How Important Was The Civil Rights Movement In The 1950's And 1960s

The 1950’s and 1960’s were a time of significant political changes in the United States; the baby boomers from post-World War II were coming of age, the Vietnam War had begun, and the civil rights and women’s liberation movements were in full swing. The Vietnam War came when the United States citizens were tired of war; they had suffered through World War I and II, and the Korean War. The Civil Rights and women’s liberation movements increased student involvement in politics. With the middle class prospering, televisions and radios became common place in homes allowing for an influx of media and music.
Music has often played a role in political and social events; however, those events were usually focused on a smaller population (i.e. Swing low, Sweet Chariot for slaves1 and We Shall over Come for African American civil rights). Folk singers had become active in the civil rights movement with songs like “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll” by Bob Dylan and “Birmingham Sunday” by Joan Baez.2 The Vietnam War affected the masses and music became a method to unite the public and express disapproval to America’s involvement in Vietnam.
Bob Dylan released

the album The Freewheelin’ in 1963. On that album was “Blowin’ in the wind;” it is a folk song with simple guitar chords and a single vocalist, and a grave tempo with two harmonies. The song asks many questions such as “yes, n’ how many deaths will it take till he knows that too many people have died.” The pitch rises as the refrain is sung “the answer my friend is blowin’ in the wind”.3 It is a song that describes war in general. Also, on Bob Dylan’s album The Freewheelin’, was another folk song that again had a simple guitar melody with solo vocalist, grave tempo and mezzo piano dynamics called “Masters of War.” “Masters of War” uses the melody from a traditional English folk song called “Nottamun Town.” The song protests those who profit from war and are oblivious to the loss of lives and destruction that comes with war; this song had further significance once the draft was instated and young men were forced to fight a war they did not support. Neither “Blowin in the Wind” or “Masters of War” specifically mention the Vietnam War; however, it was felt that both were referring to the Vietnam War.
In 1964 Bob Dylan released another album titled The Times They Are A-Changin’ with a folk song the same name as the album title. The song is again simple guitar chords, and includes harmonica and lyrics, it is in adagio tempo. It states “There’s a battle outside, and it’s a ragin’, it’ll soon stake your windows, rattle your walls”4 and is clearly referring to the war in Vietnam but again did not mention the Vietnam War by name.
As the graphic war images come over the television into people’s homes, the veterans returned home with horrifying stories and the military draft loomed ahead, the music became less subtle and became specific to the Vietnam War. The dynamics of the songs seemed to increase along with the tempo.
In 1967 ragtime musician Country Joe McDonald released an album entitled I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin-to-Die. “I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin-to-Die Rag” was a single on the album and features a simple solo vocalist and guitar, vivace in tempo and mezzo forte dynamics. There is four verses followed each followed by the refrain. The lyrics clearly mention Vietnam, “Now come on mothers throughout the land pack your boys off to Vietnam, c’mon fathers don’t hesitate…you can be the first one on your block to have your boy come home in a box.”5
August 1969 brought Woodstock, a concert event that was advertised as a “peace and music event.” Musicians performing at Woodstock included “the Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, Santana, Country Joe and the Fish and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.”6 McDonald performed “I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin-to-Die Rag” at Woodstock and many of the participants sang along with him.

“Perhaps the most memorable act came from influential rock guitar virtuoso Jimi Hendrix when he played a searing rendition of America’s national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner.” During his performance Hendrix distorted his guitar sounds and used whammy-bar techniques to realistically imitate war sounds, such as machine guns and explosions. Hendrix briefly played “Taps” about half way through the

performance.7
Also in 1969, Creedance Clearwater Revival released the song “Fortunate Son.” “Fortunate Son” is a presto tempo, rock and roll piece that features electric guitars, piano, drums and vocals. The song clearly points out that upper class youth are being excluded from the military draft of the Vietnam War with lyrics of “I ain't no senator's son…It ain't me, it ain't me; I ain't no fortunate one, no…Some folks are born silver spoon in hand… I ain't no millionaire's son.”8
Edwin Starr released a funk song in 1970 called “War.” “War” is vivace in tempo and fortissimo dynamic; however, the words are very clearly understood. It features a single bass vocalist with a choir response asking “what is it good for, huh, (solo ‘absolutely’) nothing!”9 This choir response creates a feel of unity of the majority. The song also features guitars and tambourines. This song was originally recorded by the Temptations but not released due to fears of backlash.10
Activists were despondent after the reelection of Nixon and the Kent State killing of four unarmed student protestors and the injury of nine others by Ohio National Guardsmen in 1970. In quick response to the Kent State shootings Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young released “Ohio” later that same year. “Ohio” is hard rock melody that uses bass and guitars in andante tempo in mezzo forte dynamic. The song has four verses with the first verse repeated as the fourth verse; “Tin soldiers and Nixon coming, we're finally on our own. This summer I hear the drumming, four dead in Ohio.”11 Activists were discouraged and felt that the government would stop at nothing to end their protests.
John Lennon released “Imagine” in 1971. This soft rock melody uses piano and drums in a simple largo tempo in piano dynamics. Lennon dreams of peace and a utopian world, pointing out that he is not the only person that desires this in the lyrics of the song. Lennon sings that he imagines “a brother hood of man. Imagine all the people, sharing all the world. You may say I’m a dreamer but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us and the world will live as one.”12
Music for Vietnam War protests crossed many genres and included many musicians. Music united youth and was easily distributed to the masses through radio. “While catchy melodies can capture a listener’s attention the lyrics of the music spoke to the minds of the disillusioned generation. In many ways the 1960s represented the forefront of using music, and the accompanying culture, to speak out against war.”7