Music In The 1950s, Rock And Roll And Folk

Rock and roll music emerged as a part of American teen culture during the notably conservative time period in the country’s history which shortly followed the traumatic events of World War II. Being that the genre’s target audience was white teenagers, many Americans- already overwhelmed and on-edge due to the anti-communist movement inspired by the Cold War- were apprehensive about the influence that this up-and-coming style of music might have on their country’s future. America’s youth openly accepted rock and roll’s racially integrated culture of performers and embraced the relatively lewd nature of many songs and performances associated with the genre, much to the dismay of their elders.

In the 1920’s this gap became more of a chasm as the nation’s youth entered the Jazz age, adopting the new styles of music and dress that accompanied it. Women wore shorter skirts, smoked, drove cars, and sported new haircuts, and men went to new jazz clubs that played edgy music that was good for dancing. Overall the new lifestyle was a complete departure from the Victorian mode of living that preceded it, and it was rejected by the older generation as energetically it was embraced by youth. In the 1950’s a similar change took place as parents allowed their children to have more freedom, and religion was not as strictly enforced. The widespread availability of automobiles allowed teenagers to travel around more than they ever had, and the automobile provided teenagers a new place to be free from the observation of their parents, which enabled many new activities, like petting. Just as the youth of the 1920’s had Jazz music, teenagers in the 50’s began to bother their parents by listening to Rock ‘n’ Roll music, whose stars included the scandalous Elvis Presley and even African-American stars like Little Richard, showing that the music allowed youth to transcend race. Just as F. Scott Fitzgerald’s literature alarmed more conservative Americans with its description of the popular culture of the time, literature during the 50’s was similarly troubling, dealing with themes of

“The rise of rock ‘n’ roll and the reception of it, in fact, can tell us a lot about the culture and values of the United States in the 1950s. According to historians James Gilbert, there was a struggle throughout the decade ‘over the uses of popular culture to determine who would speak to what audience, and for what purpose”. At the center of that struggle, rock ‘n’ roll unsettled a nation had been “living in an ‘age of anxiety’” since 1945” (p.15). Altschuler talks about how music and race interlock with one another. Rock had become a “highly visible and contested arena for struggles over racial identity and cultural and economic empowerment in the United States” (p.35). Other chapters within the book state the battles involving sexuality, generational conflicts, as well as other social issues. The author states ideas that are somewhat problematic. For example, he states that there is a myth that rock ‘n’ roll went into a “lull” following the payola hearings (the practice of record promoters paying DJs or radio programmers to play their labels ' songs) of 1959 and did not come about again until the arrival of the Beatles in 1964.

In his article, Brooks strongly focuses on how protesting work with music based on moral, physical and perceptual. A song is written not only to sell, it is also composed depend on individials’ speeches that about peace, avoiding violence and war. Brooks expresses people against themselves when they protest because they would be arrested by violence, so people should not protest and ask themselves why they have to protest. However, actually, people need to protest because it is also their benefits that they must protect. Protesting and avoiding against themselves, it seems to be impossible, but it is not. Protest music can make impossible to possible. Brooks analyses how majority, chorus, and footnote impact to a protest music. In addition,

Protest music has been frequently used by “social justice” movements to promote their ideologies and to protest policies and actions they see as unjust. The most focused-on era in terms of protest music is likely the 1960s, for obvious reasons. During this time, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, and other musicians used folk music to protest the Vietnam War (“Fortunate Son”), segregation and Jim Crow laws (“Only a Pawn in Their Game”), and the Cold War (“Masters of War”). However, the progenitors of the activist-musicians of the 1960s were musicians affiliated with the pacifist, pro-union, and early civil rights movements from about 1910 to about 1940, who were amongst the first to utilize their music to galvanize support for political and

Post-WWII America can best be described as a time of social change. In regards to Communist USSR and Communist states like Cuba and China, ideologically fearful and competitive between the USSR and US. As time progressed for many Americans during the 50s, so did the change in the traditional and social norms (unconformity), which often shocked the mostly older generations who believed that traditions were fading. Many, labeled rebels or beats and the rebellion the Beat Movement, were mostly teenagers who started to break apart from conformity and heavily influenced the many forms of art. The rise of Rock and Roll became an important factor due to notable singers like Presley, who shocked many with his unconform dress which included undulated

The emergence of Rock and Roll was one of the most pivotal moments of our nation’s history. The impact that this genre of music made is still evident in our culture. However, before this genre was able to gain momentum, it faced many cultural conflicts. The book, All Shook Up: How Rock ‘N’ Roll Changed America by Glenn C. Altschuler analyzes the impact that rock and roll music has made on American culture. It explores how the Rock and Roll culture was able to roughly integrate and later conflict with preceding cultural values. This is especially apparent in chapters regarding race and sexuality. Overall, Rock and Roll was extremely controversial amongst parents and educators. This new music genre was condemned by the previous generation as

Daily protests occurred filling streets of America to convey their assessment on the war. The anti-war music of the 1960’s played an essential role in America’s interpretation of the war, and the protest songs from that era are still an integral component of every generation. (“The 1960s,” 2016,). Just as the United States has a long history of war protest music was considered the most powerful voicing option which opened a new world of possibilities. America’s nation discovered music with a depth of interpretation.

The 1960’s were a time of huge changes in society, fashion, and music. Music in the 60’s reflected the sound and style of artists in the 50’s such as Elvis Presley and Ray Charles, and stayed like this for 3 years. In 1963 social influences changed what popular music was and gave birth to the diversity that we hear in out music today, 56 years later. The music changed because of JFK’s assassination, the Vietnam War, and the

“Music and social movements have been widely celebrated as two catalysts that can elevate the human condition by lifting spirits and undermining subordination” (Reds 10). The 1960s were a time in American history that by many can be described as chaotic. A time in history where folk music was revived, also called contemporary folk, and seeked to challenge the racial boundaries in America. A time in which Pop and Rock music were influenced by contemporary folk and revealed the discontent of the young American generation towards the Vietnam war, established institutions, and middle class values. A time where music channeled the social movements taking place in America. Music of this period represents a unique connection between music and

The 1950s was the decade of prosperity, as the overall economy grew by 37% at this time (Gair, 2007). Inflation was minimal at this time, even though it was damaging immediately after the Second World War. With economic prosperity, the youth has the ability to engage on social issues as opposed to being worried about meeting their basic needs. White, middle-class youth made up the bulk of this 60s culture, mainly because they now have the time, the ability, and the knowledge to turn their attention to these social issues. During this counterculture period, young people indulged in many things that the 50s did not have the time to pay attention to, such as on ideals of love, peace, and harmony.

The incident which happened between the Los Angeles Police Department and protesters give a motivation to the people and people started to fight for their rights against the government. The main issue which was highlighted in the protest and antigovernment campaign is to bring the troops of United States back from Vietnam War. The song helped people during the protest to stand for their rights against the government. The song is still in the top 100 and current rating of this song is still 63 in rolling stone list. (Rollingstone). There are many event and protest which are happening in current time use this song to express their feelings.

Music “fulfill(s) different needs and ways of being human” (Turino 1). Music is not just something that people listen to; it is so much more (Turino 1). Music is utilized in ways that range from waking people up in the morning as an alarm to catalyzing a daily workout. Charles Sanders Peirce created a theory of signs that are called semiotics (Turino 5). Bruce Springsteen’s “Waitin’ on a Sunny Day” encapsulates Charles Peirce’s semiotic tools and allow me to have a better understanding of this piece of music.

Popular music is often one of the best lenses we have through which to view our own cultural orientation. Many of the artistic and experimental shifts in popular music have mirrored changes in our own society. For instance, the emergence of Elvis Presley as a public figure would signal the start of a sexual revolution and the growth in visibility of a rebellious youth culture. Similarly, the folk and psychedelic music of the 1960s was closely entangled with the Civil Rights, anti-war and social protest movements. In this regard, we can view popular music as an artifact through which to better understand the time and place in which it is produced. In light of this, the state of popular music today may suggest troubling things about our society.

For many centuries, music has been an unwavering force in society, offering entertainment for various ceremonies and events, while also providing an outlet for creative expression. Most people appreciate the entertainment factor music possesses, but fail to realize the power music has to influence social change. One way music inspires social change is through protest songs. Most songwriters agree that protest songs are written because circumstances demand engagement and things can no longer be left unsaid (Haslam). A vital element in a plethora of movements from decades past and present, protest songs are commonly recognized for playing a fundamental part in empowering the oppressed, promoting commitment, and drawing attention from those outside of a movement’s target demographic. According to Deena Weinstein, Sociology professor from DePaul University, “protest songs are defined by the virtue of their words, but many make their impact in tandem with their sonic elements, the emotionality of the music, the strength and confidence of the vocals, or their simplicity and repetitive phrases, which allow the audience to sing along” (Peddie, 4). This extraordinary method of rebuttal typically allows a community of individuals with a common goal to use a universal language—music—to stand up against social injustices, and it was particularly vital during the labor movement. Specifically studying the American labor movement that was remarkably prominent during the 19th and 20th