Preview

Neil Young's Use Of 'Four Dead In Ohio'

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
554 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Neil Young's Use Of 'Four Dead In Ohio'
On May 4, 1970, four students at Kent State University in Ohio were killed, another student was paralyzed, and eight others were wounded as a result of the United States National Guard opening fire into a crowd of peaceful college war protestors. The four killed were Allison Krause (age 19), William Schroeder (age 19), Jeffrey Miller (age 20), and Sandra Scheuer (age 20). Immediately after this massacre, Neil Young, a war protestor himself, composed a song called “Ohio”, which later became an anthem known as “Four Dead in Ohio”. This song is a very simple one with a very clear message against the war in Vietnam, and against President Nixon. It was not surprising to find that because this was an anti-war song, it was banned from many radio

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Kent State Shooting Essay

    • 888 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Ohio National Guardsmen murdered four unarmed, protesting college students of the Vietnam war. According to Dr. Elaine Wellin, an eyewitness to the many events at Kent State leading up to and including May 4th 12:24 p.m., the…

    • 888 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The song is about man who famous for playing the trumpet out in Chicago. His number came up and he was drafted into the army. He was now using his trumpet to blow reveille. He was down because he couldn't jam, his captain understood and went out and got him a band. Now he keeps everyone jumping to his music. The song showed anyone could be drafted.…

    • 148 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    First of all, O’Brien had a problematic time when he is drafted. He, of course, did not want to go to war because he did not think it was right. He states himself that he “saw no unity of purpose, no consensus on matters of philosophy or history or law.” In the lyric it states a cliché, “Oh, can you see what I see” in line 16 which has a nostalgic and wistful tone. It relates to O’Brien because he sees and asks all these questions and wonders what exactly the war is since it does not seem to be helping for much anything. Even though he believes that it is wrong to go to war with Vietnam when conditions do not seem to be politically correct, O’Brien does not choose to speak up because he is still afraid of what people will say. Comparable to line 6 of the lyric which states a hyperbolic statement, “And every glance is killing me.” It fits with O’Brien yet again because he thinks that everyone is watching him, that if he makes a wrong move or, the main reason, does not go to war, he will be criticized; he will bring shame and disappointment to his family. O’Brien is mostly afraid of being a coward. Like in line 4 of the lyric, it says an idiom, “I’m staring down myself,” which means that he’s criticizing himself because everyone else is. If people were to assume that he was a weakling then he would start to believe it.…

    • 1065 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sam Houston state university students walk the campus, attend classes, and eat their daily meals in the same fashion any other student around the country would. A loud horn from a near red bricked fortress rings through the air but which for our campus is just a part of the daily routine. To the faculty and student the horn might as well not even be ringing, but for the new people it’s an ever present reminder of what or better yet whom is within the walls of our towns red fortress. Then again even today is no normal day the horn is replaced by the sound vociferous people protesting, and the sight of an anti-death penalty signs. Today is Wednesday August 12th and Texas will add another tally to the already lengthy list of inmates to receive…

    • 830 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Both of the songs had received significant result soon after they were released, the influences they had made were undeniable. Because of the Author’s unique identity as a veteran decedent, had made the song ‘Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)’ filled with patriotism colors. The song was mainly stating that the peaceful atmosphere of the United States has today was built on thousands of glorious martyrs to the cause of liberty. But now that the danger was coming down again, fellow Americans will show the wreckers again the consequences of messing with the wrong crowd. On the other hand, the song ‘Fortunate Son’ had gave an opposite point of view that the war’s purpose itself needed to be questioned, anger and sarcastic tone can be seen throughout the song. This essay will compare two songs ‘Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)’ by Toby Keith and ‘Fortunate Son’ by Creedence Clearwater Revival in the aspects of: historiography, metaphor used in wartime song,…

    • 1380 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    I believe that this is one of their most famous songs and is about one of the most decorated war heroes, when he came back from the war he became a big movie star, in the film Rambo 3 where he basically takes out half an army is actually quite close to what he actually did in the war, part of the poetry that he wrote was incorporated into the…

    • 896 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Vietnam Music Lyrics

    • 1217 Words
    • 5 Pages

    “War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing.” These are the lyrics from the 1969 smash hit titled “War.” Edwin Starr wrote this song in protest to the Vietnam War and it expressed many peoples’ feelings towards the war through a catchy melody. Music can have a profound impact on social politics, and can serve to connect people. Many of the songs written in the late 1960s captured the American public’s discontent with the war. Rock music and American social movements now go hand in hand, but it all started with the Vietnam War. During the war, Americans at home turned to music to express their discontent and used it as a form of protest.…

    • 1217 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    We Built This City

    • 1021 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Where other songs sought only to reach out to the listener on an emotional level, whether through love, or anger, or anything else, this song was written to be an earworm that would inspire a nationwide change in the way music is considered, from kid Johnny who listened to his records and cassette tapes, to the fat cats on the top of the music industry who were seeking out only what was popular, the quick fashion for their profits. Whether this was a cover up by critics, or simply just to subtle for many to pick up on, this is an attitude that needs to change due to the true depth and meaning of this very catchy…

    • 1021 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Citizen/Soldier

    • 622 Words
    • 3 Pages

    When we were assigned this essay, this particular song jumped out at me to write about because of a few reasons. First of all, I’m a very patriotic person. I have the utmost respect for each, every, and any individual who decides to risk their life in a foreign country in which they’ve never been to before, to protect people that they’ve never met before. I don’t respect any person who will disrespect the red, white, and blue that flies high and proud each day. The second reason that this song was one that jumped out at me was because I have numerous friends that have just recently made the decision to join in some branch of the National Guard. One of my best friends Oakley just recently shipped off to Georgia for his training camp,…

    • 622 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Born in the Usa

    • 792 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The song tries to show up the cultural diversity been faced by the people who had experienced Vietnam War. It is a tribute to Springsteen’s friends who were involved in the war. Some of them did not come back. These people tried to get fitted in Vietnam, but they found themselves unsuccessful. When they came back, they faced too much of hardships. The song's narrative traces the victims’ working-class origins, induction into the armed forces, and disaffected return back to the States. An anguished lyrical interlude is even more jolting, describing the fate of the writer’s brother (in some recordings or live shows, the word brother is replaced with buddy):…

    • 792 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Music Analysis

    • 1547 Words
    • 7 Pages

    “Violet Hill,” released in 2008 during the second term of President George W. Bush, is a protest against both war and the media’s failure to allow individuals to think for themselves. No particular war is explicitly addressed here; however the media is illustrated as modern, so the meaning can be applied toward the Iraq war. A large portion of this song contains implicit lyrics, which must be analyzed to determine possible implications. The way in which this song perceived is not directly affected by the lyrics, as the majority of the lyrics are implicit; this requires a more in-depth analysis of the lyrics in order for the perception of the song to be changed.…

    • 1547 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Animal Farm is an allegorical and dystopian novel by George Orwell, which was published in the year 1945. It is a story about farm animals who rebel against the farmer Mr. Jones, who treated them cruelly, they were spurred into rebellion by Major (an old boar) who gave a speech before he died as how the humans were parasites and why they should be defeated. Later on two pigs, Napoleon and Snowball lead the rebellion against the farmer and they consequently won as the farmer drove away, and they then formed a set of seven commandments for as a set of guided instructions for the running of the farm. Napoleon being power hungry spread false lies and started a propaganda in order to become the sole leader of the whole farm , by saying…

    • 609 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Poem and Song Evaluation

    • 2286 Words
    • 10 Pages

    Now we will take a step back to a specific time period, one of solemness and possibly a more hypocritical part of the 19th century. The wars in the Victorian era , produced its fair share of casualties, in contrast, producing some of the most in depth, meaningful poetry of all time. Alfred Tennyson was one of the famous writers that was renounced for his beautiful poem called, The Charge of the Light Brigade, that displays bravery and courage of somewhat normality, instead of a trait that one may wish to adopt. A perfect example of bravery at its peak, and the damages that war can do. This will be followed by a well known song called Zombies by Cranberries, a slow and tender song which displays war from a different perspective and how the war has reflected upon modern society's current relationships regarding the matter.…

    • 2286 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Society's Child

    • 1076 Words
    • 5 Pages

    This was the song that caused what could be seen as riots across the US and particularly in the southern states.…

    • 1076 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    After World War II there was a period of time of unparalleled energy. African American soldiers had returned from war and demanded equal rights. Numerous ways of resisting racial segregation and discrimination included civil disobedience, protests, boycotts, and marches. The people who would fight for their American freedom did so without a weapon to kill or the urge to kill. They had one means of protection, however, music. With a strong mind, a song in their heart, a want to be free, they sang through the thickness. Music was a fundamental part of the Civil Rights Movement. Music had given them courage. When non-violent protestors came together they faced beatings, fire hoses, shootings, and jail. They didn’t have any source of protection other than the strength they gained from music. People that went through these trying times , “sang, in order to uplift their spirits and keep their minds focused on what they were trying to achieve.” (45, Hast)…

    • 1360 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays