Australia and the world experienced many social and cultural changes due to the emergence of television and rock and roll music. From 1945 Australia has been influenced by both England and America in its values. This study will discuss and analyse Australia’s popular culture via music and explain patterns of continuity and change in values that have influenced the Australian way of life. This essay will, by comparing the two songs “I got rhythm”,1930 composed by George Gershwin with lyrics by Ira Gershwin (SecondHandSongs, 2016) and “Land Down Under”, 1982 by Men At Work (Metrolyrics, 2016) , demonstrate the relationship between the values of different time periods by comparing and contrasting the type of language used, who the audience is, what the themes of the songs are, the values of the song and historical change and continuity.
The Language of I got rhythm and Land Down Under have a number of similarities and key differences that provide an insight into their respective time periods. The Language in I got rhythm is hopeful for the future and this suggests that in 1930 people thought that because they don’t have things materially they would make up for this with music, romance and the beauty of the day. For example the song constantly repeats the thought of having
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things like ‘rhythm’, ‘music’, ‘my man/girl’ and then saying ‘who could ask for anything more?’ This contrasts greatly with Land Down Under which is more about the popular identity of Australia in the 1982. In Land Down Under it talks about consuming alcohol, taking drugs, taking pride in Australia’s convict history, the abundance of material possessions and iconic Australian products. These differences demonstrate that in the two time periods the values of the two songs were different due to the environment the people grow up in. I got rhythm and Land Down Under not only give two interesting examples of how the language was used during these different time periods but also a good insight into the values these two time periods had. The audience targeted by the songs varies, although the two songs were written a while apart they still targeted the same mass audience of the younger more easily influenced generation, as all songs do, to make money. Although I got rhythm was written in America and Land Down Under was written in Australia both songs had world wide popularity. At the time, the mass audience of I got rhythm, were the poor people who were suffering from the great depression. At this time the radio was starting to become very popular and would be the binding factor for many families to keep it together, getting bye by very little and through this the content of the song was influenced and was also influential. Land Down Under was aimed toward the younger Australian population as well to Australians and people of different cultural backgrounds that had and were traveling in other countries to “see the world”. This is shown in that the song is reminding the listener of their Australian identity by referring to iconic Australian slang, consumables and history and also advertising this cultural history to other nationalities and peoples. This differs to I got rhythm which states that you can get buy with your own inventions. Both I got rhythm and Land Down Under target a mass audience the audience however have a very different up bringing and way of life and out look on life due to technological advances like television. As a result of these very different time periods in the history Australia and the Western World in general the themes are distinctly different for the two songs. I got rhythm conveys the thought of getting along with what you have, love is all you need. Land Down Under promotes Pride in Australian identity, Mateship, Risky, Fun, having a good time, travel, living in the moment not having any responsibilities. These different themes may have been influenced by the emergence of radio motion pictures and later TV. The rock and roll and hippy eras of the 60s and 70s gathered momentum in especially the western world as American ideology is promoted through the media. 97% of all the TV shows broadcasted in Australia originated in America in the 1960’s and this would have affected the culture of Australia (10HISTORY RESEARCH.pdf, 2016). The emergence of rock and roll in the 1950’s and bands such as the “bee gees” paved the way for for future bands to take advantage of the changing cultural awareness of the newer generations (10HISTORY RESEARCH.pdf, 2016). These generations believed that they were unconquerable and that they had no moral responsibility for their actions. This differs from the metallically of I got rhythm in that I got rhythm promotes contentment with your circumstances and promotes a positive responsible outlook on life. The values of the Songs differ drastically. I got rhythm and Land Down Under were written in two very different periods of time, 50 years apart. However they do have similarity in that they both target a mass audience. I got rhythm had values of having contentment with what you have materially and noticing the beauty of life around you. I got rhythm is historically influenced by the social setting of the great depression, people had very little materially but valued good morals honesty family unity finding every day a challenge to meet their basic needs however they value the free gift of life and notice the beauty there of. In contrast to this the main values brought out in Land Down Under is that of identity as an Australian. The social conditions were very different in the 1980’s as the youth of the day had much more materially, they did not need to be worried about where their next meal would came from, this is expressed bluntly in the verses “Because I come from the land of plenty.” Other things like identity became important and they started living in a ‘me only world’ were everything is done for your own satisfaction and enjoyment without recognising moral and social responsibilities. The audiences the songs target are similar as the songs are aimed at a mass audience but the audiences themselves were different in the values they held which influenced the values represented in each song. If a person who grew up listening to jazz and folk song like I got rhythm were to hear a Rock’n’Roll song like Land Down Under they would probably scoff at the rough song style of modern day Rock’n’Roll.
The songs created in the 1930s are softer and smoother compared to the 1980s Rock. There is also a large difference in the language, values and themes of the songs which shows how culture has changed and developed. In 1930s people valued love, music, song, daisies, starlight and sweet dreams were as in the 1980s people wanted the thrills of drugs, touring and Australian identity. This change would be confronting to someone who grow up with the jazz and folk songs and they would take time to
adapted. I got rhythm and Land Down Under have similarities and key differences which show the change in society as environmental changes occur along side the constant evolution of music to create the newest popular culture. In this essay music of different time periods was evaluated through their values, themes and language, and it is apparent that there were great differences in the themes and values. However there was a common similarity in that both songs try to target the audience of that time by being relevant to the time as well as pushing different ideas popular among the more docile younger generation. This shows how environment and idealisms change songs and how songs then change Idealisms in turn to create an new popular culture for artists to take advantage of and make money off.
Historical Stereotypes of Australian Masculinity in the Film 'Two Hands and Strictly Balloon' “Film is a powerful player in the construction of national identity. In Australian films, men embody particular masculinities such as rugged practicality and anti-intellectualism, ruthless independence against all odds, and a willingness to die. These masculinities have been embellished and perpetuated in film histories as the ideal held as the standard for imitation” Introduction =
Good evening and welcome to The History of Television. On tonight’s show we will focus on how and
The Americanization of Australian Television is a sad and terrible thing. It is a process whereby ordinary Australians are bombarded every day with images of American lifestyle, so much that it merges almost unnoticed into their own lifestyle. It is a process whereby our home-grown entertainment industry is overwhelmed by the enormous powerhouse of the American economy, with drastic effects upon the modern Australian nation. Not only is Australian free to air TV being dominated by American produced shows, but a lot of the content on the Australian TV shows is sourced from America. American culture is part of Australian mass consumer culture, It dominates our television.
What emerged after the explosion of rock and roll in the 1950s abandoned the roll and has now come to be known just as classic rock. This rock that was created following the decade of The King became a completely unique and different sound that changed the musical landscape and what was once a single, unified genre gave way for multitudes of variation in its sounds. These new sounds, that came mostly from abroad, had been notably influenced by the American rock of the 1950s, such as Elvis, Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry. These pioneers of rock came to be the essential reason for the arrival of the British Invasion and other sounds that defined the decade of the 1960s.
Music can be traced back into human history to prehistoric eras. To this day archeologists uncover fragments of ancient instruments as well as tablets with carved lyrics buried alongside prominent leaders and highly influential people. This serves as a testament to the importance and power of music, as well as its influence in society. Over its many years of existence, music’s powerful invocation of feelings has allowed it to evolve and serve many purposes, one being inspiring change. American journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson once said, “Music has always been a matter of energy to me, a question of fuel. Sentimental people call it inspiration, but what they really mean is fuel.” This fuel is the very things that powers the influence of Rock ‘n’ Roll on American society, that author Glenn C. Altschuler writes about in his book, “All Shook Up – How Rock ‘n’ Roll Changed America.” Between 1945 and 1965 Rock ‘n’ Roll transformed American society and culture by helping to ease racial integration and launch a sexual revolution while most importantly developing an intergenerational identity.
Music’s role on society has changed drastically through the course of its history as it has become ever so increasingly expansive. Many of the previous musical movements were only for the wealthy as entertainment
The rise of rock and roll into the limelight is to a large extent attributed to the teenagers of the 1950’s. Early rock music listened to by teenagers during the 1950’s was formed by blending together Rhythm and blues with country music. This kind of ...
In conclusion this report has helped us understand the significance of Music in America. Also, the impact it has on music we listen too. Music is very much like a big chain reaction. Rock ‘N’ Roll, much like music today, stood out and was in a way rebellious. Parents now hate Rap and we love it. People in the 70’s loved Rock ‘N’ Roll and parents hated it. This shows that maybe no matter how much older people deny it, the time gap and generation gap is not too far apart. Without Rock ‘N’ Roll the World would without a doubt be changed. Any guess to that of which way would be a good one.
Throughout both ‘Rainbow’s End’ and ‘The Rabbits’, the audience discovers the plights that the Aboriginal Australians faced, due to discrimination and assimilation, in intensely confronting, yet intensely meaningful ways. We see how the discrimination and forced assimilation of cultures was common in the lead up to modern times because of composers like Harrison, Marsden and Tan reminding us of these events, allowing us to discover and rediscover our past wrongs through their works, in order to pave the way for a brighter, harmonious future. Without these documentations and retellings of events such as these, history would repeat itself, conflicts would be more apparent and we as a species would not be able to thrive and prosper due to our prejudices and superiority complexes.
Rhythm and blues, also known as R&B, is something that I really enjoy. I am a singer and along with country music, R&B is my favorite thing to sing. With rhythm and blues, there is a song for every emotion, so most of the time the songs can be very relatable. The songs have a variety of subjects like sex, work, and even drinking. In this paper I will briefly discuss how rhythm and blues started, how it evolved into today’s music and why I like it so much.
Australian humour is very unique to Australia, and many other cultures find it quite unusual. It can be described as dry, anti-authoritarian, self-mocking, very ironic and as to stretch the boundaries of what is acceptable. Our humour is seen through our use of slang, print cartoons, radio sketches, comedy series’ on television, films, everyday life and in Australian literature. According to the Collins Dictionary and Thesaurus , humour means, “The quality of being funny; the ability to appreciate or express that which is humorous; situations, speech or writings that are humorous”. Due to its unique qualities, it will become apparent that Australian humour is quiet different to that of America and England and other nations. To highlight the importance of humour through the development of Australian identity, five main elements have been identified. These are, the part Australian humour plays in Australian identity, its unique qualities, its integral part in the Australian identity, the role of humour in times of great hardship and other nation’s perceptions of Australian humour. It is through these elements that it will become evident that humour is an important part of the development of the Australian identity.
Music is an outlet to all aspects of life and culture is a significant way of forming people and the way they live. Although not always seen directly culture has an overbearing influence on the music that is produced and made popular. The political Climate of the early seventies was full of fire with issues such as Vietnam and constant protest throughout the county. Later in the 70’s the end of the Vietnamese conflict brought the rise of the Watergate scandal and Iran Contra. These issues swept headlines and ingrained people’s thoughts. Social issues also played a big role in the developing culture of the seventies. Protests and constant outbreaks about gay rights and women’s rights seemed to overtake the country in storm. Later in the Decade the social climate changed to a celebration of the Past and a can-do attitude. Political and Social climates had an overbearing influence on the attitude that was being developed throughout the seventies. This climate was also transparent in the music world of this decade. In the early 70’s music lyrics were being created that were representative of the popular method of protest and social change. Music is a common way of expression and during this time artist and groups took the most of their popular music by expressing viewpoints on present issues. In the mid to late seventies the birth of new styles that broke from the old seemed to dominate the music industry. These new types of music ranged from disco to television pop. The music of the decade represented the culture and was greatly influenced by events and beliefs of the 70’s. At this time in American history, music and life became closely nit. In the late 1970’s, national issues settl...
Music expresses what words cannot express; music reflects the improvement of the society; music calms our hearts and inspires people. Everyone enjoys music because he or she can have good moods while listening to music. Composers express their feelings in songs. Some put in their ideas about nature, politics and life, others write songs to reflect the progression of society. Popular music in the Gilded Age and jazz music in the Roaring Twenties are examples of music which correspond to the society’s movement. The rise of popular music was the result of the anti-German movement. American composers rose to replace the German culture. Also, popular music was popular because of its affordability. Every class of people could enjoy this kind of music by simply going to music halls. On the other hand, Roaring Twenties was a period of time which marks color line upheavals. Although music in Gilded Age and Roaring Twenties are quite different about their styles, genres and lyrics; popular music and jazz music were both adaptions to the society’s movement during these two periods.
There are many reasons why Australians consume the foods that they do, sometimes we consume food aimlessly without even thinking about the food habits we have developed. I live with my parents which means that a lot of the foods consumed are based around convenience or they are cultural foods that mum and dad grew up with when they were younger. As a university student, I bring in my own income which also influences my food consumption. The aim is to use the Food and Diet Questionnaire and Food Frequency Questionnaire to ascertain the amounts of foods I eat as well as seeing what influences my food choice.
Gazing up, my eyes set upon the powerful red, black and yellow Aboriginal flag hoisted above the class. I leaned my shaggy blonde head on my arms and felt the cloud of sleep engulfing me. My eyelids became too heavy; the attraction between them was like a magnetic force. The tip of a pencil poked the side of my skull like a dart on a board; my lids snapped open. The boy’s with wide toothy grins sniggered at my defencelessness. I starred at the over-sharpened pencil, and examined the small characters embedded into its wood exterior, 100% Aboriginal made HB. The projectile caught the sharp eye of the class teacher, her wide nostrils flared as she sucked in the room’s air, her angular body manoeuvred swiftly between the desks. The dark curly head beside mine muttered, ‘Wanjibaayn’ yet as usual I didn’t understand. Ms Kalinda was furious at the disturbance, a screeching roar made the class judder like hitting a speed bump, “Roger! If you disturb this class one more time, the rest of your day will be spent sitting in the principal’s office! Am I clear?”