Analyzing Robert Palmer's 'What Pop Lyrics Say To Us Today'

In Billy Joel’s hit song, “We Didn’t Start The Fire”, he sings about the major headlines and influences on his generation. If you compare these allusions to the headlines today, you’ll see that our society’s issues and interests haven’t changed much. Political scandals, the race to space, pop culture, and best-selling novels; all crucial to the shaping of our society. Even though the 60’s and today’s world are decades apart, there are many similarities between society then and society now that suggest the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Through new technology including the ability to record music, the emergence of Tin Pan Alley, and the immigration boom, America soon developed a new sinful musical culture. 19th Century American Pop music, although tame in today’s standards, was considered to be morally corrupting and created a new naughtier America. In the transition from classical romantic ballads to the syncopated, “blackness” was pop like Ragtime music took quite a large evolution. From the dance halls for the working class, cabaret for the middle class, and high class refined dancing, the explosion of Ragtime music effected all types of Americans. Due to the immigration boom and the introduction of mobility and leisure time, class lines began to blur, causing the middle and working class to bump elbows more often than ever before. Often times, such incidences would occur in entertainment venues like Coney Island or even run of the mill vaudeville shows. Modern music was can be identified by its’ lascivious subject matter, which reflected the evolving ideals of Americans. One song that illustrated this is “I Love My Wife; But Oh, You Kid!”, which spoke of a man’s desire to cheat on his wife, highlighting the new sexually aware younger population. Although it’s tone and composition were similar to earlier, classic, love songs the subject matter and morals

Rock and Roll has made a big impact on the world, especially during the beginning of this era. This type of genre is one of the most influential music’s. This music is the genre that brought people together, but also made people think. Rock and Roll brought out a type of persona and a feel, in which people received when this genre was the new “big” thing. There were a few bands, such as the Beatles and The Rolling Stones that brought the true feel and meaning of Rock and Roll. The Beatles were one of the most influential bands that brought the great unanimous sound and look of this turning stone era – Rock and Roll.

Women are seen through the eyes of the music industry as little more than sex objects; causing them to feel of no worth, leading to extremely dangerous long term mental illnesses and eating disorders. Music lyrics/video is a key source of messages that advocate and encourage drinking, smoking, drug abuse, sexuality, sex-role stereotyping, sex and violence. Exposure to music videos, has also been correlated with early uptake of sexual activity. (AMCA, 2014)

When one thinks of rock-n-roll music many images come to mind. In the 50’s, pop culture was inundated with rebellious, teen-aged rockers for the first time. They wiggled and crooned their way through songs like, “You Ain’t Nothin’ but a Hound Dog,” and America, or at least the youth of America, loved them for the effort. The 60’s brought the British invasion and mop-topped foreigners belted out the frustration of the counter culture with songs like, “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction.” The 70’s brought blood spitting freaks who screamed anthems such as, “I Wanna’ Rock-n-Roll All Night,” for crowds of stadium rock devotees. In the 80’s big hair and spandex ruled, and through their make-up glam-metal bands pouted songs like, “Don’t Need Nothin’ but a Good Time,” as an expression of their rebellion against the uptight Reagan era. The 90’s entered with flannel-wearing grunge acts but ended with a unique blend of traditional rock, hip-hop, and strangely, country. Songs like; “I Don’t Want No Scrub” proved that some things never change. Rock-n-roll, no matter what its form, still touches millions and still uses horrendous grammar.

Although, many people in the 1960s believed that Rock ‘n’ Roll music wreaked havoc on society more than it brought people together, and rejected and disrupted established society, this “protest” rock and R&B music from the 1960s proved to be one of the few ways for the younger generation to describe, address, and improve upon what seemed to be their own downward spiraling social conditions, from the Vietnam war to the Civil Rights Protests. With the constant changes in society, it would be hard for the younger generations to cope with what their parents could not help them understand. Throughout the sixties we will see how music illustrated people’s

As a distinctly American form of cultural expression, Rock 'n Roll may be our nation's greatest global export. Its influence on popular, social and artistic mores on a global basis is incomparable. Indeed, one could make the argument that most modern forms of popular music derive from the basic components, if not the underlying attitude, or Rock ' Roll. However, this observation should not be at the expense of considering the yet more powerful influence that this musical form has had on our society as a whole. This is the premise driving Glenn C. Altschuler's 2003 text All Shook Up: How Rock 'N' Roll Changes America. According to the Altschuler text, Elvis Presley and his contemporaries would not just alter the musical landscape but would create a stark generation gap, a deconstruction of racial barriers and dismantling of sexual taboos. In this regard, the text argues, Rock 'n Roll would do nothing less than alter the course of American life.

‘We have only to glance through the daily papers to read the shocking manner in which teenagers of today, throughout the world, carry on. The morals of the modern generation, with the exception of a small minority, have nearly reached an all-time low, and 'rock and roll' has done nothing to improve them.'

In regard to the historical context in which this seventh album was released, the not so long post war economy resulted in a baby boom generation which” began to reject the values of their parents, instead experimenting with Alternative lifestyles and political activism.” [1] The Beatles’ phenomenal fame came as an entire generation

    It is evident that there is a strong link to sex when describing the sexes within contemporary popular lyrics. The depiction of women in songs by male artists are tremendously more negative than the depiction of men by female artists. However, I have shown that women are beginning to react and are more liberal with what they say. Although they are not as graphic as men, through the use of language women are actively becoming more empowered through their music. It is clear that men often go down the road of objectifying and demeaning women not just shown through the explicit derogatory sex talk but through their lack of respect.

Pop music has been long criticized for producing songs that sound exactly the same. Turn on the radio and there is a different type of musician. However, in the background of the pop song there are the same four chords. This is what Adorno calls the standardization of music in which the listener perceives the song played as unique. However this notion is often misinterpreted since the music has an interchangeable structure. Nowadays it is very hard to find a band or an artist that does not fall in the manufactured trend of popular music. What song doesn’t have lyrics about money, sex and violence?

It seems as if someone is always complaining about popular music on the market.  References to illegal drugs and sexual conduct are two of the most common complaints.  Adults claim that rock and roll stars are bad influences to children.  The lyrical content of songs and the examples set by musical idols are not suitable for minors.  Today's music, especially, tests the limits of good taste.  Objections to artists like Eminem, Lil' Kim, and Fred Durst are everyday occurrences, but what the judgmental public and media do not discuss is that these complaints are anything but new.  Songs by the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Doors have also been objects of this type of condemnation.  Even as far back as operas by Germany's

Did you know pop music actually helped bring friends and family together at one point in time? Or did you know pop music is one of the most influential types of music in America? This research paper shall be about the beginning of pop music, the popularity of pop music from the past to today and also about the impact pop music has had on people and the world. Pop music originated in the 1890’s. It cannot be attributed to a particular place, it was more like a global culture that has grown in popularity over the years.

It has been many centuries since the early days of music where it was restricted to classical tunes and melodic melodies. In this time music has evolved to something of individual celebration, achievement, and even a battle call for the rights of people everywhere expressed though a large range of musical genres and styles. Music can be split into different sections based on how it is produced, what it contains musically, and how it affects the audience through language or influence. Although every genre of music has a different purpose and twist, pop music is the most popular in today’s society because of how it is produced, its chord progression, common and recurring cadences, and its relatable lyrics and by the influential singers behind

Love life is a theme that is vastly talked about in music of all genres. Love songs typically tend to make the top of the charts. Our culture loves singing about the pursuit of love and the dream of a “one and only” just for us, for the rest of our lives. At least, that’s the common goal, a silent agreement in our society. Marriage, and the promise of monogamy, is the dream we learn to want because it’s the cultural norm we grow up with. Music endorses this belief strongly. For example, the love songs made in this culture embody the ideals and aspirations of the majority. But what about subcultures like punk rock? Punk rock resists normativity, social injustice, and political systems. This translates into categories within punk, such as feminist, lesbian, vegan, anarcho, hardcore and horror, to name a few.