Tag Archives: rock

Music Reflections: 1960s vs. 2024

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I have been thinking about music a great deal lately and decided to look at what the music was that represented our troubling times back in the 1960s versus what we had in 2024. Although this isn’t an exclusive list and I didn’t go through all the generations, these are some that appeared the most frequently on Google searches (and AI). It reflects how we thought about the world back then and what’s going on now:

1960s:
-We Shall Overcome (Joan Baez, 1963): A traditional gospel song that became a rallying cry for the civil rights movement
-In My Life (The Beatles, 1965): A nostalgic song about reflecting on the love for those who are no longer with us 
–Eve of Destruction (P.F. Sloan and Barry McGuire, 1965): A wakeup call about the Vietnam War
–A Change Is Gonna Come (Sam Cooke, 1965): A protest song by soul singer Sam Cooke 
-My Generation (Pete Townsend, The Who, 1965): A song that was banned from the BBC for a reason not directly related to its lyrical content
–Respect (Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin, 1967): A protest song by soul singers Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin
-Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud (James Brown, 1968): A protest song by soul singer James Brown

2024:–A Bar Song (Tipsy): A song by Shaboozey about dancing and drinking through hard times 
–Good News: A song by Shaboozey that conveys despair without the use of alcohol or women
–Worthy: A song by Mavis Staples that encourages self-respect
–For Cari: A song by Fletcher that explores self-reflection, self-acceptance, and personal growth
-If this is the last time – A song by LANY that serves as a reminder to tell loved ones how you feel
–Tell me About Tomorrow: A song by jxdn that encourages people to look for hope in times of loneliness and depression
–On: By Chord Overstreet, this song is about unconditional love
–Fix You: A song by Coldplay that is about finding light at the end of the tunnel
The Lighthouse: A song by Stevie Nicks that is considered a woman’s rights anthem 

What is interesting to me is that the list I found from the 1960s addressed external problems of the world: global truths, wars, protests, prejudice, and violence. And yet the ones I found for 2024 were more internal: drinking, despair, self-exploration, self-reflection, or internal processing of the individual.

We turn to music to lighten our mood or identify with the things we are going through. We turn to music to get through those moments when we don’t feel there is any hope. My question is this about the new generation:
Since social media covers so much of the external conflict, violence, and global issues, is that the reason younger people think about the internal conflicts?
Something to think about….

Here are two interesting conversations I found that may give you a perspective from a younger person’s point of view in today’s world:
“During times of great hardship or great happiness, whether it be global or personal, music is so often the medium we turn to in order to convey our joy or to find solace, peace, and comfort. It has the ability to express a sentiment beyond words and is never impeded by cultural barriers: it is universal in the emotion it channels, whatever emotion that may be. As the current crisis tightens its grip on the world and affects every one of our lives, it is no exception that music is something that will help us to endure this time of fear and uncertainty, providing hope and unity to communities across the globe. Throughout history, there have been many examples of how music has been a vessel of strength in the most challenging of times.”—Siobhan Cullinane
https://www.warwickshiremusichub.org/blog/a-brief-history-of-music-in-times-of-hardship

“But what has really helped me over the years has been music. It has been my saving grace; without it, I don’t know how I would’ve made it through. Ever since I was little music has played an important part in my life. I grew up listening to artists such as Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, and Backstreet Boys. And I have carried that love of music with me throughout my life. When I am feeling upset, overwhelmed, or happy, there is always music to go with the mood and help me to feel better.”—Rebecca Field
https://medium.com/songstories/how-music-has-helped-me-through-some-tough-times-d1696b9109ff

And here is an interesting list of songs from all over. This author identified these songs (2024) that give her Strength and Courage—Serena Whitfield (2024):
1.         “Eye of The Tiger” By Survivor
2.         “I Believe I Can Fly” by R. Kelly
3.         “I Will Survive” By Gloria Gaynor
4.         “Roar” By Katy Perry
5.         “Not Afraid” By Eminem
6.         “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus
7.         “It’s My Life” By Bon Jovi
8.         “Brave” by Sara Bareilles
9.         “Stronger” by Britney Spears
10.       “Courage” By Pink
11.       “Courage” by Céline Dion
12.       “Fight Song” By Rachel Platten
13.       “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” by Kelly Clarkson
14.       “Warrior” By Demi Lovato
15.       “Hero” by Mariah Carey
16.       “Unstoppable” By Sia
17.       “Confident” By Demi Lovato
18.       “Stronger” By The Score
19.       “Float On” by Modest Mouse
20.       “Get Up, Stand Up” By Bob Marley & The Wailers
https://playlistcurator.org/songs-about-strength-and-courage/

So, put on your giant list of music that uplifts you on Spotify, or go to KBCO, 99.5 the Mountain, Mix100, or even Kool 105, the oldies channel, and think about what uplifts you in a time where we all need good vibrations.

I love you all and hope you have a great tomorrow!

We’re Not Worthy!

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Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar once said, “We’re Not Worthy!” to Alice Cooper, their all-time heavy metal rock star idol, in their movie, Wayne’s World. Mike Myers and Dana Carvey played this Saturday Night Live couple. Their skit was about their basement-living days and their talk show and their special reverence for all the iconic musicians. These musicians also rocked my world back in the day.

Music has kept me sane all these years. When I hear a song that takes me back to my teen years, I pause a little bit and bring it all in. For example, last night I heard Linda Ronstadt’s Blue Bayou on Origins series about Leroy Jethro Gibbs. This show was about his prior NIS days before his NCIS career. It took me way back, to traveling out here in my little Toyota through the Louisiana night. My body shook recalling those vivid memories.

Those ballads as well as those heavy metal base beats reverberate through me every time that I hear them play on the radio. I don’t get the same sense of place when I hear the newer music. I have not been to the places, both mentally and physically, that people younger than me have been to. And since music moves a person mentally and physically, and your perspective as an older person is different, you must actively choose to understand the space where a younger person is right now. So, I don’t discount the current music, I just must learn to appreciate it differently. No matter what style of music, I am trying to embrace the new sounds to understand the angst and soul of the new generation.

Your body will always move to the sounds you grew up with and memories will flood back to the times and places you have been. I never lived in my parents’ basement like Wayne and Garth (because for one thing we didn’t have a basement; Hey! it was Georgia) because that wasn’t what my generation did. We had fewer choices on how to live – get married or go out and do something with ourselves out in the world…. Believe me, I broke the norm, but many of us just wanted to get away from out past and try to make the world a better place.

Parents were less understanding about you wanting to live at home back in those days. It was okay if you were an unmarried woman, but a young man was considered a deadbeat. Sad, but true. Although so many of us women couldn’t wait to get away from our mother’s choking embrace, we didn’t have as many options as men. Our parents thought they were protecting us, but so many of us felt stifled. Today, children are allowed to stay at home after college until they get on their feet. I am a fan of this understanding but only to a point. As I tell my kiddo, “Honey, I love you, but I don’t want a 30-year-old living in the basement! So, finish college and get on with your life!”

There are many things that have changed today, and you can’t just live in a tent across the country like I did in the old days. I wasn’t considered part of the homeless population and made to “move along.” Money will always be an issue, but our children must eventually figure it out and live within their means. Even if it means having lots of roommates to share the costs. They can follow in Wayne and Garth’s footsteps and have their own podcasts, just in their own basements!

So, if you have talent and can follow in those iconic musicians’ footsteps, you are indeed worthy! You will make a mark on the world. It will be a glorious sound, and I will be proud to listen and dance to the beat of your vastly different drum!

Listen to Alice Cooper, Aerosmith, Jim Croce, Linda Ronstadt, Coldplay and Toploader and appreciate all the older genres of music. Learn from the past and incorporate what the future will hold for all of us.

To conclude this unusual posting, I am asking you to move with effort towards the gentle side of yourself and move to joy unfolding. Encourage yourself to be less afraid and open to change. Then take a seat. Be still and listen to others purposefully, completely and engaged.

For a fun remembrance of Wayne’s World, visit the Guardian and read this article:
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/aug/17/i-once-would-have-been-embarrassed-by-my-love-for-waynes-world-but-no-longer