When one thinks of the 1960's, the mind
immediately jumps to the social movements of that time. The world was changing
dramatically thanks to many of these social movements, including The Civil Rights Movement. This was perhaps one of the most defining changes of
this time. The discrimination affected everyone, most americans opposed and
protested this, including many artists who used their music and influence to change attitudes. One
of the stand out artists of this time was Bob Dylan. His music influenced the
entire decade. People looked to him for inspiration and music that could
express the new ideals this decade was developing. He was the voice of the
people; however he did not think of himself as such, just someone
who spoke the truth. "Blowin' in the Wind" released in 1962, was all
about the injustice of racial inequality. "How many roads must a man walk
down before you call him a man?.... Yes, how many years can some
people exist before they're allowed to be free?" These lyrics suggest
that all men should be treated equally and that this injustice has been going
on for far too long. Barry Shank states, "The chart success of
"Blowin' in the Wind" confirmed the value of progressive white
students organizing for the establishment of civil rights." At the same
time this song came out, organizations such as Students for a Democratic Society
made their appearance on the protest scene. Coincidence? I think not! Carl
Oglesby, President of the SDS at the time, stated "Dylan's early songs appeared
so promptly as to seem absolutely contemporary
with the civil rights movement. There was no time lag. He wasn't a song writer
who came into an established political mood, he seemed to be a part of it and
his songs seemed informative to the Movement as the Movement seemed informative
to the song writer" The Civil Rights Movement and Bob Dylan went hand in hand. Everyone from everyday people to major political organizations drew inspiration from Dylan. His beliefs spoke to people through his music and influenced an entire generation of people. Although he did not consider himself "the voice of the people" he is definitely worthy of this title.
Works Cited:
Dylan, Bob. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. 7"
Single. Columbia. 1962. AZ Lyrics. 20 Nov. 2012.
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/bobdylan/blowininthewind.html
Oglesby,
Carl quoted in. Miller, James. Democracy Is in the Streets. Harvard
University Press, 1994. Print
Shank,
Barry."That Wild Mercury Sound": Bob Dylan and the Illusion of
American Culture.
Project MUSE.
(1999). pag. Web. 20 Nov. 2012.
No comments:
Post a Comment