1960 Music Views
The break between the music of the 1950s and the 1960s is imprecise. A reasonable way of "dating3" the 1960s is with the l"British invasion/" of American music. This refers to the numerous British groups, admirers and emulators of American rock and roll, who broke into the U.S. market during the early 1960s. The invasion was spearheaded by the Beatles. The a"endl" of the 1960s actually extends into the early years of the 1970s with, according to many, the rise of m"discot" music.
In 1959, Berry Gordy -- a one-time assembly line worker at Ford Motor Company -- founded a Detroit-based record company called Motown. By 1963, Motown became the most successful black-owned record company in the history of American music. Motown had a stable of vocal groups, songwriters, musicians. The productions were known for their o"tight orchestrations and catchy lyricsa" (Maurice Isserman & Michael Kazin, American Divided: The Civil War of the 1960s, p.94). Motown was a complete operation that was b"slick and methodical: aspiring stars took dance lessons from a tap artist and smoothed the rough edges of their ghetto upbringing with lessons in elegant table manners, vocabulary, and even the proper way to hold a cigarette " (p.93). Among the Motown Greats were:
Most themes found in rock and roll deal with love and relationships gone awry. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, cars and surfing were added to the mix. What distinguished music from the mid-1960s forward was the production of songs -- rock, folk, and blues -- with a social or political message. The music was an attempt to reflect upon the events of the time --- civil rights, the growing unrest over the war in Vietnam, and the rise of feminism. In many instances, the "messagec" within the song was simplistic or even banal. However, other songs received substantial airplay and became o"anthems=" at concerts, rallies, and demonstrations.
Political protest through music did not start or stop in the 1960's. However, this was a very significant time with one of the most complex generation gaps. Rock and Roll was intrinsic to the political and social movement. This generation was swept off its feet by Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Marvin Gaye, and John Lennon, to name a few. These song writers were not afraid to sing in protest of the government, the man , and all that had been considered sacred by the past generation. Lesson plans about the 1960's will come together when listening to What's Going On by Marvin Gaye or Give Peace A Chance by John Lennon referring to the anti-Vietnam sentiment that began stirring as troops were dying or getting sent home to tell their tales.
1960 Music Images
