Essay On The Role Of Music In The Civil War

The name Civil War is misleading because the war was not a class struggle, but a sectional combat, having its roots in political, economic, social, and psychological elements. It has been characterized, in the words of William H. Seward, as the “irrepressible conflict.” In another judgment the Civil War was viewed as criminally stupid, an unnecessary bloodletting brought on by arrogant extremists and blundering politicians. Both views accept the fact that in 1861 there existed a situation that, rightly or wrongly, had come to be regarded as insoluble by peaceful means.

Another thing was the music of the 1940s, the 1940s was the decade of “the crooner” as the other form of entertainment the musical entertainment also played tribute to the war by many popular songs like “God Bless America”. This songs were sometimes were taken to war and it made solders said that the music took them home and they loved it.

Billy Joel said, “I think music in itself is healing. It's an explosive expression of humanity. It's something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we're from, everyone loves music” (Music Quotes). Whether we realize it or not, music affects our lives greatly. The only thing for us to question is how. How does music impact your life and the lives of others? What does music do for us? People of all ages benefit emotionally, physically, and academically from music.

General Lee once remarked, “Without music, there would have been no army” (Kehoe). The New York Herald concurred with Lee in 1862 when a reporter wrote, “All history proves that music is as indispensable to warfare as money; and money has been called the sinews of war. Music is the soul of Mars...” (Bowman). It is evident from these quotes the important role music played in helping soldiers from both armies cope during the war. The Civil War would have been immensely different without the considerable influence that music had on both the Union and Confederate armies. Music played a significant role in motivating soldiers to overcome their hardships in both the Union and the Confederate armies by entertaining and comforting, bringing back memories of home and family, and strengthening the bonds between comrades and helping forge new bonds.

In the American Revolution, music played an important part of American culture no matter what sector of society. The music of the era served as a social commentary on the political concerns of the period aside from entertainment. The music was expressed through many forms, songs, hymns and varied instrumental musical traditions that reflected the social conditions which created it. Church music was an important source of spiritual inspiration and expression of the patriotic sentiment. The music in the Revolutionary period in the thirteen colonies varied according to region and the region’s prevalent religious views, it was used for revolutionary propaganda and expressed the tensions and sentiments of the revolutionary culture of the time.

It was said that the book most commonly owned by a Civil War soldier was a Bible, followed closely by a songbook, also known as a “songster” (Waller and Edgington 147). This was particularly true in the case of the black regiments that fought under the Confederate flag; because of the deep musical heritage carried by the African Americans from their homeland, it was only natural that they in turn transformed well-known spirituals and ballads into music suitable for wartime. Captain George Sutherland noted that “the black soldiers’ life was full of either music or religion,” and although this statement related directly to a Negro regiment it could have also been applied universally, to the entirety of both armies (Wilson 148). Religion and music have long been associated, and this union was not broken by the splitting of the United States. Rather, it was strengthened as the fighters searched desperately for a sold ideal to hold on to amidst the carnage– many found their salvation through music.

Around camp there was usually a fiddler or guitarist or banjo player at work, and voices to sing the favorite songs of the era. Music was also played for the soldiers’ daily routines and calls. To explain, it was played to awake the soldiers; they were awoken at five o’clock in the morning during summer and six o’clock in the morning during winter. Thirty minutes later, “Peas on a Trencher” was played to notify that it was time to eat breakfast. It was used for the sick call for ill soldiers and the guard mounting call at eight o’clock in the morning. It was then played again while the sergeant major inspected the soldiers and told them their specific duties for the day. Music was played for the drill call and continued playing until the dinner call; “Roast Beet” was used for the call for dinner. Lastly, music would send the soldiers to bed at night.

There were plenty of people who raised their voices and sang along to songs when the Civil War was occurring. Soldiers, however, were the most favored singers to the people they were surrounding. The main reason was that it rose up the people 's spirits and gave them more optimistic views about the war, especially since it created that "sense of national identity" that brought people together; to the Confederates this was crucial since they were a developing nation. The soldiers from both the North and South also sang for their own benefit. Music helped ease their boredom and it served as a way to pass the time, since it "entertained and comforted." The songs that were sung by soldiers were a way for them to think back to any memories from back home, like family or childhood memories. Another thing music did was strengthen "the bonds between comrades and helped forge new ones." Comrades, or soldiers, could connect

During times of harsh government rulings or unfair taxes and laws, people used their artistic abilities to start uprisings. Examples include, poetry, dramas, paintings/drawings, and especially music to get the attention of the oblivious citizens during the Revolutionary War. Music transitioned from calm, peaceful melodies to thundering tunes that carried battle cries and rallied for the start of a rebellion. As times changed and revolutions turned into wars, the music took a turn as well. It slowed it to a depressing beat that outpoured dreary lyrics, casting a melancholy mood on anyone who merely thought about the gory conflicts. Yet, when the turmoil finally came to an end, the villagers were overjoyed and celebrated with music and dancing.

The War Between the States was complex. If you wish to understand the events, you should refer to a textbook. Music of the time, however, helps us delve into people’s thoughts and opinions on the war, slavery, and many other important issues in our country’s history. Prior to the civil war, American music followed its European roots. During the civil war, American music began to develop in its own way, largely influenced by the music of the African-Americans. The war produced many well-known songs. These songs were important in their time and they are still known to many people today.

Through out the years, music has developed and many genres have been created and have been evolved. During the 1960s, music started to become louder. Drummers were required to hit their drums and cymbals harder to fit the style of music (6). While jazz styles were still widely popular, music was being created in a straight and loud feel, and it has remained that way to this very day (7). Many modern drummers have taken the influences of drummers from the early 20th century and they are using it in music today. With all this development in styles of music, the drum kit evolved along with them.

The music that was present in World War II was extremely versatile and happy, which helped keep spirits high among everybody. Styles such as swing, blues, and jazz were popular music styles at the time. By the end of 1941, 96.2% of Americans owned radios. This granted greater access to music and information on the war. This is in contrast to World War I, where most citizens of the world were not as connected to the war through radio. In a way, the mass distribution of music was unifying for the American citizens and troops. However, many African-American musical artists used music to highlight the hypocrisy of the Americans fighting for freedom at that time because there was still a lot of segregation and discrimination in the United States and in it’s military.

This article reminded me of several times in history when music was used by African Americans to survive times of hardship. In the time of slavery, music was used as an escape. The negro spiritual was sung by the slaves who worked in the fields and those who worked in the household alike. The songs took them to a more peaceful time and were passed down from generation to generation. The negro spiritual was even used by Harriet Tubman and others who worked the Underground Railroad as a code. The spirituals were used as a haven for the African Americans who were not in charge of their own lives. That same music would be used in future generations as a war call and as a way to endure the struggles they would face.

In order to cause impactful change, one must have the courage to speak on issues conformists ignore. Until the mid 1950s, marginalized colored groups were silenced by a majority of white people in power and were rarely given the opportunity to progress in society. Music before this era was not as provocative and hardly included explicit content, such as sex, drugs, violence, and social issues. Lyrics contained messages pertaining to what was occurring at the time and as a result it attracted many young people. Although there were impactful movements before this time, white supremacy had not been challenged by the majority of minorities. Music experimentation and the Latino Civil Rights movement challenged social norms. These brave souls exemplified

“In World War II, jazz absolutely was the music of freedom, and then in the Cold War, behind the Iron Curtain, same thing. It was all underground, but they needed the food of freedom that jazz offered” – Herbie Hancock. Looking back into history, you could create a timeline of events with nothing but song titles. Music was not just music, it was a lifestyle. Every major event in history has numerous songs that go along with or describe the happening. In the following paragraphs, I will describe aspects and elements of music for pre-World War II, World War II, and post-World War II. One could say that music was a form of expression throughout the times of war, and the songs produced during this time period clearly express all aspects of life before, during, and after the war.