The 60’s and 70’s were a time of change and rejection. The 50’s were about conservativeness, short hair, clean cut, and suits and ties. The 60’s and 70’s were eras of sex, drugs, and music. The people began to voice their opinions with no fear of what other people thought. They grew their hair long and wore less conservative clothing. This was a drastic change from the peaceful and boring style of the 1950’s. During the 60’s and 70’s, people became more radical than ever before. This change in the 60’s and the 70’s was also prevalent in the music that was created during these time periods. People did not just speak out against political issues in organized protests, but also voiced their opinions over the songs they wrote and sung.
The message that the music conveyed in 1970 specifically targeted current events, especially events pertaining to the war in Vietnam. The following are two examples of songs that comment on current events in 1970.
This is part of a song called “Ohio”, performed by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. In the song it says:
“Tin soldiers and
Nixon's comin,'
We're finally
on our own,
This summer I
hear the drummin'
Four dead in
Ohio”
This song memorializes the four students that were killed by National Guardsmen at Kent State University. The students were protesting the invasion of Cambodia by United States troops.
This is part of another song called “War”, performed by Edwin Starr. In the song it says:
“War-huh-yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutely NOTHING!
Uh huh, Uh huh”
This song is about the war in Vietnam. The song says the war in Vietnam is good for nothing and that it should be stopped.
These are just two of the songs that were released in 1970 that dealt with current events. These songs were about the war in Vietnam or anything that was related to it politically, such as the incident at Kent State University. These songs represented the new movement of people (the less conservative, the protesters, the hippies, etc…), and summed up the feelings of the new generation. These songs brought the public’s attention to the issues at hand.
When comparing the movies of 1970 and the movies of today, they are almost similar to each other when comparing them in terms of their political content. In 1970, there were movies like Catch-22, Patton, and M*A*S*H that were about wars. There were also others that were just regular movies like Let It Be and Five Easy Pieces. These types of movies are also similar to the ones produced today. While there are movies like Black Hawk Down, Pearl Harbor, and Saving Private Ryan that are movies made about war, there are also many other movies that do not comment about war. There is almost no difference in the political content of the movies that were made in 1970 and the movies made today.
However, the albums and songs made in 1970 are different than today’s albums and songs in terms of their political content. In 1970, there were albums and songs that focused on issues about war and other political issues such as the songs, “Ohio” and “War”. Today there are basically no albums or songs that solely focus on the issue of politics or war. Most of the albums and songs produced today are about money, sex, drugs, women, cars, love, etc… Very few songs are made today that focus on political content.
Music has had a great effect in people’s lives. The music we listen to dictates the type of people we are, and the things we believe in. The anti-war music made in the 60’s and 70’s sparked people to protest against the Vietnam War. The music made today that glorifies a materialistic lifestyle initiates the people to live a more lavish and wonderful life. Music has, and always will have a major effect on the people that listen to it.