and their culture. After the war, Baldwin states that the former puritanical views of whites will be challenged. Musicians such as Elvis Presley were the first to issue this challenge to white society. Early rockers like Elvis would pave the way for social commentary in music that would add much fire to the Civil Rights Movement. To fully understand the explosion of popularity of Black music in the years following World War II, one must understand the social conditions in which Blacks and Whites lived in...
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...Sex and drugs and rock and roll Hypothesis: the 1960’s were the most influential decade when popular culture changed the world Of the many significant events in the 20th century, the two world wars, the cold war and Vietnam, space exploration and the dramatic impacts of automation and technology on everyday life, culminating with the popularity of personal computers and the birth of the internet towards the end of the millennium, arguably no other decade had as significant an impact on popular culture as did the 1960’s. What we witness is a transition from a conformist society at the start of the decade to a counter-culture of anti-war protests, pushes towards racial and sexual equality, free love and drug influences like never before. As...
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...Influence of Music Paper The different types of music genres have helped shape American culture and society and its social behavior of Americans. As time moves on and cultures change, so does the music and what it stands for. Music may sound and be different around the world, but its most common purpose it’s to bring individuals together. It seems that music, more than anything else, ties people together and tears them apart. Each culture around the world has caused music in general to evolve uniquely to each society. As society changes and grows, so will our music and what we believe in. Music has given American culture its values, the way that jazz, blues, and R&B created rock & roll, music created American culture that naturally has an influence on other cultures. It is an argument of whether music affects society or if society is reflected through music towards social behavior. It can also be said that any one type of music can influence society. For instance, a society can become more modernized such as individuals expanding their methods of playing musical instruments. Or as technology becomes more advanced with the digital era, individuals can listen to music on MP3 players, Ipads, cell phones or radio’s anywhere and anytime becoming more convenient. In today’s society, people have the right to choose what they want to listen to. This includes wide variety of styles or to even focus on one genre, depending on the musical qualities that appeal to them. Media, such as radio...
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...movements and political events influenced the culture through music. There were also several genres and artists that contributed to the influence of culture. During the 1960s, the music played a major role in shaping the culture. The music echoed the events and movements that were happening in society. Prior to 1963, the music reflected the sounds, styles and attitudes of the previous decade. Music of the 1960s magnified the rebellion and standing up to the emerging cultural changes. The music about protest relayed messages that everyone could and would to sing along to. Through the multiple events during the sixties the music and the American culture mood began to change. Current events in America also played a role in how music influenced American culture. The British Invasion, the Civil Rights Movement, and the escalation of the Vietnam War were major events that impacted the music. The British Invasion occurred when an explosion of British artists took the United States music scene by storm in the mid 1960s. Kenneth Olwig wrote an article titled, “The ‘British invasion’,” and summarizes, “The British Invaders that were listened to, were inspired by and faithfully played a great diversity of American Music, but a subtle change occurred in its context” (176). This shift led American musicians to the realization that their music had influences worldwide. Not only did the British Invasion play a role in the influence of music, but so did the Civil Rights Movement. An article...
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...provided many styles, which highlighted the talent and innovation of African American music including Ragtime and Dixieland. Ragtime also contributed to the movement of African Americans to march against racism. Dixieland was a form that made a mockery of how Caucasian people danced. Soul is the movement of power to African Americans, all of which reflected what was going on in history during that time. For traditional jazz to be played in the present time would have no meaning to the people playing it. For instance, a young jazz musician playing Charles Mingus' song "Fables of Faubus" (which was about the wrong doings of governor Faubus) would have no meaning to the musician because he/she never lived that era. As for new, recent music, the artist plays what he/she feels in respect to the present. For instance, Herbie Hancock's new album came out about a month ago called "Possibilities". This album was called his "all-star project" (Downbeat; Pg 38) because it featured new artists like John Mayer, Christina Aguilera, and Paul Simon. The album depicts a movement of music in how a new form of jazz, soul, and pop our recent era has developed. The decade of the 1960’s, also known as "The Sixties", are known for it’s popular culture and revolution in social norms about clothing, music, drugs, dress, formalities and schooling. Conservatives refer to...
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...History of Rock and Roll Who invented rock and roll? Well, the answer is nobody. Rock music is the innovation and evolution of many different types of music from a wide variety of groups of people. No one planned rock and roll, and it took over a great deal of American culture and revolutionized popular music. Rock and roll was influenced by African American music as well as white American styles. Since the introduction of minstrel shows in America in 1840, people have created and developed many other kinds of music. Mostly originated from African Americans, swing, blues, and jazz music was an early beginning to rock music. Many musical qualities were brought with African slaves into America. Some of the qualities include improvisation, “call and response” singing, and a dynamic rhythm. They created spiritual music and blues, which later evolved into what we know today as gospel music and “rhythm and blues.” White American music is based on of folk-style songs, mostly ballads in small bands of musical instruments. At the start of the 20th century, these folk style songs became referred to as hillbilly music. The transition to country-western music began with singers like Jimmie Rodgers and Gene Autry. After World War II, soldiers returning home wanted to feel at home again. This started the era of playing music on the radio, with programs such as Grand Ole Opry, which still runs today. This genre of music used guitars, Hawaiian guitar and drums on occasion to create a new...
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...still considered one of the greatest songs in U.S. history. Additionally, the Eagles’ song “Hotel California”, released in 1976, also exemplifies American culture during the turbulent decade of the 70s. “American Pie” is, for lack of a better word, a long song, with a run time of over eight minutes. The song consists of seven verses, as well as a chorus which is repeated seven times. The song begins with McLean’s voice over a piano. When the opening verse ends, the piano becomes less relevant in the song, and an acoustic guitar becomes the predominant instrument. The song employs a standard AABA structure, alternating between choruses and verses, except at the end, when the chorus is repeated, with the second iteration acting as the coda. Like most popular songs of the 70s, The Eagles’ rock epic “Hotel California” is written in a verse/chorus format. It contains four verses, two iterations of the chorus, a coda, and a lengthy guitar solo to end the song. The standard Eagles’ instrumental setup for the song includes drummer Don Henley singing, as well as playing the drums. Joe Walsh, Don Felder, and Glen Frey play guitars, and bassist Randy Meisner plays the bass. All four offer backup vocals during the chorus. It is safe to say that both songs are considered “legendary” rock songs, as they are still very popular today. “American Pie” tells the story of the U.S. in the 1960s, starting on the “day the music died”, referring to the 1959 plane crash that killed musical...
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...a ‘G Clef’. The Good Rats’ 1981 album, Great American Music, featured this painting by Pasqual D'Angelo as its album cover. The band’s name, prominently displayed across the top in bulky, stenciled letters, gives this image a militaristic appearance, a characteristic that can have different meanings to different audiences. To many Americans, the military represents the unification of American strength and spirit to better defend its freedom. To others, the military is viewed as the oppressive arm of the Americans’ will to dominate and conquer. Could this be a depiction of American military dominance and cultural imperialism? Or is it a testament to the unifying power of music – crossing racial and ethnic barriers to bind people of all cultures under one flag? Throughout this paper we will examine the painting, the band and the history behind it all to discover the message intended for us. The parallels between this image and the photo it emulates are made evident, not just by its stenciled letters, or even the soldiers themselves – but the painting’s background and overlay. Consisting of a faded, yellowish tint, the painting closely resembles the original photo of Iwo Jima. Yet, while the fading is nearly identical to that of the original photo, the yellow tinting is something more common amongst all historical photographs. This imagery may have been used to equate the painting to not just the flag-raising at Iwo Jima or even historical photographs in general – but, more specifically...
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...Through out history the world has seen some generations that have made an impact more than all of its predecessors. The decade from 1960 to 1970 was definitely one of those eras. The people didn't follow the teachings of its elders, but rejected them for an alternative culture, which was their very own (MacFarlane124). Made up of the younger population of the time this new culture was such a radical society that they were given their own name, which is still used today. They came to be called the Hippies. The Hippie movement started in San Francisco, California and spread across the United States, through Canada, and into parts of Europe (Hippie). But it had its greatest influence in America. During the 1960's a radical group called the Hippies shocked America with their alternative lifestyle and radical beliefs. Hippies came from many different places and had many different backgrounds. All Hippies were young, from the ages of 15 to 25 (Hippie). They left their families and did it for many different reasons. Some rejected their parents' ideas, some just wanted to get away, and others simply were outcasts, who could only fit in with the Hippie population. Fewer than twenty-five became a magical age. Young people all over the world were united by this bond (MacFarlane, 71). This bond was of Non-conformity and it was the Creed of the Young (MacFarlane, 75). Most Hippies came from wealthy middle class families. Some people said that they were spoiled and wasting their lives...
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...Music Notes: Midterm One Introduction Studying Rock: * Fan mentality: reject other forms of music * Gold Records: 500,000 copies * Platinum Records: 1 million copies Themes: * Social, political, and cultural issues * Issues of race, class, and gender * The development of the music business * The development of technology The Popularity Arc: * Mainstream popularity is the ‘peak’ * Genres tend to develop underground and aren’t written about historically during these years (subcultures) Musical Form: * The way different sections in a song are organized Rhythm: the way music sounds are organized in time; beat is the pulse Meter: organization of rhythm and beats into music * Simple; one & two & three (2 parts) * Compound; one & uh two & uh three (3 parts) * Duple (2 beats per measure) * Triple (3 beats per measure) * Quadruple (4 beats per measure) Timbre (colour): voice is: warm, smooth, rich * Chest voice, falsetto, crooner (male who sings with background jazz music) The 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s * Upheaval in politics, reflected in music * Baby boomers Chapter 1: Roots to 1955 Before Rock and Roll (Main stream music, rhythm and blues, country & western) Part 1: The World of Mainstream Pop Leading up to 1955 National vs. Regional Changes * Emergence of technology took music from a regional scope to a national level * Radio (1920’s) directed at white middle class ...
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...cover almost every major artist who participated in or influenced the rise of the genre. However, due to time constraints and personal preferences, every artist cannot be given the credit they deserve in the proper way—at least not all in one semester! That is okay, though. In this paper I plan on introducing an artist whose career and influence on the creation of the rock n’ roll era both was tremendous in his own right. Sam Cooke was a revolutionary artist who in some instances set the precedent for many artists and movements that followed. His music, singing, and performance helped solidify Cooke as one of the all-time greats. As a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame charter member, the need for his presence on the syllabus and in this class is irrefutable. Born in Chicago, Illinois, on January 22, 1931, to the Reverend and Mrs. Charles Cook, Sr., Sam Cooke was one of eight Cook children. This son of a Baptist preacher and sibling to four brothers and three sisters was born into a lifestyle conducive to a musical career. The large family and church background provided for the perfect set-up for a gospel family group. That’s just what they did—together forming “The Singing Children”. (Wolff). Cooke’s musical talents and interests continued to thrive in the ensuing years as he moved from one musical group to another, working to make a name for himself and for the African-American community in music. His music often reflected the troubling times in our nation—and his words...
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...Do what you wanna do! “It’s your thing, do what you want to do! It is Crazy how this quote could truly describe the 1965-1975 era in so many ways. Around this time many things were happening like African American trying to earn true inequality in civil rights movements, free spirited hippie era and the closing of the Vietnam War. Many of those events that happened in that decade has been prolific in are day in age now and the strides in development in our country today. The cultural arts in this time period were creative but also very powerful. The way they dressed, and music that was listened to reflects to who they were and what they represent and allowed them to express themselves. . The 1960’s was a major part of American history in so...
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...Max Ames AP US History Ms. Rizzo June 4, 2010 The Beatles: How Four British Lads Shaped America A musical group of four young British Liverpool natives arrived in the United States in the 1960s to begin their long career of shaping American culture; they were the Beatles. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, like the many predecessors before them who had come from Britain such as Thomas Paine and Andrew Carnegie, became an integral part of the history of the United States, even though they were not true American-born citizens. Beginning with their momentous arrival in the United States in 1964, the Beatles greatly influenced American culture in the 1960s, and left an enduring legacy. The Beatles’ appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, controversy with Christianity in 1966, precedents and influences in music, impact and development of the album as an art form, creation of a variety of movies, and influences in the counterculture as well as the pop culture helped to make American culture what it is today. On February 7, 1964, the Beatles landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, where a crowd of thousands of fans and reporters were waiting. There was such pandemonium, chaos, and screaming that, “One policeman who has worked at the airport for ten years said: ‘I think the world has gone mad.’” Two days after their frenzied arrival, the Beatles made a famous appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. “The broadcast broke all viewing records...
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...Classification Influence References Origin Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States around the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads. The blues form, ubiquitous in jazz, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll is characterized by specific chord progressions, of which the twelve-bar blues chord progression is the most common. The blue notes that, for expressive purposes are sung or played flattened or gradually bent (minor 3rd to major 3rd) in relation to the pitch of the major scale, are also an important part of the sound. The origin of the term of was most likely derived from mysticism involving blue indigo, which was used by many West African cultures in death and mourning ceremonies where all the mourner's garments would have been dyed blue to indicate suffering. Blues has evolved from the unaccompanied vocal music and oral traditions of slaves imported from West Africa and rural blacks into a wide variety of styles and subgenres, with regional variations across the United States. The musical forms and styles that are now considered the "blues" as well as modern "country music" arose in the same regions during the 19th century in the southern United States. Recorded blues and country can be found from as far back as the 1920s, when the popular record industry...
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...Annotated Bibliography Books: 1. Awkward, Michael. Soul Covers: Rhythm and Blues Remakes and the Struggle for Artistic Identity : (Aretha Franklin, Al Green, Phoebe Snow). Durham: Duke UP, 2007. Print. a. Soul Covers is an engaging look at how three very different rhythm and blues performers—Aretha Franklin, Al Green, and Phoebe Snow—used cover songs to negotiate questions of artistic, racial, and personal authenticity 2. Bego, Mark. Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul. New York, NY: Skyhorse Pub., 2012. Print. a. Traces the life of Aretha Franklin from deserted child to teenage mother to Grammy winner to inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. 3. Bogdanov, Vladimir. All Music Guide to Soul: The Definitive Guide to R&B and Soul. San Francisco, CA: Backbeat, 2003. Print. a. This is a complete guide to the uniquely American world of the blues. The roots of the blues can be found in the turn-of-the-century Mississippi Delta, but today its reach extends into all kinds of music including rock, jazz, country, soul, and more. 4. Brown, Ruth, and Andrew Yule. Miss Rhythm: The Autobiography of Ruth Brown, Rhythm and Blues Legend. New York: D.I. Fine, 1996. Print. a. Tony Award winner Ruth Brown is a rhythm-and-blues revolutionary, a woman whose early successes earned her instant worldwide fame and launched a career that has influenced such legendary performers as Aretha Franklin, Dinah Washington, Little Richard and Stevie Wonder. This candid autobiography offers the true...
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