The evolution of American protest music

Summary

This script explores the evolution of American protest music, from its simple beginnings with songs like 'Yankee Doodle' to the complex compositions of the 20th century. It highlights key songs and artists, such as Billie Holiday's 'Strange Fruit', Woody Guthrie's 'This Land is Your Land', and Bob Dylan's influence on protest music. The script also discusses the impact of social issues on music, including the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, and the rise of hip-hop and feminist punk rock. It concludes with the role of social media in modern protest music, exemplified by songs like Kendrick Lamar's 'Alright' and Milck's 'Quiet'.

Takeaways

• 🎵 Early American protest songs like 'Yankee Doodle' and 'John Brown’s Body' were simple and used familiar melodies for easy oral transmission.
• 📼 The advent of electrical sound recording in the 1920s enabled artists to create more complex music, as exemplified by Billie Holiday’s 'Strange Fruit'.
• 🚫 'Strange Fruit' was controversial and faced radio bans, yet its impact was felt through word of mouth.
• 🎸 Post-World War II, folk music and artists like Woody Guthrie with 'This Land is Your Land' became influential in protest music, appealing to the working class.
• 🎤 Bob Dylan, despite his reluctance to be a protest leader, had a unifying impact with songs like 'The Times They Are a-Changin'.
• 🗣 Nina Simone's 'Mississippi Goddam' was a direct response to the civil rights movement and specific acts of violence.
• 🎶 The late 60s and early 70s saw protest music diversify with Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On' reflecting the anti-Vietnam War sentiment.
• 📺 The 1980s rise of MTV and VH1 provided a visual platform for protest music, with genres like hip-hop and riot grrrl gaining prominence.
• 🔥 After 9/11, a surge of emotional and political songs emerged, though a lack of a unified movement affected their impact.
• 🌐 The election of Barack Obama and the rise of social media platforms have transformed how protest music is created and shared, as seen with Kendrick Lamar’s 'Alright' and Milck’s 'Quiet'.

Q & A

What was the purpose of early American protest songs like Yankee Doodle?

Early American protest songs served to spread messages through simple, repetitive, and easy-to-remember lyrics that could be passed down through the oral tradition.

How did the rise of electrical sound recording in the 1920s impact protest music?

The rise of electrical sound recording allowed artists to use more complex tunes and lyrics, which reshaped the genre and changed how protest music was created and perceived.

What was the controversy surrounding Billie Holiday's 'Strange Fruit'?

Billie Holiday's 'Strange Fruit' was a powerful commentary on lynchings in the South, eliciting strong reactions of love or hate, and was almost completely banned from radio, leading to its dissemination primarily through word of mouth.

How did folk music contribute to the protest music genre after World War Two?

Folk music became popular through the radio, and artists like Woody Guthrie used it to write protest songs, which became popular with the working class and inspired future musicians.

Why did Bob Dylan distance himself from being labeled a protest movement leader?

Bob Dylan did not want to be associated with any specific movement, stating that he wrote songs without any particular message or reason, and did not feel the need to comment on the themes of his music.

What event prompted Nina Simone to write 'Mississippi Goddam'?

Nina Simone wrote 'Mississippi Goddam' in response to the 1963 murder of civil rights activist Medgar Evers and the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Alabama.

How did the political unrest in the late 60s and early 70s influence American protest music?

The political unrest during this period led to a wave of protest music, including Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On,' which was a response to the Kent State massacre and the Vietnam War.

What role did VH1 and MTV play in the evolution of protest music in the 1980s?

The rise of VH1 and MTV in the 1980s provided artists with a visual medium to express themselves, leading to a shift in focus towards issues of class and the emergence of genres like hip-hop as a platform for protest.

How did the feminist punk rock movement, riot grrrl, contribute to protest music?

The riot grrrl movement, led by all-women bands like Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney, used music to forward progressive and specifically feminist agendas during the early to mid-nineties.

What was the impact of 9/11 on the resurgence of millennial protest songs?

9/11 led to a surge of emotion and frustration that influenced the creation of protest music, but the lack of a unifying political movement prevented a sustained resurgence of protest songs among millennials.

How did the election of Barack Obama affect the theme of protest music?

The election of Barack Obama brought a shift towards empowerment themes in protest music, with songs like Kendrick Lamar's 'Alright' becoming a rallying cry for the Black Lives Matter movement.

What role has social media played in the distribution of protest music in recent years?

Social media has become the primary tool for sharing protest music, as seen with Milck's 'Quiet,' which used the internet to recruit a choir and became an anthem for the Women's March.