Music and Society

I researched the protest songs of the 1960’s in the U.S. since my parents were in college during that time. I also looked at the protest songs during the Depression.

During the 1960’s, there were a lot of protest songs due to the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, and the growth of the Hippies. A lot of the musicians were crying out for peace and trying to find a better way. Some of the great songs that came out of this era are Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” and John Lennon’s “Give Peace A Chance”. The chaos in the world led to a reflective, subdued, and positive type of music. A lot of songs seem to be asking people to stop and think about what is going on around them.

During the Depression in the 1920’s and 1930’s, the protest songs were about something completely different. Since there was so much poverty and a rise of labor movement and unions, songs seemed to be focused on the harsh realities in the country. Songs were used to protest working conditions and to recruit people that would help support the cause. A folk singer Aunt Molly Jackson sang with some coal miners in Kentucky who were striking in 1931. She also wrote protest songs such as "Hungry Ragged Blues" and "Poor Miner's Farewell”. During the time period, songs began to protest racism as well. African American blues singers were beginning to have more of a voice and impact. One protest song is Leadbelly's "The Bourgeois Blues”.

According to Wikipedia, a sociologist R. Serge Denisoff said that the five goals of protest songs are as follows.
pointing to some problem in society, usually in emotional terms
presenting a solution to that problem in terms of action and a desired goal
reinforcing the value structure of individuals involved with the movement
attempting to recruit individuals by arousing outside sympathy and support
creating moral unity and uniqueness in its world view.

It’s interesting to see how history along with politics and society impact the types of music from an era.