How Musical Artist Attempt to Persuade their Audience

How Musical Artist Attempt to Persuade their Audience

For years, musical artists have attempted to use their influence to push their audience towards certain political views. From Country Joe in the 1960’s to Eminem in the present day, artists have used lyrics and/or actions to try to persuade their listeners. Whether they were effective or not, is another question, and in most cases would be difficult prove. The four artists that we decided to focus on were Country Joe and the Fish, Eminem, and P. Diddy. The following paper is divided into sections to make it easier to focus on each artist separately because they are so different. Finally At the end we come together to explain how they are alike by sharing at common goal; to persuade their audiences.

County Joe and the Fish and Artists of that Time Period

In the 1960s, a combination of politics, music, and youth helped to make it one of the most memorable decades. Artists such as Bob Dylan, the Beatles, and Country Joe and the Fish, took advantage of their poetic license by writing lyrics full of love, peace, political progress, and hope for change. Concerts like the Monterey Pop Festival and Woodstock brought potential voters and youth together to unite their views and to voice freedom. Such performers as Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and Country Joe and the Fish used their songs to present their political views. .

According to Bill Belmont's research of the band, Country Joe and the Fish started as a political band for entertainment. In 1965, members of the Free Speech Movement of the University of California - Berkeley organized a number of demonstrations against the war in Vietnam. Using experience from the Civil Rights Movement, the organizers always provided entertainment before or after the march to grasp the public’s attention. At this time, folk music was making a comeback and bands were forming ( Belmont 1).

Belmont goes to describe how Joe McDonald, the lead singer of Country Joe, was editing a magazine he had created, Rag Baby, and ran out of ideas for writing material. He then had an idea of creating an issue where the contents were voiced and eventually ended up recording a record. The record consisted of two songs by a group featuring Joe, named “Country Joe and the Fish”, and two songs by local singer, Peter Krug. One of the songs by Joe's group, “I Feel Like I’m Fixin To Die Rag” became so popular that Joe decided to form a rock band under the same name of “Country Joe and the Fish” ( Belmont).