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What Were The Implicit Politics of
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The Answer: Rock n Roll Music Was Both A Celebration Of And Challenge To:
Western Society And Culture!
Music typifies or becomes symbolic or characteristic of generations or cultures. In the
West, it has been typical of subcultures within dominant forms of Western Society. In
this sense R n R represented a challenge to a generation. It has been said that the
teenager was invented in this period (1950s). As such 'The Presley Generation' took on
a new style of its own with different modes of dress, talk, music and genre of films
featuring exciting teen heroes and perceived rebels such as Marlon Brando, James
Dean and even Elvis himself.
But Did It Challenge The Political System?
No!! In Fact It Championed The 'System'!
No!! In Fact It Championed The 'System'!
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Rock and Roll it can be argued, was a celebration of the Western System. While on the surface it reflected the rebelliousness of American youth, and a generation gap, it also reflected gross materialism, freedom of expression and overt opinion. In a Cold War world of totalitarian regimes and hardship, it reflected the US as a society of abundance and freedom. |
Eddie Cochran - Summertime Blues
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In essence 'R n R' was a cultural weapon of the West that the East saw as evil. In this
sense, Rock n Roll subtly reflected the Western world's combat with the Communist
East. So much so that the East, the Russians and the Chinese, declared R n R to be
decadent and banned it. So R n R not only reflected 'intra' - national (domestic)
conflict between subcultures within states, but also international rivalry and conflict.
As early as the 1950s, Pop music - specifically Rock and Roll became a tool of
Cultural imperialism - a means of Westernization and Globalization - because as we
have indicated, Pop music is inherently political - both implicitly and explicitly.
Popular Music reflecting Cultures is inherently political - and a `Self - Initiating
Political Action'. Implicitly it projects the power of the culture and is an instrument of
power - i.e. it represents the powerful Western Culture of Capitalism. Within its
evolution it reflects Capitalist commodification, and as such has been a powerful tool
of Westernization and globalisation.
sense, Rock n Roll subtly reflected the Western world's combat with the Communist
East. So much so that the East, the Russians and the Chinese, declared R n R to be
decadent and banned it. So R n R not only reflected 'intra' - national (domestic)
conflict between subcultures within states, but also international rivalry and conflict.
As early as the 1950s, Pop music - specifically Rock and Roll became a tool of
Cultural imperialism - a means of Westernization and Globalization - because as we
have indicated, Pop music is inherently political - both implicitly and explicitly.
Popular Music reflecting Cultures is inherently political - and a `Self - Initiating
Political Action'. Implicitly it projects the power of the culture and is an instrument of
power - i.e. it represents the powerful Western Culture of Capitalism. Within its
evolution it reflects Capitalist commodification, and as such has been a powerful tool
of Westernization and globalisation.
R n R Reflected Mainstream US Political Conservatism
President Nixon and Elvis Presley
RnR, at least early on, in fact represented US
mainstream political conservatism. In fact, it championed
and celebrated the US system. Elvis for example was
drafted but he didn't go to war, he went to the Army and
supported the US system and its objectives. Later on he
even offered his services to President Nixon to use against
John Lennon whom Elvis regarded as a subversive. So in essence, Rock n Roll was
a conservative capitalist force feeding off the young and diverting systematical change
into generational change - at least many argue.
But Rock n Roll Did Represent Beginnings Of Change Domestically!
Having said all the above, Rock n Roll, however, did represent the beginnings of
massive change. There was massive change within the industry itself of course. But
more importantly there was massive change socially in the US for it can be argued that
R n R saw the beginnings of racial integration in America. With both whites and blacks
appreciating white and black music, thereby breaking down some of the barriers
between black and white, etc. Rock and Roll therefore was itself essentially a political
statement that proclaimed that in integrating Hillbilly and black music, it was the music
of integration between the white and black Americans in a newly emerging youth
generation.
Rock n RollBill Haley - Rip It Up
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Elvis Presley, ‘the white boy who sang colored’, hardly realised in the mid 1950s that his music was helping pave the way for American racial integration. It was the black roots of much of Presley’s music, as well as his suggestive gyrations, that made him such a controversial performer. Whatever the fuss, white teenagers liked the music, and it blazed a trail for many |
black singers who became popular beyond the black community. A major black
influence thus entered mainstream American culture. There also was a Hillbilly element
in early R n R, bringing the concerns and issues of poor rural whites - another
oppressed, neglected minority - into the mainstream consciousness. As such Nashville
ceased to be an American cultural ghetto.
influence thus entered mainstream American culture. There also was a Hillbilly element
in early R n R, bringing the concerns and issues of poor rural whites - another
oppressed, neglected minority - into the mainstream consciousness. As such Nashville
ceased to be an American cultural ghetto.
Conclusion
The emergence of Rock n Roll celebrated the Western system and the system was
capitalist - unlike Folk which challenged all the ills of the system such as the domestic
ills in racial and economic inequality, and international ills such as the Arms Race
and the 'Bomb'. However, it was not until the 1960s that Pop itself began to take up
this challenge wherein such challenges to the system were actually reflected in much of
the music and the subcultures that emerged from them. This era had another important
development forged by Rock n Roll, however, it saw the rise of the teenage market and
the true birth of the international music industry, the very beginnings of music driven
globalisation.
But Original Rock n Roll Proved To Be Short-
Lived! In Fact It was largely Dead By 1960!
To Find Out Why, Go To Death Of
Rock n Roll
Rock n Roll
Death of Rock n Roll
Go To
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