Vietnam Music Lyrics
Byron Johnson
Professor Briggs
Music 24B
3 December 2014
Stop and Listen to the Music
“War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing.” These are the lyrics from the 1969 smash hit titled “War.” Edwin Starr wrote this song in protest to the Vietnam War and it expressed many peoples’ feelings towards the war through a catchy melody. Music can have a profound impact on social politics, and can serve to connect people. Many of the songs written in the late 1960s captured the American public’s discontent with the war. Rock music and American social movements now go hand in hand, but it all started with the Vietnam War. During the war, Americans at home turned to music to express their discontent and used it as a form of protest.
Following World War II, the United States of America was the world’s only true superpower. Therefore, when radical communism movements started in emerge in the Asian Pacific, America felt it was their …show more content…
Musicians at the time used their songs as way of communicating how they felt about the Vietnam War. Since the songs were written by such popular musicians, the message was easily communicated to the everyday person. Therefore, individuals who had no prior knowledge of politics were all of a sudden inundated with the political views of their musical icons. This led to a younger generation that was more aware of the world around them. Today, however, even though we are currently involved in the longest war in American history, it feels as though the general public could not care less about it. Before college, I served in the Marine Corps for five years and completed two deployments, so I have seen the impact that war has and the importance of having the country behind you. It is too bad this generation does not have a Bob Dylan to wake them up and realize the importance of holding politicians accountable and supporting the troops from
Professor Briggs
Music 24B
3 December 2014
Stop and Listen to the Music
“War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing.” These are the lyrics from the 1969 smash hit titled “War.” Edwin Starr wrote this song in protest to the Vietnam War and it expressed many peoples’ feelings towards the war through a catchy melody. Music can have a profound impact on social politics, and can serve to connect people. Many of the songs written in the late 1960s captured the American public’s discontent with the war. Rock music and American social movements now go hand in hand, but it all started with the Vietnam War. During the war, Americans at home turned to music to express their discontent and used it as a form of protest.
Following World War II, the United States of America was the world’s only true superpower. Therefore, when radical communism movements started in emerge in the Asian Pacific, America felt it was their …show more content…
Musicians at the time used their songs as way of communicating how they felt about the Vietnam War. Since the songs were written by such popular musicians, the message was easily communicated to the everyday person. Therefore, individuals who had no prior knowledge of politics were all of a sudden inundated with the political views of their musical icons. This led to a younger generation that was more aware of the world around them. Today, however, even though we are currently involved in the longest war in American history, it feels as though the general public could not care less about it. Before college, I served in the Marine Corps for five years and completed two deployments, so I have seen the impact that war has and the importance of having the country behind you. It is too bad this generation does not have a Bob Dylan to wake them up and realize the importance of holding politicians accountable and supporting the troops from