Popular Music and the American Civil Rights Movement - Coursework Example

What Role Did Popular Music Play In The American Civil Rights Movement? Table of Contents Introduction 3 A Brief Idea about Different Popular Music Played in the American Civil Rights Movement 4 Role Played By Popular Music in the American Civil Rights Movement 5 Case Studies 7 Musician: Bob Dylan 7 Musician: Louis Shropshire 8 Conclusion 9 References 11 Introduction The period of 1960’s, revealed the time of upheaval, specifically in the domains of behavioural attitudes, fashion, society and most importantly, in music. It has been witnessed that prior to the year 1963, music those were found related to the era of sixties reflected the beliefs as well as the styles and sound of previous decade. Notably, most of the hit records during 1960’s came from a few artists, including Ray Charles, The Everly Brothers and Elvis Presley among others who accomplished greater success in the 1950’s and indicated strong influence on the perceptions and behaviours or the common audiences (The People History, 2014). It will be vital to mention that the Civil Rights Movement, which took place during the time of 1960’s, was more closely related to music as compared to other American based social movements held in the stated period. In this similar context, it can be apparently observed that certain prisoners sung freedom songs for keeping up their spirits in gaining national freedom. Apart from this, various folksingers, including blacks as well as whites, wrote songs about various themes related to the Civil Rights Movement. These themes were ascertained to be pains, paradoxes and racist activities among others. Thus, with this concern, it can be affirmed that the connection of music with the Civil Rights Movement is much apparent during the episode of 1960’s (RRAS, n.d.). In relation to the above context, the essay intends to discuss and analyse the role that popular music played in the American Civil Rights Movement. A Brief Idea about Different Popular Music Played in the American Civil Rights Movement In the circumstance of explaining the role played by popular music in the American Civil Rights Movement, certain popular music genres in the period of 1960’s were found to exist. In this similar context, the popular music genres that persisted during the period of 1960’s were Acapella, Motown/R&B, British Invasion, Roots Rock and Hard Rock, Folk Rock and Protest Music and Surf Rock and Psychedelic Rock. The popular music genre of British Invasion comprised certain pop artists as well as rock brands belonging to Britain that presented certain American pop and rock songs. Such artists were reckoned as The Beatles, Donovan, The Animals, The Kinks and Dusty Springfield among others. Specially mentioning, Motown/R&B acted as one of the most popular music genres, which had importance in the Civil Rights Movement. The importance of this particular popular music genre could be determined based on the efforts made by the same in integrating American community during the 1960’s, wherein the artists of Motown/R&B generally included The Spinners, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Supremes and The Miracles (The People History, 2014; Eyerman & Jamison, 1998). The other popular music genre, i.e. Surf Rock and Psychedelic Rock, was identified to fall into the group of dance music, which was basically instrumental and thus, became well renowned in 1960’s. The artists or the bands participated in this music genre included The Beach Boys, The Grateful Dead, The Trashmen and The Ventures. Amongst the existence of several popular music genres, Roots Rock and Hard Rock became much popular due to its offerings of combined rock music during the period of 1960’s. The artists who were involved in this particular music genre of 1960’s were Procol Harum, The Band, The Rolling Stones and The Troggs. The other popular music genres of 1960’s included Folk Rock and Protest Music and appeared in the background of protest movements such as The Civil Rights Movement, as similar to the above discussed music genres. The artistic groups that entailed The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, The Turtles, Crosby and Gordon Lightfoot were viewed to participate in the above stated music genre. Acappella also revealed as a regional sound in the era of 1960’s, which captured the hearts as well as the minds of the local people who belonged to the inner cities of America. This particular music genre is also viewed to become much popular during 1960’s because of its presentation as an urbanised music genre with recordings having no music. In this specific popular music genre, The Notations as well as The Chessmen and The Zircons along with The Shells among other renowned artists took active participation (The People History, 2014; Roy, 2010). Role Played By Popular Music in the American Civil Rights Movement While assessing the tasks played by popular music in the American Civil Rights Movement, it must be mentioned that the period of 1960 was duly regarded as an era of liberation, specifically for music, racism binds, dance and public opinion as well (Rojas & Michie, 2013). It is strongly believed that the dominant role played by music in the American Civil Rights Movement in 1960’s deciphered the difficulties faced in segregating two particular phases that encompassed civil rights phase (mainly Southern) and the phase of Black Power (mostly Northern as well as urban). One of the prime roles played by music in the American Civil Rights Movement during the 1960’s was the creation of an association between the political structure of the movement and the artistic appearance of the black communities. Besides, the other part played by music in the above stated movement was making considerable level of changes in spiritual traditions and song of black churches (Gray and Robinson, 2008; Smith, 2003). It is to be affirmed that the evolution of popular music has played an indispensable role in the American Civil Rights Movement in various ways (Fischlin & et. al., 2013). For instance, one of those ways included changing the standpoints of white teenagers belonging to America when concerning the attitudes as well as the actions performed by African Americans. More importantly, the other way entailed mobilizing adequate along with proper support for the above stated movement. While discussing about these roles of popular music in the era of 1960’s, the contribution made by mass media like radio during that time is deemed to be much essential and ought to be considered for discussion. In this respect, it was identified that the mass media tools, such as radio, supported in spreading the above discussed roles of popular music that eventually resulted in unifying the dispersed populaces to the fullest extent. Based on the above analysis, it became much evident that both mass media tools, including radio and several popular music genres during the period of 1960’s remained central towards mobilization in the American Civil Rights Movement (Kurtz, 2008). It has been apparently observed that the political movements held in America transformed the popular music genres into unconcealed political forms. This can be justified with reference to the example of American Civil Rights Movement. This was then defined as a social movement, which eventually created a sense of consistency and forging a strong political as well as social force. In the background of explaining the role played by popular music in American Civil Rights Movement, it must be mentioned that such music genres of 1960’s had certainly created a situation of raising voices or protests in opposition to varied stereotypes, their respective prejudices, violence and aggression among others (Kurtz, 2008). Thus, with this concern, two particular case studies have been presented below that connect musicians to one Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s (Price, 2011). Case Studies Musician: Bob Dylan Bob Dylan was reckoned to be one of the finest musicians of 1960’s, who imposed considerable impacts on popular culture and the American Civil Rights Movement. The role played by Dylan in the above stated movement can be better understood from the time when the musician started to write about varied protestant songs that were also acknowledged as “finger-pointing” songs at the commencement of the movement. Specially mentioning, several catalysts were observed to lead the movement that included the proposal of Truman concerning the incorporation of armed forces and the chief baseball league in the year 1947. While displaying the connection prevailing between the musicians and the American Civil Rights Movement, it was ascertained that the song “The Death of Emmett Till” composed by Dylan was one of the major events in the stated movement. Apart from this, Dylan also composed the song “Oxford Town”, which eventually supported the musician to start his career (Blanton, 2001). Notably, an offensive song composed by Dylan, i.e. “Only a Pawn in Their Game”, which was mainly about the death of a civil rights protester named Medgar Evers, eventually shaped the American Civil Rights Movement in a revolutionised way. Specially mentioning, the other controversial song composed by Dylan, i.e. “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll” also made the stated movement activists to act as a protestant, presenting the message of a black individual being victimised by a white person. More astonishingly, another song of Dylan, “Blowin in the Wind” certainly evolved as an anthem for the particular movement. This song mainly dispersed the message of the failure of leaders belonging to the nation in keeping their respective promises for serving their nation in an efficient way. The third album of Dylan, which mainly comprised certain finger-pointing songs, including “When the Ship Comes In”, “Only a Pawn in Their Game” and “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll”, also shaped the above discussed movement as a revolutionary one, during the period of 1960’s. It was strongly believed that these finger-pointing songs composed by Dylan reinforced varied political viewpoints about safeguarding the rights of the common people belonging to the nation. The musician also insisted that politics, along with its distinct facets, were integrated into the songs composed by him that reflects the need of making transformation within the respective communities of the nation (Blanton, 2001). Musician: Louis Shropshire With regards to the above discussion, it has been quite apparent that the songs of various genres along with themes composed by Dylan had strong correlation with the American Civil Rights Movement. Similar to Dylan, the songs composed by another musician, Louise Shropshire in the 1960’s was also found to have strong association with the stated movement. This can be justified with reference to one of the songs composed by the musician - “We Shall Overcome”, which reflected the values of the movement and supported the same to convey its message to the worldwide audiences. This particular song was basically denoted as an African-American based Gospel song, which was composed during the labour movement in the 1940s. Later, this particular song became much popular in the early stage of the Civil Rights Movement. It has been apparently observed that the song of “We Shall Overcome” composed by Shropshire, reflected the themes of the movement, which were not only limited to folk, but also remained confined within the genre related to American protest songs. More vitally, the song was identified to appear in every sort of popular music (RRAS, n.d.). To determine the connection prevailing between the musicians and the American Civil Rights Movement during the 1960’s, it must be mentioned that the composition of the song “We Shall Overcome” by Shropshire was typically a protest song. It then certainly became a chief anthem of the above stated movement. It was strongly believed that the structure, along with the title of the song was copied from a premature gospel song. The song became much popular in the American Civil Rights Movement, as it focused on examining the attributes concerning non-violent activism of civil rights. Apart from the above-discussed aspect, it was also strongly believed that the song, “We Shall Overcome”, deciphered the procedures of alterations made within the political structure of America. It is worth mentioning in this similar context that the phrase, “We Shall Overcome” was used for addressing Congress about the demand of introducing an Act of voting rights and also fulfilling the civil rights of the demonstrators. In precise, it is to be affirmed that the above stated song witnessed worldwide adaptation in 1960’s. This can be justified with reference to the fact that the Catholics were also noted to sing this song in the year 1968 for raising voices against preserving equal rights for the individuals belonging to America. Apart from considering the song of “We Shall Overcome” as a protest one, it was also used as a slogan, demonstrating voices against various crucial concerns that encompass inequality and loss of freedom among others (Ohio Magazine, 2015). Conclusion Based on the above analysis and discussion, it can be ascertained that popular music has played an indispensable role in the American Civil Rights Movement during 1960’s in various ways. These forms could be apparently noted as raising protests or voices in opposition to the then prevailing inequalities amid the black as well as white Americans and demanding the introduction of an Act that tends to control non-violent activism of civil rights. While assessing the role played by popular music in the stated movement, several music genres were identified to persist, making the movement a revolutionised one. In this regard, such popular music genres, during the 1960’s, included Acapella, British Invasion, Roots Rock along with Hard Rock and Surf Rock as well as Psychedelic Rock among others. It is worth mentioning that a connection between the musicians and the American Civil Rights movement of 1960’s was deemed to be much apparent. This can be acceptable with reference to the songs including “Only a Pawn in Their Game” and “We Shall Overcome” among others those were composed by Bob Dylan and Louise Shropshire respectively. Thus, it can be concluded that these songs had played a protestant role in the movement, which combated against the prevalence of any sort of inequality prevailing amid the American people. References Blanton, A., 2001. History 22. Bob Dylan: An Impact on American Society in the 1960’s, pp. 1-11. Eyerman, R. & Jamison, A., 1998. Music and Social Movements: Mobilizing Traditions in the Twentieth Century. Cambridge University Press. Fischlin, D. & et. al., 2013. The Fierce Urgency of Now: Improvisation, Rights, and the Ethics of Cocreation. Duke University Press. Gray, R. & Robinson, O., 2008. A Companion to the Literature and Culture of the American South. John Wiley & Sons. Kurtz, L. R., 2008. Encyclopaedia of Violence, Peace, and Conflict. Academic Press.   Ohio Magazine, 2015. November 2014 Digest. Articles. [Online] Available at: http://www.ohiomagazine.com/Main/Articles/November_2014_Digest_5034.aspx [Accessed March 26, 2015]. Price, E. G., 2011. Encyclopaedia of African American Music. ABC-CLIO. RRAS, No Date. Overview. The Music of the Civil Rights Movement. [Online] Available at: http://teachrock.org/lesson/the-music-of-the-civil-rights-movement/ [Accessed March 26, 2015]. Rojas, E. & Michie, L., 2013. Sounds of Resistance: The Role of Music in Multicultural Activism [2 volumes]: The Role of Music in Multicultural Activism. ABC-CLIO. Roy, W. G., 2010. Reds, Whites, and Blues: Social Movements, Folk Music, and Race in the United States: Social Movements, Folk Music, and Race in the United States. Princeton University Press. Smith, R. C., 2003. Encyclopedia of African American Politics. Infobase Publishing. The People History, 2014. Popular Music Genres of the 1960s. Music Played in the 1960s Popular Music From the 60s. [Online] Available at: http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/60smusic.html [Accessed March 26, 2015]. Read More