Please share insights, reflections and teaching connections from the WWII, 1950s, 1960s, Nuclear Age Era.
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Again, referencing our spirituals section, I think that our kiddos have another opportunity to make their own personal connections. They have their own take on feeling a little rebellious, feeling targeted or wanting to express what is going on around them in some artistic medium.
This era has such a wonderful variety of listening experiences. I love listening to these tunes. I think the illusion and reality of what was happening in politics, media and real life is an interesting topic.
My mom grew up in this ERA and she is a big fan of dancing and musicals. It makes since now that I see that music was a part of her television. I wonder what was the percent of people that had radios (if they didn't have a t.v., since radio was the main source of news). Even though I didn't grow up during that time I've often heard of, "Rock Around the Clock." It is amazing how great songs continue throughout time.
This was a very interesting overview of how the politics of the time greatly influenced music and dance. It was also very interesting that music and dance became a reaction to the politics of this time! I would like to explore the role religion played in the dance moves that Elizabeth was talking about in the 50tes! So many questions, so little time!
A comparison of this music to that of the preceding period: Each was met with the disapprobation of the older generation. Yet while the earlier music was merely perceived as subversive, the newer was more often explicitly rebellion-themed and intended to be so. This shift reflects deeper social change during the time.
Musical Hitlerism? Rock and Roll the greatest cause of American delinquent-ism!
Oh my, this sounds much like the concern of Baroque dancers who could not show or touch their forearm.
New dances came out to clean up the close touch sensual dancing. The twist, mashed potatoes, monkey, limbo, were to separate the couples on the dance floor. The dance craze and music of youth were here to stay. Truly there was a moral distinction that would need to be made and the adult establishment was not in agreement how to best do this. Some states banned dancing, many churches were banning it as well, while others were hosting record hops to oversee youth dancing. There was an impenetrable wall between R&B and Pop. The adult establishment was using White Covers to allow acceptable music and dance tunes that were cleaned up music for youth and families.
It's interesting the same goes on today. The struggle continues with concerning genres of music and dance with children up to age 18 having greater access to music through iTunes and iPods than ever before. Historical progress continues with a close link between music, dance and societal norms.
This is a huge time period to reflect on. The nation turns from it utilitarian war culture to a facade of clean-cut "everything-is-okay-with-me-ism." Yet while parents repress, children boom with the rebel scream of Chuck Berry's guitar and Buddy Holly's croon. Blues enters the mainstream and white performers are taking black music and making it "safe" through the sanitizing of lyrics that are perceived as too racy, black, or rebellious.
Our kids also listen to music today that is "unsafe." And many of the lyrics in today's music explicitly promote the drug use, sexual liberation, and violence that often was the stuff of innuendo in the '60s. So the question arises: if you hide the message, does that make it okay?
Okay, what a time of change! I'm just thinking about the lyrics of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" as it is playing in the background and I have to say that I never quite realized what the real lyrics of this song were! If I was a parent in the 60's, I think I might also have thought theses lyrics a little offensive if my child called me a "toothless, bearded hag." It's easy in retrospect to laugh and say they were ridiculous, but I'm not so sure I wouldn't have had my doubts about some of those songs. It was a time of turmoil and the songs reflect it. I certainly have a much better appreciation for the earlier music of the 40's, 50's and 60's. I must like the lesser-conflict songs!
The music from this era is my absolute favorite! I love the fashions of the '40's and '50's ('60's not so much) and I love the dances! As I've stated before, the changing of the societal mores is so fascinating; and this is the 1st time period that I have family that actually used the music/dance at the time (my dad was a studio musician in the '60's in New York).
As we move through history the two common themes that seem to keep jumping out are how music reflects the rebellion of the youth at the time as they push the limits of societal decency and tradition and how the innovative trends often came from minorities and, just as often, were quickly stolen by the white community.
It is also interesting to hear that public officials were abel to create dances that limited touching and that they were successful to the extent that those dances are still around but, predictably, unsuccessful as young people continued to push the boundaries in their music and dance.
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