Music is a comentary on society

 

            Born and raised in Lancaster, Ca, Frank Zappa is most know for his musical ability and his band. His legacy holds true to the musicians of the AV and people who played with him can truly say that he was an inspirational man.  Frank Zappa once said, "music is always a commentary on society". Who knows if he is the original person who said this or not but either way, I think it holds very true. 

            Whether it be jazz in the twenties, to rock and roll in the fifties and sixties to even punk in the nineties, music has become the force used to resist  conformity and propriety of the status quo. 

            In the twenties, African American started playing jazz during the Harlem renaissance. They enjoyed this music because it was different, It reflected their struggles in society, and it made them use whatever they had on hand to come up with, which is how they lived in the first place. they were able to talk about their lives within the music. It sprung into blues that let them explore even more in the lyrics. This music to them was more than music. It was a way to get away from the problems of life. The fact that they had to do this just to be happy shows how messed up the society was towards them.

During the sixties, many people were resisting the Vietnam War and so the music of this time reflected this rebellion of the man and the government who were all in support of this war. John Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance"  played as a national anthem to the antiwar society for many years while resisting the war, and Country Joe's song "I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-to-Die Rag", put up a good chanting song with its chorus,                                                                                       

"And it's one, two, three,
What are we fighting for ?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam;
And it's five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why,
Whoopee! we're all gonna die."                                                                                                           

The rebellious society was followed everywhere and this part of history was full of it, from Civil Rights Activists like Martin Luther King JR. and Malcolm X, to College sit-ins and of course, the music.

            Nirvana played a big role in the teen movement towards punk rock and depression. Their music were fantastic anthem for teens not knowing what to do. Their way out was to listen to this band who seemed like they were experiencing the same problems they did. The problem was, the lead singer Kurt Cobain killed himself and left people to also  think that's what they had to do. The influence music has on generations is extremely strong and it effects everyone whether parents of generation or generation themselves.

            Just from looking at these three influential time periods of society related to music, it makes me believe in Frank Zappa's quote even more. Past "Smoke on the Water", Frank Zappa did so much more influential and innovative things and he is a musical Genius.

            So say what you will, but the question is: what is today's society like where the very music that people enjoy has the F word, and the words rape, sex and bust-a-cap, every ten seconds in it?