Social Activism in Musicians

Bombs, bullets, guns, tanks, and planes, otherwise known as war. The insane and harmful solution to the worlds problems. Nobody gets in the way of war. But what can combat war? Music. According to Mueller’s book, over 90% of people in the United States listen to music everyday. Not only that, but over 88% of people have their own stereo system aside from their radio. (Mueller 80) After a small bit of math from those statistics, you discover that at least 282.5 million people listen to music everyday. And that is just in America. Music causes social change because of the ability to get your thoughts into the world.

Music has always inspired people to think for themselves and find meanings within deep and confusing lyrics, giving them new perspective. Back during the times when the fight for civil rights was in full swing, music played an even bigger role. Some musicians used personal experience as inspiration for their work; it made their songs more relatable to the listeners and added a bit of personality to the music. The songs they wrote stimulated people to gather together and demand change. The bravery of the artists who spoke out against the way the country was headed allowed them to create these songs and get people together.

Music has been a part of our lives for centuries, dating all the way back to ancient history. The Greeks and the Christians used music as a means of soul crafting. In fact, the power of music is endless; it has a way of reaching out and speaking to us; it speaks volumes. With or without lyrics, music is capable of touching our emotions: happiness, sadness, bitterness, calmness etc. However, with such great power come disadvantages. Music and politics do not always mesh well together. According to some political views, music violates the morality of the state and people. Music is also used to relate one human with another and convey political messages through lyrics and tune. The ancient’s belief that music has an impact on the soul and health of the polis is fairly correct.

Music and Morality "Let us dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago: to tame the savageness of man, and make gentle the life of this world. " This famous Robert Kennedy quote reminds us of how influential our predecessors were to us in many different facets, including music. Throughout history, we see how dearly important music and the morality of music were for many societies. As early as 400 B.C.E, during the time of philosophers like Socrates and Plato, music (although much different from what it is today) greatly influenced the mores of society. In the earliest times it was deemed inappropriate and unlawful for music to have an inhibitory affect on the mores of society.

	King started his career as a teenage professional musician on the streets of Memphis during the 1940s. He played gospel and blues on street corners for tips. Concerned in whether or not to play gospel or Blues, he decided to integrate both styles. In 1951, B. B. King had his first hit song ,"3 O'clock Blues.'' The song was so successful, record producers signed the young man from his Memphis, Tenn. home and send him to New York City, where he shortened his stage name from Beale Street Blues Boy to "B.B.''

As one gradually makes their way through the exclusive pantheon of Rock & Roll, they will cross paths with such deities as Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry, be exposed to the unparalleled mastery of Jimi Hendrix and absorb the raw emotion of Janis Joplin and Curt Cobain. Eventually, at one point or another, they also must discover Dylan. The 1960s was a fiery decade for the United States, not only due to the fact that this country was engaged in a bloody stalemate in the jungles of Southeast Asia, but because we were gradually transforming into a new, better America back home. Because these tumultuous times were so important in shaping the country, Bob Dylan, a legendary songwriter, became the voice of an entire generation, and therefore, an unlikely icon amidst the other titans of American history.

As I began my research on music and how it impacted the world, I came along an article that really caught my attention. It made more sense to the question I asked myself. According to the Global Citizen and the article Music that has change the world. The article stated that maybe music didn’t impacted the world, perhaps the people (Musicians) was the reason why music impacted the world. As I kept reading, Christina Nunez the one who wrote the article, stated that music makes us see thing deferentially. Not only that, Nunez also stated that music is a general dialectal that all of us comprehend. Which I agree with because music is one of the keys that bring us together whether we like it or not.

Since the inception of music, popular culture has been influenced significantly. From blues and jazz, to swing and heavy metal – all generations have benefitted from this unique form of self-expression. In a sense, music has allowed kids to rebel, adults to remember and everyone to connect over melodies and song typically relative to an era and its respective events.

With the start of the 20th century music began to play a huge part in the rapidly maturing United States. The music of the 20th century was not only there to entertain the people but it was more. It was used now to influence and manipulate the listeners, the artists had a goal to entertain and to enlighten the listener so that they could get their messages heard. Music is one of the best ways to advertise and to expand ideas, and many artists knew this. Music rapidly influenced every Americans life. It was in their homes, cars, bars, theaters, movies, elevators and countless other places. Music was everywhere it defined what every American loved and worked for, it gave people hope and joy, as well as bringing out every other emotion there is in people. Music was around during the bad times as well as the good, when people were down, there were songs they could relate to, and when they were happy there were songs they could sing and dance to. Many people don’t think of how much music brightens and amplifies many things, such as movies; have you ever noticed how the directors always have a song or tune for every part of the movie bringing out just the right emotion in you. Radio, what good would radio be today if music weren’t here. There were a few major turning points in music history during the century.

Armed with only a guitar case and ambition in his heart, Zimmerman headed to the famous New York City. He writes, “Nobody knows me here, but that is all about to change (Shea).” There, he changed his identity to Bob Dylan after his favorite poet, Dylan Thomas. Playing for coffeehouses and small protest demonstrations in the early 60s, he made his mark in Greenwich Village, New York, the epicenter of the folk music revival (Shea). Dylan’s immense talent became highly recognized in collaboration with Columbia Records, catapulting him onto the stages at prestigious folk music festivals, into pivotal protests, and into history books.