Music Analysis: Flobots Handlebars Essay

I personally think Trent Reznor wrote this song to have deep political meanings about the government (in this case it would be the

Toby Keith’s song, “Courtesy of the Red, White, And Blue” has an angry and vengeful tone through the whole song. Toby Keith kind of consoles the people of America and lets the American people and the people responsible we’re not going to sit hereafter you devastated the lives of many families when he says, “Justice will be served and the battle will rage” (Keith 33-34). This symbolizes the anger and retaliation the American people are feeling and want against the people responsible for the 9/11 attacks. Though this is just a small phrase, it has a giant impact on the way people feel and how they cope with their feelings.

2. Is the intent of this song to promote or protest the Vietnam War? Why?

This song is concentrated on the social construction of reality, which talks about about how “Ideas about reality also change over time” (Newman, 53). We can see this expressed in lines 32-33 in the song : “It just ain't the same, old ways have changed/New days are strange, is the world insane…” (lines 32-33) The band states how the world’s views and attitudes have changed and how there is uncertainly for the future. The band is questioning the values that they once lived up to. “Yo', whatever happened to the values of humanity/Whatever happened to the fairness in equality/ Instead of spreading love we're spreading animosity/ Lack of understanding, leading lives away from unity…” (lines 71-74). They imply that individuals are swaying away from their values, as a result changing their reality.

The Vietnam War sparked a lot of political controversy in the United States and tensions were high anytime the war was talked about. However, some were determined to re-establish nationalism through music like artist Lee Greenwood in "God Bless the USA." We as Americans take living in this country for granted, and this song aimed to put that into perspective. If you were to lose everything you worked for in your life, you should still be thankful that you live in the United States because they can't take away our freedom. Nearly a decade later, Waylan Jennings released "The Eagle," to remind listeners just how powerful our country is. The eagle serves as a metaphor for our country and that you should rest easy at night knowing that the eagle's "claws are sharper than ever...[and] ready for a fight." You should always remember that you are a part of this country and you will be protected, and not to lose sight in the power of our country. After the attacks on the World

The song Anti-Vietnam War Song Woodstock tells how America needs more soldiers to fight a war that's nowhere near American soil for a reason that is not well known to the american soldier. Country Joe is basically saying that the soldiers do not know what they are fighting for and frankly don't give a damn, all they know is that they have been drafted for a war they do not approve of. Many people of this time made protest songs against the war and some of the songs leave more to the imagination than other songs such as the Anti-Vietnam War song.

Released in 1969, the song criticizes the public on their patriotic behavior and those who speak highly of the war but do not physically support it by either joining or donating. This song was not in direct reference to the Vietnam War but to every war. At the time of release it would have been said that it was directed towards the Vietnam War though. Some of the classic lyrics entail, “Some folks are born, silver spoon in hand, Lord, don't they help themselves, y'all, But when the taxman comes to the door, Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale, yeah, It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no millionaire's son, no, no, It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no fortunate one, no”. Yes the over privilege help themselves and only care about them selves because they are safe. But what if it was they in the Vietnam War, they would run, and start care immediately. Gifted with money, but not a cent to help those in war because it “ain’t” them. This song, although not directed towards the peace and love movement, still sends a strong message to the public. Reaching those going to the concerts, those who do support, and dissecting the rich and

Music and politics are two of the main influences on people’s lives. Politics influences the public’s thoughts about other countries and music plays a role in people’s lives whether they are in a state of melancholy or happiness. I, Vibodh Gupta, writing for the Huffington Post, will analyse songs which are linked to politics and which speak the public’s mind about some situations about the government.

The British invasion began with the popularization of the rock group “The Beatles”. Their fame created an open door for other rock groups from england to make their debut in America. Although more intense, the music from the british invasion, and music influenced by it, also reflected the peace loving counterculture that was incorporated in folk music. Songs like “Revolution” by The Beatles and “Gimme Shelter” by The Rolling Stones clearly express the concerns that the public had for their own safety during war times. “Revolution” is about exactly what you would expect with the lyrics “We all want to change the world / But when you talk about destruction / Don't you know that you can count me out.” These lyrics, and akin lyrics found throughout this popular rock age, pushed many people to realize that it is better to be pacifist and fight anger with peace, rather than put american lives in jeopardy. Not only did these tunes reflect popular sentiment, they educated people on the importance of unity over segregation and

The beat of the song is slow and gives the feeling of dread or being denied of freedom. The song also describes how restricted and controlled the young adults were when the lyrics stated “There's a man with a gun over there, telling me I got to beware”. In the song, Stills also explained how violent the LAPD were to the innocent civilians if they did not do as instructed by saying “You step out of line, the man come and take you away”. Even though Americans had the freedom of speech, many who were “speaking their minds” were sent jail and temporarily imprisoned.

Songs often reflect or critique the ideologies of their time period. However, the songs are not bound to the specific time period in which they are created because the ideologies they reflect or critique are also not bound to a specific context. These residual ideologies are created in the past, but still acting “as an effective element of the present” (Williams). The song “Masters of War” is a song that falls into this category; in 1963, the song “Masters of War” was written by Bob Dylan as a response to the antiwar movement against the Vietnam War, and in 2004, Pearl Jam applied the antiwar sentiment of the song to the context of the war on terrorism. In both time periods, the dominant ideology of militarism that prioritized the role of

They mention propaganda which has a very negative connotation in any situation, but especially in this time, which I will mention in a later paragraph. Another lyric is “one nation controlled by the media. Information age of

The article clarifies contents of 10 protest songs that are seen as the best anti-songs during the Vietnam War. First, Imagine (1971) was an emphasis for world peace to “imagine all people living life in peace” in a world without religion, countries, possessions, greed or hunger. Blowing in the Wind (1963) was as the United States escalated their involvement in the Vietnam War, and became famous protest songs. Born in the USA is about the troubles of a working class man forced into the Vietnam War. Give Peace a Chance was sung across the country during the Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam, which was one of many anti-war protests that swept the country during the 60s and 70s. War (What is It Good For?) says it loud and clear “war, yea,

So many songs were written inspired by all the politics and movements happening in the 60’s. “I Ain’t Marching Any More, Phil Ochs song is from the point of view of a solider as he is called on to fight through American history, culminating in the atomic bomb attack on japan” (Iredale, Anne). “The war drags on, This 1960s protest song by Mick Softly, It tells the story of Dan, a soldier who is sent to Vietnam, and who has a nightmare about a nuclear war that ends the world” (iredale, Anne). “The Times They Are A-Changin, This 1964 song from Bob Dylan is another protest song that traces the history of American conflicts, with cavalry versus in Indians all the way to the cold war” (Iredale, Anne).

In the meantime, the song starts. With the sweet voice of Michael Jackson, we saw three important frames, in the first scene, we saw soldiers stand in behind dust, and this means they are in a war. In the second scene, a little boy stand beside a tank, he wears a black jacket, on his face, we cannot see any expression, he looks very helpless, he cannot do anything to stop the war. From this scene, we can see that the war is just