The Mouthpiece of a Generation:
Music’s Role in Creating and Reflecting Hippie Culture
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Some of the greatest songs of all time came from the hippie movement, and they have been labeled so for good reason- emotions were strong and became interwoven in the music produced in the era. Artists clearly expressed their frustration with the Vietnam War and a government detached from its younger generation and their push for peace. There was a tangible shift in the feel of music from fifties’ doo-wop and blues to an array of rock styles reflecting a switch in what was deemed important by the young people of America. Two different types of music defined the counterculture: flowery and light-hearted, and anti-establishment. Nearly everyone in the music industry was involved with drugs (marijuana and LSD being the most common), and with such frequent usage amongst artists, they had a strong influence on the experimentation of sound, and the depth and weight of lyrics. Central to the hippie movement was facing disparity, such as the Vietnam War, with peace and love, and music played a role in both creating and reflecting that culture. The purpose of music had changed during the sixties, and instead of music’s sole focus being uniting Americans during wartime like it used to, “Vietnam-era music spoke to the growing numbers of disillusioned citizens and brought attention to the cultural fissures that were beginning to emerge” (Sklaroff). There was discontent with the way the nation was run and the general attitude among citizens, so this new generation rejected the Establishment in a peaceful way, creating music that perfectly reflects their ideology.
When thinking of the carefree outlook of hippies, Scott McKenzie’s “San Francisco” may be one of the first songs that come to mind. Written in 1966, this song perfectly embodies the light-hearted attitude and slightly romanticized experience of San Francisco in the sixties. This song was a major hit at its release; the simplicity of the lyrics, gentle chimes and bells, as well as restrained bassline, struck a chord among the hippie hearts of the generation as they joined the “gentle people with flowers in their hair” in San Francisco (McKenzie). The song mentions the new generation “with a new explanation,” an explanation for a new way of living that is full of acceptance. McKenzie’s soft voice is perfect for the peaceful lifestyle and ideology of the hippie wave (McKenzie).
Perhaps one of the most famous songs of the hippie era is John Lennon’s “Imagine.” “BMI ranked it the 96th most played song on radio in the twentieth century… Rolling Stone magazine ranked “Imagine” number three on its list of the top 500 songs of all-time” (Lindsay). This is a visionary song of hope in which Lennon paints an image of a world full of peace and free of material concerns. In the lullaby-like chorus, the collective attitude among hippies is addressed: “you may say I'm a dreamer, But I'm not the only one, I hope someday you will join us, And the world will be as one” (Lennon). “Imagine” is less of a song for hippies, but more for the rest of the world to be aware of the vision that hippies had for the future: a world free of war, greed, and possessions.
In 1973, the Beatles’ lead guitarist, George Harrison, released his hit “Give Me Love” which resonated with many and added his message of peace and love to the hippie movement. The lyrics are simple and repetitive: “Give me love, give me peace on earth, give me light, give me life,” yet those simple words are powerful (Harrison). In his autobiography, Harrison stated that the song “is a prayer and personal statement between me, the Lord, and whoever likes it,” and a lot of people liked it! It is a song of companionship and hope that is calling for peace and belief that it is possible to find and show love during such a turbulent time.
The importance and power of love were recognized by artists across all different genres, contributing in diverse ways to the hippie movement. In his soulful hit, “What’s Going On,” Marvin Gaye sings, “War is not the answer. Only love can conquer hate” (Gaye). He touches on the prejudice that parts of the nation faced for something as trivial as appearance, and the hatred that protests have brought about: “Picket lines and picket signs, Don't punish me with brutality, Talk to me, so you can see, what's going on” (Gaye). Not only was Gaye referring to the incredulity that hippies faced for their beliefs, but mainly the racism and brutality that African Americans faced. The new generation became anti-Establishment because they recognized the need for change, and proudly so.
Anti-Establishment art and music gained traction and popularity during the sixties, especially in light of the Vietnam War. In their article, “‘Takin' Care of Business’: Rock Music, Vietnam, and the Protest Myth.” Bindas and Houston explain the Establishment to be, “an uncaring bureaucracy, social and economic injustice, and a morality blind to anything but profit” (1). A central aspect of hippie culture is straying away from the want of material wealth and commercialism, and music was one of the only industries not overtaken by business interests; the artists were authentic with their words, not performing for profit. Music was one of the loudest voices of this generation, calling for peace, change, and prosperity in a beautiful way. Music’s “artistic claims were inextricable from its political claims (hence its central role in the counterculture)” and even the most mindless groups had to present themselves as something other than ‘entertainers’” (Frith 61).
Written in 1964, Phil Ochs’ “What Are You Fighting For” was in the middle of the Vietnam War, and he raises the question of what exactly is the war about? This song helped to bring awareness to those who may be disillusioned- those who are “ready to go marching to the war… set for fighting but what are you fighting for?” (Ochs). Music was “the last medium not totally controlled by business interests,” (Sklaroff) and Ochs touches on this. In verses four, five, and six, Ochs criticizes TV, the radio, newspapers, and the leaders that “stand right there before you and lie into your face” of America (Ochs). He is angry at the lack of empathy and lack of media coverage of the deadly war, and he used his music as a platform to combat ignorance- “fill[ing] a void in the country’s media landscape” (Sklaroff).
Barry McGuire’s anger with the Establishment is blatant in his song “Eve of Destruction.” Protests and a want for a different life “can’t bring integration” without the government and higher-ups passing legislation that could have promoted acceptance or even tolerance which would lead to peace (McGuire). Racism was running rampant, and thousands were dying in a war with no purpose. The world was full of problems, so much so that McGuire and all those who loved his song believed the world was on the eve of destruction.
During a gig in Greenwich Village in 1962, Bob Dylan prefaced “Blowin’ in the Wind” by saying, “This here ain’t no protest song or anything like that, ‘cause I don’t write no protest songs” (Lindsay). However, it may be one of the most famous protest songs of all time now. Dylan’s raw, untrained voice lends focus to his straightforward lyrics concerned with the death and destruction caused by the Vietnam War. Dylan asks, “How many ears must one person have before he can hear people cry? And how many deaths will it take 'till he knows, that too many people have died? The answer, my friends, is blowin' in the wind” (Dylan). This entire song is questioning how far problems can be pushed before something is done- how long until all are free? How long until the government recognizes the disparity, the unrest, and death the nation is facing at their hands and lack of action? By saying the answer is blowing in the wind, I believe he meant to say the answers are as obvious and present as the wind.
Music’s importance to the younger generations during the sixties and seventies was monumental. Due to the social and political unrest of the time, the art that was produced was provoking and, “rock amplified the emotional response and participation of its audience… [it] attacked all aspects of the Establishment, becoming a countercultural institution” (Bindas, Houston 4). There was another type of music produced during the hippie era alongside the politically charged rock, which was light-hearted and flowery. This type of music reflected the life and attitude that hippies adopted in the face of difficulty, and wanted to spread across the nation. The counterculture that emerged, “meant artistic self-consciousness, not in terms of money-making but in terms of creativity” (Frith 64). Music was not controlled by profit which allowed for authenticity and a genuine reflection of the new generation’s indignation against the Establishment, and their want for peace.
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Annotated Bibliography
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Barry McGuire. “Eve of destruction.” Eve of Destruction, Geffen Records, 1965.
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“Eve of Destruction” is a song that speaks to racism, the Vietnam War, and the problems and frustrations that were eminent among the 1960’s young America.
Bob Dylan. “Blowin’ in the Wind.” The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, John Hammond 1962.
“Blowin’ in the Wind” is a famous protest song, although Dylan never meant for it to be. This song questions how many ears you need to hear people cry or how many cannonballs need to be fired before they’re banned- ending each verse by saying the answer is “blowin’ in the wind.” Dylan raises questions that nearly all of the hippie counterculture was wondering and gives another firsthand perspective of the time and attitude.
Bindas, Kenneth J., and Craig Houston. “‘Takin' Care of Business’: Rock Music, Vietnam, and the Protest Myth.” The Historian, vol. 52, no. 1, 1989, pp. 1 23. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/24447600.
Bindas and Houston examine how 60’s music was anti-Establishment and how lyrics and the “sound” of the music spoke to different aspects of hippie counterculture. This is useful for my essay because it will give me specific examples and lyrics showing how some music was anti-
Establishment.
Frith, Simon. “Rock and the Politics of Memory.” Social Text, no. 9/10, 1984, pp. 59–69. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/466535.
In “Rock and the Politics of Memory,” Simon Frith examines the role of music in creating countercultures, and also looks at the change from pop to psychedelic pop, then psychedelic pop to rock and more. Frith also brings the factors of commercialism and authenticity into his discussion on the’50s-’70s.
George Harrison. “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth).” Living in the Material World, Apple Records, 1973.
George Harrison’s “Give Me Love” is self-explanatory: this is a song that promotes peace and love. It’s a song of companionship and hope that is calling for peace during a turbulent time.
John Lennon. “Imagine.” Imagine, Apple Records, 1971.
“Imagine” is one of the most famous songs by John Lennon. It is easy to follow and asks the listener to imagine what life could be like without possessions or religion, and what life would be like in peace and brotherhood.
Lindsay, James. “The Water’s Edge; The Twenty Best Vietnam Protest Songs.” Council on Foreign Relations, 5 March 2015. https://www.cfr.org/blog /twenty-best-vietnam-protest-songs.
This article covers 20 famous Vietnam protest songs, giving background on the song or artist, and offers some analysis of the songs. This will be useful to me because it gives me ideas for the songs to include in my essay as well as the important parts of certain songs.
Marvin Gaye. “What’s Going On.” What’s Going On, Motown Records, 1971.
Marvin Gaye used this song as a platform to ask “What’s Going On” in America during the ’60s. It promotes love, peace, and protests, and pushes against judgment based on appearance and violence.
Plastic Ono Band. “Give Peace a Chance.” Live Peace in Toronto 1969, Apple Records, 1969.
The Plastic Ono Band asks the listeners to “Give Peace a Chance” instead of using energy on violence and judgment. It is a simple song that exemplifies the hippies’ attitude amongst the chaos of the world.
Scott McKenzie. “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Some Flowers in Your Hair).” San Francisco, Ode Records, 1966.
“San Francisco” by Scott Mckenzie is a light, dreamy song that is about the generation with new “vibrations” of love and pretty things like having flowers in your hair. This song shows the more lighthearted, less political aspect of hippie counterculture.
Sklaroff, Lauren R. “During the Vietnam War, Music Spoke to Both Sides of a Divided Nation.” APNews, 15 Sept. 2017. https://apnews.com /e2f76df3f13df341ea12d4256e3db2ef.
Sklaroff’s article talks about how the role of music switched during the Vietnam Era, and how it was used to bring light to issues in America. It also talks about music’s role in the media.