Music of the Vietnam Era
The use of music to convey social commentary was certainly not unique to the Vietnam War. However, what made the music so significant was its versatility. It quickly captured and reflected public opinion as it developed, and offered expression regardless of race, gender, status or political orientation. As a result, there was no one song that captured the essence of the Vietnam War.
Words about war have been put to music for generations, but usually in a positive manner. World War I's "Over There" and "I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy" seemed to characterize the prevailing mood about America's role in that struggle. "I Didn't Raise My Boy to be a Soldier" also had an audience, but a smaller one by comparison. World War II 's "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree," "Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B," and "I'll Be Home for Christmas" were positive and sentimental favorites heard not only in dancehalls but also on radio. Any antiwar tunes were most likely drowned out by post-Pearl Harbor anger.
Vietnam, on the other hand, didn't really have an original theme or even a cadre of original artists to convey its messages. Many of the artists singing out about Vietnam were veterans of the "Ban the Bomb" and Civil Rights movements. In the early 1960s, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan and Joan Baez broadened their focus to include Vietnam, and tailored their songs accordingly. "We Shall Over-come," a Civil Rights anthem, underwent minor lyrical modifications and soon became a staple of the anti-war movement. But generally, artists found themselves singing to a small group of people until 1962, when The Kingston Trio broke into Billboard Magazine's Top 100 Most Popular Songs with "Where Have All the Flowers Gone." The lyrics an...
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... move on. Canned Heat's "Going Up the Country" suggested the way to closure about the war was to embrace a simpler, less complicated life, far away from city tensions. Vietnam-related songs gradually faded from most radio station playlists, to be replaced by disco and later, by heavy metal. Bruce Springsteen's "Born in The USA," released in 1984, may have been the last song to touch on the subject.
There may never be any agreement regarding the music inspired by the Vietnam War. It made several categories as well as generations. Even today when a song of that era is played, people who were alive at that time find themselves thinking back to where they were and what they were doing the first time they heard that song. The music, like the Vietnam War, often meant different things to different people.
An estimation of about 2.6 million men served in the Vietnam war, but only a several hundred thousand of them came home. While some soldiers who returned were successful with the transition of returning back to the civilian life, many others did not. In John Prine’s anti war song, “Sam Stone”, he sings about the life of a man who goes home to his family and gets addicted to drugs.
During the 1960s and the early 1970s, music reflected the political and social changes that America was undergoing at the time. Some of these major changes included the African-American civil rights movement and the conflict over America’s role in the Vietnam War. During these hard times, people turned to music for hope, peace, happiness and answers.
It was a way for the United States to recruit soldiers to send to Europe, as the United States was short on soldiers and even passed conscription acts to draft people into the army. In addition, Americans still held anti-war sentiments, as Wilson was reelected campaigning on not going to war. This patriotic song helped ease American fears and provided confidence that US troops would be able to end the war swiftly. On a global scale, the song is tied to the American entry into World War I, an event that solidified the Allied victory, shaping the history of the world leading to World War II. On the national level, the song gave the people hope because it reflected the belief that the United States’ troops would be able to dominate Europe and come home safely. By the end, however, the death and destruction left by the war became apparent. The trust in Wilson’s grandiose ideals and the patriotism faded as the people began seeing US involvement in the war was a mistake, taking up Harding’s offer to return to “normalcy” (Brinkley, 530). As a result, this song is also firmly situated in a change of eras as the United States moved past World War I and into the Roaring
Eventually, the store had to close down. The Anticommunist movement is extreme to the point that anyone who even appeared to be sympathetic to the current government of Vietnam was branded a traitor. For instance, the community claimed that one of the Vietnamese American politicians, Tony Lam, did not support the community in forcing this video store to close down. In addition, Tony Lam took part in requesting the council of the city of Westminster to change the name Little Saigon into Asian town (Collet, & Furuya, 2010). His rationale was that “Little Saigon” negatively reminded of the pain in Vietnamese history, which needed to be forgotten. His political career soon ended, since his attitude and belief was viewed as an offense toward Vietnamese immigrants. Vietnamese immigrants believe that the term Saigon is sacred and beloved, therefore replacing the name Little Saigon is equivalent to neglecting the dramatic historical background and disconnecting their origin. In away, Anticommunist movement creates cohesion among Vietnamese immigrant.
World War II may have been the focus of the decade, but music was the focus of the war. Songs ranged from patriotic songs to songs for fun and dancing such as the Rumba, mambo, cha-cha, and conga line. These South American dances became very popular during the 1940s especially among the women (Popular and Social Dance). The war was a very emotional period for everyone, not just the soldiers, so the music of the war tapped into a lot of emotions. The songs were made for people to help get through their rough times.
...re of music has many similarities with pop culture music such as Blues, Rock, and Hip-Hop through its historical influences, content, and tone. Cadences demonstrate social political views, sexist and homophonic slurs, elements of nostalgia, and subculture symbolism. The cultural theories of appropriation and improvising are essential to the creation of the military cadence, making this subculture’s music a dynamic and appreciated genre. What is critical to the livelihood of the cadence and other forms of pop cultural music is that it borrows form something that came before within a specific social and cultural context. The cadence is very unique compared to the popular music heard in class particularly because it is hidden within a subculture. The Military cadence’s place is not on mainstream radio waves or on MTV. The cadence is alive on the training grounds of military instillations and in the hearts and minds of soldiers as they run, march, and become future warriors, carrying the legacy and oral traditions of the US Military in to the 21st century.
Hopkins, Alexander E. "Protest and Rock n' Roll During the Vietnam War." Student Pulse 4.11 (2012). http://www.studentpulse.com/a?id=713
World War II caused much pain for German, American and French composers and musicians, but also made the music what it is. Although it is sad and hard to listen to, it is still beautiful art and music. Only knowing what the composers and the musicians went through, and their story, can help you understand and appreciate their music.
Throughout time, music has been an influential part of society. As a form of entertainment and expression, its impact has always been felt both economically and emotionally. During the Vietnam war, music evolved into more a form of expression rather than pure entertainment. Emotionally charged songs became a method to oppose the war, and vent frustrations. While many songs opposed the war, numerous others focused on peace and happiness. They provided a positive perspective in an otherwise depressing time. Along with incorporating passion into music, cultural diversity increased in music greatly. Black artists became progressively more popular and accepted in the musical scene. This respect carried over to society slowly but surely. During the Vietnam war, music played a crucial role in the societal evolution into a state where emotions fueled actions, more emphasis was put on equality, all opinions counted.
The War Between the States was complex. If you wish to understand the events, you should refer to a textbook. Music of the time, however, helps us delve into people’s thoughts and opinions on the war, slavery, and many other important issues in our country’s history. Prior to the civil war, American music followed its European roots. During the civil war, American music began to develop in its own way, largely influenced by the music of the African-Americans. The war produced many well-known songs. These songs were important in their time and they are still known to many people today.
Music is an art and a wonderful gift to human race. It soothes, stimulates and makes us feel happy. It affects our moods in many different ways from lullaby to war cry for changes in the society. Music is actually distinct to different people. Above all, it has a transformational importance that is captured in its art and nature. Music draws our emotions and it has an impact of bridging different cultures across the continents. Slave songs were very vital channels through which all kind of information was conveyed both positive and negative.
The 1960’s was one of the most controversial decades in American history because of not only the Vietnam War, but there was an outbreak of protests involving civil and social conditions all across college campuses. These protests have been taken to the extent where people either have died or have been seriously injured. However, during the 1960’s, America saw a popular form of art known as protest music, which responded to the social turmoil of that era, from the civil rights movement to the war in Vietnam. A veritable pantheon of musicians, such as Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Phil Ochs, Joan Baez, and Bob Dylan sang their songs to encourage union organizers to protest the inequities of their time, creating a diverse variety of popular protest music, which has reached out to the youthful generations everywhere demanding for a revolutionary change. The protest music took the children of the 1960’s to a completely new different level. Musicians of this generation were not going to sit and do nothing while the government lied to the people about what was going on in Vietnam. Instead, they took their guitar-strumming troubadours from the coffee houses, plugged them in, and sent the music and the message into the college dorm rooms and the homes of the youth of America. However, as decades went by, protest music does not have much of an impact as it use to because of the way things have changed over the years. Through the analysis of the music during the 1960’s, there shall be an understanding on how the different genres of protest music has affected social protesters based on how musicians have become the collective conscience of that generation through their lyrics and music and the main factors that contributed to the lack of popula...
That was a huge budgets that American wasted on the Vietnam War. However, United States did not only lose their money, but they also lost their well-trained troops. A lot of soldiers, poet writers, musicians, and other American protested against the American government about the Vietnam War because U.S. government did not want to stop the war. The song “I Feel Like I’m Fixin’ To Die Rag” by Country Joe was one of the anti-Vietnam War songs. There is a repeating paragraph throughout the song:
2. For example, the song “When Our Army And Our Navy Overtake the enemy” disseminated patriotism during the WWII, “Vietnam Blues” reflected that a majority of American opposed to the Vietnam War, and “Man In Black” protested racism in 1970s.
War opposers gathered around at Woodstock in 1969 to experience “3 days of peace and music.” Woodstock captured the American antiwar spirit. Jimi Hendrix played his famous rendition of the star spangled banner on his electric guitar. His interpretation captured the agony of war with the harrowing sound of bombs bursting and jets clashing within the song. Although Woodstock was a music festival, the event consisted of expressions of anti-war. Musicians such as Country Joe, chanted their anti-vietnam protest songs to the audience. The impact of the anti-war movement shaped artists’ music and changed the face of Rock and Roll