It starts a while before Clintons presidency, in the 1990s. It tells of how ideals of previous generations were collapsing and the incoming decade was one of progression and renewal. Although they often take a comedic outlook and refer to it as the decade of hippies the time period was very important to civil rights activists. It is very much like the present America that we know live it. Gil Troy makes the changing tides very clear, although the constant repetition can sometimes become unbearable.…
This and the use of incorrect grammer, so common to rebellious teenagers, helps portray the message of the song, which is that today’s youth are prisoners of the older generations society, which alienate the younger generation and instead of looking for support and comfort, they thrive to rebel against these rules and law enforcement bodies, with the institution of society having no effect on the younger generation as they don’t comply and don’t want to reform. This creates the younger generations culture, arguing they are their own society.…
What makes this album so very innovative, is the way Dylan combined a driving blues-based style of music with a subtle touch of poetry in his lyrics, something as we know, Dylan was widely acclaimed for. The album’s critical appeal is mainly down to Bob’s skillful use of imagery in his lyrics created through metaphors, stories etc. Dylan uses the way of painting images to successfully communicate a story to the…
Bob Dylan had a different style to most of his songs. In his civil rights songs he obviously writes about civil rights issues affecting mainly America of that time. In this songs the thing he is mainly singing/ protesting about is civil rights. He said in an interview that he wanted to make an anthem of change for civil rights. Some different ideas presented in the poem would include: changing times, unity of people and asking for change.…
He tries to show that the American culture was coming to an end and a new culture was taking over. People had a new mentality in which they argued with political aspects. In 1970 when “Chicago Seven attorney William Kunstler gave a speech at the University of California, Santa Barbara, following which protesters set fire to the Bank of America”. Prior to the 1970’s, the old American culture was not as violent as the new counter culture. They did not express their opinions like the counterculture did. Woodstock was kind of like a goodbye to the 1960’s American culture, and a hello to a new one. After the concert, “hair styles were longer, entertainment promoters realized the fruitful market for rock concert… movements such as Black panthers and the Symbionese Liberation Army became more prominent”. This is an example of how society was changing because of the ideas influenced by Woodstock. Woodstock was a symbol of peace and it influenced the Black Panthers getting more attention and the end of the Vietnam War. Chris Mullins shows that Woodstock was not only a symbol of peace and new ideas, but it was a farewell to the American Culture and an experiment of a new…
One of Snarky Puppy’s primary influences is James Brown. Nicknamed “The Godfather of Soul”, Brown’s career spanned six decades and had 16 Billboard #1 hit songs. James Brown was also a key figure in the development of several musical genres, including funk and R&B. Snarky Puppy has credited James Brown as a key influence in their work, and it’s easy to see why. James Brown was known for his funk groove, utilizing out-of-the-box guitar licks and horn sections to create a unique timbre, and Snarky Puppy has used that technique with great success. A Snarky Puppy song that shows a clear James Brown influence is the song “Atchafalaya”, off of their 2015 album “Sylva”. In this song, horns play the melody and countermelody throughout and the guitar…
America is the land of the free but lately it doesn’t seem like it. With all the police brutality and the rasict comments by the President of The United States and his followers. In a poem written by Langston Hughes called “ Let America be America Again” it talks about how America is not free for everyone. So Langston Hughes poem relates to modern America because people are still judged by skin color, social class and people would do anything for money. Today people are still doing what ever it takes to make money.…
Michael Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana on 1958, and it wasn’t short after that that he would hop onto the fast track to a life chock-full of success, happiness, turbulence, and controversy. At the extremely early age of five, Michael became the lead singer of the legendary Jackson 5, a group consisting entirely of his family members. With being as young as he was, Michael’s vocal work was amazing and he was able to showcase emotions very well. The Jackson 5 was eventually signed under Motown and the Motown music style can be seen as an influence in some of Michael’s later songs. Despite Michael launching his extremely successful solo career at the age of 13, he still continued to work with his family in The Jacksons (renamed from the Jackson 5 after their departure from Motown) and his numerous hit songs helped the group’s popularity even more. It cannot be stressed enough the impact that Michael’s family had on his career. His father’s determination to train his sons and turn the…
In every era of American history, the population looks towards leaders of the free world and their politicians for much of the guidance and answers that they seek. But often times the lesser influences of “pop culture icons” are often overlooked. When the general masses idolized a single event, trend, or person so much, the latter can have an impact on social trends with enduring and meaningful significance. Often times a prominent musician, for example, has the power to sway the masses, and create social movements that encourage positive (or even sometimes negative) change that encompass a surrounding society. Through his Americana lyrics, and strong embrace of the American dream and spirit, Woody Guthrie has achieved a cultural and iconic status in the American landscape.…
The Harlem Renaissance(Negro Movement) was during 1919-1929 in Harlem, New York. It was a time when African-Americans where able to express themselves through the arts. African-Americans fled from the south to the north because of unfair treatment. This “culture explosion” let African-Americans share their culture through music, literature, and art. A key figure during this time period is Duke Ellington. Duke Ellington was born April 29, 1899, in Washington, D.C. He was a famous jazz composer that played an important role in jazz history. He composed many songs on stage and performed at many night clubs. During the Harlem Renaissance African expressed themselves for the first time and Ellington helped in the music area. “Ellington created a blend of melodies, rhythms, and subtle sonic movements it was a complex yet accessible jazz.” As Ellington was conveying his own culture he was putting his own twist on the music.” Ellington became famous in the 1940s for the songs Concerto for Cootie “ , “ Cotton Tail” , and “Ko-Ko”. He also toured Europe twice in the 1930s.” Duke Ellington was part of the Harlem Renaissance because he was a jazz composer and he became famous for his wonderful music he created. He showed others his customs and culture through music. He wasn’t the only one their were many other jazz players during the Harlem Renaissance that wanted to express themselves.…
The birth of jazz music is often accredited to African Americans but both black and white Americans are responsible for its immerse rise in popularity. It is present in black vocals, music-spirituals, work songs, field hollers, and the blues. Jazz united people across the world and had powerful meanings about their lives. Jazz music was completed with a trumpet, clarinet, trombone and section of drums. The music was created with passion inspired by people’s lives. Ragtime was a musical style emerged from St. Louis in the late 1890s. The swing was the new style for Jazz. Benny Goodman was the “king of swing.” and he was the first white bandleader to feature black and white musicians playing together in public. There were other different styles…
Merle Haggard was born on April 6, 1937, in Bakersfield, California. Merle was the son of a railroad worker, and he grew up in a box car with his family that they had made into their home. His father died in 1945, which forced his mother to leave Merle and his siblings for work. After these events happened, Haggard became a rebellious teen and had a criminal record. Around that same time, Merle became aware that he had a musical talent: he was teaching himself to play guitar. He had inherited it from his father who was a fiddle player and guitarist in his younger age. When Merle wasn’t in jail, he worked in the oil fields, and would play music when he got home. When Merle was 20, the year of 1958, he was in prison because of burglary…
Bob Dylan’s, ”The Times They Are A-Changin” is an anthem for the oppressed, down-trodden young people, while warning that oppressors and abusers will be victims of their own actions. In the beginning of the poem, Dylan speaks to everyone and talks of the change coming from young people who feel that laws from the government and mom and dad’s rules are smothering. He emphasizes “everyone” by using water to help the reader visualize how complete the wave of change will surround people. He then uses the water in a sink or swim analogy illustrating the direness of the situation.…
By 1982, rock had stayed strong through the thick and thin. Rock survived everything from the initial shock of the first rock stars in 1950, the fall of rock and roll on the day the music died, and through the onslaught of subgenre phases such as the psychedelic era, disco fever, and the emotional punk days. By the early 1980s things were looking really good for the rock and roll music industry. By this time rock was not seen as a revolution, and it was thought to be mainstream. This thought brought the new era of alternative rock music. With every new musical era there are certain bands and artist that make a huge impact on the music world and everyone around them. For the alternative era the biggest influences were U2, R.E.M., and Bruce Springsteen.…
As stated by Kurt Cobain,“I’d rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I am not” (Martin). Much to his dismay, people of his time idolized Cobain and treated him as a god of music. He popularized grunge culture and helped bring punk rock back into the social scene. Cobain defied standards set by society and welcomed people of all race, gender, and sexuality into his social circle during high school and his career. He adapted different dynamics into Nirvana’s music and allowed fans to connect with music that felt authentic, familiar, and relevant. Even more important, Cobain was a relatable person who helped millions of people through the same struggles he went through as an adolescent. Kurt Cobain is a positive powerful social leader…