“Songs of 1963…and Today,” PDF

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Bono, the singer-songwriter-activist, said, “Music can change the world because it can change people.” In your online discussion for “Songs of 1963…and Today,” you were asked to explore the American Masters webpage “The Boomer List” that highlights music from the 1960s--a decade that was defined by ...

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Naomi Sterling Professor Kuttner WRIT 1000 11.06.2020 Music Of The ‘60s vs. Today Music has the power to impact entire generations. The people everywhere that listen to music enjoy it because it’s a form of self-expression. Lyrics and melodies can make people feel less alone and like their feelings are valid. The music in the ’60s is not the same as music today, and to some, it can be considered the best decade of music. The lyrics were more meaningful, songs were used to bring people together during stressful times, such as the Civil Rights Movement, and gave people optimism. In “Songs of the Summer of 1963…and Today”, Juan Williams's main message was that today’s music doesn’t have meaningful messages like many songs in the ‘60s. The current mainstream music can seem like a bunch of noise compared to the music in the past. However, not all music in this generation is negative and violent, and many artists are trying to sing about more emotional and impactful topics. In the past, music was able to unite people when they were in depressing situations. Juan Williams referred to many lyrics to different songs and the lyrics showed that the songs were focusing on giving people faith, especially during the civil-rights era. For example, Curtis Mayfield wrote the song “People Get Ready” in 1964 and can be seen as a song of faith. He sang “People get ready, there's a train a-comin'; you don't need no baggage you just get on board . . . there ain't no room for the hopeless sinner who would hurt all mankind just to save his own. Have pity on those whose chances grow thinner. For there's no hiding place against the

Kingdom's throne.” For many, this song seems to have captured the spirit of the March on Washington. I interpreted these lyrics as Curtis Mayfield using religion to bring everyone together and offering a message of redemption and forgiveness. His song touched people, influenced other artists as well. Bob Marley used some of his words in his song “One Love”, and after 9/11, Bruce Springsteen quoted from “People Get Ready” and used it as a healing anthem at his concerts. The music that was inspiring and poetic has been replaced with music that can do the exact opposite and has been influencing the stereotypes many minorities already face. I feel that one of the positives that have come from rap music is that it allows many young people of color to express themselves and create art that reflects the reality of their lives and the experiences they go through. However, I can admit that there is a relationship between violent song lyrics and aggressive thoughts along with feelings of hostility. Many studies have proven that rap has an overall negative impact on society and glamorizes destructive behavior like violence and substance abuse. It feels as if artists are only using their music for recognition and self-gain and aren’t truly using their music as a way of self-expression. Nevertheless, times have changed and so has technology along with the production of music. There is music in this generation that can be seen as poetic and inspirational, for example, the song “1-800-273-8255” produced by the artists Logic, Alessia Cara, and Khalid is known as an anti-suicide anthem. It led to large spread awareness of mental health and of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The song is sung from the perspective of a person who wants to commit suicide and contacts the hotline, “It’s holding on thought the road’s long; And seeing light in the darkest of things…I don’t wanna cry anymore; I wanna feel alive…” Logic said that he wanted to “create a song that would have a noticeable impact on others…I made this song for all of you who are in a dark place and can’t seem to find the light.” Many of his listeners wrote to him, saying that his music

has helped them through tough times and has even saved their lives. By increasing the awareness about suicide and suicide prevention in general, people listening to the lyrics felt less alone and had hope things will get better. I think this can relate to the song “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon and Garfunkel. They sing, “When you’re weary, feeling small; When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all, all…Your time has come to shine; All your dreams are on their way… Oh, if you need a friend; I’m sailing right behind.” I see this as a song about being there to comfort someone in need, which can motivate people to be there for their loved ones. There is a drastic difference between today’s popular music and those in the past. Most of the bands from the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s were known and praised internationally and their music are considered classics. Bands such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones were famous because they wrote music that had a depth to it unlike most of the music today. Artists wrote their own music and their lyrics were meaningful and poetic. Current mainstream music lyrics don’t have the same depth, if any, as the music from the ‘60s. Most popular artists don’t write their lyrics, and many songs can sound repetitive. On top of this, the lyrics tend to be vulgar and have the same theme, such as songs about clubs and parties, or songs about love. Compared to the ‘60s, the artists of today might seem to lack the talent that bands and musicians had in the past. Even so, lately, there have been artists that are trying to expand their music and have a lot of themes that revolve around mental health, self-love, compassion, and positivity. Unfortunately, the most popular songs are the ones that are aggressive, sexual, misogynistic, and can be interpreted as offensive. In Juan Williams’ essay, “Songs of the Summer of 1963…and Today”, he refers to this problem, saying “Now…after the lyrical promise of that inspiring music and poetry, there is the inescapable and heartbreaking contrast with the malignant, self-aggrandizing rap songs that define today’s most popular music.” Even though this is true, it’s safe to say that this generation

has different views and morals than ‘boomers’, each generation is biased and music is highly personal. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and a song that someone thinks is horrible can be another's personal anthem. Music has had such an impact on our lives that each generation is known to have many specific songs that are said to define the generation. They’ve each had music that influenced the world by spreading positive messages, motivating people, and giving them hope. Music in earlier generations had more meaningful messages in the lyrics. Artists would sing about love, the meaning of life, and life experiences, whereas music today doesn’t necessarily spread positivity and can promote drugs and violence. In Juan Williams’ Essay, “Songs of the Summer of 1963… and Today”, he wanted to emphasize the difference between the music of the 60s’ that inspired and elevated its listeners to do and become more, and today’s music that can be vulgar, nonpoetic, and spread the wrong messages. Be that as it may, we’re in an entirely different generation; we can’t expect the music to be the same, and many artists today are using their platforms to promote more positive messages.

Work Cited Williams, Juan. “Songs of the Summer of 1963...and Today.” Patterns for College Writing: A Rhetorical Reader and Guide, by Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell, 14th ed., Boston, 2012, pp. 397–399. Tinker, Ben. “Calls to Suicide Prevention Hotline Spike after VMA Performance.” CNN, Cable News Network, 29 Aug. 2017, www.cnn.com/2017/08/25/health/logic-suicide-hotlinevma18002738255/index.html....