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Vietnam War influence on music
Essay on vietnam and music
How music effected the Vietnam war
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Black Sabbath was a band popular in the 1970’s who made primarily hard Rock and heavy Metal music. Their most famous album was Paranoid which features their top three most famous songs such as “War Pigs”, “Iron Man”, and “Paranoid”. The song that had resonated the most in young audiences during the decade was the song “War Pigs”. In this era the Vietnam War was taking place, by writing “War Pigs” it gave a path for the band to communicate their protest of the war. Due to the era in which the song was produced and the use of lyrics, one can properly assume that the song is based on the Vietnam War or just on war in general. At the time of the songs release the Vietnam War was in full swing, and became popular to the “silent majority”. The
The Vietnam War is one of the most controversial issues in American history. It is no secret that the American public was not in favor of this war, which is why the government’s decision to keep the US involved for over ten years created such a disconnect between America’s people and their government. In the third verse the Temptations sing, “People all over the world are shouting 'End the war.'” The Temptations bravely attack the government, addressing their continuation of a war no one wants. Although The Temptations avoid explicitly naming the war, or the government as the guilty party, it is evident that this is a criticism, or at least an acknowledgement of a predicament America found itself in.
The Vietnam War was dividing both government officials and the public. The Yippies and The National Mobilization Committee vocalized the growing frustrations of many regarding the war. The disagreements amongst the candidates demonstrated the uncertainty of the times. The brutality of the police and National Guard showed the horrible lengths the government would go to attempt to silence opposing viewpoints. One thing was evident, change needed to happen. Luckily, the opposition would bring forth positive change that was soon to
To the persistent individual, though, there is a body of music in existence that merits regard. It is powerful music written by the youth of America, youngsters who did have a stake in the Vietnam War. There can be little question about the origins of the power which American protest music conveyed: those who wrote such music lived each day with the real knowledge that they were losing friends in, and could possibly be forced themselves to go to, Vietnam. One such group, Creedence Clearwater Revival, made its contribution to this genre near the end of the Vietnam War.
2. For example, the song “When Our Army And Our Navy Overtake the enemy” disseminated patriotism during the WWII, “Vietnam Blues” reflected that a majority of American opposed to the Vietnam War, and “Man In Black” protested racism in 1970s.
The song "War Pigs," by Black Sabbath, argues the fact that, during the Vietnam War, politicians were willing to start wars and cause destruction because they were not the ones in danger of losing their lives or being injured. The song suggests that the politicians of the 1960's and 1970's started a war for fun, treating soldiers in America's army as "pawns in chess." By the end of the song, the lyrics say that those men and women will get what they deserve when their day of judgment comes.
In this song they are talking about a young boy that is drafted into the war. They also talk about that the boys had the lack of experience. That why lots of innocent young boys lost their lives due to the lack of experience. This song is a very up tempo song and is sending a very happy and pro-war attitude. It’s also saying that one could get drafted to the war it just the numbers they have picked already. It is saying what are the direct cause the war put on the soldiers and all the stress the soldiers have. This song and these singers are really supportive of the war and thought the war was a good thing to go into.
The famous British rock band became very popular with the young social groups that took part in the hippie movement. They began dedicating their songs to change.
Throughout time, music has been an influential part of society. As a form of entertainment and expression, its impact has always been felt both economically and emotionally. During the Vietnam war, music evolved into more a form of expression rather than pure entertainment. Emotionally charged songs became a method to oppose the war, and vent frustrations. While many songs opposed the war, numerous others focused on peace and happiness. They provided a positive perspective in an otherwise depressing time. Along with incorporating passion into music, cultural diversity increased in music greatly. Black artists became progressively more popular and accepted in the musical scene. This respect carried over to society slowly but surely. During the Vietnam war, music played a crucial role in the societal evolution into a state where emotions fueled actions, more emphasis was put on equality, all opinions counted.
“In July 1965, Lyndon Johnson chose to Americanize the war in Vietnam.” Although Johnson chose to enter America into the war, there were events previous that caused America to enter and take over the war. The South Vietnamese were losing the war against Communism – giving Johnson all the more reason to enter the war, and allowing strong American forces to help stop communism. There were other contributing factors leading up to the entrance of the war; America helped assist the French in the war, Johnson’s politics, the Tonkin Gulf Incident, and the 1954 Geneva Conference. President Johnson stated, “For 10 years three American Presidents-President Eisenhower, President Kennedy, and your present President--and the American people have been actively concerned with threats to the peace and security of the peoples of southeast Asia from the Communist government of North Viet-Nam.”
I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-to-Die Rag by Country Joe McDonald is one of the best-remembered anti war songs of the time. It was an almost comedic and critical look at the war. He had spent most of the early 1960s serving in the navy and had a upfront look at military life and the war. “Come on mothers throughout the land, Pack your boys off to Vietnam. Come on fathers, don’t hesitate, Send your sons off before it’s too late.” Are some of the most memorable lyrics of all time. The song was brutally honest about the war and joe thought that it sent hapless men to their deaths.
The 1960’s was one of the most controversial decades in American history because of not only the Vietnam War, but there was an outbreak of protests involving civil and social conditions all across college campuses. These protests have been taken to the extent where people either have died or have been seriously injured. However, during the 1960’s, America saw a popular form of art known as protest music, which responded to the social turmoil of that era, from the civil rights movement to the war in Vietnam. A veritable pantheon of musicians, such as Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Phil Ochs, Joan Baez, and Bob Dylan sang their songs to encourage union organizers to protest the inequities of their time, creating a diverse variety of popular protest music, which has reached out to the youthful generations everywhere demanding for a revolutionary change. The protest music took the children of the 1960’s to a completely new different level. Musicians of this generation were not going to sit and do nothing while the government lied to the people about what was going on in Vietnam. Instead, they took their guitar-strumming troubadours from the coffee houses, plugged them in, and sent the music and the message into the college dorm rooms and the homes of the youth of America. However, as decades went by, protest music does not have much of an impact as it use to because of the way things have changed over the years. Through the analysis of the music during the 1960’s, there shall be an understanding on how the different genres of protest music has affected social protesters based on how musicians have become the collective conscience of that generation through their lyrics and music and the main factors that contributed to the lack of popula...
The year is1965, 8 years into the Vietnam war and 2 years in the shadow of a presidential assassination, marked the inception of an artistic vision, cut to Vinyl. Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 revisited is a testament to the state of America in the 1960s, using poetic devices, and engaging rock and roll music to capture the imagination of a breadth of people, unwittingly, it would seem, brought change to the minds of Americans. Opening their eyes to what was happening and inflicting a sense of new found justice in their hearts, Living vicariously through Bob Dylan’s intense imagery, due to the events unfolding in that period, People latched on to Dylan’s lyrics and imposed their own expression and feeling onto his songs.
It was one of those songs that started with a long instrumental intro before any singing. The drummer began with a gentle rhythmic beat, then the violin broke in, and the instruments went on and on with this dreamy sound. The people all around, mainly long-haired young men in bell-bottom jeans and striped or tie-dyed t-shirts and braless women in peasant or granny dresses or bell-bottoms embroidered with flower or peace symbols, began to sway with the music. Soon they raised their arms and swayed in unison as the music looped for what seemed like ten minutes. James and I raised our arms and began to lean with those standing packed in near us, and I noticed the haze of smoke as the strobe lights lit the stage. Swaying back and forth, I realized my head felt light, my eyes blurred, my mouth was dry, and I then imagined myself and my family. I disappeared from the setting but saw my mother and grandfather, and both looked far away with longing and sadness in their eyes, as if I had left or not returned. When the band began to sing, I came back to the present and realized with a start that this must be a contact high, as I inhaled the thick smoke in the enclosed space. James was feeling good and continued to sway. The song, I learned later, was “Song of Peace,” and the lyrics, the best I could hear, were about reaching personal peace, not peace in Vietnam, and urged the listeners to raise their
In the 1960s, the anti-war movement grew rapidly in America. The party reached the summit in 1968 by collecting members of various age ranges throughout the country 6. The song "Revolution," produced by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, expresses the irony of the political group. Although the party is against...
The 1960’s was a time of war and fear for the United States and many people were turning their accusations towards the government. “Masters of War” was written by Bob Dylan in late 1962 and early 1963. The focus of this song is a protest against the Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis that was happening during the early 1960’s. The song is protesting on the American government having its citizens live in fear of a constant attack and hiding behind their shroud, unaffected by anything that would happen to the people. It shook the nation with its fierce and angry tone against the “military industrial complex.” Dylan’s lyrics stated that it was not contained by declaring a pointless war and not taking responsibility for the problems it was causing. “Masters of War” is a powerful song against the government and the military. The protest song “Masters of War” by Bob Dylan highlights how the looming aspect of the Cold War affected the people of the United States and demonstrates Dylan’s view on the governments involved.