The Song Give Peace a Chance by John Lennon - Case Study Example

Sihao Song FMS 380 November 6, Give Peace a Chance: Anti-War Mind-Set in the 1960s Majority of the Americans supported U.S. participation in the Vietnam War in the spring of 1965, but, most likely because it was the first televised war that graphically showed the human and environmental costs of violence, it quickly became unpopular and spawned an anti-war movement (Arnold 318). Diverse writers, artists, musicians, and students, among other groups, united in protesting against the Vietnam War, which peaked from the 1960s to the 1970s. Probably around six million Americans went to the streets to participate in various pro-peace activities, such as attending rallies, meetings, and vigils, signing petitions, and writing letters (Hall 1). The anti-war movement inspired many songwriters, including John Lennon, who wrote the song Give Peace a Chance to call for peace in Vietnam. Analyzing the song can help understand the role of music in social criticism and activism. Give Peace a Chance manifests numerous attributes of anti-war music that characterize the sixties through well-structured, yet simplified and soulful, tune and lyrics, which not only advocate for peace, but also satirize political, social, and governance systems that perpetuate war. The title itself, Give Peace a Chance, is a direct statement of Lennon’s support for peaceful means of ending violent conflicts, not just in Vietnam, but all over the world, which reflects one of the emerging strategies to resolving conflicts in his time. Ben Arnold describes American musical compositions during the 1960s to 1970s in “War Music and the American Composer during the Vietnam Era.” He stresses the rise of pro-peace sentiments in overtly anti-war songs, which showed the turning of the tide away from earlier pro-war songs. Lennon also resisted the Vietnam War because of its violence and inhumane outcomes for both America and Vietnam. Give Peace a Chance marks his belief that war is not a solution. Only peace can result to peace, so he asserts that the U.S. and other involved leaders should give peace a chance. In other words, he is saying that, by continuously sending troops to Vietnam and fighting the Vietnamese, peace is put at the sidelines. Lennon asks the people and the government to put peace at the forefront of American involvement, not more troops and armaments. In addition, the absence of “Vietnam War” in the lyrics suggests that Lennon calls for world peace in general. He does not only oppose the Vietnam War for he opposes all wars. Simon Hall, in Rethinking the American Anti-War Movement, describes the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s that champions nonviolent struggles against racial inequality (6). Lennon lives in a time where the theme of peace is not only important, but a popular means for attaining social changes. Give Peace a Chance reflects the significance of peaceful approaches to different social conflicts. Besides the title, the song has a simple structure and soulful tune and lyrics that aim to attract the masses into singing and promoting it, and to signify the alignment between peacefulness and humanness. The song has a basic two-chorded, four-measure song. It also has a simple structure with rhyming ends and repetition that make it easy to remember and sing it. Lines 3 to 5, for instance, end with “Madism,” “that-ism,” and “ism” (Lennon). The result is a poetic song that has matching ends which allows easy memorization. These words also have popular appeal because they are satires of –isms that divide the world. The 1960s was, after all, also about social movements that promote peace for all and liberation from conservative cultures. Saying words that counter dominant structures easily attracts people to sing them and to promote them to others too. Furthermore, Give Peace a Chance has been sung in numerous peace rallies and concerts, a testament of its popularity (Hall 81). James E. Perone, in Songs of the Vietnam Conflict, describes it as “the anti-war anthem of the last years of the Vietnam Conflict [italics in original source]” (58). He notes that it is the only song that is sung by many people (e.g. “en masse”) in rallies (Perone 58). It is not only a popular song because the iconic John Lennon made it, but also because he made it easy to sing for the public. Moreover, it has a popular rock melody. Lennon records it with a few friends whom he also mentions in the lyrics of the song. They sing together with the beat of the maracas and thumping medley. It is a song that anyone can sing anywhere with its rhythmic beat that almost sounds like a modern hippie prayer. The song’ simplicity in tune, structure, and lyrics has a populist appeal that attracts many people to sing it. In addition, the sing has soulful lyrics as its chorus emphasizes peace and alludes to Hare Krishna. Its main theme is peace that will resolve different conflicts, including that in Vietnam. The chorus asserts that Lennon has a simple request: “All we are saying is give peace a chance / All we are saying is give peace a chance.” It stresses that it is not asking for anything but trying peace for a change in ending wars. The government already tried war, and it did not stop the conflicts in Vietnam, but only worsened it. Lennon argues that peace is the best solution then for a war that never ends. The use of “we” in the song also underlines the collectiveness of the call to show the U.S. government that this is a call from the many, not the few. “We” is also pluralistic and aims to include the government. It underlines that peace is a national and global effort. Furthermore, the lyrics are soulful with the mention of Hare Krishna, also called the “Great Mantra,” which glorifies the energy of God and is believed to help attain higher consciousness (Morris 140). The song may be symbolizing a chant for peace, which may be considered as a higher form of consciousness than engaging in violence and hostility. Peace is not only a chance to end the war; it is the best chance because it is a higher form of consciousness than having violent thoughts and behaviors. Elverton Dixon Valerie, in Just Peace Theory Book One: Spiritual Morality, Radical Love, and the Public Conversation, believes that calling for peace is a “radiation, an emanation” that comes from every human being (227). The soulfulness of the song comes from its spiritual appeal to peacefulness that hails from the core of the human soul and that wishes to transcend violent drives and to move towards the path of love and peace (Valerie 227). Peace is about humanness because it reflects humaneness. Compassion will end violence, not more violence. With a simple structure and soulful melody and lyrics, Give Peace a Chance easily became a popular song about peace and humanness. Apart from the ease of remembering and the humane nature of the song, it also satirizes political systems. Though different scholars offer dissimilar interpretations of several words from it, they are given meaning according to the context of the anti-war and Civil Rights movements. The song says: “Bagism, Shagism, Dragism, Madism” (Lennon 3). Lennon himself defines what bagism is, which is about the state of social categorizations that divide people from one another. In an interview on the David Frost Show in June 14, 1969, he says that bagism is “a tag for what we all do, we’re all in a bag ya know…And we all sort of come out and look at each other every now and then, but we don’t communicate…” (Borack 143). Lennon could be saying that he is against war because it is another bag that separates people from each other. If the war is against communism, then it is democracy against another political system. Focusing on these differences does not start from and end with peacefulness. Peace is the only way that can bring out people together out from their bags, which is why he says, “Everybodys talking about…” (Lennon 2). People are talking about the war and how it is not good for Americans and the world. “Shagism” may have sexual connotations, “dragism” may refer to gay people, and “madism” may be about getting mentally ill from all these bags that limit people’s understanding of and for one another. The line seems to be asserting that war is maddening, in as much as other –isms are maddening for they all suggest that people cannot co-exist with groups who are different from them. In Americas Longest War: The United States and Vietnam, 1950-1975, George Herring revisits popular arguments about the war. He argues that the Vietnam War is a failure in accepting “the inherent unworkability of a policy of global containment” (Herring 270). Herring would have agreed that bagism is not an effective response to communist ideologies and governments because the U.S. cannot impose its democracy on other nations. This song for peace is a political song against disruptive social and political categorizations. To continue, these –isms may signify Lennon’s satire against multiple contesting ideologies. In relation to bagism that divides people, the sing alludes to other –isms that increase disunity. The song says: “Ragism, Tagism, this-ism, that-ism / Ism ism ism” (Lennon 4-5). Though these seem like nonsense words, “ragism” may indicate the rags of creating social classifications which means that Lennon does not care for these differences, while “tagism, this-ism, that-ism” mocks the ideologies that people use to make themselves superior to others. The U.S., for instance, wants to contain communism and socialism (Herring 270), which did not work, as can be seen from the failure of the Vietnam War and the development of the Cold War. Waging wars to promote democracy and kill other political ideologies does not profit anyone. Lennon could be saying that all these different –isms do not have to be the causes of war, but a mere portrayal of people’s inherent differences as human beings. “Ism ism ism” satirizes the politicization of political and social beliefs that only divides people from one another and makes them hostile towards each other. Lennon could be saying that if people will give peace a chance, the first thing that they have to remove is tagging one another with –isms, and instead, they should simply see themselves as human beings who want peace. If they accept their differences, they can be at peace with themselves and others. Aside from these divisive –isms, the song calls for peace that goes beyond religious differences. It undermines division through religion because it also leads to violent conflicts. The song says: “Everybodys talkin bout ministers, sinister” (Lennon 8). The juxtaposition of two words that are quite opposite in meaning, “ministers” and “sinister,” implies the connotation that religion can be conflict-ridden too. Wars among different religions, for instance, are sinister for they are anti-God, if God is peace and love. This line could also be suggesting that using religion to promote or support the war, which is violent, is dubious and against Godliness. The song continues to undercut religious organizations that may be supporting war efforts or not overtly fighting against them. It says: “Banisters and canisters, bishops and fishops” (Lennon 9). Banisters are barricades, while canisters may be symbolic of the war because soldiers drink from it, which may suggest that wars are barricades to peace. “Bishops and fishops” seem to disrespect religious leaders, especially those who either support the war or are indifferent to it. Lennon could be saying that religion, by not promoting peace, makes it a canister or a tin, a fake representation of God’s loving and peaceful nature. The tenth line continues the argument for unity, not differences, when it comes to peace. It says: “Rabbis and pop eyes, bye bye, bye byes” (Lennon 10). “Pop eyes” sound like Popeye which can symbolize the strength of the anti-war movement that says “bye bye” to violence and differences. The song asserts that peace comes from unity across all religions too. While religion is also mentioned, the song alludes to social issues too, which strengthens the importance of peace to the social awakening of the times. David James analyzes war music in his article, “The Vietnam War and American Music.” Though he believes that rock music did not always specifically analyze the war’s causes to understand its development and outcomes, it, nevertheless, reflects the social movements of the 1960s. He says that anti-war music “…celebrates anti-materialism, spiritual reawakening and social disengagement…” (James 133). The song alludes to other social issues too, which makes it important to connect peace to related demands for social changes. The song says: “Everybodys talking about, revolution / Evolution, masturbation, flagellation” (Lennon 14-15). Indeed, revolution and evolution are catch words because of the Civil Rights and the anti-war movements. They demand revolution through the evolution of the governance systems from racism and violence to racial equality and peacefulness. “Masturbation” alludes to sexual liberation, while “flagellation” criticizes continued racial conflicts. Peace is about accepting people’s sexual preferences and racial differences, which connects peace in Vietnam to other national social issues. Besides its relationship with diverse social issues, the song satirizes the lack of effective political systems in resolving wars. Arnold describes how anti-war music redefined musicians’ role in the political scene. He states: “In no time before the Vietnam conflict had such a large number of composers produced such an extensive body of war-related art music contrary to the desires and policies of the government. In this short period, composers of war-related music turned a volte-face and radically changed their role in society, and of necessity, their art itself” (327). Lennon reflects the tide against ineffective political systems as well. Give Peace a Chance says: “Regulation, integrations, meditations / United Nations, congratulations” (16-17). The song could be saying that “regulation” or laws alone are not enough, and instead, the government should try integration and meditation. Integration refers to equality initiatives, while mediation pertains to peaceful agreements. Then, the song criticizes the United Nations. It seems to be not doing enough to stop the war, so “congratulations” is verbal irony. The song attacks local and international governance systems that are not trying hard enough to implement peaceful intervention strategies in Vietnam. With the absence of successful governance, the song invites people to fight for peace themselves. It talks about its writers and all those who participated in it because it is a call for peace that comes from all: “Everybodys talking about, John and Yoko / Timmy Leary, Rosemary, Tommy Smothers / Bobby Dylan, Tommy Cooper, Derek Taylor / Norman Mailer, Alan Ginsberg, Hare Krishna, Hare Hare Krishna…” (Lennon 20-23). Timmy Leary is a psychologist and writer who advocated the use of psychedelic drugs, Tommy Smothers is against censorship, and Alan Ginsberg is a poet who challenged traditional forms of poetry. They all sang the song with Lennon, which shows the collective participation of the people in advocating peace and serves to invite more people to demand for peace. The song asserts the word “everybody” to emphasize that it is a popular demand, which the government should not overlook. The song ends with the chorus, which has turned the title into a simple anti-war slogan, “Give Peace a Chance.” It becomes a mantra in rallies, a demand for peace that is better than war. Give Peace a Chance characterizes anti-war music that has a simple structure and soulful tune and lyrics, as it calls for peace and satirizes political, social, and governance systems that support war. It argues that war is not a solution because it promotes violence and rejects differences. It advocates peace as the only solution for conflicts because embraces and respects differences. It also asks the government to give peace a chance because violence and hostility are against compassion that comes from the transcendental human soul. Thus, through Give Peace a Chance, Lennon asks his audience to support peace that uplifts their consciousness and humaneness. Works Cited Arnold, Ben. “War Music and the American Composer during the Vietnam Era.” The Musical Quarterly 75.3 (1991): 316-335. Print. Borack, John. John Lennon - Life is What Happens: Music, Memories, and Memorabilia. Wisconsin: F+W Media. Dixon Valerie, Elverton. Just Peace Theory Book One: Spiritual Morality, Radical Love, and the Public Conversation. Indiana: iUniverse, 2012. Print. Hall, Simon. Rethinking the American Anti-War Movement (American Social and Political Movements of the 20th Century). Abingdon, United Kingdom: Routledge, 2011. Print. Herring, George. Americas Longest War: The United States and Vietnam, 1950-1975. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2013. Print. James, David. “The Vietnam War and American Music.” Social Text 23 (1989): 122-143. Print. Lennon, John. Give Peace a Chance. Live Peace in Toronto, 1969. Web. 20 Sept. 2014. . Morris, Brian. Religion and Anthropology: A Critical Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge U P, 2006. Print. Perone, James E. Songs of the Vietnam Conflict. Connecticut: Greenwood, 2001. Print. Rhodes, Joel. The Voice of Violence: Performative Violence as Protest in the Vietnam Era. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger, 2001. Print. Read More