The Times They Are Achanging

American Academy of Political and Social Science
"The Times They Are A-Changin'": The Music of Protest

Author(s): Robert A. Rosenstone
Source: The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 382,
Protest in the Sixties (Mar., 1969), pp. 131-144
Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. in association with the American Academy of
Political and Social Science
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"The Times They Are A-Changin"'
The Music of Protest*
By ROBERT A. ROSENSTONE
ABSTRACT: Once a medium of vapid love lyrics, popular

music in the 1960's has taken on a new seriousness. In the
words of popular songs, young musicians have begun to expres
their alienation from and disdain for American institutions and
mores. Part of this has taken the form of traditional attacks
on war and intolerance. More significant, however, have been
criticisms of the quality of life in an affluent society. In their
music, youth have worried about such things as the impact
of technology on man, the confused state of American sexual
practices, and the repressive nature of supposedly democratic
institutions. Affirming a strong faith in the freedom of the
individual, song writers have turned their backs on pragmatic
reality and have sought freedom in a transcendental exploration
of man's internal reality. Part of this has been done with
"mind-expanding drugs," and many songs have urged listeners
on to the use of hallucinogens. For youth, music has come to
serve the function of helping to define and codify the standards
of their own subculture. And it has also put them in touch
with more serious critiques of American life made by the intel-
lectual community.
Robert A. Rosenstone, Ph.D., Pasadena, California, is Associate Professor of Histor

at the California Institute of Technology. He has written articles on both the Radic
Right and the Radical Left for such publications as the Journal of American History,
Engineering and Science and the South Atlantic Quarterly. Dr. Rosenstone has also
edited a volume entitled Protest from the Right (1968). He is author of a forthcomin
study of the Lincoln Battalion, the Americans who fought in the Spanish Civil War.
* The author would like to thank his student and assistant Michael Henery for his researc
help on this paper, and even more for his aid in bridging the generation gap.
131
132 THE ANNALS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY
AT the beginning of the Rock

1960's,
'n Roll no-
to its ultimate absurdity."
body took popular music very Three seri-
years later the Saturday Review
ously. Adults only knew that rock solemnly
n' discussed
roll, a new Beatles record
which had flooded the airwaves in the as a "highly ironic declaration of disaf-
1950's, had a strong beat and was fection" with modern society, while in
terribly loud; it was generally believed 1968 Life devoted a whole, laudatory
that teen-agers alone had thick enough section to "The New Rock," calling it
eardrums, or insensitive enough souls, tomusic "that challenges the joys and ills
enjoy it. Certainly, no critics thought of the . . . world." 2 Even in the intel-
of a popular star like the writhing Elvislectual community, popular music has
Presley as being in any way a seriousfound warm friends. Such sober jour-
artist. Such a teen-age idol was simply nals as The Listener, Columbia Univer-
considered a manifestation of a sub- sity Forum, New American Review, and
culture that the young happily and Commentary have sympathetically sur-
inevitably outgrew-and, any parent veyed aspects of the "pop" scene, while
would have added, the sooner the better. in The New York Review of Books-a
Today, the view of popular music has kind of house organ for American
drastically changed. Some parents may academia-composer Ned Rorem has
still wonder about the "noise" that their declared that, at their best, the Beatles
children listen to, but important seg-"compare with those composers from
ments of American society have come togreat eras of song: Monteverdi, Schu-
recognize popular musicians as real mann, Poulenc." 3
artists saying serious things.1 An indi- The reasons for such changes in atti-
cation of this change can be seen in tude are not difficult to find: there is
magazine attitudes. In 1964, the no doubt that popular music has become
Saturday Evening Post derided the more complex, and at the same time
Beatles-recognized giants of modern more serious, than it ever was before.
popular music-as "corny," and Re- Musically, it has broken down some of
porter claimed: "They have debased the old forms in which it was for a long
time straight-jacketed. With a wide-
1 The definition of "popular music" being
used in this article is a broad one. It en- ranging eclecticism, popular music has
compasses a multitude of styles, including folk, Evening Post, Vol. 237, March
2Saturday
folk-rock, acid-rock, hard-rock, and 21, blues,
1964,to
p. 30; Reporter, Vol. 30, Feb. 27,
give just a few names being used in the 1964,musi-
p. 18; Saturday Review, Vol. 50, August
cal world today. It does so because the old 19, 1967, p. 18; Life, Vol. 64, June 28, 1968, p.
musical classifications have been totally 51.
smashed and the forms now overlap in a way 3 "The Music of the Beatles," New York
that makes meaningful distinction between Review of Books, Jan. 15, 1968, pp. 23-27.
them impossible. Though not every group See or also "The New Music," The Listener,
song referred to will have been popular in Vol. 78, August 3, 1967, pp. 129-130; Columbia
the sense of selling a million records, all University
of Forum (Fall 1967), pp. 16-22;
them are part of a broad, variegated scene New American Review, Vol. 1 (April 1968),
termed "pop." Some of the groups, like Buf- pp. 118-139; Ellen Willis, "The Sound of Bob
falo Springfield, Strawberry Alarm Clock, or Dylan," Commentary, Vol. 44 (November
the Byrds, have sold millions of records. Oth- 1967), pp. 71-80. Many of these articles deal
ers, like the Fugs or Mothers of Invention, with English as well as American popular
have never had a real hit, though they are groups, and, in fact, the music of the two
played on radio stations allied to the "under- countries cannot, in any meaningful sense, be
ground." Still, such groups do sell respectable separated. This article will only survey Amer-
numbers of records and do perform regularly ican musical groups, though a look at English
at teen-age concerts, and thus must be consid- music would reveal the prevalence of most of
ered part of the "pop" scene. the themes explored here.
THE MUSIC OF PROTEST 133
adapted to itself a folk

bewildering variety
songs were often serious, they were
hardly
of musical traditions contemporary.
and Popular were
instruments,
from the classic Indian sitar to the mostnumbers about organizing unions, which
recent electronic synthesizers favored by might date from the 1930's or the late
composers of "serious" concert music. nineteenth century, or about the trials
As the music has been revolutionized, of escaping Negro slaves, or celebrating
so has the subject matter of the songs.the cause of the defeated Republicans
In preceding decades, popular music was in the Spanish Civil War. Occasionally,
almost exclusively about love, and, inthere was something like "Talking A-
the words of poet Thomas Gunn, "a Bomb Blues," but this was the rare
very limited kind [of love], constituting exception rather than the rule."
a sort of fag-end of the Petrarchan A change of focus came when per-
tradition." The stories told in song formers began to write their own songs,
were largely about lovers yearning for rather than relying on the traditional
one another in some vaguely unreal folk repertoire. Chief among them, and
world where nobody ever seemed to destined to become the best known, was
work or get married. All this changed Bob Dylan. Consciously modeling him-
in the 1960's. Suddenly, popular music self on that wandering minstrel of the
began to deal with civil rights demon- 1930's, Woody Guthrie, Dylan began by
strations and drug experiences, with writing songs that often had little to do
interracial dating and war and explicit with the contemporary environment.
sexual encounters, with, in short, the Rather, his early ballads like "Masters
real world in which people live. For of War" echoed the leftist concerns and
perhaps the first time, popular songs rhetoric of an earlier era. Yet, simul-
became relevant to the lives of the teen- taneously, Dylan was beginning to write
age audience that largely constitutes the songs like "Blowin' In the Wind," "A
record-buying public. The success of Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall," and "The
some of these works prompted others toTimes They Are A-Changin'," which
be written, and the second half of thedealt with civil rights, nuclear war, and
decade saw a full efflorescence of such
the changing world of youth that par-
topical songs, written by young people
ents and educators were not prepared to
understand. Acclaimed as the best of
for their peers. It is these works which
should be grouped under the label of
protest-song-writers, Dylan in mid-
decade shifted gears, and in the song
"protest" songs of the 1960's, for, taken
together, they provide a wide-ranging"My Back Pages," he denounced his
critique of American life. Listening former
to moral fervor. In an ironic
chorus claiming that he was much
them, one can get a full-blown picture
of the antipathy that the young song younger than he had been, Dylan
writers have toward many Americanspecifically made social problems the
institutions. worry of sober, serious, older men; pre-
Serious concerns entered popular sumably, youths had more important
music early in the 1960's, when a great things than injustice to think about.
revival of folk singing spread out from After that, any social comment by
college campuses, engulfed the mass Dylan came encapsulated in a series of
media, and created a wave of new "pop" surrealistic images; for the most part,
stars, the best known of whom was Joan he escaped into worlds of aestheticism,
Baez. Yet, though the concerns of these
5 Time, Vol. 80 Nov. 23, 1962, pp. 54-60,
"The New Music," loc. cit., p. 129. gives a brief survey of the folk revival,
psychedelic drugs, and personal love

have not been blind to his plight. But,
egalitarian to
relationships. Apparently attempting as they are, the white musi-
come to grips in art with his cians
ownhave per-
not been able to describe the
sonality, Dylan was contentreality of the black man's situation.8
to forget
about the problems of other men." Rather, they have chronicled Northern
The development of Dylan liberal is impor-
attitudes towards the problem.
tant not only because he is the Thus,leading
composer-performer Phil Ochs
song writer, but also because penned it parallels
works criticizing Southern atti-
the concerns of popular music tudes in the Negroes, and containing
towards
1960's. Starting out with traditional stock portraits
lib- of corrupt politicians,
eral positions on war, discrimination, law officials, and churchmen trembling
segregation, and exploitation, before the Ku Klux Klan, while Paul
song writ-
ers of the decade turned increasingly Simon wrote toa lament for a freedom
descriptions of the private rider worldskilledofby an angry Southern
drugs, sexual experience, and mob.9 Similarly white-oriented was
personal
freedom. Though social concerns Janis Ian's
havevery popular "Society's
never entirely faded, the private Child," concerned with the problem of
realm
has been increasingly seen as interracial
the only dating. Here a white girl
one in which people can lead meaningful capitulates to society's bigotry and
lives. Now, at the end of the decade, breaks offthe a relationship with a Negro
realms of social protest and boy private
with thein-vague hope, "When we're
dulgence exist side by side in older the things
popu-may change/But for now
lar music, with the latter perceived this is the way as they must remain." 10
the only viable alternative to the Increasingly
world central to white-Negro
described in the former songs.' relationships have been the ghetto and
urban riots, and a taste of this entered
THE NEGRO IN SONG the popular music. Phil Ochs, always
on top of current events, produced "In
In turning to the protest songs of thethe Heat of the Summer" shortly after
1960's, one finds many of the tradi-the first major riot in Harlem in 1964.
tional characters and concerns of such Partially sympathetic to the ghetto-
music missing. Gone are exploited, im- dwellers' actions, he still misjudged their
poverished people, labor leaders, "finks,"8 This article is concerned almost exclusively
and company spies. This seems natural with music written and performed by white
musicians. While popular music by Negroes
in the affluent 1960's, with youths from
middle-class backgrounds writing songs.does contain social criticism, the current
forms-loosely termed "soul music"-make
Of course, there has been one increas-
comments about oppression similar to those
ingly visible victim of exploitation in this
which Negroes have always made. The real
decade, the Negro; and the songsters
change in content has come largely in white
music in the 1960's.
6 Wills, op. cit., gives a good analysis of 9 Phil Ochs, "Talking Birmingham Jam" and
his work. Though he is very quotable, there "Here's to the State of Mississippi," I Ain't
will, unfortunately, be no quotations from Marching Any More (Elektra, 7237); Simon
Dylan in this article because the author cannot and Garfunkel, "He Was My Brother,"
afford the enormous fees required by Dylan's Wednesday Morning 3 A.M. (Columbia, CS
publisher for even the briefest of quotations. 9049). (Songs from records will be noted by
7 It must be pointed out that, in spite of the performer, song title in quotation marks, and
large amount of social criticism, most songs album title in italics, followed by record
today are still about love, even those by company and number in parentheses.)
groups such as Country Joe and the Fish, best 10 Copyright 1966 by Dialogue Music, Inc.
known for their social satire. Used by permission.
attitudes by ascribing view." 14 to It isthem

true that the death of
feelings
of shame-rather than satisfaction-in President Kennedy inspired more than
the aftermath of the destruction.' A one song, but these were tributes to a
later attempt, by Country Joe andmartyr, the not a politician.'5 If Kennedy
Fish, to describe Harlem ironically inas death could inspire music, Lyndon
a colorful vacation spot, verged on Johnson in life has seemed incapable of
patronizing blacks, even while it poked inspiring anything, except perhaps con-
fun at white stereotypes. Only the tempt. In a portrait of him, Country
closing lines, "But if you can't go to Joe and the Fish pictured the, then,
Harlem . . ./Maybe you'll be lucky President as flying through the sky like
and Harlem will come to you," followed Superman ("It's a bird, it's a plane,
by sounds of explosion, thrust home it's a man insane/It's my President
what indifference to the ghetto is doing L. B. J."). Then they fantasized a
to America.12 The most successful song Western setting:
depicting the situation of the Negro was Come out Lyndon with your hands held
"Trouble Coming Everyday," written by high
Frank Zappa during the Watts uprising Drop your guns, baby, and reach for the
sky
in 1965. Though the song does not go
I've got you surrounded and you ain't got
so far as to approve of rioting, it paints a chance
a brutal picture of exploitation by mer- Send you back to Texas, make you work
chants, bad schooling, miserable housing, on your ranch.16
and police brutality-all of which affect One traditional area, antiwar protest,
ghetto-dwellers. Its most significant does figure significantly in the music of
lines are Zappa's cry, "You know some- the 1960's. With America's involvement
thing people, I ain't black, but there's in Vietnam and mounting draft-calls,
a whole lots of times I wish I could saythis seems natural enough. Unlike many
I'm not white." No song writer showedsongs of this genre, however, the current
more empathy with the black struggleones rarely assess the causes of war,
for liberation than that.'3
but dwell almost exclusively with the
effect which war has on the individual.
POLITICIANS Thus, both Love and the Byrds sing
about what nuclear war does to children,
While the downtrodden are heroes of
while the Peanut Butter Conspiracy pic-
many traditional protest songs, the vil- tures the effect of nuclear testing on
lains are often politicians. Yet, politicseveryone: "Firecracker sky filled with
rarely enters the songs of the 1960's.roots of fusion ... /We're so far ahead
Ochs, an unreconstructed voice from thewe're losing." 17 Most popular of the
1930's, depicts vacillating politicians in
14Strawberry Alarm Clock, "Incense and
some works, and Dylan mentions cor-Peppermints," written by John Carter and
rupt ones early in the decade. But theTim Gilbert, Strawberry Alarm Clock (Uni.,
typical attitude is to ignore politics, or, 73014). Copyright by Claridge Music, Inc.
perhaps, to describe it in passing as "A 15 Phil Ochs, "That Was the President,"
"I Ain't Marching Any More; the Byrds, "He
yardstick for lunatics, one point of
Was A Friend of Mine," Turn! Turn! (Co-
11 Ochs, I Ain't Marching Any More. lumbia, CS 9254).
12 "The Harlem Song," Together (Vanguard, 16 "Superbird," Electric Music for the Mind
VSD 79277). Copyright by Joyful Wisdom and Body (Vanguard, 79244). Copyright by
Music, Inc. Tradition Music Company.
13 Mothers of Invention, Freak Out (Verve, 17 Love, "Mushroom Clouds," Love (Elektra,
65005). Copyright 1968 by Frank Zappa EKL 4001); the Byrds, "I Come and Stand
Music, Inc. All rights reserved. at Every Door," Fifth Dimensior (Columbia,
to make music
antiwar songs was P. F. Sloan's "Eve out of the horrors of
of Destruction," which, for war,a and
time a kind
in of black humor is a
common
1965, was the best-selling record in response.
the In a rollicking num-
country (and which was bannedber, the
by Fugs,
somewith irony, worry that
patriotic radio-station directors).
people mayThe come to "love the Russians"
and scream view
title obviously gives the author's out a method often advo-
cated for deals
of the world situation; the content avoiding this: "Kill, kill, kill
mostly with its relationship for to young
peace." 23 And one of Country Joe's
men like himself: "You don't believe most popular numbers contains the fol-
in war, but what's that gun you're
lowing:
totin'?" 18 There are alternatives to
Well come on generals let's move fast
carrying a gun, and defiance of the draft
Your big chance has come at last
enters some songs, subtly in Buffy We
St.gotta go out and get those reds
The only good Commie is one that's dead
Marie's "Universal Soldier" and stri-
And you know that peace can only be won
dently in Ochs' "I Ain't Marching Any
When we blow 'em all to kingdom come.24
More." 1 Perhaps more realistic in its
reflection of youthful moods is the The injustice and absurdity of Amer-
ica's Asian ventures, perceived by the
Byrds' "Draft Morning," a haunting
portrait of a young man reluctantly
song writers, does not surprise them, for
leaving a warm bed to take up arms theyand feel that life at home is much the
kill "unknown faces." It ends with the same. The songs of the 1960's show the
poignant and unanswerable question, United States as a repressive society,
"Why should it happen?" 20 where people who deviate from the norm
If many songs criticize war in general, are forced into conformity-sometimes
some have referred to Vietnam in par-at gunpoint; where those who do fit in
ticular. The Fugs give gory details of lead empty, frustrated lives; and where
death and destruction being wreaked on meaningful human experience is ignored
the North by American bombers, which in a search for artificial pleasures. Such
unleash napalm "rotisseries" upon thea picture is hardly attractive, and one
world.21 In a similar song, Countrymight argue that it is not fair. But
Joe and the Fish describe children cry- it is so pervasive in popular music
ing helplessly beneath the bombs, and that it must be examined at some length.
then comment ironically, "Super heroes Indeed, it is the most important part of
fill the skies, tally sheets in hand/Yes,the protest music of the decade. Here
keeping score in times of war takes aare criticisms, not of exploitation, but
superman." 22 No doubt, it is difficultof the quality of life in an affluent soci-
ety: not only of physical oppression,
CS 9349); Peanut Butter Conspiracy, "Won-
but also of the far more subtle mental
derment," written by John Merrill, Great
oppression that a mass society can
Conspiracy (Columbia, CS 9590). Copyright
by 4-Star Music Company, Inc. produce.
18 Copyright 1965 by Trousdale Music Pub-
lishers, Inc. YOUTH AS VICTIM
19 Buffy St. Marie, "Universal Soldier,"
Southern Publishing, ASCAP; Ochs, I Ain't Throughout the decade, young people
Marching Any More. have often been at odds with estab-
20 The Notorious Byrd Brothers (Columbia, lished authority, and, repeatedly, songs
CS 9575).
21 "War Song," Tenderness Junction (Re- 23 "Kill for Peace," The Fugs (Esp. 1028).
prise, S 6280). 24 "I Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die," I Feel
22 "An Untitled Protest," Together. Copy- Like I'm Fixin' to Die (Vanguard, 9266).
right by Joyful Wisdom Music. Copyright by Tradition Music Company.
picture youth in thethat role of victim.

youngsters have felt, they do not
Sometimes the victimization is mental,
ignore the problems that all humans face
as when the Mothers of Invention com- in a mass society. Writer Tom Paxton
plain of outworn thought patterns and knows that it is not easy to keep one's
say "All your children are poor/Unfor-life from being forced into a predeter-
mined mold. In "Mr. Blue" he has a
tunate victims of lies/You believe." 25
On a much simpler level, Sonny Bono Big-Brother-like narrator telling the
voices his annoyance that older people title character, a kind of Everyman, that
laugh at the clothes he wears, and he he is always under surveillance, and that
wonders why they enjoy "makin' fun" he will never be able to indulge himself
of him.26 Now, Bono could musi- in his precious dreams of freedom from
cally shrug off the laughs as the price ofsociety. This is because society needs
freedom, but other songs document oc- him to fill a slot, no matter what his
casions when Establishment disapprovalpersonal desires. Of that slot, the nar-
turned into physical oppression. Thus,rator says, "You'll learn to love it/Or
Canned Heat tells of being arrested inwe'll break you." And then comes the
Denver because the police did not wantchilling chorus:
any "long hairs around." 27 The Buffalo What will it take to whip you into line
Springfield, in a hit record, describe A broken heart?
A broken head ?
gun-bearing police rounding up teen-
It can be arranged.x1
agers on the Sunset Strip, and draw the
moral, "Step out of line the men come Though no other writer made the mes-
and take you away.'"28 On the samesage so explicit, a similar fear of being
theme, Dylan ironically shows that forced into an unwelcome slot underlies
adults arbitrarily oppose just about allmany songs of the period.
activities of youths, saying that they The society of slotted people is an
should "look out" no matter what theyempty one, partly described as "TV
are doing.29 More bitter is the Mothers' dinner by the pool,/I'm so glad I fin-
description of police killing large num- ished school." 32 It is one in which
ber of hippies, which is then justifiedpeople have been robbed of their hu-
on the grounds "They looked too weirdmanity, receiving in return the "tran-
. . it served them right." 30 Though sient treasures" of wealth and the use-
the incident is fictional, the Mothersless gadgets of a technological age. One
clearly believe Americans capable of of these is television, referred to simply
shooting down those who engage in as "that rotten box," or, in a more sin-
deviant behavior. ister image, as an "electronic shrine."
Though the songs echo the oppression This image of men worshipping gadgets
25 We're Only in It for the Money (Verve,recurs. In the nightmare vision of a
65045). Copyright by Frank Zappa Music, McLuhanesque world-where the me-
Inc. All rights reserved. dium is the message-Simon and Gar-
26 "Laugh at Me," Five West Cotillion,
BMI.
funkle sing of men so busy bowing and
27 "My Crime," Boogie (Liberty, 7541). praying to a "neon god" that they can-
28 "For What It's Worth." Copyright 1966 81 "Mr. Blue," written by Tom Paxton,
by Cotillion Music, Inc.-Ten East Music Clear Light (Elektra, 74011). Copyright 1966
-Springaloo Toones. Reprinted by permission.
by Deep Fork Music, Inc. All rights reserved.
29 "Subterranean Homesick Blues," Bob Used with permission.
Dylan's Greatest Hits (Columbia, KCS 9463). 82Mothers of Invention, "Brown Shoes
so We're Only in It for the Money. Copy- Don't Make It," Absolutely Free (Verve,
right 1968 by Frank Zappa Music, Inc. All 65013). Copyright 1968 by Frank Zappa
rights reserved. Music, Inc. All rights reserved.
not understand or touch one another. the technological age has created so
Indeed, here electronics seem to hinder many artificial things that nothing nat-
the process of communication rather ural remains. Concerned with authen-
than facilitate it. People talk and hear ticity, the songsters are afraid that man
but never understand, as the "sounds himself is becoming an artifact, or, in
of silence" fill the world."3 Such lack of their favorite word, "plastic." Thus,
communication contributes to the indif- the Jefferson Airplane sing about a
ference with which men can view the life "Plastic Fantastic Lover," while the
and death of a neighbor, as in Simon's Iron Butterfly warn a girl to stay
"A Most Peculiar Man."34 It also cre- away from people "made of plastic." 38
ates the climate of fear which causes The image recurs most frequently in
people to kill a stranger for no reason the works of the Mothers of Invention.
other than his unknown origins in Straw- In one song, they depict the country as
berry Alarm Clock's "They Saw the being Fat run by a plastic Congress and
One Coming." s5 President.39 Then, in "Plastic People,"
Alienated from his fellows, fearful and they start with complaints about a girl-
alone, modern man has also despoiled friend who uses "plastic goo" on her
the natural world in which he lives. face, go on to a picture of teen-agers on
With anguish in his voice, Jim Morrison the Sunset Strip--who are probably
of the Doors asks:
their fans-as being "plastic," too, and
What have they done to the earth? finally turn on their listeners and say
What have they done to our fair sister?
"Go home and check yourself/You think
Ravished and plundered and ripped her
and bit her we're talking about someone else." o4
Stuck her with knives in the side of the Such a vision is frightening, for if the
dawn audience is plastic, perhaps the Mothers,
And tied her with fences and dragged her themselves, are made of the same phony
down.S6 material. And if the whole world is
In a lighter tone but with no less serious plastic, who can be sure of his own
an intent, the Lewis and Clark Expedi- authenticity?
tion describe the way man has cut him-
self off from nature. LoVE RELATIONSHIPS
There's a chain around the flowers Toward the end of "Plastic People,"
There's a fence around the trees
the Mothers say, "I know true love can
This is freedom's country
Do anything you please.
never be/A product of plasticity."41
This brings up the greatest horror, that
With a final thrust they add, "You
in a "plastic" society like the United
don't need to touch the flowers/They're
States, love relationships are impossible.
plastic anyway." 37
For the young song writers, American
This brings up a fear that haunts a
love is viewed as warped and twisted.
number of recent songs, the worry that
Nothing about Establishment society
s "Sounds of Silence," Sounds of Silence
(Columbia, CS 9269). right 1967 by Screen Gems-Columbia Music,
34 Sounds of Silence. Inc. Used by permission. Reproduction pro-
35 Wake Up . . . It's Tomorrow (Uni., hibited.
73025). 38 Surrealistic Pillow (Victor, LSP 3766);
36 "When the Music's Over," Strange Days "Stamped Ideas," Heavy (Atco, S 33-227).
(Elektra, 74014). Copyright 1967 by Nipper s9 Uncle Bernie's Farm," Absolutely Free.
Music, Inc. All rights reserved. 40 "Plastic People," Absolutely Free. Copy-
37 "Chain Around the Flowers," The Lewis right 1968 by Frank Zappa Music, Inc. All
and Clark Expedition (Colgems, COS 105). rights reserved.
Words and music by John Vandiver. Copy- 41 Ibid.
criticisms
frightens them more thanof its
female sexual attitudes
attitudes
towards sex. Tim Buckley
abound. Theis typical
Mothers in
say disgustedly
singing that older Americans are
to the American "Afraid
woman, "You lie in bed
to trust in their bodies,"
and grit and in describ-
your teeth," while the Sopwith
ing them as "Faking Camel
love object
on atobedthe traditional
made kind
of knives." 42 Othersofgive
puritygraphic
by singing, por-
"I don't want no
traits of deviant behavior. woman wrapped The Fugs
up in cellophane." 46
tell of a "Dirty Old Man" hanging This is because such a woman "will do
around high school playgrounds; the you in/Bending your mind with her talk-
Velvet Underground portray a maso- ing about sin."'' All the musicians
chist; and the Mothers depict a middle- would prefer the girl about whom Moby
aged man lusting after his own thirteen- Grape sings who is "super-powered, de-
year-old daughter.43 The fullest indict- flowered," and over eighteen.48
ment of modern love is made by the Living in a "plastic" world where hon-
United States of America, who devote est human relationships are impossible,
almost an entire album to the subject. the song writers might be expected to
Here, in a twisted portrait of "pleasure wrap themselves in a mood of musical
and pain," is a world of loveless mar-despair. But they are young-and often
riages, homosexual relationships in men'smaking plenty of money-and such an
rooms, venomous attractions, and overt attitude is foreign to them. Musically,
sadism-all masked by a middle-class, they are hopeful because, as the title
suburban world in which people considerof the Dylan song indicates, "The Times
"morality" important. To show that They Are A-Changin.' " Without de-
natural relationships are possible else- scribing the changes, Dylan clearly
where, the group sings one tender lovethreatens the older generation, as he
lyric; interestingly, it is the lament of atells critics, parents, and presumably
Cuban girl for the dead Che Guevara.44anyone over thirty, to start swimming
The fact that bourgeois America has or they will drown in the rising flood-
warped attitudes towards sex and love is waters of social change.49
bad enough; the songsters are more In another work, Dylan exploits the
worried that such attitudes will infect
same theme. Here is a portrait of a
their own generation. Thus, the Col-
presumably normal, educated man,
lectors decry the fact that man-woman faced with a series of bizarre situations,
who is made to feel like a freak because
relationships are too often seen as some
he does not understand what is going
kind of contest, with a victor and van-
quished, and in which violence is more
on. The chorus is the young genera-
acceptable than tenderness.45 Perhaps
tion's comment to all adults, as it mocks
because most of the singers are men,
"Mr. Jones" for not understanding what
is happening all around him.50
42 "Goodbye and Hello," written by Tim
Buckley, Goodbye and Hello (Elektra, 7318). 46 We're Only in It for the Money; "Cello-
Copyright 1968 by Third Story Music, Inc. phane Woman," The Sopwith Camel (Kama
All rights reserved. Sutra, KLPS 8060). Copyright by Great
43 The Fugs; "Venus in Furs," The Velvet Honesty Music, Inc.
Underground and Nico (Verve, V6-5008); 47 "Cellophane Woman." Copyright by
"Brown Shoes Don't Make It," Absolutely Great Honesty Music, Inc.
Free. 48 "Motorcycle Irene," Wow (Columbia, CS
44 The United States of America (Columbia, 9613).
CS 9614). 49 Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits.
45 "What Love," The Collectors (Warner 50 "Ballad of a Thin Man/Mr. Jones," High-
Bros.-Seven Arts, WS 1746). way 61 Revisited (Columbia, CS 9189).
The changes going on are, notafterlife.

surpris-Elsewhere, Buckley explic-
itly condemns
ingly, associated with the carefree, joy- Christianity, saying "I
ful experiences of youth. As can't hesitate and I can't wait for
Jefferson
pleasant street."
Airplane sings, "It's a wild time/I see 53 Similarly, the
people all around me changing Doors'faces/
Jim Morrison states, "Cancel my
It's a wild time/I'm doing things that
subscription to the resurrection," and in
haven't got a name yet." 51 theThe most
same song literally shrieks, "We
full-blown description of thewant the world and want it now."54
changing
world is Tim Buckley's "Goodbye
Here is andthe impatient demand of youth
Hello," a lengthy and explicit portrait
that all problems be swept aside and the
world be made into paradise without
of what the youth hope is happening.
Throughout the song the author
delay. con-
trasts two kinds of people and their en-
How To LIVE
vironments. On the one hand are the
"antique people"-godless and sexless-- Though the times may be changing,
the songsters are well aware that-
of an industrial civilization,. living in
dark dungeons, working hard, worship-despite their brave words and demands
ping technology and money, sacrificing-there is plenty of strength left in the
old social order. Obviously, they can
their sons to placate "vaudeville" gen-
erals, and blinding themselves to thesee the war continuing, Negro demands
fact that their "masquerade towers" arenot being met, and the continuing hos-
"riddled by widening cracks." Opposed
tility of society toward their long hair,
to them are the "new children," in- music, sexual behavior, and experimen-
tation with drugs. Faced with these
terested in flowers, streams, and the
beauty of the sky, who wish to take off facts, the musicians must deal with the
their clothes to dance and sing and loveproblem of how to live decently within
one another. What's more, the "an- the framework of the old society. Here
they tend toward the world of private
tique people are fading away"; in fact,
experience mentioned earlier in this arti-
they are already wearing "death masks."
As the song says, "The new childrencle in connection with Dylan. Many
will live because their elders have
of their songs are almost programs for
died." 52 youth's behavior in a world perceived as
Buckley's vision of the new world
being unlivable.
that is coming is obviously that of The a first element is to forget about
kind of idyllic Eden before the fall,the arepressive society out there. As Sop-
with Camel says, "Stamp out reality
world in which men will be free to romp
and play and indulge their natural. de-. ./Before reality stamps out you."'55
sires for love. It is a pagan world, Then
the it is imperative to forget about
antithesis of the Christian ideal that trying to understand the outside world
would postpone fulfillment to some rationally. In a typical anti-intellectual
stance, the Byrds describe such attempts
Though this song has obvious homosexual
overtones, it also stands as youth's criticism 53 "Pleasant Street," written by Tim Buck-
of the older generation. ley. Copyright 1968 by Third Story Music,
51 "Wild Tyme (H)," After Bathing at Inc. All rights reserved.
Baxter's (Victor, LSO-1511). Copyright by 54 "When the Music's Over," Strange Days.
Ice Bag Corporation. Copyright 1967 by Nipper Music Company,
52 "Goodbye and Hello," written by Tim Inc. All rights reserved.
Buckley, Goodbye and Hello. Copyright 1968 55 "Saga of the Low Down Let Down," The
by Third Story Music, Inc. All rights re- Sopwith Camel. Copyright by Great Honesty
served. Music, Inc.
as "scientific delirium madness."

freedom should "6
be used by the individ-
Others combine a similar attitude with
ual in an extensive exploration of his
own internal world. Central to the
a strong measure of carpe diem. Spirit
deride people who are "always asking"vision of the song writers is the idea that
for "the reason" when they should be the mind must be opened and expanded
enjoying life, while H. P. Lovecraft if the truths of life are to be perceived.
admits that the bird is on the wing andThus, the importance of external reality
states, "You need not know why.")57is subordinated to that of a psychologi-
What is important is that the moment
cal, even a metaphysical, realm. The
be seized and life lived to the fullest. most extensive treatment of this sub-
As Simon and Garfunkel say, one ject has is by the Amboy Dukes, who devote
to make the "moment last," and this half of a long-playing record to it.
is done best by those who open them- Their theme is stated quite simply:
selves fully to the pleasures of the "How happy life would be/If all man-
world.58 kind/Would take the time to journey to
The most frequent theme of the song the center of the mind." 63 Like any
writers is the call to freedom, the total mystical trip, what happens when one
freedom of the individual to "do his reaches the center of the mind is not
easy to describe. Perhaps the best at-
own thing." Peanut Butter Conspiracy
carry this so far as to hope for atempt
life is by the Iron Butterfly, who
that can be lived "free of time." "5 claim that an unconscious power will be
Circus Maximus and the Byrds-despitereleased, flooding the individual with
the fact that they are young men-long
sensations and fusing him with a free-
to recapture some lost freedom that dom of thought that will allow him to
"see every thing." At this point, man
they knew as children.60 Such freedom
can be almost solipsistic; Jimi Hendrix
will be blessed with the almost super-
claims that even if the sun did not rise natural power of knowing "all." 64
and the mountains fell into the sea, he Such a journey is, of course, difficult
would not care because he has his "own to make. But youth has discovered a
world to live through." 6 But for oth- short cut to the mind's center, through
ers, it can lead to brotherhood. As H. the use of hallucinogenic drugs. Indeed,
P. Lovecraft says, "C'mon people now,such journeys are almost inconceivable
let's get together/Smile on your brother, without hallucinogens, and the so-called
/Try and love one another right now." 12 "head songs" about drug experiences are
A desire for freedom is certainly noth-the most prevalent of works that can be
ing new. What is different in the songsclassified as "protest." 65 In this area,
of the 1960's is the conviction that this
s3 "Journey to the Center of the Mind,"
56 "Fifth Dimension," Fifth Dimension. Journey to the Center of the Mind (Main-
5 "Topanga Window," Spirit (Ode, 212 stream, S 6112). Copyright 1968 by Brent
44004); "Let's Get Together," H. P. Lovecraft
Music Corporation.
(Phillips, 600-252). 64 "Unconscious Power," Heavy.
58 "Feeling Groovy," Sounds of Silence. 65 There are so many "head songs" that list-
ing them would be an impossibly long task.
59 "Time Is After You," West Coast Love-In
(Vault, LP 113). Some of the most popular protest songs of the
so "Lost Sea Shanty," Circus Maximus decade have been such works. They include
(Vanguard, 79260); "Going Back," The No-
Jefferson Airplane, "White Rabbit," Surrealistic
torious Byrd Brothers. Pillow; the Doors, "Light My Fire," The
61 "If 6 Was 9," Axis (Reprise, S 6281). Doors (Elektra EKS 74007); Strawberry
62 H. P. Lovecraft, "Let's Get Together," Alarm Clock, "Incense and Peppermints,"
written by Chester Powers, H. P. Lovecraft.Incense and Peppermints; and the Byrds,
Copyright by Irving Music, Inc. "Eight Miles High," Fifth Dimension.
writers,
the songs carefully distinguish betweena society which makes war on
"mind-expanding," nonaddictive peoples abroad and acts repressively
mari-
juana and LSD, and hard, addictive toward helpless minorities like Negroes,
drugs which destroy the body. Thus, youth, and hippies at home. It is a
the Velvet Underground and Love bothland of people whose lives are devoid of
tell of the dangers of heroin, whilefeeling, love, and sexual pleasure. It is
Canned Heat warn of methedrine use a country whose institutions are crum-
and the Fugs describe the problemsbling
of away, one which can presumably
only be saved by a sort of cultural and
cocaine.66 But none of the groups hesi-
spiritual revolution which the young
tate to recommend "grass" and "acid"
themselves will lead.
trips as a prime way of opening oneself
to the pleasures and beauties of the Whether one agrees wholly, partly, or
universe. As the Byrds claim in a typi- not at all with such a picture of the
cal "head song," drugs can free the indi- United States, the major elements of
vidual from the narrow boundaries of such a critical portrait are familiar
the mundane world, allowing him enough. to It is only in realizing that all
open his heart to the quiet joy and this is being said in popular music, on
eternal love which pervade the whole records that sometimes sell a million
universe.6 Others find the reality of copies to teen-agers, in songs that
the drug experience more real than the youngsters often dance to, that one
day-to-day world, and some even hope comes to feel that something strange is
for the possibility of staying "high" happening today. Indeed, if parents
permanently. More frequent is the fully understand what the youth are
claim that "trips" are of lasting benefit saying musically to one another, they
because they improve the quality of life must long for the simpler days of Elvis
of an individual even after he "comes Presley and his blue suede shoes.
down." 68 The Peanut Butter Conspir- If the lyrics of the songs would dis-
acy, claiming that "everyone has a turb older people, the musical sound
bomb" in his mind, even dream of some would do so even more. In fact, a good
day turning the whole world on withcase could be made that the music itself
drugs, thus solving mankind's plaguing expresses as much protest against the
problems by making the earth a loving status quo as do the words. Performed
place.69 An extreme desire, perhaps, in concert with electronic amplification
but one that would find much support on all instruments-or listened to at
among other musicians. home at top volume-the music drowns
the individual in waves of sound; some-
A REPRESSIVE SOCIETY
times it seems to be pulsating inside the
This, then is the portrait of Americalistener. When coupled with a typical
that emerges in the popular songs of light show, where colors flash and swirl
the 1960's which can be labelled as on huge screens, the music helps to pro-
vide
"protest." It is, in the eyes of the an assault on the senses, creating
song
66 "Heroin," Velvet Underground; "Signed
an overwhelming personal experience of
D. C.," Love (Elektra, 74001) ; "Amphetamine the kind that the songs advise people to
Annie," Boogie; "Coming Down," The Fugs. seek. This sort of total experience is
67 "Fifth Dimension," Fifth Dimension. certainly a protest against the tepid,
68See Country Joe and the Fish, "Bass
partial pleasures which other songs de-
Strings," Electric Music for the Mind and
Body; or United States of America, "Coming scribe as the lot of bourgeois America.
Down," United States of America. Another aspect of the music which
69 "Living, Loving Life," Great Conspiracy.
might be considered a kind of protest is
the attempt of many ofgroups

cultural lagto
that makes their view-
capture
in sound the quality points
of a valueless for youth. to
drug "trip," Into the
try through melody,place of these traditional
rhythm, and vol- sources of
ume to-in the vernacular-"blow the information have stepped the youth
mind" of the audience. Of course, themselves, and through such things as
youngsters often listen to such music the "underground" press and popular
while under the influence of hallucino- music they are telling each other exactly
gens. In such a state, the perceptive what is happening. In this way, the
experience supposedly can have the music has achieved popularity-at least
quality of putting one in touch with in part-because it telegraphs impor-
regions of the mind and manifestations tant messages to young people and helps
of the universe that can be felt in no to define and codify the mores and stan-
other way. Such mysticism, such dards of their own subculture. A young.
transcendental attitudes, are certainly aster may personally feel that there is no
difference between his parents' drink.
protest against a society in which real-
ity is always pragmatic and truth in- ing and his use of marijuana. Certainly,
strumental. it is comforting to him when his friends
To try to explain why the jingles and feel the same way, and when popular
vapid love lyrics of popular music in the songs selling millions of copies deliver
1950's evolved into the social criticism the same message, there are even
and mystical vision of the 1960's is cer-
stronger sanctions for his "turning on."
tainly not easy. Part of it is the fact
Thus, the lyrics of the music serve a
that performers, who have always been functional role in the world of youth.
young, started writing their own songs, It is interesting to note that the
popular music also puts youth in touch
out of their own life experiences, rather
than accepting the commercial output with
of serious, intellectual critiques of
the older members of tin pan alley.
American life. Perhaps it starts only
But this does not explain the popularity
as a gut reaction in the song writers, but
they have put into music the ideas of
of the new songs. Here one must look
many American social critics. Without
to the youthful audience, which decided
reading Paul Goodman, David Riesman,
it preferred buying works of the newer
kind. For it was the commercial suc-C. Wright Mills, or Mary McCarthy,
cess of some of the new groups whichyoungsters will know that life is a "rat
opened the doors of the record com- race," that Americans are a "lonely
crowd," that "white-collar" lives con-
panies to the many that flourish today.
tain much frustration, and that the war
THE FUNCTION OF MUSIC in Vietnam is far from just. And they
will have learned this from popular
Though one cannot make definitive
music, as well as from their own obser-
judgments about this record-buying
vation.
The other side of the coin from criti-
audience, some things seem clear. Cer-
tainly, it is true that with increasingly
cism of contemporary life is the search
rapid social change, parents-and adults
for personal experience, primarily of
in general-have less and less that the
they
"mind-expanding" sort. As is obvi-
can tell their children about the ways
ous of
by now, such expansion has nothing
the world, for adult life experiences
to are
do with the intellect, but is a spiritual
not very relevant to current social phenomenon.
con- Here a final critique is
definitely
ditions. Similarly, institutions like the implicit. Throughout the
school and the press suffer from a music-as
kind in youth culture-there is the
search for a kind of mysticalwe

unity, an of more utopian thinking
are in need
ability to feel a oneness with andthe
feeling.
uni-And while one might not
verse. This is what drugs are wish
usedto follow
for; their prescriptions for
this is what the total environment of the
the good life, they have caught some-
thing
light and music shows is about; andof this
the desire for freedom that all
men feel.
is what is sought in the sexual What could be more utopian
experi-
ence-often explicitly evident in more
and yet the inviting in its freedom than
orgasmic grunts and moans of perform-
the hopeful picture which the Mothers of
Invention
ers. Through the search for this paint of the future:
unity,
the music is implicitly condemning the
There will come a time when everybody
fragmentation of the individual's lifewill be free . . .
Who is lonely
which is endemic in the modern world. TO SING AND DANCE AND LOVE
The songsters are saying that it is wrong There will come a time when every evil
That we know will be an evil
to compartmentalize work and play, WE CAN RISE ABOVE
wrong to cut men off from the natural Who cares if hair is long or short
rhythms of nature, wrong to stifle sex Or sprayed or partly grayed ...
and love and play in favor of greater WE KNOW THAT HAIR
AINT WHERE IT'S AT
productivity, wrong to say man's spir-
(There will come a time when you
itual needs can be filled by providing
won't even be ashamed if you are fat!)
him with more material possessions.
This is obviously a criticism that can Who cares if you're so poor
only be made by an affluent people, but You can't afford to buy a pair
these youth do represent the most afflu- Of mod a-go go stretch elastic pants
THERE WILL COME A TIME
ent of all countries. And rather than
WHEN YOU CAN EVEN
wallow in their affluence, they have TAKE YOUR CLOTHES OFF WHEN
sensed and expressed much of the YOU DANCE 70
malaise that plagues our technological 70 "Take Your Clothes Off When You
society. The charge may be made Dance," We're Only in It for the Money.
against them that they are really utopi- Copyright 1968 by Frank Zappa Music, Inc.
ans, but the feeling increases today that All rights reserved.

The Times They Are Achanging

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The Times They Are Achanging

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American Academy of Political and Social Science

"The Times They Are A-Changin'": The Music of Protest

ABSTRACT: Once a medium of vapid love lyrics, popular

Robert A. Rosenstone, Ph.D., Pasadena, California, is Associate Professor of Histor

AT the beginning of the Rock

adapted to itself a folk

psychedelic drugs, and personal love

attitudes by ascribing view." 14 to It isthem

picture youth in thethat role of victim.

The changes going on are, notafterlife.

as "scientific delirium madness."

the attempt of many ofgroups

search for a kind of mysticalwe

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